There are three statues down the block from Detroit’s Comerica Park, whose striking boldness herald the serene beauty of the ballpark. Not that, that was their intended purpose. Instead, they were placed on Madison Avenue in front of the Detroit Athletic Club to commemorate its 100th anniversary. The statues “commemorate the role the club has played in amateur athletics and professional sports since its inception in 1887.” ¹

The statues stand on a landscaped median in the middle of Madison Avenue’s wide boulevard. The one on the far right-hand side is the “Running Back” to celebrate Detroit’s football heritage. A statue that similarly recognizes the city’s baseball past, titled “6.4.3,” is located on the other side. One might think that this statue of the baseball player, making his through across the diamond, would speak to me. However, it was the one in the middle that I remember fondly.

“The Finish” depicts two runners straining to cross the finish line of a tightly contested race. I also felt that my race was over. In Detroit, I reached the finish line. It was the triumphant and to my summer long, thirty ballpark journey.

The day before, I left Tucson on a predawn drive to Phoenix to board my flight bound for Detroit. I had spent the previous two days relaxing and visiting with my brother. Now I was meeting Mrs. Nomad for the final ballpark of my trip.

Detroit

We enjoy the Detroit area because we have family in Ann Arbor, just a short drive away.

My sister (who previously joined us for a game at Wrigley), has lived there for many years. Additionally, Mrs. Nomad’s older brother and his wife moved back to Ann Arbor about ten years ago. They met at the University of Michigan when they were students. They returned when my sister-in-law accepted a position at the University. Their homecoming became even better when their eldest daughter, her husband, and two boys moved there from Scotland.

In turn, I scheduled the Detroit stop for late September, so Mrs. Nomad could join me. We both wanted the chance to see our family. However, she tends to be busy from late July through August and wouldn’t be available at that time. Also, I wanted her to join me on my last ballpark visit. So, September was a good time to go.

My plane landed first, and I was waiting at the SkyClub when Mrs. Nomad arrived. On the way to Ann Arbor, we bought supplies to make signs that would announce my achievement at tomorrow’s game. Later, we spent a wonderful evening with my in-laws, niece, and her family.

Sunday morning, we had bagels at my sister’s house and made our signs. Then the three of us drove off to see the Tigers at Comerica. However, this wasn’t our first visit. The three of us had been there a few years earlier. In the following years, I had forgotten how impressive Comerica is.

While some might be surprised by Comerica’s beauty, I consider it one of the best in baseball.

Comerica’s Tigers

The abundance of Tiger iconography makes a visit to Comerica a unique and thrilling experience. No other ballpark celebrates their team’s name the way Comerica does. There are Tigers everywhere.

The exterior brick walls, near the gates, are lined with thirty-three sculpted tiger heads with baseballs in their mouths. The balls light up at night. ²

Inside the park, there is an “ornate carousel featuring 30 hand-painted tigers.”³ There are also large, circular tiger crests that span the walkway to the baseball-themed Ferris wheel. Additionally, standing tigers holding baseball bats are molded into the side of each row of seats.

However, most impressive are the huge, tiger statues that guard Comerica’s entrances and lurk on top of the scoreboard.

Michael Keropian’s Tiger Statues

The team enlisted sculptor, Michael Keropian to create nine “heroic sized” tiger sculptures to enhance the Comerica experience. The resulting statues are likely the largest tiger sculptures in the Western Hemisphere.⁴ In addition to the statues, Keropian also created the tiger head wall sconces that line the exterior walls. ²

Four different models, each of a roaring tiger in a different pose, are the basis for the nine statues. One sits back on its haunches while another stands on all fours. Both are growling. A third is prowling and roaring. The fourth is upright and leaning back on its hind legs with its left paw raised, ready to strike.

The statues’ average height is twelve feet, and the longest ones stretch to over thirty-three feet. ⁵

The most impressive tiger display is at the North entrance, where five of them guard the gate. In the middle of the area is a 15-foot version of the upright tiger with its left paw raised. Two others roar from the top of each wall. Oversized baseball bats and the tiger wall sconces, complete the scene. It may be the most magnificent ballpark entrance in baseball.

Two more tigers stand on each wall that borders the West entrance.

Finally, the thirty-three foot long tigers prowl on top of either side of the giant, left field, scoreboard. Their eyes light up when a Tiger player hits a home run. ⁶

What’s in a Name?

When I walk into Comerica, the statues make me feel like I’m entering a tigers den, where tigers rule. It’s the kind of presence that engenders the fighting spirit a team wants its fans to have.

Interestingly, the Tigers are the only team with a name that enables the type of iconography employed at Comerica. No other team’s name singularly delivers the majestic, yet fierce imagery that the name “Tigers” does. It would be absurd for other organizations to use images of their names the way the Tigers use theirs.

Animal Team Names

Eight other teams have animal names, but none of those animals are as fierce as tigers are.

For example, Baltimore mainly uses its cute “Oriole” caricature, which is not at all threatening. While the Cardinals use realistic representations of their namesake and Cardinal red predominates throughout Busch Stadium, cardinals are not intimidating. Instead, “Cardinals,” “Orioles,” and “Blue Jays” are peaceful, beautiful birds. Some of them even sing. Moreover, fish, like “Marlins” and “(Devil) Rays,” don’t strike fear in peoples’ hearts, either. Finally, while bears are fierce, “Cubs” are just cute, baby bears.

The Arizona Diamondbacks’ namesake is different. The diamondback rattlesnake is not cute and cuddly like a “Cub.” Nor is it pretty like birds are, and it doesn’t sing. A rattlesnake is fierce and dangerous. However, snakes haven’t gotten good press since one gave Eve the apple in the Garden of Eden. A snake presentation at the Diamondbacks’ Chase Field equivalent to Detroit’s tigers would seem somewhat sinister or evil. Not the feeling they are striving for.

Names That Describe People

Fifteen teams, including the “Yankees,” “Angels,” “Mariners,” “Royals,” “Giants,” have names that use various descriptions of people or beings. None strike the same intimidating tone that tigers do. It would be silly, for example, to have images of “Angels” at the gates Angel Stadium of Anaheim. It would take the ballpark as heavenly analogy a bit too far.

Moreover, there are many different representations of these beings, while tiger images are relatively consistent. Thus, teams use, humorous caricatures to replace lifelike images. For instance, the Pirates have used many versions of a Pirate on their logos throughout the years. Some of these pirates are handsome and shaved; others are not. Some have eye patches, and some don’t. All of them are fun, not fierce.

Similarly, in the Twins Minnesota shaped logo, “Minnie” and “Paul”⁷ shake hands from each side of the Mississippi. However, “Minnie” and “Paul” are non-threatening, giant twins.

San Diego’s “Swinging Friar” is also cute and fun. He is not fierce and intimidating.

A “Beer Barrel Man” is featured on some of the Milwaukee Brewers logos. Meanwhile, “Bernie Brewer” stands at the ready to slide down his slide to celebrate a Brewers’ home run.

People Descriptions That Need More Information

Other team names describe people or beings but need additional context to explain who or what they are. Thus, their names don’t have the impact that tigers do.

For example, the name “Astros” wouldn’t mean much if “astronauts” weren’t a ubiquitous concept. Moreover, astronauts aren’t fierce and intimidating. “Astros” are just cute astronauts.

Absolutely no-one knows what a “Met” is until they understand that the word is short for “metropolitan.” But how would you depict a metropolitan? What would it say about your team if there were statues of metropolitan men and women guarding your ballpark gates?

The name “Dodgers” also makes little sense, but “Trolly Dodgers” does. However, “trolley dodging” was a Brooklyn practice, and meaningless in L.A.

Until you call the “Rangers” the “Texas Rangers.” You can’t know they are brave lawmen. Without the word “Texas,” the Rangers lose their luster. They could be park rangers for all we know.

Offensive People Descriptions

The Indians and Braves can no longer use images that relate to their names because they are offensive. In 2016 the Indians replaced “Chief Wahoo” with a big block “C” as their predominant identifier. A few years later, they stopped all usage of the “Chief.” ⁸

The Braves stopped using the “Chief Noc-A-Homa” caricature in their logos in 1989. ⁷ A few years earlier, in 1986, they stopped using the live “Chief Noc-A-Homa” mascot and thus ended his pregame ritual of performing a war dance on the pitcher’s mound.⁹ Additionally, the chief would no longer watch games from his outfield teepee. He also wouldn’t perform his celebratory war dance after Brave home runs. However, the Braves’ controversial use of Native American imagery continues with their “Tomahawk Chop” cheer.

It would be inappropriate to use these images in Atlanta and Cleveland, the way Detroit uses its tigers.

Tigers don’t offend.

Undefinable Team Names

There are also teams whose names are almost meaningless in that they don’t describe sentient beings. “Phillies,” “Nationals,” “Reds” and “Athletics” don’t exist.

As such, these teams can’t use images as Detroit uses its tigers. Instead, the Phillies occasionally use the Liberty Bell while the Nationals use the nation’s capital. The Reds use the little guy with a baseball head and 19th-century mustache. The Athletics elephant balancing on a baseball is a great logo but does not have the same impact as a tiger.

Teams Named After the Mundane

Finally, there are teams named after mundane and commonplace items.

“Sox” is simply the plural of “sock.” Thus the “Red Sox” and the “White Sox” can’t make prominent use of their names in statuary. Other than old banners, there’s not much to display. A series of “sock” statues are not inspiring and certainly not intimidating unless they are dirty.

Colorado’s Rocky Mountains are not necessarily mundane, but statues of them wouldn’t have the same effect that tigers do.

“Tigers” is the only team name suitable to dominate a ballpark’s appearance. The team makes the most of the opportunity.

Around The Park

It’s not just the tigers. Comerica shines in other ways that I’ve come to appreciate.

Downtown With A Neighborhood Feel

My ideal ballpark is an integral part of a city neighborhood. Few parking lots separate it from the surrounding community. Comerica feels like part of its neighborhood even though some parking lots create a barrier between it and area businesses.

Comerica and the neighboring Ford Field were part of a turn of the century revitalization project.¹⁰ However, the revitalization’s success was questionable. Whatever progress there was, it was limited to downtown and short-lived. The recession of 2008, offset any of the limited gains made in the previous decade. Currently, efforts to revitalize downtown continue, with the gnawing question of how to involve the greater Detroit area. ¹¹

However, from the limited perspective of a Baseball Nomad, Comerica is an exceptional addition to downtown. The main entrance is across from the renovated Fox Theater, which also played a role in revitalizing the area.¹² Another entertainment venue, the smaller, Fillmore Detroit, is a few steps away from the Fox. Moreover, the Detroit Opera House and the Music Hall are just south of Comerica. Finally, Comerica’s main entrance is between two historic churches St. John Episcopal Church and Central United Methodist Church. ⁶

The Skyline

And with no upper deck outfield seats, no ballpark offers a better view of a downtown skyline than Comerica Park. ¹³

Reinforcing the sense that Comerica is integral to the city is its magnificent view of Detroit’s skyline.

The city’s architecture “is recognized as being among the finest in the U.S. Detroit has one of the largest surviving collections of late-19th- and early-20th-century buildings in the U.S.” ¹⁴ The skyline contains a variety of styles, including Beaux-Arts, Art Deco, midcentury modern, and postmodern structures.¹⁵ Unfortunately, due to the city’s troubled economy, many of the buildings are endangered. ⁶

Because, Comerica has no upper deck outfield seats, and it faces downtown, it offers a fantastic view of the skyline. The Detroit Athletic Club is just across Michigan Avenue and dominates left-center field. Then in the distance are some of the city’s tallest and most ornate skyscrapers. These include the Cadillac Tower, Ally Detroit Center, the Penobscot Building, and more. Overlooking right field is the David Stott Building with a tall mural of humpback whales.

The Walk of Fame

When we entered the ballpark, we walked the wide concourses that circle the playing field. These are the widest concourses in baseball, so there is a lovely open feeling about the place.¹³ The openness is enhanced because the playing field is quite visible from wherever you are.

There are a series of outposts in the concourse that speak to the Tigers 125 year history. Such a nice change from other ballparks that constrain their historical artifacts to crowded and usually out of the way areas. At Comerica, Tiger history is integral to the ballpark experience.

Following the concourse to left-center field, we arrived at the Tiger’s version of a Monument Park. Six extraordinary statues of Tiger greats, Ty Cobb, Charlie Gehringer, Hal Newhouser, Hank Green berg, Willie Horton, and Al Kaline, form a line along the outfield wall. The statues depict the players in action and add accents that intensify their sense of movement. Cobb is sliding, Greenberg and Horton are swinging, while Gehringer is throwing to first. Kaline is stretching to catch a fly ball, seemingly before it goes over the wall. Finally, Newhouser is mid-windup, with his back arched, and leg in the air as he prepares to deliver his pitch. These are simply the best ballpark statues that I have ever seen.

