Blog - Page 2 of 3 - Reach The Bleachers

April 25, 2019May 10, 2019

Sometimes Baseball In Philadelphia – Citizens Bank Park: Philadelphia, PA

1 Citizens Bank Way, Philadelphia, PA 19148 (8/4/2018) – CB

The next city in this multi-destination journey is Philadelphia. I was seeking a bit of an upswing for my weekend after the night before when the Nationals game got postponed. Also, needed a boost after looking for my car for over an hour in an on-and-off torrential downpour in Silver Spring, which has to have the most parking garages per square foot in the world. But at least the Anthony Rendon bobblehead was an adequate consolation prize. City of Brotherly Love, add one more spectator. To minds on baseball, and hearts filled (literally) with cheese!

Pre-game, pre-Eagles chant (8/4/2018) - CB — ***Pre-game, and of course, pre-Eagles chant. (8/4/2018) – CB***

Game Time! (vs. Miami Marlins – 8/4/2018): Getting out of the Uber, it felt like getting dropped off in a part of the universe, where the photos I’ve seen of the Baker Bowl and Shibe Park merged together in the middle of South Philadelphia. All of this, with a large bronze idol of Mike Schmidt guarding the third base gates. The most eventful part of the game easily was the Wall of Fame ceremony beforehand, where famed baseball executive Pat Gillick and the late Roy Halladay were inducted to join Phillie greats such as Mike Schmidt and Steve Carlton. As you can imagine, the waterworks were flowing at the induction of Halladay, as his widow stood in the middle of the diamond, using all her strength to hold herself up with an understandably heavy heart, while speaking about her late husband’s accomplishments on-and-off the diamond. When the main event began, the game was over as quickly as the Dillashaw – Garbrandt fight that happened later that night. For fans of the long ball, the park lived up to its bandbox status, with 6 homers crushed in all directions. Although, easily the real treat was to see The Phillie Phanatic live, flashing everybody. One item of note: Guaranteed in any lull within a Philadelphia sporting event, loud shouts will be generated, consisting of the letters ‘E-A-G…’, you get the picture. I swear, I’m not bitter about Super Bowl 52 at all. But in all seriousness, the faithful of eastern Pennsylvania made it worth it all by not allowing a dull moment, even during pitching changes. Too bad there wasn’t any frozen precipitation to lob around and enhance the fun. Either way, even in a game that was a bright spot in a second-half nosedive for the Phillies, the emotion in the stands will always be at supreme levels.

Perfect view of an NL East beatdown. (8/3/2018) - CB — ***Perfect view of an NL East beatdown. (8/4/2018) – CB***

Home Runs: Just like their East Coast counterparts, the fans of Philadelphia bring that tidal wave of passion that only seems to escalate by the minute, no matter where the hometown club is in the game or in the standings. With that undying passion comes a strong appreciation of the game, with many of the jerseys I saw being from the pennant winning teams of the early 80’s, to the scrappy team of ’93. Of course, I always appreciate a Victorino jersey sighting, for selfish reasons. As much as the Philadelphia faithful brings it in the grandstands, they bring as much in the concession stands as well. Of course, I’m enamored with the shredded meat/cheese combo of the well-renowned greasy concoction that this city made famous, but how come nobody ever told me about the magic of crab fries? Shoutout to Chickie’s and Pete’s for introducing me to another delicious variation of my favorite fried thin stick food. But herbivores, don’t fear. If you’re vegetarian baseball fan, you will be dining at a ballpark that has been considered one of the top 10 parks for years in meatless cuisine. True sustenance for the masses!

