Top 10 Baseball stadiums

Went there to swim - the only thing that really shocked me was how prevalent racism still was, even in the mid-80s.

I've been 'to' the stadium, but have never made a game. Somehow the only time that I'm in Chicago is the winter. Even if its a dump, I would like to make it to a game sometime.

 

Ahh, OK, my bad, thanks! [I thought you were dissing "my" stadium! ]

Indeed! Candlestick was a dump too - *Anything* would have been an improvement!

If MLB ever gets it's act together and tells the Giants that they no longer "own" the South Bay the A's would build a new park here in a heartbeat; Mount Davis over in Oakland is horrible for baseball these days.

Cheers,
Ian

 

still is

how long did it take before you could understand the locals (and vice versa)?

it's definitely worth going, even if it's a little underwhelming.

 

It's not as overt as it was in the 80s, and I quickly distanced myself from those who were, so it's much less apparent to me now. Although the combination of FB and Chick-fil-A gave me the opportunity to learn some things about people that I wasn't previously aware of.

Depends on whether you mean language or culture. Language wasn't too bad, culture on the other hand...

I was a chemistry major and there was an incident at the end of my first term freshman year where I may have done something that highlighted the racism of a member of the departmental staff. The staff member who's racism I acknowledged was the only university employee present at the time, and from that point forward a lot of the staff was hostile towards me. One of the few exceptions was the African-American head admin who seemed to love me after that. Clearly the racist staff member had loose lips. Made for an interesting undergrad career.

 

Check'out the Dell Diamond if you're ever in C. TX (namely, Greater Austin - Texas)...

I'd have had Fenway instead of Wrigley on the list (the former's regal, the latter's a dump). And going off that, I'd have 'em #2 and PNC instead at #1. Say what you will about 'da Burgh & the Pirates futility for the past few (decades) but now that's a place to watch some ball!

Speaking of which, a 21st century Fenway would likely make the BoSox the Apple (Computers) of professional sports & the Yanks likely Microsoft, in a glittering generality of an analogy. I can't even imagine the revenue-stream and marketing capabilities of a modern facility in that region. Tradition and history is one thing, but merging it into modern times needs to happen. I can see the Red Sox eclipsing Jerrah's Cowboys, Glazer bro's ManU, and Steinbrenner Yanks in terms of profitability.

The most fun ballpark? Citi Field in Queens/NYC, it's old-meets-new aura, quaint-meets-metro vibe, obtainable-yet-premium experience.

The (new) Yankee Stadium gives me a cold, monolithic, mega-mall / industrial park vibe. A new well-funded airport terminal if you will.

If I resided in the (North Texas) Metroplex, I'd be a regular at the Ballpark in Arlington. Good time to be a Rangers fan.

How's the experience been in Miami so far w/ their new digs?

 

I haven't been to too many of the current ballparks - most of the ones I had been to are now deceased - but I'm a bit impartial towards Turner Field only because I've been there so often. There isn't a bad seat in the house and the upper deck seats behind home plate are a bargain at $12 (except when the Yankees are in town!). The view of downtown Atlanta is real nice, especially after dark.

In general, I'll say that all of the new retro-style ballparks are a vast improvement over the round, multi-purpose "doughnuts" that they replaced. The Kingdome was interesting because of the roof, but Veterans Stadium had all the pizazz of a wet noodle - if not for the Liberty Bell logo on the roof, it could have been a stadium in at least a half-dozen other cities. The only redeeming value of the game I saw there was the Philly Phanatic!

I think we all need to thank the people in Baltimore for building Camden Yards and starting the trend towards the new baseball-only parks. But Kansas City was really way ahead of the game by doing that in the early '70s!

 

I think the only drawback to ATT Park is the very big fould areas along first and third keep the fans a bit farther away from the action on the lower deck and I assume the upper decks are that much worse...but a spectacular place I agree. Some people don't like the fact that you need sweatshirts and windbreakers a lot of nights there.

 

Really?

Full disclosure; I'm a relative Johnny-come-lately to baseball - The only parks I've visited outside of AT&T are Candlestick (a dump, as already noted) and the other ****-tip across the bay in Oakland - Both of those have *huge* foul territory. I thought AT&T with just the bullpens "in the way" was one of the closest? Which one's put you closer yet?

Not arguing btw, just interested.

Thanks, cheers,
Ian

 

I totally agree, I kept paging through thinking it would make the top three. There really isn't a bad seat in the whole house and the views of the SF bay, fantastic.! I am not a big fan of Willie Brown , but he built a heck of a stadium that never fails to deliver.

Must have been a east coast writer.

 

+1

It does get "Candlestick cold" on occasion, and the rats-with-wings beasts can be a PITA, but as you noted, must have been an E. coast writer....

Do you think Slick Willie built the park?

Don't wanna go all P&R, but I'll take issue with that......

Cheers,
Ian

 

Just had another look at Dodger stadium and totally forgot how big that carpark is, you could fit another 20 stadiums in it

 

With his own hands no, but getting anything done in California and then SF is almost impossible. The fact that this site connects to the water would make in another ten times more difficult. I think Wille helped make all that possible by cutting thru the red tape.

 

I like the Ballpark in Arlington, home of the Texas Rangers. Lots of parking, reasonable prices, close proximity to hotels, restaurants, Six Flags Over Texas and Cowboy Stadium is only three blocks away.........
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