The “Tiger Den” – Why I Need to Go Back to Comerica

The Tiger Den was the first of its kind in baseball. Located at the upper rows of the lower bowl, it resembles the fashionable boxes at old-time sporting venues with moveable chairs. ¹⁶

As we walked to our field-level seats, we passed through the “Tiger Den.” These cool chairs look like they belong on the deck in your back yard. In between each set of chairs is a small table to hold your drink etc. “How cool is this?” I thought, “this is my 30th ballpark, and I’ve never seen anything like these seats.” I knew right then; I needed to go back to Comerica.

The Glory of Comerica

I divide my rankings of favorite ballparks into five categories. Wrigley and Fenway are “Historic Gems.” They are in my mind, not able to be ranked since no other ballparks are like them. In many ways, they are perfect and, in many ways, awful. The charm wins out; you have to see them. You just can’t adequately rank them.

Then there are the four “Must See Ballparks,” Oracle, Petco, PNC, and Camden Yards. These are the best ballparks in baseball. If you love the game, you need to make every effort to see them.

At the bottom of my list are the “Near Misses” and the “Need To Be Replaced.” The “Near Misses” are the ones that, for one reason or another, aren’t quite what they could be. The term “Need To Be Replaced” is self-explanatory. It’s just time to start over.

In the middle are twelve ballparks that “I Wish I Lived Close” to. If I lived near any of them, I’d visit them quite often. It would be a joy of epic dimensions to have the pleasure to sit in any of these ballparks regularly. The atmosphere is terrific, and if you’re a baseball fan, you believe that the game itself is perfect. How could you stay away?

As I went from ballpark to ballpark and compiled my list, my rankings changed. Some ballparks would move up, and some would move down. After visiting Comerica, I placed it right at the top of the list.

Sunday at Comerica

Sunday, September 22nd, was the last weekend home game of the Tigers season. The Twins were coming to Detroit for a three-game series starting on Tuesday. After that, the Tigers would end their season in Chicago. I was likely projecting my feelings when I assumed the Tigers and their opponents, the White Sox were tired. I certainly was.

At this point in my journey, I’d traveled an astounding 46,000 miles, and was at the 58th game of my season. Moreover, just in the past eleven days, I’d traveled 6,600 miles. I was at my sixth ballpark in that period and watching my seventh game. I was spent.

Detroit’s Coney Dogs

During the game, I had my 42nd hot dog of the season and my umpteenth beer. The dog was one of Detroit’s famous “Coney Dogs.” However, these “Coneys” should not be confused with Central New York’s famous “Coneys.” Hoffmann Sausage Co. These are naturally cased white pork and veal sausages, which they call “Snappys.” The term “Coney” is a Central New York affectation.¹⁷ Whatever you call them, they are outstanding, especially when topped with a beautiful, spicy, german brown mustard.

Detroit’s “Coney Dog” is a beef hot dog on a steamed bun with a chili sauce, onion, and yellow mustard. However, it should not be confused with a “chili dog.” The Coney’s “chili is a loose, almost soupy concoction that traditionally gets an extra-meaty punch from ground beef heart and a variety of spices.”¹⁸ The term “coney” is from the Greek-American diners, known as “Coney Islands. ¹⁹

You can get a “Coney” at Comerica, and they look quite tasty. However, it was my 42nd dog of the season, and I just couldn’t indulge totally. I, somewhat sheepishly, asked if I could have a dog with just some mustard and a little onion. They agreed, and I then made my way back to our seats with my chili-less hot dog.

The Game – Celebration

The Tigers were ending a seriously miserable, rebuilding year where they were on their way to losing 114 games.²⁰ The White Sox were not quite as bad and actually on their way to being competitive in years to come. However, this year they would lose 89 games. ²¹

I was happy to have a few beers and hang out with Mrs. Nomad and my sister. We made a few walks around the park to enjoy the environment and take in all that there was to see.

On one of our trips, we passed a throne with a cardboard Miquel Cabrera celebrating his 2012 Triple Crown. In 2012, Cabrera led the league in home runs (44), RBI’s (139), and batting average (.330). He was the first player in forty-five years to lead the league in all three categories. I just had to have my picture taken to celebrate my achievement.

Later, we drove back to Ann Arbor, happy with our accomplishment.

Ten days later, I made my first visit to the Arizona Fall League. It was my final trip of a glorious year.

“Well I hit the rowdy road
And many kinds I met there

And many stories told me on the way to get there
So, on and on I go, the seconds tick the time out
So much left to know, and I’m on the road to find out”

Cat Stevens – “On The Road To Find Out” ²²

Saturday, September 21st, 4:00 AM, Tucson

Triumphant, Predawn Drive to Phoenix

I start driving west on I-10 back to Phoenix, at the crack of dawn. I’m a little ahead of schedule since Phoenix is only about 90 minutes or so from Tucson. But I have to gas up and drop off my rental before my 8:00 AM flight. It’s not atypical for me to leave earlier than necessary since I always worry about being late. However, I’m also excited to get to Detroit to see Mrs. Nomad, who’s joining me for the triumphant end to my journey. Detroit’s Comerica Park is number thirty! I’ve done it!

Although I’m not officially done, it’s not too early to celebrate my accomplishment.

When I planned my 42 stop journey, I had no idea if I could finish my quest. To do so, would take persistence, fortitude and a little luck. But, this morning, it’s clear that I’ll complete my journey successfully.

In a sense, I’m like a golfer, walking triumphantly up the eighteenth fairway at Augusta. His ball is on the green, it’s clear that he will sink his last putt and win the Masters. As he walks, he waves to the cheering crowd that is offering its appreciation and congratulations.

Similarly, I have one more ballpark to visit to meet my goal of visiting all 30 MLB ballparks. However, it will be almost impossible to miss my last game in Detroit. The game starts more than 24 hours from now, and I have a nonstop flight to Detroit. I can even miss a few flights and still make it to the game.

My predawn drive to Phoenix is my personal victorious walk up the 18th fairway at the Masters.

More Miles Left to Go

Not that my trip is totally over. I still plan to return to Phoenix in a few weeks for the Arizona Fall League. The AFL will be my forty-first of forty-two stops on this epic journey. It will also be the last one of the season. I’ve already decided that I won’t go to the World Series as I originally planned to do. However, I’m fine ending my journey one-stop short of my original plan. My main goal was always to visit thirty ballparks in one season. I did what I said I would do and what I wanted to do.

The Ties That Bind

To complete my baseball journey, I dropped out of the life I knew and spent money that I wasn’t sure I had. Moreover, I committed to a mission that only I valued and have difficulty justifying. Most of all, I’m willing to live with whatever consequences arise from doing so.

As a generally practical person, I rarely do something totally out of the ordinary because I simply wanted to do it. Certainly, I never invested so much time, effort, and money on what many would consider a superficial whim.

I saw myself like Ray Kinsella in Field of Dreams. Ray plowed over his crop and risked his farm to follow his dreams. A dream that only made sense to his family. Yet, he listened to the little voices in his head, urging him to follow a different path. My journey was similar. I followed the voices in my head that urged me on. I did so, even though it would likely end my career.

Moreover, I hoped the journey would help me find a new sense of being. I’d devoted too much of my time, effort, and consciousness to a life that had little meaning. My need for change was especially urgent since my peers discounted my achievements. They certainly saw me as disposable.

I doubt I am the only person who sees little value in their professional existence. I’m certainly not the only person in their early sixties who was left behind.

It was at the Mission on Friday morning when I realized that I’d irrevocably broken the ties that bound me to my old life. I’d felt these strictures loosen during my journey. But in Arizona, the last few ties fell away. I realized that I’d found my new truth.

I was tired, but delighted.

Tuesday, September 17th, Near Midnight, Denver

Four days earlier.

I’m riding back to the Airport on the train from Union Station after leaving Coors Field. It’s late, and I’ll have only a few hours rest since my flight to Phoenix leaves at 6:00 AM.

I’ve worried about this flight since I created my journey’s schedule. I worry that I’ll miss one of my last chances to visit Chase Field. If that happens, I won’t achieve my goal of seeing a game at every MLB stadium in one season. The season ends next Sunday, and tomorrow is one of the Diamondbacks’ last home games. I’m very concerned that a missed flight or significant delay will make me miss tomorrow’s game in Arizona.

If I miss the game, I’ll have to fly back to Phoenix next week. Since, I don’t want to make another cross-country trip, I need to get to Phoenix, tomorrow and on time.

There’s extra pressure because the game starts at 12:40. There’s little room for error.

Wednesday, September 18th, 11:00 AM, Phoenix

Fortunately, all goes as planned and I get to Phoenix on time. I was awake at 3:30 AM and waiting for the airport shuttle with other bleary-eyed passengers, flight attendants, and pilots at 4:00 AM.

My planes leave on time. I even have time to get some coffee at the Delta SkyClub in Salt Lake City, during the layover.

When I get to Phoenix, I see Chase Field’s distinctive roof as I drive to my hotel. It’s big, round, and towers against the buildings that form a backdrop to the scene. I’m looking forward to getting there.

It’s not a surprise that the hotel doesn’t have a room ready for me. Why would it have rooms available so early in the day? So, I store my bags at the front desk and make the short, but hot walk over to the stadium, roughly a half-mile away. As I walk, I admire the mission revival architecture of the buildings I pass.

TGI Friday’s on a Wednesday Morning

Now I’m at the TGI Friday’s that overlooks Chase Field, waiting for my youngest brother to arrive. He’s driving up from Tucson, where he lives and works. I’m at Friday’s because I need to get out of the heat and get something cold to drink. I think I surprised the wait staff who didn’t seem to expect a customer a couple of hours before today’s early game.

However, a waitress happily served me copious amounts of ice water while I watched the pregame activity from the window that overlooked the outfield. Through the open window, I see and hear players in what I assume are their pre-warm up rituals. They are not yet in uniform, just running and playing catch in just shorts and t-shirts.

Later, when I am somewhat refreshed and satiated with ice water, I order some coffee and green bean fries. Green bean fries? Yes, green bean fries. I’m a bit hungry and looking for something, somewhat healthy to eat. After all my travel and indulgent eating, I feel the strong need for healthy food. Green bean fries look like my best bet on this menu filled with fried and other greasy offerings.

National Anthem Practice – Second Time Around

While I watch the small group of players play catch and jog, today’s national anthem performers are led onto the field to rehearse. As the band and singers perform the anthem, the waitresses continue to prepare for the lunch rush, No one at Fridays stands at attention. I quietly eat my green bean fries and other patrons act similarly.

Interestingly, this is the second time I’ve witnessed a national anthem practice session on this summer’s journey. The first time was the Friday morning in July when I toured Wrigley Field. My tour group was sitting in the outfield bleachers in the morning sun when the anthem practice started. Eventually, we all stood at attention. First, one brave soul did so, then a few more stood, and finally, everyone joined in. As we stood, our guide stopped telling bleacher stories and also stood at attention. He resumed his bleacher commentary once the anthem ended and everyone sat back down.

It was a more patriotic display than this morning. However, I doubt that the Wrigley group had a greater sense of patriotism than today’s, Fridays’ patrons.

Interestingly, at Wrigley, a person told me that the performers were not just practicing. Instead, he said, management was recording their practice and would use it before the game. In his telling, the performers would lip-sync the recorded anthem while the crowd stood at attention and sang along. He said that using the recording would ensure that there were no problems in front of the fans. However, I choose not to believe that his suggestion is correct. I’d like to believe that the anthem is actually performed for the fans.

Wednesday, September 18th, Noon, Chase Field, Phoenix

My Wednesday morning Fridays’ sojourn ends when my brother calls to say he’s arrived and is looking for a parking spot. I settle the bill and meet him outside.

We hug, take some pictures and walk inside the park. It’s not our first-time visiting Chase Field together. A few years ago, I followed a similar schedule. Nomad the Younger and I went to see the Rockies at Coors Field when she lived in Colorado. The next morning, I flew to Phoenix to see the Diamondbacks at Chase Field with my brother. Even though I’ve been inside Chase Field before, I still want to check it out again. So, we walk around to reacquaint ourselves.

Retro-Modern Versus Retro-Classic Ballparks

Chase Field is classified as a “retro-modern” ballpark while ballparks like Coors Field, are “retro-classic.”