Flyouts: The ballpark, as well as the other professional stadiums in Philadelphia, are in the same general location within what’s called the South Philadelphia Sports Complex. While it creates a fun little ecosystem, the park is detached from the major points in the city (a little over 6 miles from Center City). So if you are looking to partake in any activities that go beyond the stadium or Xfinity, you will have a lengthy walk or cab ride over to other attractions. I would be unnecessarily bitter to say that the distance from the city robs the park of having a backdrop like Busch Stadium in St. Louis. However, unless you’re one of the tailgating types, there are fewer external options situated close to the park. I also found the lines for food to be a little bit longer than in other places. However, with the great food options, you can call this a classic job interview case of ‘my strengths are my weaknesses’.

Time for Part 2 of gametime! (8/4/2018) - CB — ***Time for Part 2 of gametime! (8/4/2018) – CB***

Around the Diamond: As mentioned before, the epicenter of drunkenness lies a couple hundred paces from the park in the form of Xfinity Live!, a mothership of drinking establishments. Within Xfinity Live! there is an eclectic mix of environments for your choosing. For example, in 1110 Social, I found a more subdued environment, a place for a quick drink before Ubering home. If you like karaoke nights, Broad Street Bullies is your indescribable heaven of random socializing and screeching versions of 80’s ballads and Oasis songs. The most packed place I was at that night was at PBR Philly, with the main attraction being a mechanical bull. Last, but not least, was Victory Beer Hall, which was my girlfriend’s favorite place. Here, you are actually encouraged to dance on tables (There were picnic tables at the center of the bar), while a cover band charmed the crowd with their own renditions of the ‘Now That’s What I Call Music‘ discography.

Have to say, a little better than the real thing. (8/4/2018) - CB — ***Have to say, a little better than the real thing. (8/4/2018) – CB***

My Final Play: With the bricks and bronze plaques, Citizens definitely grabs a hold of old-time charm and history similar to what Camden Yards was able to do. However, its location within the South Philly sports complex is akin to the inventiveness of the cookie-cutter stadium. However, it wasn’t for the lack of trying. The initial site for the park was to be on 12th and Vine, about as central of a location you can muster in Center City (downtown, for you tourists). However, the project would have gutted the Chinatown neighborhood, which the residents let the city know about. You can only wonder if in another 10-15 years that the city will go full-circle in the same merry-go-round of conversation, and potentially try to wedge a ballpark in another corner of Center City. Especially with waning attendance in the past few seasons (like with Tampa), I have a strong hunch that a location change to a more invigorated area will be presented as a solution to accessibility and location aesthetics. An increase in attendance and cash flow also wouldn’t hurt. Like with the Navy Yard area for Nationals Park, it’s possible that the city could build more around the area. Depending on the importance of the game, sometimes the rowdy fans are all you need. However, I wish the area had as much to offer outside the stadiums as they do inside.

Well, now you know!: Citizens Bank Park was the first MLB stadium to follow the EPA’s Green Power Partnership Program, which was designed to to encourage stadiums to minimize their environmental impact via clean energy. This involved the Phillies purchasing 20 million kilowatt-hours of green energy in 2008, as well as having all the shrubs in the park to be grown with organic fertilizer, biodegradable utensils and even the tickets are made from recycled content. Plus,the frying oil is recycled into bio-diesel fuel, ensuring that all parts of the crab fry get used.

Curious to see how daunting the Rocky Steps run will be? Check out the Philadelphia gallery here for more pictures of fun and some food in the City of Brotherly Love.

August 9, 2018May 10, 2019

Fathers’ Day Fan Trip – Rogers Centre: Toronto, ON

***1 Blue Jays Way, Toronto, ON (6/17/2018) – CB***

My next stop: the only active major league ball park of the Great White North. But just because this was in Canada, it wasn’t exactly a frigid experience. If I had predicted that I would have got my first solid tan of the summer, I should have also bet some of my hard-earned Canadian money at the casinos of Niagara…and still would have lost it all, but at least I’d be rich in Vitamin D, for whatever that is worth. Here’s to baseball in my mind, Canada in my heart and poutine in my stomach!

