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30/31 MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL BALLPARK EXPERIENCES FOR 2004
A
great ballpark reflects its community to the core. It has a certain character, vibe, ambience, feeling, aroma, texture. It
delivers, well, a certain experience. An experience that’s totally unique. This list is based on Joe Connor’s
own experiences, leaning heavily on history reflected; uniqueness of design and dimensions; fan atmosphere; location and accessibility;
and its overall quaint intimacy.
Factors
such as ticket prices and availability; climate; amenities; and overall seat comfort - while important - are considered
secondary (e.g., a first time visitor to a baseball shrine they’ve never experienced before like Fenway Park is willing
to accept some of this in exchange for the benefits of the unique experience). BOTTOM LINE: Every ballpark has its faults
- there is no utopia! To plan your ballpark trip, complete details on enjoying each is featured in the easy-to-use,
annually updated, A Fan’s Guide To The Ultimate Ballpark Tour: Fully Loaded! available for purchase exclusively
at the Buy Joe's Guides page.
“THE BIG THREE”
1. Fenway Park - Fenway area, Boston, MA (Red Sox) First game: 1912
Biggest
Plus: Who needs a new Fenway when you can add great seats to the right field roof, too?
Biggest
Minus: Good luck getting tickets - and IF you get them, watch your wallet get lighter.
2. Wrigley Field - North side Chicago, Chicago, IL (Cubs) First game: 1914
Biggest
Plus: The Cubbies and rooftop owners have kissed and made up. The result? Nothing has changed about Wrigley Field -
YES!
Biggest
Minus: Welcome to the dumbest tradition in professional sports - throwing a souvenir home run baseball back onto the
playing field.
3. Yankee Stadium - The South Bronx, NY (Yankees) First game: 1923
Biggest
Plus: Nothing better than watching an All-Star team in “The House That Ruth Built.”
Biggest
Minus: Prepare to get frisked down to your privates.
“THE NEW BALLPARK ELITE”
4. SBC Park - China Basin/Mission Bay area, San Francisco, CA (Giants) First game: 2000
Biggest
Plus(es): New name, same old beauty, plus some home runs record is closer in reach.
Biggest
Minus: If you like you’re space, this ain’t the place: narrowest concourses among the new ballparks built since
1989.
5. SAFECO Field - Pioneer Square District, Seattle, WA (Mariners) First game: 1999
Biggest
Plus(es): A “fair” ballpark offering great accessibility, feel, fan atmosphere, sight lines, grub - oh,
and a great city, too.
Biggest
Minus: Say it isn’t so, is 2004 Edgar’s Swan Song in the Emerald City?
6. PNC Park (Pittsburgh)
- North Shore District, Pittsburgh, PA
(Pirates) First game: 2001
Biggest
Plus: Best sight lines in baseball, even from the highest seat in the top deck.
Biggest
Minus: 11 straight losing seasons, and a 12th one in sight - no wonder the fan atmosphere is less than riveting.
7. Jacobs Field - Downtown Cleveland, OH (Indians) First game: 1994
Biggest
Plus: Hard to believe it’s been 10 years since the Jake took Cleveland
by storm, but even better - this place still rocks.
Biggest
Minus: Fan atmosphere no match for the glory days of the mid-1990s.
8. Oriole Park at Camden Yards - Downtown Baltimore, MD (Orioles) First game: 1992
Biggest
Plus(es): Raffy’s reunion back in Bird colors en route to the Hall of Fame, plus nothing like cruising Eutaw Street and enjoying some Boog Powell barbecue.
Biggest
Minus: A Dominican coming to see Miggy would say ticket prices es muy caro!
9. Kauffman Stadium - Suburban Kansas City, MO (Royals) First game: 1973
Biggest
Plus: Still so beautiful, you can’t even notice the changes - this season, the left center field fence has been
moved in and dirt replaces rubber on the warning track.
Biggest
Minus: We could do better than a suburban parking lot.
10. The Ballpark in Arlington - Arlington, TX (Rangers) First game: 1994
Biggest
Plus: Who says there’s no life after Pay-Wad? The most underrated new ballpark of the 1990s celebrates its 10th
anniversary like Jacobs Field by ushering in a new era.
