For the first two weeks of August, I embarked on an ambitious trek to rediscover America's pastime -- California-style. With two friends, I visited the five baseball stadiums in my native state, Bank One Ballpark in Phoenix, a couple of national parks and Vegas, baby, Vegas.
Back in December, when the 2004 baseball schedules were released, we sat down to map out what we called Baseball Road Trip III. Our BRTs began in 2002 as a weekend trip, when six of us saw games in Philadelphia, Yankee Stadium, Boston and Baltimore. Last year, the same six drove through the Midwest, catching games in Cleveland, Detroit, Chicago (Wrigley), St. Louis, Cincinnati and Pittsburgh.
This year, our plan was significantly more time-consuming, expensive and complex, meaning only three of us ended up going. We flew into Long Beach via Jet Blue (watching SportsCenter or ESPNEWS the entire flight), rented a car and headed to San Diego.
We took in two games at Petco Park, the Padres' new stadium, lying on the beach by day and crashing at a sketchy motel near the Mexican border by night, before battling the parking lots called interstates to get back to Los Angeles. Though I was extremely disappointed with Petco, an architecturally-quirky stadium with odd dimensions and blocked sight lines, San Diego was great, with perfect weather.
Back in L.A., we sandwiched sightseeing and Malibu beaches in between Angel and Dodger games. Neither stadium was anything to write home about, though Angel Stadium was surprisingly nice, given that it opened in the mid-60s. The highlight of Dodger Stadium, by far, was the entrance of closer Eric Gagne, complete with the scoreboard flashing "Game Over" as "Welcome to the Jungle" blared over the loudspeaker.
In Arizona, the retractable roof at Bank One Ballpark was closed, which tainted my experience, as I couldn't adjust to baseball in air conditioning despite the luxuries inside.
From Phoenix, we went four days without baseball, visiting the Grand Canyon, Hoover Dam, Las Vegas (I could write a column just about Sin City) and Yosemite. In this leg, we drove through barren, unoccupied land, cracking 100 on the speedometer several times. The terrain changed from desert to the picturesque mountains of Yosemite, within which lush valleys and scenic waterfalls were tucked.
We arrived in the San Francisco Bay area and caught games at SBC Park and Network Associates Coliseum while also sightseeing and spending two freezing August nights in Berkeley. SBC, home of the Giants, was unbelievable -- right on the bay with great views, an open concourse and so many unique features. We looked out into the Bay from our seats behind home plate, eying the Bay Bridge over the giant Coca-Cola bottle. And we saw Barry Bonds! The A's stadium, also home to an NFL team, was mediocre, as it can hold 63,146 for football. It felt lonely and empty. And it was freezing in August.
On the whole, we logged 2,870 miles over 12 days, seeing six games in five major metropolitan areas as well as four national parks.
With the trip, I pushed the total number of parks I have seen to 18. I give you my top five, though I profess that certain parks that I have not yet been to (mainly The Ballpark at Arlington and Safeco Field) could creep into the list once I visit them.
1. SBC Park: No question about it, for the aforementioned reasons.
2. Fenway Park: The Green Monster should be enough, but it's a great baseball environment. The history just sweeps you up, making you ignore the annoying accents and soak in the game. Plus, the ushers have no problem with you taking empty seats. Forget about modern conveniences like constant electronic scoreboards.
3. Wrigley Field: History oozes out of the stadium, from the beers outside to the ivy covering the fence. Cubs fans are great, and the stadium is serene, making you forget about modern conveniences like up-to-the-minute electronic scoreboards. As long as the concrete isn't falling, it's a place you have to visit in your lifetime.
4. Camden Yards: Baltimore's stadium was the first and best of the new brand of ballparks that attempted to create an authentic historic feel. The proximity to downtown, the brick wall of the Warehouse with Eutaw Street behind right field, the double-deck bullpen and the excellent sight lines make it a great place to watch a game, in spite of the team playing.
5. Citizens Bank Park: The new park in Philadelphia features excellent food and an open concourse where people can stand to watch the game nearly unobstructed from behind the lower seats. Fans relentlessly boo their own players, which makes it fun for visiting fans. The only flaws are the short pooch in left field and a hideous Phillies sign in the parking lot that mars an otherwise great view of the city skyline from the stadium.
People are always debating the merits of baseball stadiums, with state-of-the-art new stadiums making a tough decision even tougher. The point is that if you get the chance to visit any new baseball stadium, take it. But don't be afraid to take it farther. If you're looking for a good vacation, nothing beats a baseball road trip. Especially one that stops in Las Vegas.
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