A Futures' Game of sorts. (6/17/2018) - CB — **A Futures’ Game of sorts. (6/17/2018) – CB**

Game Time! (vs. Mont… ehem, Washington Nationals – 6/17/2018): Fresh off of my visit to the Hockey Hall of Fame and the CN Tower in the previous afternoon, I psyched myself up for the main event of my Ontario trip. The place where Joe Carter did indeed hit the biggest home run in his life. Before the game, I took a journey to the upper deck in left field to get a good view of the diamond, as well as to be in the presence of where the ‘Sky’ in SkyDome came from, thanks to a few majestic home runs that have been hit. With a few of these, I can safely assume that some chemical assistance was required. By the time I got to my seat in the other end of the park, the clear Toronto sky replaced the concrete sunblock above. With the sudden splash of heat, I had a hunch that more beer was in my future, maybe even sneaking in a few before I got to relish in the sounds of two national anthems. I admired the sections of fans (I assume were from Quebec) that were donning their dusty Expos gear and grasping on to “Welcome Expos” signs as they watched the more Americanized, and arguably the more underachieving version of their old team. A fun part of this ballpark adventure is learning about the teams I am watching, and a Fathers’ Day game gave me a nice window into some of the players. For example, I learned that the song that reminds Aaron Sanchez of his dad was ‘Cats in the Cradle‘, which is undoubtedly the most ironic song for Fathers’ Day. Although, ‘Father of Mine’ gives it a run for its money. A nice touch was in the 7th inning stretch, where this Randy Newman-esque rally song blasted through the speakers, and perhaps powered the Jays to victory, with the 3 homers they hit in the 7th and 8th innings. I may not have had as good of a day as Randal Grichuk, but I felt joyful that I was able to enjoy a ballgame in a different nation with some like-minded fans of this grand ole’ game. Also, Mexico defeated Germany that day in the World Cup, so that was a plus. Just don’t remind of the recent USMNT qualifiers, and we’ll be good friends!

Home Runs: The presence of the dome guarantees at least a comfortable environment every game. Although on a sunny day, the Field Level seats are possibly the premier place in the city for a good sun bathing session! In addition, Rogers Centre is well-positioned, being about a 10-minute walk from just about everything you want to see in a dynamic and alluring city like Toronto, with places like Ripley’s Museum, Chinatown, Air Canada Centre, Toronto Harbour and about 27 fine Tim Horton’s establishments. I’m kidding… I think. It’s something about watching my beloved game in a locale with the metric measurements on the walls that gives me hope the baseball will still have a strong presence in the North American sports scene for years to come. Although known for it’s lagging attendance numbers for about the past 2 decades, this park drew the most fans out of any American League ball park for 2 consecutive years in 2016 and 2017 while the team was a solid contender in the American League. As a result, I imagine that many games created a sound wall that only a roadie for a death metal band could be accustomed to. I could only envision how lit this place gets indoors when the dome is closed, and the leaves turn colors outside.

Flyouts: Even though it does not produce the same wacky bounces as the old stuff, I still can’t get used to baseball on an artificial grass. Probably helped accelerate my burn by a shade or two, as well. With a near Fenway-sized crowd of 35,000+, I witnessed an engaged crowd peppered with jerseys of Donaldson, Stroman and Pillar to name a few favorites of the local 25. However, just like with the Trop, I felt like I was in a more unique situation with the crowd of the game in that it was a Fathers’ Day game, which generally brings in more fans due to summer-like temps and sentimentality. Like with other parks in striking distance of the powerhouses in the AL East, the larger crowds for this park will generally appear when the Red Sox and Yankees come into town, and overthrows the ratio of home and away supporters. I’m guessing that a Blue Jays – Mariners contest in August won’t generate the same buzz, unless Toronto is firmly in contention. It’s a shame, because from their recent playoff appearances, one could argue that a game at The Rogers Centre has one of the more insane environments for a baseball game in the optimal situation.