“Retro-classic” ballparks have the look and feel of older stadiums but with modern amenities. Each resembles the “jewel box” ballparks of the early twentieth century. They feature “green seats, bricks, stone and green exposed steel,” combined with modern-day amenities.²³

Conversely, “retro-modern” stadiums combine interiors similar to the “jewel box” ballparks with exteriors that use more progressive forms. In these parks, exterior features include curtain walls, retractable roofs, and materials other than brick. ²⁴

My preferences gravitate to “retro-classic” ballparks more so than “retro-modern” ones. When compiling my list of favorite ballparks, I was surprised to realize that, four of my top five, Oracle, PNC, Camden Yards, and Coors are “retro-classic.” Detroit’s Comerica Park, My next stop, is another wonderful example of the style and another favorite.

Downtown Locations and Parking Lots

Additionally, the more I visit ballparks, the more I realize that its relationship to the surrounding neighborhoods affects its appeal. This relationship is severely dependent on how parking lots are situated. In too many cases, the parking lots create a barrier between the ballpark and the surrounding neighborhood.

Neighborhood locations and parking lot placement vary depending on each ballpark. Wrigley Field and Fenway Park are in the middle of city neighborhoods, without parking ramps forming a barrier. Oracle, Petco, PNC, Camden Yards, and Coors are somewhat similar. Conversely, Chase is one of many city ballparks surrounded by parking and thus separated from its city neighborhood.

The most absurd example of the city neighborhood/parking lot paradox is New York’s Citi Field, where the Mets play. Citi’s exterior is very reminiscent of Brooklyn’s Ebbets Field, the epitome of a classic neighborhood ballpark, not obstructed by parking. Fans either walked or took mass transit to 55 Sullivan Place to see the Dodgers play at Ebbets Field. Those that drove to the game, found parking somewhere on Brooklyn’s streets. Ebbets Field was one with the neighborhood and businesses that surrounded it, Yet, Citi Field, an homage to Ebbets Field, stands in the middle of a sea of parking lots. It’s not part of the surrounding community.

The Roof and Playing Field

Although Chase is not the first retractable roof stadium, it was the first to have a roof over natural turf. ²⁵

They kept the grass alive and thriving by opening the roof at dawn and letting the sunlight stream in. It remained open until three hours before the game. Then they closed, the roof to cool the stadium down.

However, it’s more than challenging to nurture natural grass in Phoenix. As such, the Diamondbacks replaced the natural turf in 2019.

“The challenges with growing natural grass in our climate and stadium have been well documented, and we have considered alternate solutions for many years,”

Derrick Hall, D-backs president, and CEO ²⁶

Chase is now only one of five ballparks with an artificial surface. However, some other teams followed the Diamondback’s lead and now use natural surfaces under retractable roofs.²⁷

The Pool

During our walk around Chase Field, we make sure to walk by Major League Baseball’s only outfield swimming pool.

As we are hanging out and taking pictures, a guard asks us if we have tickets to enter the area. We, of course, do not but ask him questions about the pool. He says that the pool is rented to corporations for special events and is never empty.

However, I have trouble seeing the appeal. First of all, it’s likely more than challenging to see the game from the pool. So why bother. Additionally, will corporations continue to have events where their employees frolic in bathing suits in the “Me Too” era? It’s hard to imagine how the practice will remain in vogue.

Chase Field’s Future

Over the last few years, the Diamondbacks and the Maricopa County government have had a tense relationship. The team charged that the county was not investing enough in the stadium’s maintenance. Moreover, the Diamondbacks were dissatisfied because Chase Field does not have “mixed-use” capabilities. They are not able to generate new revenue streams through investment in a business and entertainment area adjacent to their ballpark. ²⁸ Other teams added these areas when they built their new ballparks. For example, the Braves built “The Battery” next to SunTrust (now “Truist”) Park. Similarly, when the Cardinals built the latest Busch Stadium in 2006, they added “Baseball Village.” The A’s plan to do the same when they build their new park in Jack London Square.

Other teams are investing in these areas adjacent to their existing stadiums. For example, the Giants are building a business and entertainment area south of Oracle Field. These establishments will compete with businesses, restaurants and residential complexes that “have grown organically to the north and west of the facility without any gain for the giants.” ¹⁹

After making peace with the city in 2018, the Diamondbacks looked for other sites to build a new park in the Phoenix area. However, they’ve now decided to try and stay at Chase and add a multi-use area there. ¹⁹

Wednesday, September 18th, 12:40 PM, Chase Field – Marlins vs. Diamondbacks

We walk around for a while longer, taking pictures and making the kind of jokes only brothers can. The jokes that only brothers will understand let alone tolerate. Finally, we stop for a hot dog, and a beer before we find our seats. The game is about to start, and we need to get our scorecards prepared.

Sadly, my interest in baseball is already waning for the day. After all, I’m in my fifth stadium, watching my sixth game in six days. That’s a lot of baseball, and I’m also tired since I woke up early to catch my early morning flight. Yet, although I need a break, I’m also wonderfully comfortable. After attending sixty-five or so games this season, I’m very accustomed to the sights, and the sounds of a ballpark. Now, I feel at home when I am at a ballpark.

I wonder how the Miami Marlins and Arizona Diamondbacks feel. After all, each is playing out the string. Neither, no longer has a chance of making the postseason. Frankly, the Marlins’ hope for a playoff birth ended sometime before opening day. This wasn’t expected to be their year. But, each team has been playing since February, and is there really somewhere they would rather be? I don’t know their mood, so I romantically assume that they are also playing for the love of the game. At the very least, I expect that they are playing for pride. Additionally, the younger players are likely trying to prove their mettle so they can make next year’s team. They don’t want to be traded or start next year back in the minor leagues.

Miami Marlins

It’s my ninth time seeing the Marlins, and I’m starting to feel like we’re old friends.

I started watching the Marlins in Spring Training. We consider Jupiter, Florida out Spring Training base of operations. Since both the Marlins and Cardinals train there, we usually can see at least one of them play every day. However, we don’t have to stay in Jupiter. We can also travel the few minutes to West Palm Beach to see the Astros or the Nationals. Finally, the Mets are less than an hour north.

There’s plenty of baseball games to see. However, the five teams’ proximity to each other means that we will usually see different combinations of them play each day.

As such, we saw the Marlins play four times in Spring Training. We missed a fifth, because another game was canceled due to rain

After Spring Training, I saw the Marlins play four more times. I saw them at home in Miami in April. Later in July, Mrs. Nomad and I saw them play the White Sox in Chicago. Last weekend, I saw them play two games in San Francisco. On Monday, the Marlins went straight to Phoenix to start their three-game series against the Diamondbacks. At the same time, I detoured to Oakland, then Colorado, and now I was seeing them again.

Sadly, this Marlins team that I’ve seen so frequently is also one of the worst in baseball. Their record to date is a sad 53 wins and 98 losses. ²⁹ The team’s awful play is somewhat expected since they are in the middle of a rebuild(some call it tanking). The Marlins hope that the rebuild works and that there are brighter days ahead.

Arizona Diamondbacks

The Diamondbacks have had a fascinating twenty-two-year history fluctuating between success and some failure. They’ve finished first in their division five times, second five times, third five times, and last five times. ³⁰ They also won the World Series in their third year of existence. They’re currently on another upswing, this is their third consecutive competitive showing.

As little as ten days ago, the Diamondbacks were competing with the Cubs for the second wild-card spot. Then they lost eight of the next ten games and are now effectively out of the running. Starting play today, they are five and a half games behind the Brewers and Cubs for the second wild-card spot. They are also a game and a half behind the Phillies and Mets. If the Cubs or Brewers don’t make the playoffs, the Phillies or Mets will. ²⁹

Mike Leake and Sandy Alcantara

Mike Leake, a slightly above average ten-year veteran is starting for the Diamondbacks today. Interestingly, Leake played college ball at Arizona State in Tempe, near Phoenix so he’s familiar with the area. After college, he played his first five and a half years in Cincinnati. Then the Reds traded him to the Giants. For the next two years he played in St. Louis before being traded to Seattle in the middle of 2017. Halfway through 2019, the Mariners traded him to Arizona. Leake is now the definition of a “journeyman.” ³¹

On the other hand, the Marlins, Sandy Alcantara, is just starting his career. Although he made a few appearances in 2017 and 2018, 2019 is his rookie year. Alcantara was the only Marlin All-Star this year and was also a member of the All-Rookie team. Part of his appeal, besides above-average stuff, is his durability. In 2019, he pitched 197.1 innings, the most by a Marlin rookie in their history. His innings pitched were just shy of the most by a Marlins pitcher. Nathan Eovaldi threw 199.2 innings in 2014. The rebuilding Marlins consider Alcantara to be one of their mainstays for years to come. ³²

The Game

We discuss the vagaries of life and compare scoring techniques while we watch the early parts of the game.

Leake had a good first inning, throwing just eleven pitches to get the first three outs of the game. ³³ Alcantara’s first inning was more eventful. The Abraham Almonte led off and watched the first three pitches before he took his swing. That ball landed beyond the right-centerfield wall near the swimming pool. It bounced near where we stood an hour earlier.

From there, the game went back and forth before the Diamondbacks won five to four.

In the middle of the seventh, I stopped scoring and went off to take some pitchers of the game. We left soon after and went to find some Mexican food before my brother drove back to Tucson. I in turn got some much-needed sleep.

Friday, September 20th, Mission San Xavier del Bac

On Thursday morning, well-rested, I had breakfast with an old friend who, at one time, was an intern I mentored. Then I drove north & west to Glendale to have lunch with a first cousin, once removed whom I was just getting to know.

After lunch, I drove the couple of hours south to Tucson, to spend more time with my brother.

The “White Dove of the Desert”

On Friday, I visited the Mission San Xavier del Bac which is about 10 miles south of Tucson.

Franciscan monks built the first church on the Mission’s site in 1756. They started building the current version in 1783. As such, it’s the oldest European built structure in Arizona. However, it is still an active convent, church, and school that services the local native population.

The Mission “is widely considered to be the finest example of Spanish Colonial architecture in the United States.”³⁴ The beautiful, white, baroque structure stands out in Arizona’s deep blue sky and brown desert. Fittingly, it’s called the “White Dove of the Desert.”

Over its 250 years, the Mission has been part of Mexico and the United States. Jesuits, Spanish Franciscans, the Diocese of Santa Fe, and later the Diocese of Tucson ran the Mission before the Franciscans took over in 1913.

The Mission has survived an earthquake, lightning, and water damage. Each time it was lovingly restored.

Solace

On that Friday morning, I admire the structure whose purpose is as beautiful as its appearance. For centuries, natives have sought solace and peace of mind in the Mission’s beautiful spaces. However, the mission remains while the congregants have passed on to other worlds.

Standing outside in the hot, dusty, Arizona desert, I wonder, is there meaning?

My journey started six months ago in the spring when hope springs eternal. Now fifty thousand miles later, it’s the fall, the baseball season is fading and I’m in the dusty Arizona desert trying to make sense of it all.

Is there meaning?

I sense that if I follow the congregants’ example, I’d find that there is solace in the journey. My meager professional accomplishments no longer mean that much to me. My failures mean even less.

I now choose to validate my existence, based on my experiences and the joy I find in the things that I find important. I don’t need external validation.

I’ve traveled many miles to find my new path. I was starting to realize that the daily journey is what’s central to my being. My success and external validation are secondary.

Early the next morning, I drove to Phoenix, triumphant.

My last trip of the regular season was a whirlwind through the West. Seven days, six games, in five ballparks:

• On Thursday, September 16th, I took a late flight to Seattle, arriving after midnight
• Friday night, I saw the White Sox play the Mariners at T-Mobile Park.
• Early the next morning, I flew to San Francisco and saw the Mariners play the Giants that night.
• Sunday was easy. Just an afternoon rematch between the Mariners and Giants at Oracle Field.
• I was still in San Francisco on Monday. After lunch with a friend, I went to Oakland via BART to see the Royals play the A’s.
• Now it was Tuesday, September 17th. I took an early morning flight to Denver to see the Mets and Rockies play at Coors Field.
• It was to be a short, eighteen-hour stay in Denver. The next morning, I would leave on a 6:00 AM flight to Phoenix. The Marlins were playing the Diamondbacks at noon.

Coors Field

This wasn’t my first visit to Coors Field. Nomad the Younger, and I visited it a few years ago when she lived in Colorado Springs. I was looking forward to seeing it again.

