Well I saw the Camden Yards thread and I just saw Wrigley Field last week so I was curious, how many baseball parks have you been to and how would you rate them? Here are the 7 Ive been too listed by favorite order.
#1 Safeco Field
#2 Wrigley Field
#3 Royals or Kauffman Stadium
#4 Candlestick or 3com Park
#5 Oakland or Network Associates Colliseum
#6 Jack Murphy or Quallcom Stadium
#7 Kingdome

I too count myself amongst the lucky few that have seen a bunch of games across the country. I don't know that I could give an accurate count of the number of parks I've been to.

Of the newer parks, Pac Bell and Camden Yards are great. Pac Bell's setting cannot and will never be matched. Truly beautiful. I'll be in Denver for the Giants and Rox series next week and I can't wait to check that park out.

While some of those newer parks are great, all due respect must be given to the temples of the game -- Wrigley and Fenway. I've been to both and they're both better than any one of the newer parks. But IMHO, Wrigley has it hands down as the better park over Fenway in any comparable category.

If you have to choose one last baseball game to see before you die, make it at Wrigley. And of course it should be a day game. Lights are Wrigley are sacrilege.

I've only been to the following ballparks (some now deceased):

(1) Exhibition Stadium (Toronto) - terrible, R.I.P.
(2) SkyDome (Toronto) - adequate; the big Jumbotron screen is good; good location
(3) Olympic Stadium (Montreal) - not good, but the fans were more enthusiastic than Toronto
(4) Tiger Stadium (Detroit) - wonderful; fans are right on top of the action; I'm sorry it's gone
(5) Yankee Stadium (NYC) - a classic; "colorful" fans
(6) Wrigley Field (Chicago) - great atmosphere, great fans, great neighborhood
(7) Commiskey Park (Chicago) - lacking in atmosphere and suffers in comparison to Wrigley
(8) Astrodome (Houston) - yuck

[ June 29, 2002: Message edited by: canmark ]

Of the few stadiums I've been too, Fenway is by far the best. I've sat in the bleechers and behind the plate. Great views from both spots. Also love the atmosphere outside the stadium. I've been to the new Comiskey, but all the while kept thinking how it was built a year too soon - just before the new, retro stadiums opened. It lacks all the charm of a place like Camden Yards. I've been to Shea Stadium dozens of times and the place is a dump. Other stadiums I've been to are Camden Yards, Yankee Stadium (old and refurbished), Veterans Stadium (awful) and old Three Rivers in Pittsburgh. Definitely want to go back to Chicago to visit Wrigley.

Ten years ago I mentioned to my oldest sister (also a baseball fan) that I wanted to see a game in every ML park. She loved the idea, so every year since we've been going to parks around the country as our summer vacations. I've been to 21 different parks - some no longer being used or in existence. I'd group my parks into 4 sets:

1. Great: Camden Yards; Jacobs Field; The Ballpark in Arlington; Safeco Field

2. Good: Wrigley Field; Yankee Stadium

3. Decent: Jack Murphy/Qualcomm; Turner Field; New Comiskey Park; Dodger Stadium; Skydome

4. Ugly: Fenway Park; Veterans Stadium; 3Com/Candlestick; Shea Stadium; The Astrodome; Olympic Stadium; Edison International; Joe Robbie/Pro Player Stadium; Oakland/NA Coliseum; Three Rivers Stadium

I really like the new parks in general, and hate the dual-sport stadia that are still around. In the Wrigley vs. Fenway debate, count me for Wrigley. I despise Fenway.

I've only been to two: the Ballpark in Arlington and Busch Stadium. I agree with you on the two-sport stadiums, and can't wait to see the new park in St. Louis.

Aluding to an earlier post, the Ballpark would be great if they could find some grass that would grow....

Isn't that in limbo now, since the taxpayers said "No" on financing it? Last I read on it, they were talking of East St. Louis (!!!).

Multi-purpose stadiums were indeed the Spawn of Satan--they always seemed to favor the NFL configuration at the expense of the baseball one. All that foul area! At places I've been to like Shea, the Oakland Coliseum and Veterans Stadium, due to the round design, you always seemed like you were miles from the field, no matter where you sat. I'm happy that the retro thing happened, thanks to the success of Camden Yards, which was a revelation when I visited it. Those swiveling seats near the foul pole are so cool! No more neck strain watching the action.

Speaking of tombs, any one here go to the old Cleveland Stadium? It must have been incredible for Browns games but for the game I went to the year before the Indians moved in the Jake, it was sad to see only 18,000 in that huugggeee stadium.