Safe to say, no gloves needed here. (6/16/2018) – CB

Around the Diamond: If you want to feel on top of the world in a touristy way, you are only a few paces to the CN Tower, where you can get a bird’s eye view of the game (An open-domed game, of course), while getting a solid view of Toronto and the many blues-and-greens from the glass of their tall buildings. A personal favorite spot of mine was Hunters Landing, which is situated a little over a half-mile (1.1 km for you internationals) away from the stadium. You have to praise a place that provides an outdoor bar on a nice day, along with a 30 oz. stein of grog before a game. Not a bad place to watch a World Cup, too! For a little fun of the electronic variety, located a line drive over the fence is the The Rec Room, which is basically a Canadian version of Dave & Buster’s. The scene around the Rogers Centre is a little more spread out, but there seems to be enough out there if you’re a professional tourist, or one of the dedicated barroom warriors looking to be boisterous.

Well, if I have to... — **Well, if I have to…(6/17/2018) – CB**

My Final Play: Even though Rogers Centre is a couple decades away from receiving their AARP card, the park is a bit of an historical relic, in that it was the first motorized retractable roof stadium built. That alone is worth a trip to this crown jewel of The Six. However, you can argue that a lot of the park’s natural character literally comes from up top. Like with Tropicana Field in Florida, the drab concrete exterior doesn’t exactly draw eyeballs. As you can imagine with a team that had a significant playoff drought (At least until a couple of years ago), and a recent regression from the club, the crowds may not be as consistently electric as they were for…let’s say an ALDS game against Texas. As talk of expansion becomes louder within Major League Baseball, my thoughts linger over to the return of baseball in French Canada. With a starving fan base, and hopefully with a stadium that’s actually made for baseball, the presence of a Montreal team could generate an inter-divisional, regional rival (in the new AL North, perhaps?), which could potentially generate increased crowds for both of ‘international’ cities in the biggest league in the sport. While there, I sensed an enormous pride among the fans for representing the one team up north of the border. A national team, of sorts. The Expos Part II strategy definitely won’t be the singular move to boost attendance numbers for all parks, but maybe it may take a two-team rivalry up north to create more Canadian clout, and more importantly generate more decibels on a regular basis in the future. After all, it’s the only way to have Toronto baseball.

Well, now you know!: Wanna watch baseball, but don’t feel like getting out of bed? The Rogers Centre has the only hotel located in a major league sports stadium. The Renaissance Toronto Downtown Hotel has 70 rooms with a stadium view (348 total), all located within Justin Smoak-home run distance over the wall in center field. The hotel’s greatest contribution to history is that it helped give this ballpark the colorful moniker of The SexDome. If your imagination is a bit slow, let’s just say the fans were not looking at the scoreboard.

Wanna see what Toronto is all about? How about getting up close and personal with a somewhat popular waterfall 130 km south? Check out my Toronto gallery here for more pictures.

July 31, 2018May 10, 2019

My Bizarro Baseball Experience – Yankee Stadium: New York, NY

**1 E 161st Street, Bronx, NY 10451 (5/26/2018) – CB**

If I’m going to complete my countrywide journey, this was an inevitable stop. A site that, from the womb, I was taught was the real-life equivalent of the Death Star (technically Death Star II), or Mt. Crumpit. There’s even a distinct memory of my mom not allowing me to get a Babe Ruth jersey when going to Cooperstown when I was a kid. Rivalry, much? As I walked off the D train and walked the scenic route towards my seat in Section 237, my fan-like curiosity couldn’t help but want to explore the second generation lair of my team’s rival and what makes it special to the 50,000+ per game that attend a game here. All of this, while feeling a little like if Michelangelo walked into the Technodrome.