History

Coors and St. Petersburg’s Tropicana Field, the stadium I visited on my previous trip have an interesting connection. St. Petersburg built Tropicana Field in 1990 with the hopes of luring a team to the area. As they did so, they also attempted to win a new expansion team. In 1991, they expected to win one of the two new national league teams. However, they lost out to Miami, who landed the Marlins. Denver was the other city awarded a franchise.

In 1989, Denver formed the Metropolitan Major League Baseball Stadium District to create a plan to build a new ballpark. This plan was a requirement to win their expansion franchise.

The following year, voters approved a .01% sales tax to fund the ballpark. The fee would eventually provide $168 million – about 78% of the project’s cost. The owners provided the other $47 million. ³⁵

Since Coors Field would not be ready until 1995, the Rockies played their first two seasons at Mile High Stadium. Mile High is the football stadium where the Broncos play. As such, there are many more seats than the standard baseball stadium. The Rockies fans made good use of the extra space. In 1993, almost five million excited fans came to see the Rockies’ inaugural season. The following year, another three million attended games during a strike-shortened season. Over the two years, the Rockies drew over fifty-eight thousand fans per game. This demonstration of fan support encouraged the Rockies to add seven thousand seats to Coors Field. It opened with a capacity of fifty thousand. ³⁶

A Neighborhood, Retro-Classic, Big Ballpark

Coors Field is a classic neighborhood ballpark, located in Denver’s LoDo (Lower Downtown) district. It’s just a short walk from Union Station and is bordered on at least two sides with stores, restaurants, and bars. As such, it helps fuel the area’s economic activity. Other ballparks, even if they are located in city neighborhoods, are separated from businesses by vast parking lots. These large, empty (or car filled), asphalt areas deter fans from frequenting nearby businesses, which diminishes the stadium’s economic impact.

Coors was only baseball’s second “retro-classic” ballpark. These parks have all the amenities of modern stadiums but resemble the “jewel box” ballparks of the early twentieth century. These aesthetic features include “green seats, bricks, stone and green exposed steel.”³⁷

The first “retro-classic” ballpark, Baltimore’s Oriole Park at Camden Yards, opened just a few years before Coors. Interestingly, the architectural firm, HOK Sports (now Populous), designed both Oriole Park and Camden Yards. ³⁵

Similar to Camden Yards, HOK wanted to instill a 1920s, and 30s feel in Denver’s new ballpark. As such, it includes an outer facade of hand-laid brick. There is a clock tower above the main entrance, and its location is close to the Union Pacific railroad tracks. ¹⁹

It also has an asymmetric outfield, similar to the ballparks of old. However, unlike Fenway Park and Wrigley Field, the two remaining “jewel box” ballparks, Coors’ outfield is enormous. It is the largest field in baseball, covering 2.66 acres, one-third of an acre larger than Fenway, baseball’s smallest. ³⁸

Is High Altitude a Factor?

Coors’ vast outfield is meant to offset the effects of the ballpark’s high altitude. However, it is so large that it creates many opportunities for offense to dominate the game. Since, outfielders have so much ground to cover, balls that are catchable on other fields, fall in for hits. At the same time, the vast outfield and use of a humidor somewhat suppresses the excessive number of home runs. However, balls in the air still leave the park at incredible rates.

The home run explosion caused people to refer to the park as “Coors Canaveral,” referring to “Cape Canaveral” where they launch rockets.

“Coors Canaveral”

The supporting data are indisputable.

In its first year, teams hit 241 home runs at Coors. This sizeable amount was just seven homers short of the record for most home runs in a ballpark. Wrigley Field in Los Angeles, the original home of the Angels, set the record of 248 in 1961. However, Coors would likely have broken Wrigley’s record if the players’ strike had not shortened the season by nine games. ³⁵

The next year, Coors easily broke the record with 271 home runs. It demolished that record in 1999 with 303 home runs. ¹⁹

Since 2000:³⁹

• Coors led MLB in runs scored eleven out of the last nineteen seasons. It was second in another five of those years.
• Similarly, Coors led MLB in base hits in fourteen of the nineteen years, including the last twelve years, consecutively. Additionally, it finished second three times.
• Coors tends to be near the top of the league in doubles and triples, as well.
• Finally, it’s also been one of the top three home run ballparks in twelve of these nineteen years.

“Most Exciting Park in History”

The Rockies have a confounding relationship with the altitude question. While they publicize Coors as the “Most Exciting Park in History,” they tend to minimize the altitude as the cause.

For example, they acknowledge that a baseball travels 9% farther in Denver than at sea level. Using this estimate, they calculate that a 400ft home run at Yankee Stadium (sea level) would travel 440ft in Denver. However, they claim the offensive output is part of a general trend in the game. After all, they argue, other teams have more hits and higher batting averages than the Rockies. While this may be true, by focusing only on the Rockies output, they ignore the more accurate number of hits that all teams compile at Coors.

They also argue that Mark McGuire hit only one home run (of seventy) at Coors when he broke Roger Maris’ record. Additionally, a no-hitter and fourteen shutouts have been pitched there.

Finally, there is the wind. They claim that an average (ten miles per average) tailwind causes a 400ft home run to travel 430ft. “So, it’s easy to see how a good tailwind can beat high altitude for home-run hitting any day.” ⁴⁰

However, holding the variables constant makes for a more accurate comparison. It’s preferable to assume that the same ten mph tailwind at Yankee Stadium is behind the hitter at Coors. Thus, at Yankee Stadium, there would be wind, while Coors would have wind and high altitude. If so, while the 400ft Yankee Stadium wind-aided homer would go 430ft, it would travel 473ft in Denver.

It’s hard to see how altitude is not a significant factor at Coors.

Altitude’s Effect on Baseballs – The Science

Three forces affect the way a pitched or batted ball behaves.

The first is gravity. The other two, “Drag Force” and “Magnus Force” are aerodynamic and change with the altitude. ⁴¹

A baseball travels through the air due to the force that the pitcher or hitter applies. While the players’ actions are pushing the ball forward, “Drag Force” pushes the ball backward, slowing it down.

“Magnus Force” effects the way a spinning ball moves. A fastball’s backward spin has an upward Magnus Force, and thus it doesn’t drop as quickly. Conversely, a curveball’s topspin has a downward Magnus Force, that pushes it down. Sliders and cutters have horizontal Magnus Forces that make the ball move into or away from the hitter.

Drag and Magnus Forces are proportional to air density, which is lower at higher altitudes. Air density in Denver is 82% of that at sea level. That means that Drag and Magnus Forces at Coors are only 82% as effective as at Yankee Stadium.

While the lighter density allows a pitched ball to move faster, it also doesn’t allow it to spin as it should. Even though the ball moves more quickly, it tends to travel a straight path and is easier to hit. Then, when it’s hit in the air, the ball has less drag and goes further.

The Humidor

After the record-breaking 1990s, the Rockies wanted to reduce the number of home runs hit at Coors. A Coors Field engineer named Tony Caldwell suggested that they try storing baseballs in a humidor. Caldwell, an active outdoorsman, noticed that his leather boots became uncomfortable at higher altitudes because they dried out. He assumed that the same was happening to the baseballs and that they needed moisture. Caldwell felt that the ball’s dryness had as much of an effect as did the low air density. ⁴²

In 2002, the Rockies experimented with Caldwell’s suggestion and stored their game balls in a humidor. The humidor maintained a consistent 50% humidity, which was higher than Denver’s 30% humidity. ⁴³

The extra moisture made the ball heavier and thus reduced batted balls’ exit velocity. It also decreased the ball’s “coefficient of restitution,” meaning it didn’t bounce as high. Both factors made the ball less likely to travel as far when hit. ¹⁹

Did it work? Between 2002 and 2010, the Rockies hit 25% fewer home runs at Coors Field. Their home runs per game dropped from 3.20 to 2.39. In the same period, their home runs hit on the road remained relatively constant, 1.86 vs. 1.93. ¹⁹

While the altitude is still a factor at Coors, storing the balls in the humidor made its effect less extreme.

Coors Must Be The Easiest Place to Hit Home Runs… “Barrels”

However, some suggest that even in lower altitudes, it’s easier to hit homers in some other ballparks. They argue that in those ballparks, even weak hit balls result in home runs.

To hit a ball solidly, the ball needs to hit the bat at just the right spot. If the ball meets the bat too close to the handle or end of the bat, it won’t go that far. There are similar behaviors if the bat only hits the top or bottom of the ball.

In short, the ball needs to hit the barrel of the bat. The rate that they hit the barrel can be measured.

“Statcast” (a system that captures very detailed data for everything that happens during a game), assigns a hit ball to one of six categories. It classifies hard-hit balls at a specific launch angle as “Barreled.” It calls slightly less well-hit balls, “Solid Contact.” There are also four classifications of weak hit balls. ⁴⁴

A researcher found that there are six ballparks where weak hit balls leave the park at a faster rate than Coors Field. Thus, they concluded that home runs are easier to hit in those parks. ⁴⁵

However, these ballparks are also smaller than the average ballpark and at least half an acre smaller than Coors Field. ³⁸

Yes, Coors’ Altitude is a Factor in its Offensive Production

“Humidors or no humidors, Coors Field has been—and will continue to be—the most extreme hitter-friendly park in baseball due to its high altitude. It’s something the team has embraced.”

Rick Weiner ⁴⁶

Clearly, in the 1990s, the altitude was a factor in the rate of home runs hit at Coors. In those years, it set records that still stand today.

Since then, the use of a humidor diminishes the number of home runs hit in Colorado’s high altitude. However, even with altered baseballs, Coors Field is still a hitter’s dream and a pitcher’s nightmare.

While some small ballparks allow for more weak hit home runs than Coors, twenty-three ballparks allow fewer. Additionally, Coors has the largest field in baseball and still allows for many soft hit home runs.

Moreover, while the size of Coors’ outfield helps control the number of homers, these dimensions enable many base hits. Coors Field leads the majors in most hits because outfielders have to cover so much ground.

All in all, my expectation for Tuesday’s game was that each team would score a lot of runs. While the expected offensive display did not happen, the perils of pitching at Coors were quite apparent.

Tuesday Night in Denver

Getting to Coors

Locating Denver’s airport, twenty-five miles from the city, always seemed like a royal, expensive pain. My transportation choices were either a costly taxi (now Uber or Lyft) or a rental car. Accordingly, my previous visit was strictly a driving affair. I stayed in one of the hotels near the airport and drove a rental to and from the city.

For this trip, I planned to use Uber, since the costs weren’t more than renting a car. Moreover, it would be safer because I expected to be tired when I left the ballpark that night. Better to have someone drive me.

When I arrived in Denver, I was surprised to learn that there was now a train from the airport to the city. It is just a 40-minute ride on the RTD to Union Station which is a short walk to Coors Field. Even better, there was a train stop near my hotel that I could get to on the hotel’s airport shuttle. After the game, I took the train back to the airport and caught the hotel shuttle from there.

It’s nice to find a ballpark where you can fly in, the morning of a game, and fly out late that night. Or, if there’s not a late flight, you can wait at the airport for an early one the next morning. Nationals Park in D.C. is perfect for that type of trip, and now Coors Field is as well.

Up to “The Rooftop”

As usual, I got to Coors Field a few hours early to experience the ballpark.

First, I walked from Union Station up Wynkoop Street towards 20th street and the brick ballpark that I could see in the distance. The walk took me past brick buildings containing bars and restaurants.

I turned right and walked up to the main entrance at the corner of Blake and 20th. This location is where you can see the clock above the entrance and the statue called “The Player.” The statue itself is quite nondescript and somewhat reminiscent of the Babe Ruth statue outside Baltimore’s Oriole Park.

Then I went inside, bought my Rockies cap, and made my way up to the Rooftop. The Rockies added “The Rooftop) to the upper deck over right field to attract younger fans. ⁴⁷ It is a thirty-eight thousand square foot area with a series of bars and food concessions. You can spend the entire game there. Or, for the cost of just $16 for a Standing Room Only ticket, you can spend the entire game there.⁴⁸ I’d enjoy spending time at The Rooftop if I lived in Denver.

Of course, the best part of The Rooftop is its view of the Rocky Mountains. Unfortunately, the mountains are far from Coors, so the view is not as immediate as the bay at Oracle Park or PNC’s view of the Pittsburgh skyline. However, the mountains are still impressive, and this is the only part of Coors where you can see them.

Watching The Mets and The Scoreboard

One of the best parts of a season of baseball travel is seeing your favorite team at many different venues. During my journey through all the MLB stadiums, I was able to see the Mets play ten times. I saw the Mets twice in Spring Training; a third game was rained out. Then I saw them on opening day in Washington D.C. and in Philadelphia on Jackie Robinson Day. Later, in May, I saw them in San Diego and in July, twice at home against the Yankees. Then, in mid-July, I saw them play twice in Minnesota. Now, two months later, I was seeing them for the last time. And I was watching the scoreboard.

