Kauffman Stadium doesn't have a grand entrance but it has four major gates. The lower level infield concourse looks out on the field but is pretty non-desrcript. The concourse opens up as it wraps around to the outfield. The fountains on the field side of the outfield concourse are the defining feature of Kauffman Stadium. I had always felt that the fountains in the outfield were kind of random but Chris explained to me that Kansas City's nickname is the City of Fountains. The grassy areas that originally flanked the fountains when the stadium was first built have been replaced by outfield seats. I think these newer seats add to the aesthetics and atmosphere to the outfield area. The portion of the concourse closest to the fountains is also home to statues of past Royals greats, including George Brett. In dead center field there is a huge scoreboard. The scoreboard frame is shaped in the form of a crown and the screen itself is big enough to provide all meaningful baseball stats to fans throughout the stadium. The non-field side of the concourse is home to a batting cage and a miniature field for the younger Royals fans. Between the concourse and field in right field is the Royals Hall of Fame. This hall of fame was a little more hands-on than other ballpark hall of fames I have been in. In addition to Royals memorabilia, the hall of fame also had exhibits showing how the equipment of baseball has evolved through the years.
In addition to the fountains, the upper deck is the other feature than makes Kauffman Stadium distinct from the other ballparks that I have visited. The upper deck is one large steep bowl. Our seats were in the front row of this steep bowl along the right field line but the seats above us would have been very comparable since they were higher up but not much farther from the field. The upper deck concourse was very breezy but that helped keep the area cool during this warm summer night. The concourse was also packed with fans throughout the game but that might have been because it was dollar hotdog/pop/peanut night.
The first eight innings of the game were dominated by two A's players: Josh Reddick and Tommy Milone. Reddick created the all of the A's 3 runs through 8 innings and Tommy Milone made those 3 runs hold up by holding the Royals. In the top of the ninth, the A's stretched their lead out to 6-0 with Reddick once again playing a key role in the rally. Milone came out for the 9th inning but the Royals quickly pushed two runs across. A's closer Grant Balfour relieved Milone to save a 6-3 victory for Oakland. Despite the Royals loss, there still was a post-game firework show.
My take-away from Kauffman Stadium is that the fountains and the upper deck give the ballpark character and originality. Kauffman Stadium lacks the downtown view and has more of a country feeling but it also feels like a true baseball stadium. I went into the game with low expectations for Kauffman Stadium but I left the game knowing it is a hidden gem among MLB parks.
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