***I don’t know if I should be here! (5/26/2018) – CB***

Game Time! (vs. Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim – 5/26/2018): On this Memorial Day weekend, I decided to bring my girlfriend and a good friend of mine out to the bleachers to enjoy some brews and a ballgame, with slightly-camouflaged jerseys in view. Walking in, I definitely noticed an early 20th century essence emanating from the design, which was no coincidence. It was as if we were off to see Ruth, Gehrig and Lazzeri back in 1927 rather than Judge, Stanton and Sanchez. Based on the Red Sox record that year, and the social climate at the time, I’m glad that wasn’t the case! A surprising delight was going to my seat in the last row of the bleachers, and actually seeing bleachers behind the outfield walls. Generally, the bleachers are the the place to be for a simultaneous session of game-watching and people-watching, and this place was no exception. Even within the pack of Yankee fans and scattered presence of Angel red, I spotted a few fans for my hometown Crimson Hose, making me a coward for leaving my Sox gear at home in exchange for my 2014 Clint Dempsey USMNT kit (Hey, it was Memorial Day!). The passion really came out in the top of the 4th inning, after Sonny Gray got yanked, allowing 5 runs and walking 3 in less than 4 innings. One crimson-faced fan let his frustrations right out, and in a rare moment, I found common ground with a supporter from the Evil Empire, for I too would have been screaming at Sonny Gray and his 5+ ERA from the bleachers if the Sox had got him at the trade deadline a year ago. Stuff like that can bring the country back together! Anyway, there are some entertaining moments to witness that don’t truly get captured watching at home, like hearing the bleacher roll call to the players, and how the flood lights flickered after Gardner and Judge went back-to-back in the 1st. However, once the game got out of hand, the volume was a little toned down, but there was still enough of a presence to show displeasure in the bullpen taking a blow torch and setting any chance of a comeback in flames.

***Time to reload on bleacher fuel! (5/26/2018) – CB***

Home Runs: Boy, I do not regret getting bleacher seats for this. The environment at Yankee Stadium (especially in the bleachers) definitely rivals that of my hometown team, especially when their starting pitcher gets lit up and doesn’t even get out of the 4th inning. Despite leaving a place with so much history almost a decade ago, they did a good job of incorporating the feats and legends of the past, all while recreating the look of the old stadium inside and out. In walking past the gate into the stadium, you will see flags of Yankee legends hanging one behind the other, which had the feel of walking into a neo-Coloseum, with the gladiators of the past greeting you on the way in.

Flyouts: As you may expect from a New York venue, the food and drink, while good, can run a pretty penny. There is also that little issue of those empty padded seats at the Legends Suite that hug the front rows, with 2 tickets costing as much as the average honeymoon. However, that has been well documented. Call me jaded from the normal ballpark experience I get, but at times, it felt like being more in a shopping mall that happen to have a Yankee Stadium replica attached. Maybe a little more cracks and rust over time will open my heart more a bit in my next visit. There is also not as much of a scene as you’d expect when it comes to bars and restaurants. There is a pocket of watering holes by the River Ave. side of the the stadium. However, it is not much for a city that has many scenic and character-filled neighborhoods as any city in the world.

**Pit stop at Stan’s. (5/26/2018) – CB**

Around the Diamond: As mentioned before, there aren’t as many options as there are around many other ballparks. Pretty much all the bars nearby are located at the River Ave side of the stadium. There is a Hard Rock Cafe located in the stadium if you’re a music memorabilia junkie, or if you’re a natural magnet for tourist traps. The one watering hole I visited after the game was Stan’s Sports Bar, which provides the basics of want you want in a bar near a sporting event; 90’s-2000’s music you can sing along to with beverages to quench your thirst after a hot 3-hour game. However, I would be open to exploring more of the options in a future trip to the Technodr…I mean Yankee Stadium. You can bet I’ll be back to explore more of the River Ave selections in the near future. Billy’s, you’re next!