If a baseball fan is lucky, they get to watch their team in a pennant race. That kind of joy doesn’t often happen for Mets fans. However, this year, the Mets were sprinting for the finish line. Mets fans everywhere were watching the scoreboard every night to see if they were winning and if others were losing.

When the Mets arrived in Denver, they still had a slim chance of making the playoffs. With twelve games to play, they were four games behind Milwaukee and tied with the Phillies. All three teams were chasing the fading Cubs.

However, they still had a chance and were playing great ball. After a desultory first half, they were ten games under .500 at the All-Star break. Then they went on a tear, winning forty-six of their last seventy-two games. Over that period, they were the fourth hottest team in baseball. ⁴⁹

They gave fans hope, and hope is all that matters to a baseball fan.

Tale of Two Pitchers

The Mets’ Marcus Stroman faced the Rockies’, Tim Melville.

The Mets acquired Stroman from the Toronto Blue Jays, a few months before at the trading deadline. Since then, he had not pitched well, and the Mets were hoping he would regain some of his old form. In his five and a half years in Toronto, Stroman was one of the better pitchers in the game. ⁵⁰

Twenty-eight-year-old, Stroman is a diminutive 5’ 7” and 180 pounds. ⁵¹ When he is on, Stroman is perfect for Coors Field. He throws a mixture of sliders and cutters that dart in and away from the hitter. Their movement forces the hitter to hit a lot of ground balls. Remember, in the high altitude; it’s better to keep the ball on the ground and thus in the ballpark.

Melville was one of the “feel-good” stories of the Rockies’ season. He was a twenty-nine-year-old rookie, finally getting his shot to pitch regularly in the big leagues.

It was quite a change of fortune. Melville started 2019, working at “Little Miss BBQ” in Phoenix, Arizona. Still, in Phoenix on opening day, he watched the Red Sox play the Diamondbacks in the stands with his girlfriend.⁵²

Then the Rockies purchased Melville’s contract from the Long Island Ducks in May. Previous to his stint in Long Island, Melville spent most of a decade bouncing around baseball. Over the years, he played in the Royals, Tigers, Reds, Twins, Padres, and Orioles organizations. In August, he made his first major league start of the year. ¹⁹

Melville’s Night

“I just got away from what I was doing — keeping the ball down”

Tim Melville ⁵³

For the game’s first five innings, Melville and Stroman kept the opposition scoreless. Each had the same line after the fifth – no runs, two hits, no errors. ⁵⁴

Melville faced only fifteen hitters, in the early innings (the minimum number possible), as he paired each baserunner allowed with a double play. His effectiveness was due to his ability to keep the ball down. In those innings, he struck out two and gave up nine ground balls, and two liners. There was only one fly ball. ⁵⁵

Everything changed in the sixth inning. After Todd Frazier led off the inning with a ground ball single, Melville hung a slider to Ahmed Rosario. A “hanging slider” is a breaking pitch that doesn’t break. Instead, it sort of hangs in the middle of the strike zone and begs the hitter to hit it. Rosario deposited the pitch in the left field seats.⁵⁴

With one out, Melville left another slider up and over the plate, and Brandon Nimmo hit it out of the park. ¹⁹

Finally, with two outs, major league-leading home run hitter, Pete Alonso worked a three-ball, no-strike count. Not wanting to walk Alonso, Melville threw a fastball down the middle, and Alonso “barreled” it 467 feet. ¹⁹

We can overemphasize how Coors’ altitude affects a game. Pitching the way Melville did in the first five innings works everywhere, and his sixth-inning approach works nowhere. However, the strategy is especially crucial at Coors.

Stroman’s Night

“We couldn’t solve him.”

“He had “good movement in the hitting area”

“We just didn’t square many pitches up”

Bud Black, Rockies Manager ⁵⁶

Stroman was better than Melville and able to avoid hard-hit fly balls. He scattered just four hits over seven innings while striking out seven and inducing six groundouts. Most importantly, He allowed the Rockies to hit only six balls in the air. ⁵⁴ Likely, none of them were “barreled.”

“Never did Stroman sweat much in this one. He allowed just four hits, retiring 13 of the first 15 batters that he faced while leaning more heavily on his cut fastball than in any previous start.”

“During Tuesday’s start, Stroman “figured something out with my cutter,” using his mechanics and grip to increase or decrease the break of it as he saw fit. Given newfound confidence in the pitch, Stroman threw a season-high 42 cutters, mixing them with 33 sinkers that broke in the opposite direction.”

Anthony DiComo⁵⁰

On this specific night, Stroman showed people how to pitch at Coors Field. Next time might be different, but that’s why I love the game. There are no sure things.

Back on the Train

The Rockies finally scored with two outs in the bottom of the ninth. Charlie Blackmon, “barreled” a 3-2 changeup into the upper deck in right field, 445 feet away. The ball likely landed near The Rooftop, where I had a hot dog and a beer before the game. However, I didn’t see the home run. I was already on the train, heading back to the airport to shuttle back to my hotel. I had to be up early the next morning to travel to Phoenix.

Another great day on the road.

Pittsburgh isn’t fancy, but it is real. It’s a working town and money doesn’t come easy. I feel as much a part of this city as the cobblestone streets and the steel mills, people in this town expect an honest day’s work, and I’ve it (sic) to them for a long, long time.”

Willie Stargell ⁸⁸

Pittsburgh has shed its working-class roots and is now a shining example of a post-industrial city. However, my love of baseball’s history makes it hard to separate today’s modern city from the hard-nosed players of the past, who made Pittsburgh into such a storied baseball town. These were the ones that lived up to the fan’s expectations for an “honest day’s work.” Guys like Honus Wagner, Bill Mazeroski, Roberto Clemente, Willie Stargell, and members of the city’s Negro League teams, certainly fit the bill.

The Wrong Pitch

“I don’t know what the pitch was. All I know is it was the wrong one.”

Ralph Terry ⁸⁹

At 3:36 PM on October 13, 1960, William Stanley Mazeroski hit Ralph Terry’s 1 – 0 pitch over Forbes Field’s ivy topped, left field brick wall to make the Pittsburgh Pirates World Champions. His home run shocked the world and gave Pittsburgh a bright moment to always savor.

In 1960, Mazeroski was in the fifth year of his seventeen-year Hall of Fame career. Mazeroski played for what was essentially his hometown team. He was born in Wheeling, West Virginia, roughly sixty miles from Pittsburgh and raised in nearby Witch Hazel, Ohio. Bill lived with his parents and sister in a small one-room dwelling with no indoor plumbing or electricity. ⁹⁰

Similar to Honus Wagner, the other iconic Pirate infielder, Mazeroski’s father was a coal miner of Eastern European descent. Mazeroski was of Polish descent, while Wagner’s parents were German immigrants. ¹⁹

The lifetime Pirate was elected to the Hall of Fame by the Veterans Committee based on his defensive prowess.¹⁹ He wasn’t flashy, was a mediocre hitter, but was a superior second baseman.

The Weird 1960 World Series

The mighty 1960 Yankees were the favorites to win the Series. After all, they had just won their eleventh American League pennant in fourteen years. ⁹¹

On the other hand, the public had few expectations for the Pirates. Their pennant was just their first in thirty-three years and only their fifth of the century. They were known as the “Battlin’ Bucs” since they had won 28 games after being tied or behind after the sixth inning.⁹⁰ They were a fighting and scrappy bunch.

It was a weird and exciting Series.

When the Yankees won, they won big. In their three winning games, the scores were 16 – 3, 10 – 0, 12 – 0. Moreover, they outscored the Pirates 55 – 27 in the seven games. ⁹² Yet, for all their dominance, they couldn’t shake the Pirates. They left New York to play the final two games of the Series behind three games to two. The Yankees had to win game six to force the seventh game.

The final game was a seesaw affair. The Pirates fell behind in the early innings and were losing by three runs in the bottom of the eighth. Battling back as they were want to do, the scored five to go ahead, 9 – 7. Facing elimination, the Yankees tied the game in the top of the ninth.¹⁹

Mazeroski’s Home Run

Then, in the bottom of the ninth, Mazeroski’s leadoff home run ended the game. The upstart Pirates beat the powerful Yankees and were world champions. Pittsburgh has never forgotten the moment that Mazeroski’s ball flew over Forbes Field’s walls.

It was a towering fly ball that sailed over the ivy-covered, left field wall, 406 feet from home plate. As it did so, Yogi Berra, playing left field that day, turned and sadly ran towards the dugout. That piece of the wall is outside Pittsburgh’s PNC Park, behind a statue of Mazeroski celebrating his accomplishment as he rounds the bases. His cap is in his right hand with both of his arms triumphantly raised in the air.

Forbes Field’s Walls

What remains of the rest of Forbes Field’s walls are still standing where they always stood. However, the Joseph M. Katz Graduate School of Business and other parts of the University of Pittsburgh now occupy the area where the rest of Forbes Field stood.

On a sunny Saturday morning, I’m standing on the sidewalk in front of Forbes’ remaining walls. Trees have grown in what used to be the outfield. A granite sign announcing the school of business is between me, the trees, and the ivy topped walls.

I follow the line of red bricks inlaid in the sidewalk that outline where the rest of the outfield wall stood ⁹³ as I walk over to nearby Pozvar Hall.

Forbes Field’s home plate is inside the building. “Near the spot where the likes of Honus Wagner, Roberto Clemente, Willie Mays, and Hank Aaron once batted, and where Babe Ruth launched the final three home runs of his career.”¹⁹ Superstitious students visit home plate before big exams, for good luck. Every October, fans gather to celebrate Mazeroski’s home run on the anniversary of the event.

Note that home plate is only “near” its original spot because the actual location is in the nearby women’s room.⁹⁴ Thus are the vagaries of history

Columbus at Dawn

Earlier that morning, I left Columbus before the sun came up to make the three-hour drive to Pittsburgh. I left early so that I would have time to visit the Forbes Field location before attending that afternoon’s game between the Cubs and the Pirates at PNC Park. The teams were scheduled to play the following night’s game at the Little League World Series. Playing in the afternoon gave them time to make the short three-hour drive to Williamsport that evening.

My morning drive capped off a great week of baseball travel. On Wednesday, I drove to Cleveland to see the Indians play the Red Sox. The next day, I drove from Cleveland to Cincinnati to see the Reds play the Cardinals. Friday, I drove to the Louisville Slugger Museum and Factory and then back to Columbus. Saturday morning, I headed to Pittsburgh, pushing east into the morning sun as the dark sky turned to dawn. I drove over West Virginia’s hills, into Pennsylvania and finally through the Fort Pitt Tunnel under Mt. Washington.

On my approach to the tunnel, all I could see was the mountain towering in front of me. Then I was in the long, tile-lined tunnel with cars on either side. When I exited from the two-thirds of a mile expanse, Pittsburgh seemed to explode in front of me. It was possibly the most dramatic entrance to a city that I’ve seen. The drive from mountain to tunnel with nothing to see transformed into Pittsburgh everywhere. Pittsburgh’s skyline, bridges, and rivers were everywhere I looked.

Roberto Clemente

“Roberto Clemente’s greatness transcended the diamond. On it, he was electrifying with his penchant for bad-ball hitting, his strong throwing arm from right field, and the way he played with a reckless but controlled abandon. Off it, he was a role model to the people of his homeland and elsewhere. Helping others represented the way Clemente lived. It would also represent the way he died.”

Stew Thornley ⁹⁵

Roberto Clemente Bridge

Downtown Pittsburgh is on a peninsula created by the confluence of the Allegheny, Monongahela, and Ohio Rivers. Historic, Ft. Duquesne bordered by parkland is on the tip of the peninsula. My hotel was across the street from the fort and parks. I arrived early in the day and was not surprised that my room was not ready. So, I checked my luggage and made the short walk to PNC Park.

I walked the few blocks away from the Fort to the Roberto Clemente Bridge. The bridge is one of the “Three Sisters,” three nearly identical suspension bridges. The “Sisters” span the Allegheny River and connect Pittsburgh’s downtown to the city’s north side.

All three bridges are named for notable Pittsburgh residents. The “Ninth Street Bridge” was renamed for naturalist and Pittsburgh native, Rachel Carson, in 2006. The “Seventh Street Bridge” was named after Andy Warhol, another Pittsburgh native, in 2005. The “Sixth Street Bridge” was renamed after Clemente in 1998.