I wasn't very impressed with Wrigley Field to be honest. It could be that I paid a huge amount of money to a scalper to sit behind a freakin' pole (and I hated the vendors hawking "Old Milwaukee! Get yer Old Milwaukee!" for 9 innings), but I just thought the place was decrepit, not a shrine. And those bathrooms! Yikes! As was mentioned above, the New Comiskey struck my friend and I as antiseptic and sterile.

I actually stood on the field at Yankee Stadium as part of the closing ceremony at Gay Games '94. Something I'll never forget. Great stadium, of course, I've been there pre and post-renovation. I gaped in awe at the thought of Mickey Mantle--mmmmm.....Mickey Mantle, what a stud!--hitting the facade atop the upper deck with a fair ball shot that nearly cleared the stadium roof. I didn't like Candlestick at all the one time I was there--nearly getting blown off of the upper deck by a huge gust of wind didn't help, I guess.

Anaheim Stadium desperately needed a facelift, and except for the stupid Matterhorn rock formation in CF, it's a much nicer ballpark now. Dodger Stadium is still a great place to see a ballgame, but man oh man! The concession lines are always horrible and the bathrooms must have been built with midgets in mind.

Must. get. to. Fenway Park soon; hopefully in April. I'd also like to go to Safeco and the Pirates ballpark. The new Reds and Phillies ballparks look interesting. After all the trouble the Padres have had in getting their ballpark off the ground, I can't wait to actually go to a game there!

When I was young (around 10-12 years old), I'd sit for hours with my colored pencils and design ballparks. For some reason, they were all similar to Dodger Stadium! I'd love to work for HOK, who design a lot of the ballparks, but I'm not moving to Kansas City (nice as Royals Stadium is). If you're as much of a ballpark aficianado as I am, go to Ballparks.com; they have a ton of great info including stuff on under construction/future ballparks. A great site!

Hi, JimAllen - I think if you found Wrigley decpit you're not going to care much for Fenway Park, either. It's pretty nasty. I'm pretty partial to Yankee Stadium; it's beautiful, but it's also such a repository of baseball history. I think Dodger Stadium is beautiful, but so antiseptic. I love Camden Yards, and PacBell Park is pure perfection. Kaufman Stadium seems as soulless as a mall, and Tropicana Field needs to be completely razed.

hey gp, good topic! I've only been to four stadiums; safeco, dodgers, royals, and the metrodome. all nice except the metrodome. that place is as bad as the kingdome was.

The best thing about baseball at the Kingdome before 1995 was when the cracker jack guy would walk around the stadium, he would walk by a section and yell "cracker jack!" and the whole section would yell back at him "cracker jack!"

These are the only 6 I've been to. I thought of seeing some other parks this year, but my detail to Baltimore interfered. So perhaps next year, if by some miracle the owners and players avoid destroying MLB again.

1. Camden Yards
2. Dodger Stadium
3. Yankee Stadium
4. Veterans Stadium (for the good memories more than anything else)
5. Qualcomm Stadium (back when it was still Jack Murphy)
6. Candlestick Park (I'll never call it 3Com!)

Just got back from a game at Busch Stadium this weekend (my 16th park), so I'll add my 2 cents, in order from my favorite to least favorite:

1. Camden Yards-can't say anything bad about this place...
2. Old Comiskey Park-I know, no one's gonna agree with me on this, but I guess I'm overly sentimental...
3. Comerica Park-almost as cool as Camden Yards, and downtown Detroit almost looks (gasp) appealing beyond the outfield...
4. The Ballpark in Arlington-baseball on a grand Texas scale...
5. Skydome-the other retractable domes make this one less special, but it was still technically amazing the first time I saw it...
6. Wrigley Field-if someone other than the Cubs played here, maybe I'd rank it higher, but as a Sox fan, the smarmy Cubs fans spoil the atmosphere for me...
7. Enron/Minute Maid Field-nice park, but it seemed to try too hard to be unique and eccentric...
8. Jacobs Field-the least impressive of the post-Camden Yards parks, in my mind...
9. Kauffman Stadium-solid park with a lot of atmosphere that's overshadowed by the newer parks. Now if only a good team played there...
10. Busch Stadium-architecturally solid but not spectacular, but the fans may be some of the best in baseball, so that counts for a lot...
11. New Comiskey Park-despite a bad rap from most people, it's a solid park, basically a newer Kauffman Stadium...
12. County Stadium-kinda lacking in some amenities and had kind of a minor league feel, but was still a fun place to see a game...
13. Riverfront Stadium-main redeeming qulaity of this park is its scenic location on the Ohio River. Otherwise, pretty bland...
14. Veteran's Stadium-the cheesesteak sandwiches are the only really good thing about this park...
15. Three Rivers Stadium-just pretty bland with very cramped dark, dingy concourses...
16. Shea Stadium-worst I've been to (despite having the best seats I've ever had to a major league game). Place was dirty, cramped, and could use a few coats of paint. Planes flying over constantly didn't help either...

