Ballpark: 30 in Review

I have tried to consolidate my experience at each of the 30 MLB ballparks in just a couple of sentences. Although I initially intended to write these summaries immediately after I completed the trip, I ended up putting them off until now. Thus, on a positive, these summaries are the lasting impressions I have from each of the 30 ballparks.

Ballpark	Home Team	Date	Score
Turner Field	Atlanta Braves	April 7	Braves 5, Cubs 1
I visited Turner Field while in Atlanta for the Final Four. Typical MLB stadium with the Atlanta skyline in the distance, the old fence of Atlanta Fulton County Stadium outside the outfield gate, and the Tomahawk Chop as the highlights.
Chase Field	Arizona Diamondbacks	May 9	D-Backs 2, Phillies 1
Flew from Grand Rapids to Phoenix, hiked around a couple of buttes, attended a baseball game, and got on a bus to L.A. all in one day. Chase Field is one of the more fan friendly and modern ballparks with a retractable roof, opening window panels, and a pool.
Dodger Stadium	Los Angeles Dodgers	May 10	Marlins 5, Dodgers 4
Went to the game with my uncle and in true Dodger fan form we arrived in the middle of the first inning. Dodger Stadium is the only remaining ballpark built in the 1960s.  Built on a hill and surrounded by palm trees, Dodger Stadium has a distinctive setting.
AT&T Park	San Francisco Giants	May 12	Giants 5, Braves 1
Attended the game with my college roommate Zac. An oddly shaped outfield, kayaks on the bay, and the downtown location give the ballpark great character. We had standing room only tickets between right field and McCovey Cove.
Oakland Coliseum	Oakland Athletics	May 13	A's 5, Rangers 1
Braved this game out sitting in the right field bleachers. The Coliseum is more of a football stadium than a ballpark but that doesn’t diminish the exuberance of the diehard A’s fans.
Angel Stadium	Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim	May 15	Royals 9, Angels 5
My aunt and two cousins made the trip with me down to Orange County. Angel Stadium is a family friendly ballpark with a rock pile and waterfall in center field and a large ‘A’ near the highway.
PETCO Park	San Diego Padres	May 16	Nationals 6, Padres 2
Ate Mexican food in Old Town San Diego with my aunt before the game. Located in the midst of the luxury high rises, PETCO Park feels like an outdoor mall with its sandstone structure and flora covered concourse. The ballpark also incorporates the identity of the city with a beach in centerfield and a warehouse down the left field line.
Rogers Centre	Toronto Blue Jays	May 25	Orioles 6, Blue Jays 5
Drove from Ann Arbor to Toronto and made it just in time for first pitch. I was glad the roof was open and it was cool the see the CN Tower right above me. The Astroturf and the dirt cutouts around the bases cannot shake the indoor stadium feel.
Fenway Park	Boston Red Sox	May 26	Red Sox 6, Indians 5
One of the best games I saw all year and most of the fans stayed to watch a Red Sox walkoff win. Fenway Park is a historic park filled with great features (the green monster and the Pesky Pole), and the Red Sox have done tremendous renovations so it continues to look great.
Citi Field	New York Mets	May 28	Mets 2, Yankees 1
Luckily the rain cleared up after a lengthy delay for my friend David and me to watch the Mets rally in the ninth inning against Mariano Rivera. Citi Field is one of the newest ballparks built in the retro ballpark theme. The Jackie Robinson rotunda, Home Run Apple, and the Shea Bridge do a great job blending history, tradition, and regional landmarks.
Yankee Stadium	New York Yankees	May 29	Mets 9, Yankees 4
Another subway series game with David. Built as a replica of old Yankee Stadium, it is rich in history and tradition with Monument Park in center field and the Yankees Hall of Fame. With all the premium options, I can see how the Yankees can keep that high payroll.
Citizens Bank Park	Philadelphia Phillies	May 31	Brewers 4, Phillies 3
Toured Philly and helped my high school buddy Dan move out of his apartment. A typical ballpark with a cast iron Liberty Bell, large play place for children, hall of fame type area in center field, and the downtown skyline in the distance.
Oriole Park at Camden Yards	Baltimore Orioles	June 2	Orioles 4, Tigers 2
Was able to stay with a childhood friend, Lisa, but she couldn’t make it to the game. Camden Yards was the first retro ballpark with a brick and cast iron structure and limited foul territory. Among so many original features, the highlight is the large warehouse in right field and the ally between the warehouse and the field.
Nationals Park	Washington Nationals	June 4	Nationals 3, Mets 2
A good ending to a day of sightseeing and museums on the national mall. Nationals Park is a modern ballpark that goes against the grain in that it is not retro. The highlight might be the racing President mascots.
Miller Park	Milwaukee Brewers	June 8	Brewers 4, Phillies 3
Picked up my friend Chris in Chicago and made our way up to Miller Park. The highlights of the park include the giant yellow slide in left field and the tailgating atmosphere. It was fitting that on “Cerveceros Night”, the chrizo was the victorious racing sausage.