Interestingly, naming the bridge after Clemente was a compromise with the city. Despite public sentiment to name the new ballpark after the team’s greatest star, the Pirates sold the naming rights to PNC Corporation.⁹⁶ Naming the adjacent bridge after Clemente gave the whole arrangement some balance.

The city closes the bridge to traffic on game days, which transforms it into a beautiful pedestrian crossway. Even though I’d been to a game at PNC park previously, I was excited to walk over the bridge for the first time.

“The Great One”

A riverboat passed under me as I walked over the Clemente Bridge. I could see fans gathering on the Riverwalk that runs behind the stadium. On the other side of the bridge stood the statue of Clemente, engraved with his nickname, “The Great One.”

As I approached the statue, I could not help that the day before I had held Clemente’s model bat that he, unfortunately, would never use. At the time, I was in the Louisville Slugger Bat Vault, holding the bat as a tour guide told the sad tale. Although the bat was ready for Roberto to examine in mid-December 1972, he never would. Only a few weeks later, he died in a plane crash on a rescue mission to earthquake-ravaged Nicaragua.

Clemente stood 5′ 11″ tall and weighed just 175 pounds but swung an unusually long, 36-ounce bat.⁹⁷ He used the long bat to lash out at almost any ball that approached the plate. The ball skyrocketing to the far reaches of the park.

He played the outfield with a sense of reckless abandon and was one of the best defenders in history. Moreover, he had an unbelievably strong and accurate arm. His long, accurate throws from right field were awe-inspiring.

My favorite memory is how Clemente rolled his neck and stretched his back so that his chin almost touched his shoulder. The motion always reminded me of a proud thoroughbred that could run like the wind but was not entirely tamed.

Willie “Pops” Stargell

“INTIMIDATING PRESENCE BETWEEN THE LINES AND CHARISMATIC PATRIARCH IN CLUBHOUSE AND DUGOUT.”

Stargell Hall of Fame Plaque ⁹⁸

I walked from the Clemente statue down Federal Street past long lines of fans waiting for the gates to open. Many likely came early for today’s giveaway, a souvenir cardigan sweater. I didn’t understand the significance of the sweater giveaway until another fan explained that it was Mr. Rogers Day. Fred Rogers is another great American with near Pittsburgh roots, having been born in nearby Latrobe. The beige sweater zipped in front and had a little Pirates “P” over the left breast and was quite nice.

The statue of Willie “Pops” Stargell was just past the fans and gate.

“Pops”

“If he asked us to jump off the Fort Pitt Bridge, we would ask him what kind of dive he wanted. That’s how much respect we have for the man.”

– Al Oliver ⁹⁹

If the Pirates had a “golden age,” it was the 1970s. Between 1969 and 1980, the Pirates dominated their division finishing first, six times, second, three times, and third, three times. Moreover, they won the World Series in 1971 and 1979. In the middle of it all, was the power-hitting Willie Stargell, the Pirates inspirational leader. Stargell became the de facto leader of the Pirates after Roberto Clemente died. Later in his career, he picked up the nickname, “Pops” which fit the persona of the aging, respected leader.

Stargell’s spotlight moment occurred when he led the Pirates to the 1979 World Series championship. The 38-year-old dominated the series as he led the Pirates back from a three games to one deficit. Over the seven games, he hit .400, with three home runs, and a World Series record 25 total bases. His majestic, sixth-inning home run in game seven, put the Pirates ahead to stay. ¹⁹

In his Hall of Fame career, Stargell finished in the top ten in MVP voting seven times. In 1979, he won the MVP award, was the World Series MVP, and Sports Illustrated’s Sportsman of the Year.

Occasionally, a player comes along who has impressive skills but also a real sense of pride in his craft. He also carries himself with a sense of dignity that other players respect and admire. It’s a small group: Jackie, Hank Aaron, and Stargell are vital members.

Into PNC Park

PNC Park is approachable and pedestrian in scale. Designed to fit within the existing city grid, it is also orientated to allow a great majority of spectators a spectacular view of the Clemente Bridge and the downtown skyline beyond. ¹⁰⁰

I was having a good day in Pittsburgh. First, I visited Forbes Field. Then I walked over the Clemente Bridge and remembered two of baseball’s most respected players, Roberto Clemente and Willie Stargell. After some fish tacos and a couple of beers at “Steel Cactus,” I went inside the park. “Steel Cactus” is a Mexican place that is one of a series of PNC restaurants that are accessible to the outside pedestrian traffic.

As I walked to the team store to get my Pirates hat and then to my seat, I took in the gorgeous ballpark.

”The home of the Pirates is instantly recognizable as a ballpark, with architectural flourishes of Forbes Field lending a touch of nostalgia. The series of masonry archways extending along the entry level facade and decorative terra cotta tiled pilasters exude the charm of the club’s former home of 61 years.” ¹⁰⁰

However, something was missing. When Mrs. Nomad and I first visited PNC Park a few years ago, we were more than impressed with Legacy Square. In 2006, the Pirates added the Legacy Square exhibits to honor Pittsburgh’s Negro League past via statues and interactive kiosks. What a fantastic way to celebrate the players and remember our unfortunate history.

Unfortunately, although I found the Square, the exhibits were gone. Instead, banners of popular Pirates and Negro League players were the only things I saw.

Sad End to Liberty Square

The Negro Leagues in Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh had a unique relationship with the Negro Leagues. Between 1927 and 1948 Negro League teams from Pittsburgh – the Homestead Grays and Pittsburgh Crawfords – dominated Negro League baseball. In that period, they won thirteen regional and five world championships. ¹⁰¹ They also fielded some of the greatest players of their era.

During the winter in 1937,¹⁰² Pittsburgh Courier sportswriter Chester Washington sent this telegram to Pittsburgh Pirates manager, Pie Trainer:

“KNOW YOUR CLUB NEEDS PLAYERS STOP – HAVE ANSWER TO YOUR PRAYERS RIGHT HERE IN PITTSBURGH STOP – JOSH GIBSON CATCHER FIRST BASE B. LEONARD AND RAY BROWN PITCHER OF HOMESTEAD GRAYS AND S. PAIGE PITCHER COOL PAPA BELL OF PITTSBURGH CRAWFORDS – ALL AVAILABLE AT REASONABLE FIGURES STOP WOULD MAKE PIRATES FORMIDABLE PENNANT CONTENDERS STOP – WHAT IS YOUR ATTITUDE? – STOP WIRE ANSWER”

Chester Washington – The Pittsburgh Courier ¹⁰³

There was no response.

In 1937, the Pirates finished in third place with a record of 86 – 68.¹⁰⁴ Even though they still won only 86 games in 1938, they finished in second place just two games behind the Cubs. ¹⁰⁵ If the Pirates’ focus was solely on winning, wouldn’t adding some of the greatest players in history have improved their prospects?

Of course, the Pirates weren’t alone in disregarding winning so that they could exclude black players from the Major Leagues.

Pittsburgh Pirates, Black Ballplayers Legacy

The Pirates were slow to integrate their team. They finally did so in 1954 when they added second baseman, Curt Roberts. They were the tenth team in baseball to integrate, and Roberts was the 42nd player of color in Major League Baseball. ¹⁰⁶

Although they had a late start in integration, the Pirates “took the lead among MLB teams and unveiled the first all-black and Latino starting lineup in 1971.” ¹⁰⁷

The Pirates also honored Pittsburgh’s Negro League past. In 1988, they commemorated the 40th anniversary of the Homestead Grays victory in the last Negro League World Series. The pregame ceremony honored living members of the Grays and the Pittsburgh Crawfords and a championship pennant raised atop Three Rivers Stadium. Possibly most importantly, Pirates team president, Carl Barger, “apologized for the role played by the Pirates and by Major League Baseball in perpetuating segregationist practices in baseball.” ¹⁰⁸

”With this moment, the Pirates became de facto leaders in navigating the complex relationship between professional sport and race, and this comparatively small ceremony was, at the time, a truly groundbreaking moment for professional sport in America. Over the next two decades, the Pirates continued what they started by holding annual Negro leagues nights and installing permanent Grays and Crawfords championship banners at Three Rivers Stadium in 1993.”¹⁹

So, Where’s Legacy Square?

In 2006, the Pirates opened Legacy Square, an exhibit that celebrated Pittsburgh’s Negro League past. Central to the presentation was interactive kiosks and nine life-size, bronze statues of Pittsburgh’s greatest Negro League players, including five enshrined in Cooperstown. ¹⁰⁹

At the opening ceremony, Pirates managing general partner Kevin McClatchy said:

“A lot of people probably don’t realize the incredible history we have here, Kids today probably don’t know about segregated players in different leagues, eating in different restaurants. … This will tell the story of the Negro Leagues. Because it is a huge part of our baseball history.” ¹⁹

• 

• 

Imagine my surprise when discovered that the statues were missing from Legacy Square. All I saw were a few banners of Pirates and Negro League players. Did I misremember?

No, I did not. When McClatchy sold the team in 2015, the new ownership led by Bob Nutting, decided to remove the statues. ¹⁹ All that remains are banners of Pirates and Negro League greats.

Fortunately, Sean Gibson, CEO of Pittsburgh’s Josh Gibson Foundation and Josh Gibson’s great-grandson, was able to gain control of the statues. He sold them at auction with the proceeds going to the Foundation.

All in all, it is a sad state of affairs.

Honus Wagner, Mazeroski and Home

A Girl Named Olivia

I had a great time at the game, and throughout, I talked to a young sixteen-year-old fan. I believe her name was Olivia. She’d driven in from Chicago with her father to see their favorite Cubs play. Hearing that she was a Cubs fan led to a conversation about my family’s recent first trip to Wrigley Field. We also talked about events in the game, how I kept score, and other things.

Be still my music-loving heart, but it turns out that Olivia is a musician who plays the violin. I asked who her favorite composers were, and she mentioned Brahms and Dvorak. Had she heard the Dvorak cello concerto (one of my favorites)? I asked. She hadn’t but did love the cello in general. I mentioned the second movement of Brahms’ Second Piano Concerto that has a wonderful cello part and she said she would listen to it.

Then we talked more about baseball and our conversation spread to the people in the row in front of us. They were also Cubs fans. I told them about my trip and how much I loved PNC Park.

When the game ended, I walked by Honus Wagner’s statue that is in front of the stadium. Wagner is the epitome of Pittsburgh’s working-class past.

Honus Wagner

Johannes Peter “Honus” Wagner, the son of German immigrants, was born in Chartiers (now Carnegie) Pennsylvania in 1874. His birthplace is roughly six miles from where his statue greets fans entering PNC Park. Wagner’s father was a coal miner for more than 20 years. None of his children wanted to work in the mines. Honus – then likely known as John – planned to become a barber, as one of his older brothers had. ¹¹⁰ Instead, Albert, another older brother, recommended that the team that he played for in Steubenville, Ohio, sign Honus. ¹¹¹

Wagner was an “awkward-looking man…..oddly built – 5-feet-11, 200 pounds, with a barrel chest, massive shoulders, heavily muscled arms, huge hands, and incredibly bowed legs that deprived him of any grace and several inches of height.” ¹⁹ Yet he was an extraordinary ballplayer.

He was second to Babe Ruth in voting for inclusion in the initial Hall of Fame class. Other records include a league-record eight batting championships (tied with Tony Gwynn), seventh in career hits, third in triples, tenth in doubles and stolen bases. Remember, he retired 100 years ago!¹¹² Most of all, he led the Pirates to four pennants and one World Championship.

His last public appearance was at the unveiling of the statue I admired. It first stood in Schenley Park outside Forbes Field, then at Three Rivers Stadium and finally at PNC Park. Wagner was too weak to get out of his car at the ceremony and just waved from the window. ¹¹¹

Bill Mazeroski’s Statue

Before heading back to Clemente Bridge and my hotel, I walked up Mazeroski Way to pay homage to Mazeroski’s statue and the section of Forbes Field’s wall behind it. From there, I enjoyed the sunny day as I walked on the Riverwalk, towards the Clemente Bridge.

A few hundred feet in front of me, a couple of women asked a fan if they could have his “Mr. Rogers cardigan.” Unfortunately, he tried to sell it to them, and they declined the offer. I caught up to them and gave them mine. Better that they have it than me.

There was a massive crowd in my hotel’s lobby. Some of the people were attending a formal event in the ballroom. Others were football fans who were there to see the next day’s pre-season game between the Chiefs and Steelers. There were also three big busses outside. The rumor was that they were for the Cubs to drive up to Williamsport. Fans were gathered around them to see the players.