1. Yankee Stadium (possible bias here)
2. Oriole Park at Camden Yards (beautiful stadium, great atmosphere - one downer, the view at some of the seats sucks)
3. Oakland Alameda County Stadium (now Network Associates Coliseum - loved the atmosphere at the park)
4. Fenway Park (I like the unique structure, but if you sit on the end of a row of seats, be prepared to get up 1000 times during the game)
5. Baltimore Memorial Stadium
6. Veterans Stadium
7. Shea Stadium (no bias here, as I also root for the Mets, but if you sit anywhere above field level, it's kind of dumpy - parking is absolutely horrendous too)

A couple of notes about my ballpark visits:

Before 1988 I had only been to the 'Stick and Dodger Stadium, but in 1989 I got a job that had limited airline nonrev benefits, so I went on a mission to see the Giants play in every (then) NL park (it was enhanced by the fact it was a pennant winning season).

I have been to a couple of AL parks but my AL inbterest is greatly dimished by the presence of the DH

Also, am I the only one who, when going to a particular city for the first time, picks up the rental car and drives out to see the stadiums?

OK, here goes (with some memories for some):

1. Candlestick Park (never that other name): First game in 1963, before enclosure, view of Navy aircraft carriers in drydock at the Hunters point Shipyard (long closed). Probably 800-900 games over the years. Memories: 60 cent bleachers, "McCovey's Army" kids running to the right field fence to wait. Was there when Marichal attacked Roseboro, when Tony Cloninger (Braves pitcher) hit two grand slams in the second game of a double header, when paid attendence was under 1000, when Giants won NL pennant (game 5 NLCS, largest crowd for baseball ever at the Stick, 62,088). Overall most memorable - 5:04pm 10/17/89, Loma Prieta earthquake

2. Dodger Stadium - first time in 1969, number of games since. Beautiful setting, almost no advertisements before O'Malleys sold out, one of the earliest 'picture' scoreboard. Memorable: either 1976 or 1977 Opening Day, Garry Thommason slams the very first pitch of the season out over the right field pavillion for a homer (off of Al Downing IIRC).....

3. Oakland Colisuem - first game 1971 before DH - Vida Blue pitched 11 shutout innings against Angels (17 K's) Oakland wins in 20th inning. Maybe a couple donen games over the years....

4. Aneheim Stadium - about 1993? Co-workers mother gave me her season tix for a Sunday game - nice, nothing special, good concessions including my first time seeing sushi at concesion stands.

5. Astrodome - 1989, only once on an incredibly humid night - "lost" my car in the parking lot took 90 minutes to find it (after all other cars had left)

6. Busch - 1989 - OK for a multi-purpose, good concessions, nice location across the street from the Marriott

7. Wrigley - 1989 and 1990 - 89 game was on Memorial Day - very festive! On that day, Will the Pill Clark hit a long fly that just went by the foul side of the left foul pole but the ump called it fair and gave Clark the homer. Zimmer (manager then) ZOOMED out of the dugout and had a super-fit arguing, screaming, turning bright red - got tossed. That evening went to Harry Carry's and was seated next to Harry's table - was SHOCKED how many Budweisers that man put away!

Note: In early April 1988 I went to Chicago for the first time, and as I said above, even before I went to the hotel I drove to Clark and Addison, was pleasantly shocked and amazed to see the stadium fully integrated into the streets of its surrounding neighborhood - I parked and walked all around the perimeter (the home season hadn't started yet). Drove by again next day after my work assignment and - gulp - they were putting up the first light poles! So my first glimpse was of the very last day before the lights were installed!

8. Old Comiskey - 1988 (on the same trip above). Went with a co-worker who liked AL. New park 50% complete across the street. Liked the exploding scoreboard and atmosphere. Had fun exploring the nooks and crannies under the main seating area, was impressed by the big range of concessions (I was used to the bland Candlestick menu).

9. Riverfront - 1988 - bought all-star game t-shirt (still have it). Was impressed by cheap concession prices. Also was surprised that scalping was legal, scalpers had a designated spot to stand in as they made their transactions.

