Baseball Parks I Have Been To
There's nothing like going to a baseball game. The fact that baseball is
boring is actually a part of it - the experience is about the atmosphere
and all that. So yeah, I rather enjoy going to baseball games once in a
while. Anyway, here's how I rank the places I've been to.
- Safeco Field, Seattle - I loved this place, one of the new
generation ballparks. This was in 2001, when the Mariners won 116 games,
with the start of Ichiromania. The place was absolutely packed, which
always makes it feel alive, and the place was gorgeous. We sat in the very
top row but it still felt a part of it; nothing like the 3rd deck at the
Coliseum. But yeah, it's in a great part of town, the train gives it
atmosphere... all in all, I loved it.
- PacBell Park, San Francisco - Lots of people say it's the best
park in baseball right now. And I love this place, but yeah, dunno why,
but I liked Safeco Field better. But this place is awesome. Again, just an
atmosphere thing. It's dope being by the water, and I love the brick
action everywhere. Only negative is how cold it gets at night, especially
on foggy days.
- SkyDome, Toronto - We just went here. I liked it a lot. It's
huge, but didn't feel huge. I'm not a fan of Astroturf at all - it just
looks fake and worsens the atmosphere, but the rest of the place made up
for it. This park was made before the new wave of retro ballparks so I was
expecting a huge ugly monstrocity but it was actually quite nice. We
actually got to look down at the park from the CN Tower which is also
cool. Helps that Toronto's such a clean city also.
- Fenway Park, Boston - I went here summer of '97. So long ago I
barely remember it, just that it was old. But that was part of the appeal.
I dunno, I felt like I was soaking in tradition. I barely remember it, but
I think I enjoyed it most out of the "old" parks.
- U.S. Cellular Field, Chicago - Dave's a Sox fan more than Cubs
so we went here. It was a nice park, not great. Probably the worst of the
"new" parks. Actually, I'm not sure if this is new or just renovated. They
had a fireworks show afterwards that was remarkably good though.
- Network Associates Coliseum, Oakland - I like this place
all right. There are negatives - the entire third deck, Mt. Davis, and
whatever, but it's still a nice place to watch a game. But that 3rd deck -
you feel so far away. Not fun. But at least the weather's better than in
SF, and they have the best garlic fries of any park I've been to. Dunno
why it varies, but it does, and I like the ones here best.
- Dodger Stadium, Los Angeles - I didn't like this place too
much. I guess it has history, but I dunno, I'm not a fan. It's on this
hill, so there's no atmosphere at all - it looks out onto nothing. And
smoggy nothing at that. The cool thing about all the parks above is that
it's located in a cool place in town - to me that adds something to the
experience. Dodger Stadium is just depressing. The only positive is the
organist, who plays random songs baseball organ style. When I was there he
played, among other songs, the theme from Greatest American Hero and On My
Own from Les Miz. Chan Ho Park was pitching so a third of the people there
were Korean. He beat Mike Hampton. I hate watching Hampton pitch - he just
looks like a beaten man. It's really depressing. But anyway. And also, I
don't get the Dodger Dog hype. Overrated.
- Candlestick Park, San Francisco - I hated this place, and it
was the only place I went to for a while. But yeah, it's too big, and the
weather is terrible. It's sunny, but with swirling winds, so you go and
freeze, and come home with a sunburn. Not a fun place.
- Astrodome, Houston - My least favorite park. Even worse than
Candlestick. It's the worst of everything - not in a particularly fun area
of town, a huge monstrocity, a fixed dome so you can't soak in the
atmosphere, Astroturf, etc. It just didn't feel like a baseball game to
me. Anyway, all the new domes since this one has learned their lesson but
yeah, there were many lessons to be learned from this. An ugly place.