I’m getting ready to hit up the next couple ballparks (Denver and Arizona) on the quest for all 30+ stadiums in a few weeks, and I’m realizing I never posted about my trip from last year! Two of my best friends and myself got to all 5 Cali stadiums last summer so we could see the home of Rickey before it gets demoed, or left to rot.
We started out in SF with
@TheRealTeddyKGB hooking us up with tickets and serving as our tour guide to the stadium. Great food and atmosphere, it ranks right up near the top of the parks I’ve been to so far. Plus, it was an SGA day and we got this amazing hat that I wear when mowing the lawn!
I’m bummed we didn’t think to get a photo Mark! So this one of you on the concourse will have to do!
Next was Oakland, which was exactly as expected. Rich with history, but held together with baling wire and duct tape. There were spider webs everywhere we looked, including in the seats down by the field. It made me sad as a baseball fan, but I’m very glad we made the effort. Sitting 60 feet from where Rickey broke the SB record was pretty cool.
Anaheim was next, and we got to see the Brewers take the series clincher. Stadium was fine, but old. Cheapest beer on the trip though, so that earned serious points. Plus, my kiddos loved the rally monkeys I brought home.
San Diego was a mixed bag. Decent food, packed stadium with passionate fans, but huge sections of the stadium where you can’t see the field from the concourse made me question the design. Heard the bell ring once before the Brewers came from behind in the 9th. Awesome!! The Padres cleaning up in the bottom of the 9th? Not awesome.
Last was Dodger Stadium, and despite being as old as it is, felt fresh. I loved the aesthetics and the field views. The hexagons everywhere are a really great through point. Dodger dog was fine. Above average, but not amazing. Ohtani homered, so checked that off the list. Winner of the day though was the tall boy of Jarritos adult beverage. I’ve seen them elsewhere since, but for that evening it was great.
And I totally get that fireworks aren’t really the best choice in the California summer ( or ever, probably) but drone shows just don’t hit the same.
As a bonus, we visited the ball field in the yard at Alcatraz, and ran the bases there. First stadium that has let us do that! I question whether they measured 90 foot baselines though…….