10. Three Rivers - 1989 - two games on one weekend. OK seat in first row on 3B side in multipurpose circle. Memorable in that before the Saturday game I was sitting reading my program and John Burkett (that day's starter) was walking from the bullpen to the dugout and say my Giants cap (adorned with several Croix de C) and he stopped and said "HI" asked if I was on vacation and told me to enjoy the game, and went on his way !!! (what a hottie - he won the game too)!

11. ATL Fulton County - another non-special circle. Friendly fans. Giants lost.

12. Joe Robbie - A number of times since 1993 when the Giants come through town. Seat angles bad as of course it was laid out for football. Nice club area.

13. Veteran's - 1989. Again perfectly acceptable multicircle, good seat in first row on 3b side. First time I used the "waitress" service to get the food for you - nice! Game was very emorable in that Giants were losing 4-1 in top of the 9th. two quick outs. Then a HPB, single and walk. Bases loaded, but up comes Ernest Riles, a light-hitting SS. OF course, destiny year, Riles hits a Grand Salami. never heard a crowd go stunned silent so fast. One other Giants fan a few rows up and I go crazy, rest of crowd streams out silently.....

14. Olympic - 1989 and 1990 - good smoked meat - interesting acoustics with roof on "BRIUT BRUIT". Great public transportation access with underground station integrated into park entrance.

15. Shea - first time 1979, also in 89 and 90. 79 was memorable in that it was the best pitcher's duel I've ever been to. Jerry Koosman (i think it was him) pitches a complete game three-hitter - but he LOSES as Vida Blue pitched a complete-game one-hit shutout, 1-0. The tension was so thick you could have cut it with the proverbial knife.

I can one-up ya Wurm. Not only do I go check out the ballpark right away when I get to a city, I also go visit the sites of former parks (scary, huh)? Was at the site of former Sportsman's Park today. Now it's a Boy's and Girls Club with a couple baseball diamonds. A couple small signs are the only indication that the Browns and Cards played there for years. Last week I was in Cleveland, and while the Indians weren't home, I coaxed my friends into driving past where League Park stood. A building that was part of the park and part of the outfield wall still stand... I guess a bunch of Old-Timers including Bob Feller want to kind of fix the area up a little to commemorate that the Tribe once played there.

OK, here's my two-cents worth. Of the ones I've been to:

1. Jacobs Field - yeah, I know I'm biased towards the Tribe. So what?? The wide open concources, convenient and numerous consession stands, and it's kept SPOTLESS.

2. Wrigley Field - the whole Wrigleyville atmosphere just makes it an incredible experience. Yeah, it's outdated, but it's still packed, even with the Cubs as the attraction.

3. County Stadium - I liked it better than the new Miller Park. Overall, the location sucks for either one; long waits on the freeway exit ramp, and it takes forever to get out of that main parking lot. No wonder the real fans come EARLY and get drunk while they scarf down brats.

4. Tiger Stadium - I managed to get there for a game vs. Cleveland during the last homestand ever. I LOVED being that close to the action, but the place literally STUNK. Narrow concorses made walking around a battle. And parking was hideous.

5. Comerica Park - would be scored much higher if it lost all the Disneyland accoutrements. To paraphrase Tom Hanks: "There's no Ferris Wheels in baseball!" If you aren't going there to watch the game, then STAY HOME.

6. SkyDome - a little anticeptic, but I love the locale, especially when the roof is open.

7. Miller Park - For a new park, it sure sucks. In addition to the comments above (see County Stadium) there are narrow and cramped concourses, and that huge outfield wall supporting the fan-style retractible roof I found to be really distracting. And Bernie the Brewer no longer slides into a mug of beer. At least they still have the sausage race.

8. Riverfront Stadium (aka Cinergy Field) - ok, I'll admit I was a fan of the "Big Red Machine" when I was in Little League in the 70's when the park was new, the Reds were great, and every L.L. team I knew of wanted the number of their favorite Red for their own. I was there several times when it was new, and as a kid it was amazing. I went to a (Cleveland) interleague game there last year, before they tore out the outfield seats, and found the place dirty, miserable, and just a terrible place for baseball. I hope their new Great American Ballpark is everything they want it to be.

9. Memorial Stadium (Baltimore) - I was in town for work that last year it was open, so I headed out for a game. Hated the neighborhood, and I don't remember being really impressed with it at all.

10. Cleveland Municipal Stadium - "Where the seats were wood, and the mustard brown." Everything a ball park SHOULDN'T be; too big, too cold, you name it. I loved the Tribe, even in the lean years. (I switched my allegiance to the Tribe sometime in my college years. What can I say, I like rooting for the underdogs.) But the mustard really is the best I've ever had!

11. Veterans Stadium - what a hole. Only scored lower than Muni Stadium above as it is turf, and Muni was grass. Oh, and the mustard.