My Final Play: I can’t help to think that after my new Yankee Stadium experience, it made me think of the future of Fenway, or even Wrigley Field in that eventually these franchises will go the way of the luxury boxes and Legends Clubs and create a new home for their local 9. The new Yankee Stadium is a reminder that you can’t recapture all of history simply by building a replica from yesteryear. However, it’s also a reminder that the legacy of the team is carried by the generations of fans who go through the turnstiles. At the end of the day, even if all of the ghosts haven’t quite found a home here, it’s the New York tradition and passion that can make this place special a couple of decades down the road (I think that last sentence made the Red Sox hat on my head catch fire!). For that, this is a must go for any sports fan. Besides, I would not be doing my duty as a sports fan if I skip out on attending the best North American sports rivalry in opposing territory!

Well, now you know!: With a little less than a decade under its facade, I will admit that it was a little tough finding a unique nugget that hasn’t been noted in the past, or that involves the Yankee Stadium of the past. In fact, this piece of information is pre-grand opening. Remember when the new Yankee Stadium was going to have a dome? In an original 2001 proposal, both the new stadiums for the Yankees and the Mets had retractable roofs included. However, Mayor Bloomberg scrapped the original deal, which shifted more of the stadium construction costs on the team, after which the Yankees decided to save a cool $200 million and continued construction, sans dome.

Want to view more of Yankee Stadium and the Big Apple? Click here to get linked up to the New York gallery page to see more images of the park and the city.

July 23, 2018May 10, 2019

Charm City Travels – Oriole Park: Baltimore, MD

333 West Camden St., Baltimore, MD 21201 (8/16/2016) - CB — **333 West Camden St., Baltimore, MD 21201 (8/16/2016) – CB**

The next post will discuss my experience in Oriole Park, one of the more celebrated parks in the league. When you arrive here, it will be hard to disagree. To date, this is the park I’ve been to most outside of Fenway, due to the ease in which you can get tickets to watch the team of your choice, as well as the park’s close proximity to friends and family over the years. I welcome you to a new edition of the classic urban ball park!

**Chilling in the terrace boxes. (8/16/2016) – CB**

Game Time! (vs. Boston Red Sox – 8/16/2016): Out of all my times at Camden Yards, this was the 1st game for me getting the Light Rail experience into the pre-game festivities outside the stadium. After a couple of orange crushes from the bar, and snacking on a large bag of peanuts (which you can bring into the game), we made the humid journey up into our box seats. A convenient feature of this park were the indoor air-conditioned concourses, which on a predictably hot and muggy August evening in Maryland was a life saver. The contest was as good as expected, with the top 2 teams in the AL East separated by 1 game duking out in a back-and-forth affair. At one point, the O’s got their ‘Thank God I’m A Country Boy’ momentum boost, and tied the game up in the bottom of the 7th. However, it was the Mookie Betts show, who hit a 3-run blast in the Top of the 8th (He also drove in all 5 Boston runs) to put the game away. It was at that moment where I caught a glimpse of a woman giving me a laser stare from 3 sections away. My exuberance while wearing a Sox cap, perhaps? I did notice a small hole in the jersey I wore that night after the next laundry cycle, but I don’t want to jump to conclusions! But hey, at least half of the stadium left happy!

Someone's ready for a closeup. (9/19/2009) - CB — **Someone’s ready for a closeup. (9/19/2009) – CB**

Home Runs: As the first salvo launched against the stale cookie-cutter stadiums of the 70’s and 80’s, Oriole Park ushered the return of the ‘old school’ park. The combination of its throwback look inside and the cityscape outside its walls screams baseball paradise. It seems that no matter where your seat is, you a get a remarkable view of the game, all while feeling relatively close to the action. I even find it amusing when the Red Sox visit town, and the PA guy plays the first few notes of Sweet Caroline, and then cut the song right when the moment of mutual acknowledgment exists among Sox fanatics. And with outside staples Boog’s Barbecue, the crab cake vendors and even the little homerun markers on Eutaw Street, you could have just as enjoyable experience outside the park as you can inside.