Wrigley Field	Chicago Cubs	June 9	Cubs 4, Pirates 1
A day game at Wrigley with two friends from high school, Gabe and Alex, who now live near Wrigleyville. Wrigley Field has its share of iconic features: the ivy on the outfield wall and the manual scoreboard among others. However, there is a fine line between charm and old.
U.S. Cellular Field	Chicago White Sox	June 10	Jays 10, White Sox 6
My friend Mizo and I waited out a long fog delay on the south side of Chicago. “The Cell” looks huge from the exterior and the three large video boards don’t make the inside feel any smaller (even if one view of one is partially blocked).
Target Field	Minnesota Twins	June 11	Twins 3, Phillies 2
This was my fourth ballpark in four days. I loved the location and the character of the ballpark most notably the limestone structure and the flowerbox in left field. While some stadiums feel isolated from their surroundings, Target Field is a great example of how my favorite ballparks intertwine the city and baseball.
Minute Maid Park	Houston Astros	July 1	Rays 12, Astros 0
After a long couple of days of driving, I finally got to Houston for the ballgame. This ballpark is certainly unique: the Crawford box in left field, the hill in center field, and the pillars, train and windows in left field. Unfortunately, the Astros were terrible this year and the small crowd didn’t have much to cheer about.
Rangers Ballpark in Arlington	Texas Rangers	July 2	Mariners 9, Rangers 2
Walked around the Forth Worth Stockyards then met my friend KB for the game. From the hotdogs at the concessions to the grandstands in left and from the office building in centerfield to the white façade, everything is bigger in Texas.
Kauffman Stadium	Kansas City Royals	July 5	A's 6, Royals 3
After of a couple days with my cousin in Oklahoma, I met up with my friend Chris and his fiancé Amanda in Kansas City. Kauffman Stadium might have been the biggest surprise on my journey: the fountains in the outfield, the expansive bowl-like upper deck, and Royals Hall of Fame all exceeded my expectations.
Busch Stadium	St. Louis Cardinals	July 6	Cardinals 5, Marlins 4
Went to the top of the Gateway Arch in the morning and the ballgame in the afternoon. The view from the upper deck behind home plate is one of the finest in the league, but the brick structure, covered concourse, and construction site across the street made the ballpark feel a little isolated from the rest of the city.
Comerica Park	Detroit Tigers	July 10	Tigers 8, White Sox 5
Went to my hometown ballpark after work with a few of my friends. I love the stone Tiger sculptures, the openness to the city, and the geometry of the playing field, but the food selection was without a doubt lacking.
Coors Field	Colorado Rockies	July 27	Brewers 7, Rockies 5
My brother drove up from his summer job in New Mexico and we spent the weekend at my Granny’s place. We struggled up a pair of 14,000 ft mountains in the morning and made it to the game at night. The mountain view, evergreens in the bullpen, and the ring of purple seats at 5,280’ elevation do the Rocky Mountains justice.
Tropicana Field	Tampa Bay Rays	August 2	Giants 4, Rays 1
Flew from Detroit to Tampa in the morning, waited out a thunderstorm in downtown Tampa, then headed across the bay to the Trop. The ray touch tank, the Ted Williams memorabilia, and walking on the field after the game were pretty cool, but the stadium felt like a carnival with a baseball field in the middle.
Marlins Park	Miami Marlins	August 3	Indians 4, Marlins 3
Drove across the peninsula to Miami and the site of the old Orange Bowl for the Marlins game. With the retractable roof closed and the rain obscuring the view of downtown, Marlins Park felt more like a domed football field than a ballpark. However, Marlins Park is anything but bland with a bobble-head museum, Cuban food at the concessions, a South Beach style club, and the sculpture in centerfield.
Great American Ballpark	Cincinnati Reds	August 24	Reds 6, Brewers 3
First of two ballparks on a weekend trip to Ohio. The waterfront location, steam engine power stacks in centerfield, the terrace at the main entrance, and the steep seats in right field are the main highlights. I was a little disappointed they charged for the Reds Hall of Fame.
Progressive Field	Cleveland Indians	August 25	Indians 3, Twins 1
Second ballpark of the weekend in Ohio.  The dual path concourse, giant scoreboard, high outfield walls, cheap concessions, and the downtown skyline were all noteworthy. Although the crowd was small, John Adams and his drum were in attendance.
PNC Park	Pittsburgh Pirates	September 22	Reds 11, Pirates 3
Visited Ben, another former college roommate for the weekend in Pittsburgh. Although other ballparks may be retro-themed, located on the water, exhibit a downtown view, and contain an unconventionally shaped outfield, PNC Park does all of them top-notch. Throw in the Jolly Roger flags and it was a great experience.
Safeco Field	Seattle Mariners	September 27	A's 8, Mariners 2
A vacation to Seattle with friends from both high school and college to knock ballpark #30 of the list.  Although it technically has a retractable roof, Safeco Field looks and feels like an open-air stadium but has an umbrella in case of rain.