I'm hoping to catch a game in the Metrodome this August when my husband and I are in town. I'm sure I'll hate it. I've been there for football, but not the Twins.

My dad and I have been to every AL stadium and some of the NL stadiums since inter-league play to watch our favorite team - The Minnesota Twins;
My top 5 favorite stadiums
1. Fenwick Park
2. Wrigley Field
3. Yankee Stadium
4. Camden Yards
5. Ballpark in Arlington

The worse stadium we have seen the Twins play in is the Metrodome!

Yankee Stadium. As a Yank fan, no other choice, really, although it's rather a tight squeeze in those seats. I guess we really are getting fatter. Not a safe place to go in the mid-80s, what with Bullet Day, Knife Day, etc. Happily, that crowd now seems to prefer Shea (see below).

Veterans Stadium: Utterly soulless. Plus, I used to go there a lot in the late 80s/early 90s and there would be nearly as many Mets fans as Phillies fans.

Kauffman Stadium: Well, when I was there in the late 70s it was Royals Stadium, I think. The place scared me -- I'm afraid of heights and it seemed to me the steepest park I was ever in: like being in a big bowl. But it was beautiful. And how smart it was of them to build separate stadiums in K.C. for baseball and football when everybody else was going for the multi-use facility.

BankOne Ballpark: a gigantic mall, video arcade & food court with some sort of sporting event (baseball?) going on in the background. The opening of the roof is fun, though. Some great views northward of the mountains. Phoenix, though, is a ghost town after 6 p.m.

Shea Stadium: a dump. The worst I've been to. Restrooms could give you typhoid or cholera.

Camden Yards: just a teensy weensy, itty bitty overrated. Some of the sections past 1st and 3rd bases face directly out, so you have to twist into a 45-degree angle in order to see homeplate.
But still a fine place. Good pulled pork sandwiches.

Just back from last night at Coors Field where the Giants PASTED the Rockies. Larry Walker did hit a monster of a homer though -- 460+ feet that was truly amazing. I was surprised at how many other Giants fans were in the crowd.

I wasn't so crazy about the actual park itself. Its on a grander scale than I thought it would be. Its got all of the amenities you'd expect in a newer park and the sight of the actual Rockies in the background is pretty amazing.

The one great thing (or bad thing depending on your point of view) about the park is its potential for high scoring games. The Giants had an eight run first inning and ten home runs got hit last night. Its not for the faint of heart pitcher.

For most fans, their home park will always be the best, and my favorite remains...Shea Stadium. The bathrooms are better than they were 20 years ago. I often sit in the upper deck boxes and enjoy myself just fine. I wish Jane Jarvis was still playing the organ instead of the crappy pop music on the PA, of course.

Yankee Stadium? I just don't like the rake of the seats, but it's certainly got historic aura, if not the same since the '70s refurbishment.

I find the new "mallparks" incredibly overrated. At Pac Bell and Camden Yards, the field seems almost incidental to the atmosphere -- naturally, since at least half the people at any game barely watch. But those two are better than Miller Park, with its ugly ductwork and the p.c. disappearance of Bernie Brewer's mug. I'll take the Brooklyn Cyclones' and Newark Bears' parks (tho not the quality of play) over those three, thanks.

Attended my fourth game at Fenway last weekend during the Society for American Baseball Research convention. It gets the nod over Wrigley for the less obtrusive poles... but those "diehard" Red Sox fans were batting around beach balls and doing the friggin' Wave during rallies. Boo, hiss.

Gone and forgotten (except for the bone-chilling summer winds): Candlestick.

Favorite baseball park: Le Stade Olympique!
1. Plenty of good seats, always available.
2. Convenient, short transport on the spotless Metro.
3. Smoked meat!
4. Maple beavertails!
5. It is an architectural gem, as seen from the ootside, with that neat leaning tower beside it. This is no Kingdome.
6. You look down on the field, and there's Jose Vidro, Michael Barrett, Javier Vazquez, Fernando Tatis, Tony Armas Jr., maybe Peter Bergeron, and the magnificent Vlad Guerrero.
7. After the game is over, you walk out: You're in Montreal!

Second favorite: The Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome in Minneapolis.
With every city building their retro Camden Yards wannabe knockoffs, which are nearly as cookie cutter as the old concrete donut multi-purpose jobs, there's no other place on earth like the HomerDome. It can't confused with anywhere else. The baggy! Natural assymetry. The steep slope of the seats, even in the best parts of the park. The baseball-colored roof! And, after the sixth inning, you have the place to yourself, as Minnesotans are worse than Angelenos in their rush to vacate the place by the end of the fifth to "beat the traffic."

