3 Stadiums - 3 To Go

We have been to 3 stadiums so far, PNC Park, Jacob’s Field and most recently, Wrigley Field.
I have been to Camden Yards about 2 dozen times, and it felt pretty similar to PNC and “The Jake”. Large, modern facilities designed to be comfortable and sell you stuff. Merchandising machines. Each has hundreds of places to spend money on merchandise to suit anyone’s idea of their team’s brand. INSIDE the stadium that is…neither had vendors outside the stadium… In fact, this is what I thought going to a baseball game was all about. It was fun. There were always TONS of fans from the opposing team. It was a place to go, eat, buy a hat or bobble head doll…and maybe watch a baseball game.

Then we went to Wrigley Field. The oldest park in major league baseball. More history here than any other park. It’s the “Mecca” of MLB. It was a totally different experience than the other parks I had been too. There were vendors for blocks in all directions around the field. Everyone wore their cubs gear…there were NO fans for the opposing team. There were thousands of fans lined up waiting to get in before the game. As soon as the Cubbies finished BP (batting practice), the gates opened and the neighborhood spilled into the park. Staking their claim to the general admission bleachers, each to their favorite side of the field – left or right.

There were groups of friends, couples, dads with their kids, families, a guy all by himself from California – excited to be at Wrigley Field for the first time. Just like Karl and I…just taking it all in. Sounds cliché, but it was like no other sporting event I have ever been too. This was a neighborhood coming together to hang out…and actually watch a baseball game. There were shirtless fat guys, proud to be supporting their team. There was lots of chanting, rooting and cheering. Lots of hotdogs, beer and bottled water were consumed. It was 90 degrees in the sun for 4 hours…so LOTS of bottled water!

After the game, there were groups of guys playing drums on plastic buckets entertaining the masses as they made their way to the neighborhood watering holes. Karl and I hung out at Starbucks across from the stadium…enjoyed a frappachinio, a chat with our wives on our cell phones and the restroom.

Peace - Izzy