FT "Classic Ballpark" get-together in 2001?
 

I was in Tropicana Field on Monday night - my first major league game since the strike (I went on strike against MLB - I've been to dozens of minor league games since).

Anyhow, the topic came up about putting together a "classic ballparks" vacation.

For example: Fenway, Yankee Stadium, Wrigley, Jacobs Field, Camden Yard ...

Organizing this thing is impossible for one person, so I was thinking along the lines of having a host for each city (ie: one person coordinates Wrigley, another does Fenway).

We could either try it over the course of a week (which I think would be a LOT of fun), or various dates during the season.

Would be curious who would be interested and/or their nominations for ballparks.

Fenway, Yankee Stadium and Wrigley are automatics in my mind.

Jacobs Field, Camden Yards, Arlington and Enron are also high on my list.

I'd also include Tropicana in Tampa - not much of a stadium, but I've got an "in", and we could have a great time in the billiard room, cigar room, etc.

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"I will not be pushed, filed, stamped, indexed, briefed, debriefed or numbered. My life is my own."

Good Idea Jon, or maybe do something like this...

Plan a F-T DO around the Classic ballparks thing:

Boston: a do

NYC: around Catman DO Trois (which means it may have to be later in the spring.)

Wrigley: AnnaS, are you listening?

IT can be one event as part of a fun weekend.
That way you don't get all the work and the locals can help out with stuff.

Good luck.

Baseball? Count me in. After travel, baseball ranks a solid #2 on my priority list! Even though I have a self-imposed ban on attending games at Wrigley until the Cubs act like a professional team, I would make an exception for a FT event.

I'd be very interested in scenarios that had two games in two afternoons in nearby cities. Dodger Stadium and PacBell come to mind, as do Yankee/Fenway, Camden/Jacobs (thanks to Southwest), and Wrigley and the new Miller Park in Milwaukee.

That way, the real baseball fanatics could go to both games and pick up some extra miles, and people in two different cities could hook up for dinner the night before and catch one game the following afternoon.

Count me in, also. I journeyed to BOS in June for the Red Sox-Yankee series and am going back in September for the Seattle series. I want to get to Fenway as much as possible, while it is still standing.

As for NY, Wrigley, and others... That would be great also.

Wow, something to which I can actually contribute!

We have a pretty historic ballpark right here in CHA, called Engel Stadium. Harmon Killebrew and Satchel Paige are just two of the legends who came through here. The scheduling is a bit tricky here, as the Lookouts (our minor-league team) no longer play there. Its main use in 2001 will be 22-25 May, for the Tennessee high school championships.

Three Rivers (home of the Pirates and the Steelers) in Pittsburgh, PA is going to be tore down in less than a year now. Two new parks are being built to replace it -- one for the Pirates and one for the Steelers (groan).

Oh what joy! Must do. Perhaps we can discuss this next weekend in Toronto with Catman and company. (No, the SKYDOME doesn't count as a classic ballpark under anybody's definition, so we can skip Toronto on this one.)

BTW Will be in Chicago over the weekend of the 14th using my final Starwood Friday and Saturday, and hope to take in either a White Sox or Cubs game on Sunday before flying home at 9. Anybody out there interested in joining me?

I'm definitely interested, and could help with hosting duties in BAL and CLE (we've already had mini-FT gatherings in both places!).

Unfortunately won't be in Toronto. Please post any interest here.

dg1: With all due respect to Three Rivers, that is another example of the cookie-cutter "sport stadiums" of the late 60's / 70's. While there is certainly a lot of history and nostalgia, I'd be willing to bet serious $$$ that with the trend in baseball stadiums having unique characteristics, the new ballpark will be more interesting.

If we get enough folks participating, maybe we could stop by a local park somewhere for a Flyertalk Intermural softball game?


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"I will not be pushed, filed, stamped, indexed, briefed, debriefed or numbered. My life is my own."

Nomination Time!

What fields would be most interesting?

BOS, NY (AL), CHI (NL) are my top 3.
CLE (AL), BAL (AL) and HOU are my next 3.



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"I will not be pushed, filed, stamped, indexed, briefed, debriefed or numbered. My life is my own."

Nominations in order of my preference are: Dodger, Yankee, PacBell, Camden Yards, Jacobs, and of course Wrigley but I live here.

OMNI to Shareholder - I'd have loved to join you, but am flying to Europe that afternoon. Next time.

I vote for Fenway Park (Boston) and Yankee Stadium (the Bronx ) among the classic still standing ballparks, while SFO and CLE would rank with DEN or DAL as new ones. (We could always consider visits to the sites of those ballparks which are no more: Ebbetts Field, Tiger Stadium et al when visiting those cities.) Perhaps we could do an east coast/west coast mini-tour, then head inland. (DEN would give us a chance to drop in on the House of Cards, too.)

I trust everyone knows about http://www.baseballparks.com the best site for exploring the whole subject, plus links to just about every other site related to classic baseball. Anyone catch the Food Network had a special on ballpark food this past weekend?

My first and only three are CHI(N), BOS, and SFO:but a friend informs me that Pac Bell sells out rapidly (at the beginning of this season, only 30000 seats remained for all games, total).

I've enjoyed games at Camden Yards and
Coors Field but wouldn't make a special
trip to either.

Being a NewEnglander born and bred, Fenway is the only one in this category (with the exception of Wrigley). Therefore my top 3 would be BOS, CHI(NL- even though I've never been there), and BAL.

Of the newer ballparks, PacBell Park in SF is the only onbe I've been to and I thought it to be mighty nice (sans the 25-ft. Coca-Cola slide in left field).

I'd love to get in on this one - I go to ball games whenever possible while travelling.

My votes, in order, would be

BOS
NY (AL)
CHI (NL)
BAL
DET
SF
SEA
HOU
and of course CLE (been there 20+ times, but I'll always go back)

Hey Tribeflyer - in the last 2 years I've managed to catch the Tribe in CLE, KC, OAK, ANA, TEX, HOU, SEA, DET, and just missed TB this year.