Decided to revisit this topic after going to the Great American Ballpark and PNC Park last week. For comments on the other parks, see my previous post...

1. Camden Yards
2. Old Comiskey Park
3. Comerica Park
4. The Ballpark in Arlington
5. PNC Park- a very nice park, which probably would rank higher if my visit wasn't marred by horrible rain which left me soaked. The park seems like kind of a cross between Comerica Park and PacBell. The view of the Pittsburgh skyline from the park may be the nicest outside-the-park view in baseball.
6. Skydome
7. Wrigley Field
8. Enron/Minute Maid Field
9. Jacobs Field
10. The Great American Ballpark-nice park and a step up from Riverfront, but a couple problems prevented it from being higher on the list. Sat in the upper deck in leftfield, so we couldn't see the scoreboard... just the scrolling ad-boards they had along the first and third base stands. Worse yet, we couldn't see the left-field warning track from our seats. You'd think architects in this day and age would come up with a way to avoid obstructed views...
11. Kauffman Stadium
12. Busch Stadium
13. New Comiskey Park
14. County Stadium
15. Riverfront Stadium
16. Veteran's Stadium
17. Three Rivers Stadium
18. Shea Stadium

[ June 23, 2003, 10:25 AM: Message edited by: WhiteSoxFan ]

Interesting comment about the Great American Ballpark. I just noticed the other day that that super-wide scoreboard was waaayyy to the left, and I was wondering if it could be seen from the left field seats.

Minute Maid looks great on TV; I would love to go to a game there.

Kaufmann is still beautiful, and is always described as "beautiful" instead of "great" like some other ballparks. It does have a good atmosphere in the lower seats, but not so great in the upper deck. If you haven't been here since 1999, it's had some major renovations with lower seats, dugout suites, outfield party pavilions, etc. The seats are now all midnight-blue instead of the old orange, yellow and red.

[ June 23, 2003, 10:50 AM: Message edited by: maxallen ]

Since the Montreal trip, I can update my (much smaller) list as well:

1. Camden Yards
2. Dodger Stadium
3. Yankee Stadium
4. Veterans Stadium (for the good memories more than anything else)
5. Qualcomm Stadium (back when it was still Jack Murphy)
6. Olympic Stadium (because my seat was too small for my rear end, dammit!)
7. Candlestick Park (I'll never call it 3Com!)

Just returned from a week in Arizona, took in a game at BankOne Ballpark Friday (the D'Backs-Reds game that ended with Alex Cintron's walk-off HR). It's the 22nd park I've been to. I'd echo the comments that other people made: BOB is really just a big mall (with ads plastered all over the place); watching the roof open is really cool; and Phoenix is a ghost town after 6 PM.

In my groupings from last year (great/good/decent/ugly) I'd file it under 'decent.'

I've only been to a handful of baseball stadiums, so for a really short list, here goes:

2nd runner-up would be Riverfront Stadium in Cincinnati, probably around 1975, and as a 7 year old boy with no interest in anything related to baseball, all I remember is that I hated it (and my sister, who was still in a stroller, cried all. damn. day.) I bet my dad wishes he had gone alone.

1st runner-up would be Coors Field, and since it's so close I've probably been to 20-25 games there. It looks cool from both inside and out, and I like how you can walk all the way around the stadium from the inside. As somebody else mentioned in this thread, from high enough up you can see the mountains or the weather moving in. Most memorable game would be when I sat out a couple-hour long rain delay (and flirted with this cute guy, but didn't talk to him), and by the time it finally ended really late, the Cubs went on to clobber the Rox 26-7. As a Cubs fan, I was very happy!

The winner is Wrigley Field, hands down. Only been once, in 1999, and they kept saying the heat index was 120 degrees. It probably sounds kind of pathetic, but I went alone, didn't talk to hardly anybody, stood beneath the big scoreboard beyond the outfield in a little sliver of shade, drank one beer, ate one hot dog...and had the greatest time I've ever had at a sporting event. I think John Mahoney sand "Take Me Out...", but I couldn't swear to it. Just being there and experiencing it in person will be something I always remember.

*Saw the Rockies at Mile High Stadium, but for me that's was a football stadium, so it didn't count.

Since this post I've been to Olympic Stadium in Montreal. I would rank this stadium number 3 in my list. It took a while to get used to having a baseball game inside, but it was fine. The atmosphere was nice. Very convenient to get to by subway, and it even after the game was over (with a surprising 33,000 attendance) it wasn't that bad getting back onto the subway. And it's located in one of my favorite cities.