Williamsport was my next journey. I’d wanted to see the major league game at the Little League World Series since the televised event looks like such a lot of fun. However, the Little League restricts the game to the Little Leaguers and their families, which is how it should be. They play in a minor league stadium, which does not have the capacity to allow others to attend. Moreover, outsiders would destroy the event’s intimacy. Yet, I wish there was an exclusion for a certain Nomad.

On Sunday, I drove home and had a few days to relax, say hello to Mrs. Nomad and write about my travels. It had been a long but gratifying week. Possibly the best of my travels!

Day two of my five days drive through Ohio, to Louisville, and finally, Pittsburgh. I was on my way to Cincinnati. These were possibly some of the best days on my long journey to all of the major league ballparks and associated landmarks.

Why? Why would the ballparks in Ohio and Pittsburgh excite me more than the more exotic locales I previously visited? Undeniably, San Diego and San Francisco are beautiful places to watch a ballgame. San Diego, situated next to the Gaslamp District and just a few blocks from the ocean creates a memorable and unique experience. San Francisco with its beautiful view of the bay and the sea breeze is breathtaking.

However, the little ballparks in these forgotten Midwest cities that used to be part of the “rust belt” have a lot of charm. Cleveland’s Progressive Field is close to the Cayuga River and has views of downtown, highlighted by the ornate Terminal Tower. Cincinnati’s Great American Ballpark is on the Ohio River near the historic Roebling Bridge. It also has excellent views overlooking the city. Finally, Pittsburgh’s PNC Park is an extraordinary ballpark. From most seats, the panoramic views of the skyline, the Clemente Bridge, and the Ohio River are riveting. It may be the second-best exterior view after San Francisco’s. These great ballparks, in their often maligned cities, prove that the game can be beautiful anywhere.

Thursday – August 15th – Cincinnati

My hotel in Cleveland was right next to the highway on Orange Place. We previously stayed in this area when we visited my father on family visits. We liked that the area was close to where dad lived and convenient to restaurants and, of course, the highway. Thus my baseball stay was fraught with memories of life’s passing.

The proximity made it easy to get on the road early Thursday morning. However, the Nomad needed sustenance. I first, stopped at McDonald’s for a couple of Egg McMuffins before I started the four-hour drive to Cincinnati. I ate them while I drove.

I arrived at my hotel in Cincinnati by the early afternoon. It was located downtown, just a few blocks from the river and Great American Ballpark. I decided to spend the afternoon walking around that part of the city on my way to the game.

The Roebling Bridge

My first stop was the Roebling Bridge, originally named the “Cincinnati – Covington Bridge.” The bridge spans the Ohio River and connects Cincinnati with Covington, Kentucky. When it opened in 1866, it was the longest suspension bridge in the world at 1,057 feet. ¹¹³ More importantly, John Roebling designed the bridge before he created the East River Bridge – more familiarly known as the Brooklyn Bridge.

I love the Brooklyn Bridge for its beauty and historical significance. Although I’d driven by the Roebling Bridge on other trips, I’d never explored it up close. I was very interested in seeing it.

I started my walk from my hotel on East 4th Street to Vine Street and took a left turn. Two blocks down the street, Vine becomes Rosa Parks Street as it passes the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center. Walking one more block took me to the park next to the bridge.

The park connects the Paul Brown Stadium, where the football Bengals play and Great American Ballpark, my ultimate destination. The Roebling Bridge is in the middle.

The bridge is a majestic structure that rises above the Ohio as the Brooklyn Bridge looms over the East River. Additionally, it’s ornate sandstone towers are reminiscent of Brooklyn’s bridge as well.

One of the baseball rituals for Cincinnati fans is to walk across the bridge to visit the hotels and bars in Covington, Kentucky, before and after games. I plan to stay in Covington next time I visit and take that walk across the bridge.

The Reds 150th Anniversary?

As I walked through Cincinnati, I noticed many signs and banners celebrating professional baseball’s 150th anniversary. Unfortunately, some of the banners and signs mistakenly suggest that it’s the Reds’ 150th anniversary, which confuses the story. While Cincinnati should be celebrating professional baseball’s 150th anniversary, with the Reds participating, it’s not the Reds anniversary. Instead, the Atlanta Braves should be celebrating its 150th anniversary.

The true story goes like this. The Cincinnati Red Stockings, formed in 1869, were the first professional baseball team. As it turns out, the Cincinnati Reds had nothing to do with this development. The “Red Stockings” did not become the Cincinnati “Reds,” as some of the signs suggest. The Cincinnati Reds started play in 1882 in the American Association and joined the National League in 1890.¹¹⁴ The Red Stockings played in Cincinnati for just a year, then disbanded and reformed in Boston as the Boston Red Stockings.

Additionally, the Boston “Red Stockings” did not become the Boston “Red Sox.” Instead, they used many names before they became the Boston “Braves” in 1912. These Braves moved to Milwaukee in 1953 and then to Atlanta in 1966.

Riverfront and Three Rivers Stadium

I’ve discussed the era of boring, multi-purpose stadiums in many of my posts. These stadiums dominated the sports landscape before Oriole Park at Camden Yards opened. ¹¹⁵ Interestingly, this trip took me to the epicenter of the cookie-cutter craze.

As I approached Great American Ballpark, I was near the site of Cincinnati’s Riverfront Stadium. In 2001, they demolished a portion of Riverfront’s left field to make room for Great American.

Riverfront opened on June 30th, 1970. Two weeks later, and just a few hundred miles up the Ohio River, Pittsburgh opened Three Rivers Stadium. As sportscaster Howard Cosell would say, it was located “at the confluence of the Allegheny, Monongahela and Ohio Rivers.” Heinz Field, Pittsburgh’s football stadium, occupies the site now. PNC Park is on the Allegheny River, just a short walk away.

In the era of “cookie-cutter stadiums,” Riverfront and Three Rivers were seemingly more similar than most. This similarity was very apparent. The Pirates and Reds dominated the National League at this time and met in the playoffs on a few occasions. Television viewers watched the first games at one of the stadiums. Then the teams would move to the other one. While they would change locations, the stadiums didn’t seem to change.

Cincinnati’s Great American and Pittsburgh’s PNC are a welcome departure from that rule. They’re both beautiful, little ballparks on the river and next to pedestrian bridges, but they don’t look alike. Thus it’s so much fun to go to each one. Luckily, I went to both on this leg of my trip. Thursday, I went to Great American, and then I went to PNC on Saturday.

Great American Ballpark

As I walked through the park, past the Roebling Bridge, the ballpark slowly appeared through the trees.

Great American Park is on the corner of Joe Nuxhall Way and Johnny Bench Way. Most people know who Johnny Bench was, but fewer know that Joe Nuxhall spent 60 years with the Reds. He started as a fifteen-year-old pitcher and was the Reds broadcaster after his pitching career ended.

A few hundred feet from the ballpark’s main entrance on Nuxhall Way is a small gazebo with busts of famous Red Stockings. Closer to the main entrance are statues of the members of the 1970s Big Red Machine. Pete Rose is sliding headfirst into a base, Tony Perez is hitting, and Joe Morgan is taking off from first. Possibly the most significant Red of them all, Johnny Bench guards the entrance.

• 

• 

Inside the gates, but still outside the park, is a group of statues that form “Reds Legends of Crosley Field.” The Reds played at Crosley Field before they moved to Riverfront Stadium. The figures are the “best of the best” players from various eras in Reds history, before the move. Ted Kluszewski, the power hitter from the 40s & 50s, stands on the on deck circle. A few feet away, Joe Nuxhall pitches to Ernie Lombardi. Lombardi is a Hall of Fame member who played in the 1930s and 40s. Finally, Frank Robinson, who played for the Reds between 1956 and 1966, is the hitter.¹¹⁶

• 

• 

This statue is the third of Frank Robinson I’ve seen on my summer-long journey. He also stands at Baltimore’s Oriole Park and Cleveland’s Progressive Field. He won his second Most Valuable Player Award in Baltimore – his first was in Cincinnati. In 1975, he became the first African American Major League Manager in Cleveland.

Attendance, Commitment, and Tanking

I walked around the near-empty ballpark before finding my seat.

On the promenade on the third base side of the park is a long bar serving beer, including local microbrews. Close to the bar are stands serving local favorites like Skyline Chili, Porkopolis Specialty Dogs, and others. While the dogs at Porkopolis looked interesting, I chose a more traditional Kahn’s hot dog. Although it was an average hot dog, I give the Reds points for making Dusseldorf German Mustard readily available. Of course, there is food everywhere. There are restaurants in the promenade and an area near the outfield dominated by barbecue.

The views inside the ballpark are engaging. The riverboat deck and smokestacks dominate the outfield view. The stacks explode after every home run.

Sadly, only 14,891 fans attended the game. It seems like a tiny park, but the capacity is actually 42,391,¹¹⁷ and it feels depressing when only one-third of the seats are filled. I asked some people around me about the attendance. While they mentioned that it’s tough to get people out on a weekday night, the overarching reason is tanking.

As the game started, the Reds were in fourth place, 7.5 games behind the first place Cardinals, tonight’s opponent. They would end the year in fourth, fourteen games behind the Cardinals. Over the previous four years, the Reds finished last and lost more than 90 games each year. The poor performance was likely intentional as their payroll was the 25th lowest in each of the previous three years.

The fans’ point was when the Reds made a commitment and started to win, people would flock to Great American Park again. Since the rebuild was coming to fruition and the Reds should blossom in 2020; the fans could return soon.

Thursday’s Game

The Reds Sonny Gray struck out ten through five innings. In so doing, he extended his scoreless streak to eighteen innings in August. Michael Wacha pitched for the Cardinals and threw well. However, the two runs he gave up in the fifth were enough to lose the game. The Cardinals made it enjoyable in the ninth when Kolton Wong doubled with two outs scoring Marcel Ozuna. The final was Reds two, Cardinals one.

My seat was behind the plate, and some friendly Reds fans surrounded me. We had a good time chatting about the game and the Reds. Meanwhile, a beautiful red moon rose over the stadium. An usher watched me keep score and asked to see my book at the end of the game. He was suitably impressed with my detail and my journey.

Walking to the Hotel, Listening to the Mets

I walked back to the hotel and listened to the end of the Mets game. My walk started well; the Mets were in Atlanta, ahead ten to three going into the bottom of the eighth. However, the Mets’ brought Drew Gagnon in to pitch, and he promptly gave up a home run to Freddy Freeman. But, Gagnon survived the rest of the eighth, so why should I worry? The score was ten to four.

My nerves started to tingle when manager Mickey Callaway let Gagnon start the ninth. My concern grew when Rafael Ortega singled to lead off the inning. After Gagnon got the next hitter to ground out, Ronald Acuna homered on the next pitch. Mets ten, Braves six, and the Nomad was worried.

I breathed a little easier when Ozzie Albies popped up for the second out.

However, Freeman came up again and hit Gagnon’s two-strike pitch over the centerfield wall, making the score ten to seven. It was a good time, for a mound visit from pitching coach Phil Regan, to calm Gagnon down.

Gagnon’s first pitch to Josh Donaldson is a strike, so maybe the visit worked. Nope, Donaldson hit the next pitch over the centerfield wall, and the score was ten to eight.

My nervous frustration grew as Callaway replaced Gagnon with Edwin Diaz. Edwin Diaz was experiencing the worst year a relief pitcher may have ever had. I wasn’t confident.

As I got to the hotel, Diaz walked Brian McCann on four pitches. Really! Somehow Ender Inciarte is coming to the plate, representing the tying run. How can this happen? Somehow Diaz strikes Inciarte out, and the game was over. The Mets won; my heart attack was averted.

Now relieved, I was ready for tomorrow’s drive to Louisville.

As my trip entered mid-August, I’d been on the road (off and on) for five months. I’d already traveled to Spring Training, Mexico, London and Canada, but still had thirteen more stops on my baseball journey. I’d already made my August trips to New York and Boston when I left for Cleveland. It was the start of a five day drive through Ohio, to Louisville, and finally, Pittsburgh.

This journey was not just a baseball trip for me. It was also a quest, my chance to find relevance after ending a second career. I needed to find a new path, a new reason for being.

Coincidently, and certainly not by design, my first August trips retraced essential stages of my life. They fell in an order that allowed me to see where I came from and would help me decide where I was going.