Biggest
Minus: In summer it can be hot as HELLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL!!!!!
11. Coors Field - Lower Downtown, Denver, CO (Rockies) First game: 1995
Biggest
Plus: Location is everything and Coors’ location is sparklingly awesome.
Biggest
Minus(es): Bring your overnight kit because we’re going to be here awhile. Also, would someone explain to me why they
can’t heighten the fences or move them back?
12. Dodger Stadium - Chavez Ravine, Los Angeles, CA (Dodgers) First game: 1962
Biggest
Plus: The ultimate trend-setting ballpark is amazingly the fourth oldest today, yet still feels as good as new.
Biggest
Minus: Speaking of trends, it also unleashed one of the worst in baseball - driving and then parking in a gigantic lot
(and then going nowhere after the game).
“THE BEST OF THE MODERN ERA REST”
13.
Citizens Bank Park - South side, Philadelphia, PA (Phillies) First game: 2004
Biggest
Plus: Location and accessibility aside, it’s the best ballpark since PNC Park with great sight lines; unique dimensions;
great food; better statues; cooler plaques; and fan atmosphere.
Biggest
Minus: This is sensible urban planning - building a ballpark admist parking lots, stadiums and arenas, which results
in among the worst accessibility in baseball? Boooooooooo. Also, if you build it, we’ll raise ticket prices -
by more than 50 percent! Boooooooooo.
14. PETCO Park - Downtown San Diego, CA (Padres) First game: 2004
Biggest
Plus: Now this is more like San Diego - a ballpark across from San Diego Bay and within a short walk of the happening
Gaslamp Quarter.
Biggest
Minus(es): “World’s Best Ballpark in America’s Finest City?”
Not even close, with a major one for the dogs: a poorly designed outfield that results in significant obstructed views for
fans, plus, like the Phillies, 'if you built it, we'll raise ticket prices' (by more than 30 percent).
15.
Busch Stadium - Downtown Saint Louis, MO (Cardinals) First game: 1966
Biggest
Plus: And on the eighth day, God created the smartest, friendliest and most under appreciated baseball fans on planet earth
- Cardinals fans. A packed house on a summer afternoon along the Red Sea River of Saint Louie is an experience unlike
any other.
Biggest
Minus: Fans have to wait two more seasons before this city gets a new ballpark - and a big move up in the rankings,
for sure.
16.
Turner Field - Atlanta, GA (Braves) First game: 1997
Biggest
Plus: Add last year’s division title to the outfield facade, plus an unsung, open-air ballpark, and Oh Atlanta!
Biggest
Minus: Slim to no pre-game atmosphere.
17.
Great American Ballpark - Riverfront, downtown Cincinnati, OH (Reds) First game: 2003
Biggest
Plus: The Reds new ballpark continues its work-in-progress, adding a Hall-of-Fame this season; will there ever be a future
Ken Griffey, Jr. statue outside the yard?
Biggest
Minus: Least unique design and outfield dimensions of any recent new ballpark.
18.
Minute Maid Park - Downtown Houston, TX (Astros) First game: 2000
Biggest
Plus: Can’t really ask for more when Andy Pettitte and Roger Clemens join your team, plus the All-Star game is coming
to town.
Biggest
Minus: Good luck getting tickets, and if you end up in the upper deck, expect to acquire vertigo.
19.
Comerica Park - Downtown Detroit, MI (Tigers) First game: 2000
Biggest
Plus: Location aside, a great ballpark showcasing the Tiger rich history - from decade-by-decade in the main concourse
to the outfield statues. And, yes, fan atmosphere has returned.
Biggest
Minus: What could be better than donning a bullet-proof vest as you drive to the most dreary section of Motown - and,
as a result of the decadence - must pay out the ying-yang to park your car so it doesn’t get vandalized or stolen.
20.
Angel Stadium (aka, Anaheim Stadium, 'The Big A') - Anaheim,
CA (Angels) First game: 1966
Biggest
Plus: Angel ticket haven’t been this hard to come by since all the fair weather SoCaler’s jumped on the Rally
Monkey bandwagon in the fall of 2002.