I've also been to the Skydome, but only four a tour. It's a neat place, but would only rank it after being there for a game.

1. Wrigley -- haven't been there in years -- in h.s. and college we used to drive down for a couple games a year -- this was back when home games were played in the afternoon (would be strange to see it at night)

2. Milwaukee County Stadium -- R.I.P. -- used to love the bleachers. Best ballpark food by far!

3. Yankee Stadium.

4. Dodger Stadium.

5. Camden Yards -- agree with others that some of the seats suck -- we got stuck in some awful ones back in the day when O's tickets were really hard to get -- the nice thing is we could just hang out by the wall in the outfield.

6. Old Baltimore Memorial Stadium -- reminded me alot of County Stadium.

7. Miller Park -- a bit sterile. Seeing the roof close and open was cool though. Big mistake that Selig insisted on building it in the old County Stadium location and not downtown.

8. RFK -- went for a couple of exhibition games in the last few years. Place needs a tune-up if it's gonna host the DC Expos for a season or two.

9. Shea

You've been to PacBell and you think that PNC Park has a better outside-the-park view?!?!?! I think you had too many Yuenglings....

Based upon the stadiums I've visited--

1. Yankee Stadium (I'm just too biased, and the history is overwhelming)

2. Astrodome (baseball in Houston should be air-conditioned in the summer)

3. SkyDome (pretty innovative)

4. Camden Yards (I was not impressed--way overrated--it's very hard to see the game in so many places in the ballpark).

5. Arlington Stadium (no wonder they built the Ballpark in Arlington--it was hideous!)

#1 Wrigley
#2 Fenway
#3 Yankee
#4 Shea
#5 Three Rivers (now gone--thank God)
#6 The Vet
#7 Hubert Humphrey

I am thrilled that the "Multipurpose" stadiums like Three Rivers and the Vet are going. But am concerned that the new Phillies stadium will still put you too far from the action. Wrigley and Fenway are AWESOME.

How is Camden Yards for being close to the action? I've got to get there sometime!

Here's what it says at the Phillies' website about their new park:

Hehehe. Actually, I haven't been to PacBell, so I think PNC has the nicest view of the parks I've been to. I have however heard that PNC Park is similar to PacBell in a lot of ways. But since I haven't been there myself, maybe my analogy was a bad one...

Candlestick!

Dude, any place you need a coat to watch a baseball game in the middle of summer is my kind of place!

I've been to the Oakland Coliseum once and never did step foot in the seats. We sat the entire game in the restaurant on the 1st base side of the stadium. As long as you keep ordering, they won't kick you out.

I have a special place in my heart for 3 Rivers and Fulton County. Those were the first two ballparks I ever went to.

OK, you all need to venture out to Seattle in August & attend a Mariners game at the Safe. SAFECO Field needs to be included on everyone's Top 5!

I've been to 7 -- haven't been to Fenway yet which I am hoping to do by the end of this season. Here are my rankings:

1.

Let's try this again

1. Camden Yards. Great sight lines, fantastic food, old time feel -- very well done.

2. Candlestick Park - For all of the reasons set forth in all of the posts above.

3. Dodger Stadium - More for nostalgia -- used to go to the Dodgers-Phils games in the early 80's when i was attending school in LA.

4. Yankee Stadium - For the history.

5. Wrigley Field - Not what it was built up to be but fun. I got the sense the few times I was there that the Cubs fans (for obvious reasons) go there more for a day out than for serious baseball.

6. The Vet - pretty dreadful but like Joe in Philly said many memories there -- good and bad.

7. New Comiskey Park - yuk! No character -- very sterile and unimaginative.

I'll be in Denver next week -- anyone recommend the best place to sit in Coors Field? Can you actually see the game decently from the "Rockpile" bleachers?

I've only sat out in the Rockpile once, and I didn't see much of the game at all from there. Plus you can't really see the jumbotron, since it faces away from that part of the park. The lower sections behind first are really nice (my dad had season tickets as part of a group, but didn't do it this year). I would guess there are plenty of tickets available, since they're not selling out games like they were a few years ago. Have fun!

ESPN's Page 2 is doing a tour of every major league stadium and evaluating them on things such as seat comfort, concessions, etc.

First stop: Seattle

My list grew again, so another update....