Flyouts: For a park like this, it is pretty hard to come up with bold negatives, but here it goes! For one, the recent construction of some taller buildings has blocked what would be an immaculate view from the upper boxes. The home fans that do show for a game seem passionate for their O’s, but seem fewer and farther between. Even in the game I went to, the Orioles were in playoff contention, and yet about two-thirds of the seats were filled with somebody wearing red or navy-blue. As well, in wading through the web, there is a lot of chatter of higher ticket prices, which could explain some of the decrease in attendance. However, I feel that the presence of empty green seats is a silent protest of their current owner (Peter Angelos), who hasn’t presided over a set of consistently successful teams since the Clinton Administration. You can blame the resources of two of their division rivals, but many a mid-market team (Astros, Cardinals, Indians) have built teams on shrewd executives that make even shrewder moves, which always make them a threat to compete year after year. Eventually the apathy from the top affects the product on the field, which affects the number of bodies in the bleachers and grandstands.

Been 14 years since '04, yet he still follows me! (8/16/2016) - CB — **Been 14 years since ’04, yet he still follows me! (8/16/2016) – CB**

Around the Diamond: There are a few pubs which are located in stone-throwing distance, and a few more establishments within comfortable walking distance. The one place I have actually entered in the area was Pickles Pub, where I had my first (and definitely not last!) orange crush. Huge warning that on a hot day, these will be your best friend at pre-game, but depending on how much you pound, can turn on you by the time Thank God I’m A Country Boy plays from the speakers! On my next trip back, I would like to scoot over to the Babe Ruth Birthplace & Musuem. If you’re on a watering hole tour near the park, you can find a few in the surrounding streets. Appropriate, considering Babe Ruth pretty much grew up in a bar before getting sent off to boarding school. Another friendly warning in that if you are a Babe Ruth-type tour with your little ones that the location of that family bar is now let’s just say, a ‘gentlemen only’ establishment. As mentioned in the Flyouts, some of of the streets on the outskirts of Oriole Park display some of the poverty in Baltimore that you may have heard about. Thinking back, I’m wondering if this was the reason why my girlfriend’s cousin seemed incredulous as to why we took the train up to Lexington Market. In short, there are definitely safe areas around the park, but don’t wander too far off.

The Final Play: Oriole Park definitely deserves all the hype it gets in terms of ball park quality. Admittedly, I’m a bit jealous of the comforts, from the spacious seats to the funnel cakes. If you’re a baseball fan, a sports fan or a fan of just sitting and weirdly enjoy people in action within an open space for 3 hours, this park should be on the top of the list. However, in some ways, I feel like Oriole Park a is place of lost potential, and not because of the look and feel of the park, which rivals the other great parks of the league. It’s somewhat depressing to see vendors outside the park that are selling merch from my favorite team outside of a ballpark 400 miles away, which irks some in the Oriole fan base. Combined with a clueless ownership, and that the 2018 team is on pace for one the worst seasons in this young century, I empathize 100%. In short, this park has it all, minus the swarms large of orange-clad die hards that use to occupy these seats from the stadium’s infancy to its pre-tween years through the ’90s. Based on recent attendance numbers, it’s obvious that it’s not there right now, even to the point where they have initiative for kids to attend ball games for free! Simply put, it’s all about the fans having confidence not only in a winning team, but in an organization that is doing its very best to build a quality product that will contend year after year. When that happens, the country can once again see the best of what Camden Yards has to offer.

Well, now you know! – Many baseball enthusiasts have heard of the red seat in Fenway’s bleachers. In a sea of green that surrounds Oriole Park, there are 2 orange-colored seats, which mark historic occasions in Oriole history. One seat is located in left field (Section 86, Row FF, Seat 10), which marks the 278th dinger hit by Cal Ripken Jr. that broke the record for shortstops. The other is located in right-center (Section 96, Row 7, Seat 23) marks the 500th homer of Eddie Murray.

Want to be more charmed by the Charm City? Click here to get linked up to the Baltimore gallery page to view photos from around the park and city!