BASEBALL KEEPS GETTING IN THE WAY. Planning our itinerary through the Midwest, hitting all the National Park Service venues and Frank Lloyd Wright buildings should be easy but Connie has to work around Major League Baseball schedules. It doesn’t make sense to be in Kansas City if the Royals are playing in Cleveland, after all.
Rain delay at Coors Field, Denver
She has managed to put it all together, making our route look like the path of a drunken sailor on liberty. So we have seen a lot of the country, lovely homes in darling towns — places you wouldn’t want to live in but wish you had come from. And we’ve visited seven new ballparks — eight if you include Phoenix. We have sung “Take Me Out To The Ball Game” with the Diamondbacks, Rockies (twice), Royals, Cardinals, Cubbies, White Sox, Brewers, Indians and the Cincinnati Reds in stadiums with names as familiar Wrigley Field and as weird as Guaranteed Rate Stadium and Great American Ballpark. We have hit most of the beers, too — Coors, Busch and Miller.
Kaufman Field, Kansas City Busch Stadium, St. Louis
Often we have no dog in the hunt and can sit back and enjoy the game. We are obligated to cheer for our Rockies and against their rival Diamondbacks and Dodgers. And we always root against the Red Sox! We confess that we left in disgust after the Rockies squandered a 3-run lead in the 9th inning against the Brewers. Colorado ultimately won in 11 without our support!
Pole position at Wrigley Field XMAS in July, Guaranteed Rate
John has been buying tickets on the resale site, Vivid Seats. It's no problem to cross state lines for a game — Missouri to Kansas or Illinois to Wisconsin —That's one of the reasons we prefer day games and we always sit in the upper level behind home plate (and behind a pole at Wrigley.) Ticket prices can be very reasonable, the view is great and we’re usually in the shade. We have collected a couple of T-shirts, a cheap carry bag and a talking Bob Uecker bottle opener. Who could ask for more!
Roof's open at Miller Field Progressive Cleveland Indians
Inveterate cheapskates, we don’t eat or drink much at the game, which could easily double or triple the cost for the day. We will bring lunch if it’s allowed or suss out a place for lunch near the field. We don’t mind a bit of a walk so can usually find cheap — sometimes free — parking. In Milwaukee Kelly’s Bar provides a free shuttle to and fro free with a meal. We parked across the Cuyahoga River and walked nearly a mile to save $20 in Cleveland. But we topped ourselves for the Cincinnati Reds. We parked in Covington, Kentucky and walked across the Ohio River to Great American Ball Park. No great feat — we once walked from Europe to Asia and back in Istanbul!
Chase Field, first of the season Great American Ball Park
Across the Cuyahoga Across the Ohio from KY
We have broiled in the sun, sheltered from the rain and two of the stadiums had retractable roofs. We’ve seen our share of home runs, errors, stolen bases, dropped third strikes that lead to a run — shame on you, Rockies! — great plays and walk-off victories. What strikes me the most are the number of kids that get to go to the game. Some come with their folks, others with their little league or camp group. We met Tyler and Jarrod on the bus from Schaumburg to Wrigley. And it was Girl Scout Day at the K. Go Royals!
Tyler and Jarrod Girl Scout Day at the K
POST SCRIPT It's September 5 and the Rockies are in first place! 1.5 games ahead of the Dodgers. I know, it's not October. But it ain't chopped liver, either!