1. Camden Yards
2. Dodger Stadium
3. Yankee Stadium
4. Veterans Stadium
5. Qualcomm Stadium
6. Olympic Stadium
7. Shea Stadium -- just ugly with a lovely view of a parking lot, and old, hard seats.
8. Candlestick Park

1. Pac Bell, Pac Bell, Pac Bell
2. Yankee
3. Wrigley
4. Candelstick
5. Enron..Minutemaid
then the others....
Oakland, Veterans, Montreal,Altanta County, Three Rivers

ESPN's Page 2 tour of the ballparks continues. They have a 100-point rating system in 20 categories and so far, here are the results:

Pac Bell (Giants): 93
Dodger Stadium (Dodgers): 82.5
Fenway Park (Red Sox): 81.5
Safeco Field (Mariners): 81.5
Jacobs Field (Indians): 81
Turner Field (Braves): 81
Yankee Stadium (Yankees): 73.5
SkyDome (Blue Jays): 67
Qualcomm Stadium (Padres): 58
Tropicana Field (Devil Rays): 56
Olympic Stadium (Expos): 49

I can hardly wait 'til they do the Vet.

The wait is over...and ESPN has determined that the Vet is NOT the worst major league stadium!

Okay, so it's second worst so far...

When your "competition" for worst ballpark is Olympic Stadium in Montreal, that's not exactly something the Phils will want their P.R. department to brag about....the only other stadium that I can possibly see challenging The Vet or the Big O for lowest overall rating is the Metrodome (is it still called that?) in Minneapolis....even though I have never been there from everything I've read, heard and seen (including that giant hefty bag they use for a right field "wall" ) is a joke -- it's amazing the Twins have the fan support they do given the lack of an adequate baseball facility.

Sorry to get off topic here (this might make for an interesting thread itself) but I say the Twins and Vikings should go back to playing outdoors in the elements like they used to at old Metropolitan Stadium -- nothing gave the local team more of a home field advantage (especially in football) than when their opponents had to travel from a warm climate to play in the snow and freezing cold of MN.

The old Met definately gave the Vikings a major advantage in the winter, probably even more than the Packers or Buffalo. But I think the Twins have more of a home field advantage in the HHH Metrodome because of the turf, the white roof that visiting teams can't find fly balls in, and the noise factor, especially in the playoffs. (The Twins haven't lost a World Series game in the Metrodome.) That said I'd love to see new facilites for the Twins and the Vikings that are specific to their sport. The baseball stadium would have to have a retractable dome for April and (hopefully) October games, and for the severe thunderstorms in the summer. The Vikings could share a new stadium with the Gophers.

And with the food stands called "Brats and Brews", how can you go wrong?

Since I only recently attended my first-ever MLB game, I have no comparisons to make. But despite the lukewarm review in Joe's link (above), I was very impressed with Seattle's Safeco Field. Before the game, I watched Jeff Cirillo warm up in the dug-out. My seat provided a close-up view of catcher Dan Wilson. I heeded the warning on the backs of the seats which read something like 'beware of objects leaving the field'. I don't know why, but the use of the word 'leaving' struck me as funny. Excellent, informative scoreboard graphics. I even got a free ball cap because it was a theme night honouring Japanese players (and quite fittingly, Ichiro scored a run on his first at-bat). The beer and hot dogs were pricey, but I expected that and I suppose this is fairly typical. Although I don't know why the Edgar Dog and Boone Dog were 50 cents cheaper than the Olerud, Cameron, Sasaki and Ichiro dogs! Best part was the outcome of what turned out to be a close game (Mariners over the Orioles).

I would also like to publicly thank fellow Outsporter 34ra (now Sonix, I believe) for his hospitality, who was at the same game (different section) and showed me around Seattle that day, which included a sampling of the city's infamous but delicious Chinese pizza, as described in another thread.

I've been to Toronto's Sky Dome and its predecessor Exhibition Stadium, but it was football I saw there, so I guess they don't count. Hoping to pay a visit to legendary Yankee Stadium in September.

[ August 04, 2003, 05:06 PM: Message edited by: Marc ]

Have you been to Shea? Shea ought to be right down there.

Take it from someone who lived in Queens as a young boy (until age 13 anyway) and who saw dozens of games at Shea before I even knew where any other ballparks were located, Shea Stadium was and IS today a FAR superior ballpark than the Vet, Olympic Stadium and (from everything I've seen and heard) the Metrodome and you can probably include Tropicana Field and Oakland Alameda-County Coliseum (or whatever corporate name it's called now) on that list too....I admit I may be a bit biased from seeing games played on REAL GRASS (how's that for a novel idea, Phillies and Eagles brass, did you ever consider it?) -- not to mention seeing the ultra-cute Doug Flynn play second base for the Mets while I was but a young lad -- but yes, I rate Shea ahead of 4 or 5 ballparks in use today (but not any more than that though)....I may be a big nostalgic at times but I'm not stupid.