Biggest
Minus: Just getting good tickets.
21.
Bank One Ballpark - Downtown Phoenix, AZ (Diamondbacks) First game: 1998
Biggest
Plus: Watching Richie Sexson in his prime swing in a hitter-friendly desert (aircraft hanger) oasis.
Biggest
Minus: Can we raise ticket prices any higher, Mr. Colangelo?
22.
U.S. Cellular Field (aka, Comiskey
Park) - South side, Chicago,
IL (White Sox) First game: 1991
Biggest
Plus: Kudos to the ChiSox for fixing that incredibly hideous upper deck that caused major vertigo.
Biggest
Minus: You can fix the ballpark but the location is still among the worst in the Majors - nothing more unappealing than
having to commute all the way out to the attractive south side projects.
23.
Miller Park - Suburban Milwaukee, WI (Brewers) First game: 2001
Biggest
Plus: No better place to have a brat, burger and a beer - and then buy the cheapest seat in the house and sneak down
to better seats because nobody’s there anyway.
Biggest
Minus: Bud "teams-must-have-new-urban-ballparks-to-survive" Selig couldn’t even get it done in his hometown. Not only
that, the Brewers haven’t had a decent playoff hit since “Eye of the Tiger” topped the charts in 1982.
”MULTI-PURPOSES MESSES/TRAIN WRECKS/PICK YOUR ADJECTIVE”
24.
Shea Stadium - Queens/Flushing/Whatever, NY (Mets) First game: 1964
Biggest
Plus: 81 games in Tokyo - Mets fans get to witness the
Amazin’ Magic of Little Matsui as Shea celebrates its 40th.
Biggest
Minus: With the Jets in a Manhattan state-of-mind, how ‘bout we celebrate the 40th
anniversary by flushing this armpit down Flushing’s toilet for good?
25.
Hiram Bithorn Stadium - Hato Rey, San Juan, PR (Expos Other Home) First game: 1962
Biggest
Plus: The closest “Latin style” fan atmosphere you can get without visiting the Dominican, Venezuelan, Nicaraguan,
Cuban, Colombian or Mexican Winter League playoffs.
Biggest
Minus: How does a lush, tropical island ballpark not have natural grass?
26.
Network Associates Coliseum (aka, Oakland-Alameda County
Coliseum) - Suburban Oakland, CA
(Athletics) First game: 1966
Biggest
Plus: Among the most affordable tickets in baseball while pushing for a new future pad.
Biggest
Minus: Go figure - most foul-territory in baseball = least room to maneuver in aisles.
27.
Pro Player Stadium (aka, Joe Robbie) - Suburban Miami, FL (Marlins) First game: 1993
Biggest
Plus: The Marlins won the World Series, and hopefully they’ll now sucker enough politicians to get a new ballpark built
as a result.
Biggest
Minus: Only in America can you not allow a baseball fan to carry in an
umbrella to a ballpark that experiences more rain in summer per capita than 10 months in Seattle
combined.
28.
Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodump - Downtown Minneapolis, MN (Twins) First game: 1982
Biggest
Plus: A new ballpark is back on the table in the Twin Cities.
Biggest
Minus: The new ballpark won’t be ready anytime soon, so for now enjoy baseball the way you played it as a child -
remember, inside the world’s largest helium balloon!
29.
SkyDump - Downtown Toronto, Ontario Canada
(Blue Jays) First game: 1989
Biggest
Plus: Plenty of good seats available inside the Spaceship Enterprise, Skydump.
Biggest
Minus: Welcome to what feels like the largest indoor mall in the world.
30.
Tropicana “Field” - Downtown Saint Petersburg, FL (Devil Rays) First game: 1998
Biggest
Plus: Sweet Lou’s temper tantrums are the stuff of legend and now Tampa’s
Tino Martinez gets to see them in person, too!
Biggest
Minus: Welcome to the biggest indoor sports funeral home in the state of Florida.
31.
Olympic Stadium - Montreal, Quebec
Canada (Expos) First game: 1976
Biggest
Plus: AWESOME sales on Expos merchandise. I mean really, really awesome!
Biggest
Minus: I’m sure going to miss those corroding seats!