Journey Through My Past

Yankee Stadium – The Bronx

The first weekend in August was my trip to Yankee Stadium, located near where I was born in the Bronx. That Saturday, I met my eldest cousin for breakfast on 86th street in Manhattan. It was near where we lived when I was in high school. We took the number four train to the old neighborhood in the Bronx. She grew up there, but I hadn’t been there in decades. Yet, there we were, next to Lebanon Hospital, where I was born. Then, walking down the hill, we passed the library to the corner where my grandparents, Aunt, and cousins lived. Across the street was where a building whose wall we used to play handball while making fun of Barry Goldwater’s name when I was six.

As we walked the few blocks down to Claremont Park, I remembered that fateful day when I broke my ankle. It was Father’s day in 1971 and I was thirteen. We’d just moved back to New York from St. Petersburgh, FL. The Long Island contingent of cousins was visiting, and we were playing baseball using trees as bases. I slid back to first, caught my foot in some roots, and the rest is history.

Then we walked up 174th street, along the Cross Bronx Expressway where there used to be little shops where my grandparents purchased groceries in one store and kosher meat in another. These were the days when we didn’t know what supermarkets were.

We walked to blocks to Weeks Avenue where PS 70, the first school I ever attended was. Finally, we walked under the Grand Concourse to the building, my family lived in before we moved to Florida.

After that, I went to Yankee Stadium, a facsimile of the ballpark my father took me to when I was small.

Fenway Park – Boston

My second weekend in August took me to Boston.

Years ago, I met Mrs. Nomad in New Hampshire and started my career in retail while she earned her Ph.D. (Dr. Nomad?). We lived in New Hampshire and Maine for nearly ten years. During our time there, Nomad the Younger, was born in Portland, Maine.

Meanwhile, one of my brothers met his wife at a Boston area college, and they’ve lived there ever since. Over the past thirty years or so, they’ve established themselves and raised three beautiful children. My sister, who is now firmly ensconced in Michigan, led the way to New England when she went to college in Maine and graduate school in Boston.

I have a long history with this area and mostly happy memories. Some of those memories are of visits to Fenway. It’s a place I’ve been to often. This year, I went to Fenway with my brother and his family on Saturday and with him alone on Sunday.

Cleveland

I left for Cleveland, early on a Wednesday morning, less than thirty-six hours after arriving home from Boston. Cleveland, of course, is where I spent so much time with my father in his last years. Many of these hours were at Progressive Field. Now I was going back.

Wednesday – August 14th – Cleveland

Cleveland is a special place for me. As I’ve written, my father spent the last years of his life in Cleveland. For some of those years, I worked for a company based in Cleveland and visited regularly. Trips during the summer enabled us to go to games together. We did so many times.

As time went by, his breathing problems required him to use a wheelchair. With the attendants pushing him through the ballpark and me following, I couldn’t help but remember the games we attended when I was small. In those days, forty-five years earlier, it was my father leading me through ballparks when I was a young boy. Now, more and more, I took the lead.

I’ll always remember two stories from our Cleveland experiences.

The Griffey Prediction

One Sunday in 2000, we were in right field watching Ken Griffey Jr, and his Reds play the Indians.

Indians’ pitcher, Chuck Finley, seemed to be doing well. He’d only thrown 76 pitches through seven, shutout innings. Moreover, the Indians’ offense was cranking. They were leading five to zero, and my mind had turned to tomorrow’s work tasks. My father, the brilliant mathematician, was doing other calculations.

When the Reds opened the eighth inning with two hits, a walk, and a passed ball, he made a prediction ¹¹⁸:

“It’s five to one; there are runners on first and third, and no outs. Griffey is only four hitters away – he’ll either be the tying or go-ahead run.”

I shrugged my shoulders; I hadn’t thought that far ahead and wasn’t sure he was right.

Steve Reed replaced Finley and induced Juan Castro to hit a sacrifice fly. The score was five to two, but at least there was one out. Reed got a second out when Pokey Reese, forced Benito Santiago at second.

With two outs, Reed wasn’t out of trouble. Barry Larkin singled to left, advancing Reese to second. Just as predicted, Griffey came to the plate as the tying run. Just as my father said, he would.

Griffey grabbed the advantage by taking the first two pitches, both balls. With the count 2 and 0, Reed had to throw a strike. Meanwhile, Griffey was waiting for something he could hit and deposited the next pitch into the center field picnic area.

The score was tied and would remain that way until the Reds scored two runs in the thirteenth inning.

My father’s successful prediction challenged me to improve my observation skills.

Our Last Game

Every time I go to Progressive Field, I remember that it was the last ballpark I visited with my father before he passed away.

The game was Saturday, August 14th, 2010. I planned to drive to Cleveland that morning, visit a bit and then drive dad downtown to the game.

However, first, I needed to get home from Memphis on Friday night, where I was working with a client. As I’d never been to Memphis before, I wanted to visit Graceland. So, instead of taking the late afternoon flight home, I took the last flight of the night. I used the extra time to tour Graceland on my way to the airport.

Unfortunately, my flight was late into Atlanta, and I missed my connection. So I spent the night in an Atlanta hotel and took the first flight out the next morning.

I didn’t get home until noon, long after I was supposed to leave for Cleveland. Mrs. Nomad reminded me that I didn’t have to go. There would be other games. However, for some reason, I felt an urgency I can’t describe. I don’t remember thinking that it would be my last chance to attend a game with my father. But I felt an urgency that I can’t describe. I knew he was looking forward to going, and I didn’t want to disappoint him. However, there was a greater urgency, almost as if I knew it would be the last game we’d see together.

We made it to the game, but it rained off and on; thus we didn’t have a great time, and we left early. I thought there would be other games in the future. However, the next year my father was already fading, and there were no more games. He died the following April.

Wednesday’s Game

As I approached Cleveland’s eastern suburbs, I stopped at Chagrin Falls to pick up my half-sister, “P.”¹¹⁹ As we drove downtown, we talked about life, her Indians, and that day’s opponent, the Red Sox (a team she hated). When we arrived at the ballpark, we walked around, and I showed her some of the food outlets that I enjoyed on my last visit.

The Red Sox won 5 to 1 as Xander Bogarts hit two home runs. However, Shane Bieber gave up only two runs and pitched well. The last time I saw Bieber pitch, he struck out the side in the All-Star game. His performance made him the game’s MVP.

The Drive Home – Down Memory Lane

Of course, the traffic was crazy when we left, so I decided to avoid the highways. Instead, I tried to recreate a drive through the city that dad and I used to take. However, it didn’t work well; I couldn’t find the right path. In contrast, my father could seemingly recreate a map of every one of the many cities he visited. He never got lost.

With that said, we had a nice ride through the city’s eastern neighborhoods. First, we passed University Circle, where dad and I once went to Severance Hall. We drove by the hospitals where he stayed in his last months and the cemetery he and “R” (“P’s” mom) rest.

Then it was on to Shaker Heights where “R” grew up and lived when “P” was born. Finally, we arrived in Beachwood, where dad and “R” lived after they moved back to Cleveland. I dropped “P” off at her house and then went to my hotel to get ready for Thursday’s drive to Cincinnati. However, first I stopped at Corky and Lenny’s – “Cleveland’s Favorite Deli” for some Pastrami and a Knish. It was old-time sustenance for the Nomad. My visit brought back memories of times I went there with Mrs. Nomad and Nomad the Younger, not to mention my father. It was a lonely dinner.

Final Memories

I went to sleep that night thinking about the young man who hitchhiked from Antioch College to Cincinnati to enlist in the Navy in 1943. My trips to Cincinnati – especially this one – were for different reasons. However, every time I start off on another leg of my eight-month trip, I wonder what he would think about my travels.

I have a feeling that he would recognize as I do, that it’s not about the destination, it’s about the journey.

As July turned to August, my trip of a lifetime was entering the final stretch. In the five months since my trip started at Spring Training in March, I:

• traveled 33,740 miles
• took 41 fights
• visited 36 of my planned 42 stops
• watched 41 games at 18 major league stadiums as well as London Stadium, Estadio de Béisbol Monterrey, and two minor league parks

I planned four trips in August. Of course, the trip would take its toll. It required that I be on the road for 15 days and at home for only 16 days. Stop number one was a trip to the Bronx, the land of my birth and home of the Yankees. Later in the month, I would spend almost a week traveling through Ohio, Kentucky, and Western Pennsylvania. MOREOVER, On that journey, I was looking forward to seeing the Indians, Reds, Pirates, and the Louisville Slugger Bat Factory and Museum. The following week, I would travel back to Pennsylvania for the Little League World Series.

Before my trip west to Ohio was my weekend at Fenway, baseball’s “uncomfortable” nirvana. Fenway is one of the very best ballparks to visit. I’ve enjoyed my many trips there and hope to go back often. However, for all its beauty, history, and charm, Fenway’s seating can be awkward and uncomfortable for the 21st-century sports fan. These are the things one has to deal with when traveling through the baseball world.

Fenway Enchants

“There’s nothing in the world like the fatalism of the Red Sox fans, which has been bred into them for generations by that little green ballpark, and the wall, and by a team that keeps trying to win by hitting everything out of sight and just out-bombarding everyone else in the league. All this makes Boston fans a little crazy, and I’m sorry for them.”

Bill Lee¹²⁰

In the wake of recent Red Sox successes, Fenway’s patina of futility is slowly fading. However, for the longest time, Fenway had a tragic aura due to so many heartbreaking Red Sox failures. Through it all, Fenway has enchanted baseball fans for generations.

It certainly caught Nomad the Younger’s eye when she was small.

Soccer Hall of Fame?

It all started in 1998 when the family Nomad drove to Cooperstown to spend a relaxing few days. Mrs. Nomad and I love Cooperstown and try to go back there anytime we can. It’s a great place to rest and reflect as we sit on the Otesaga Hotel’s veranda overlooking Otsego Lake. Cooperstown has excellent restaurants and, of course, baseball, baseball, baseball.

At the time, Nomad the Younger was an eleven-year-old soccer player. Although Mrs. Nomad and I would be content to hang out in Cooperstown, eleven year old’s need a bit more entertainment. To keep things interesting for the youngest nomad, we decided to drive over to Oneonta to visit the Soccer Hall of Fame. I have no idea why the Soccer Hall of Fame was located in out of the way Oneonta, New York. Others probably didn’t either, since that version of the hall went out of business in 2010. Its replacement is at Toyota Stadium in Frisco, Texas, a suburb of Dallas.

Anyway, we drove to Oneonta and enjoyed the exhibits, including what I understood to be the world’s oldest soccer ball. In actuality, the oldest soccer ball is 450 years old and on display at the Smith Museum ¹²¹ in Stirling, Scotland. We saw the first vulcanized rubber soccer ball, which was developed by Charles Goodyear in 1855. ¹²²

On our way out of the museum, we saw an advertisement for the Women’s World Cup scheduled for the following summer. I had never heard of the Women’s World Cup, but it sounded interesting, so we made plans to go.

Nomad the Younger and Fenway

We had never spent time in Los Angeles, so we decided to spend a week and see as much as we could. On our first Saturday, we saw the World Cup Finals at the Rose Bowl. All summer long, we watched with surprise as the team and event we hadn’t known existed became the biggest story in sports. The games were as exciting as anything I have ever seen. Drama in sports is dependent on suspense, and there is nothing more suspenseful than a scoreless, championship soccer match.

On Sunday, we made our first visit to Dodger Stadium to see the Dodgers play the Griffey and ARod led Mariners. Griffey homered, and Rodriguez made an error as the Dodgers won 14 – 3.

A few days later, we sat in our small hotel room in Manhattan Beach and watched the All-Star game from Fenway. Pregame festivities included the announcement of the nominees for the All-Century Team. We watched the parade as each living; all-time great walked onto the field when announced. Finally, they brought out Ted Williams, and all the relatively young all-stars gathered round to meet the great man.

Nomad the Younger had never seen Fenway. She didn’t know about the oddly shaped little ballpark in the middle of Boston with its lush green field and walls. Nor had she seen the 37 foot tall Green Monster. Awed by Fenway, she turned to us and said, “I want to go there!”

We went the next year.

On my office bookcase, I have a picture of the youngest nomad from that day. She’s smiling and wearing a Sox cap with the field and players in the background.

These are fond memories, indeed.

My Fenway History

At the time, I was already very familiar with Fenway. Mrs. Nomad and I met in New Hampshire and lived in New England for about ten years in the 1980s. Nomad the Younger was born in South Portland, ME, during that time. Moreover, my brother and his wife have always lived in Boston ever since they met in college. They have three children, all born in Boston and loving the Sox.

My first memory of Fenway was the 1967 World Series when the Bob Gibson led Cardinals beat the Red Sox. A few years later, I was in college when the 1975 World Series reignited my love for the game. Eleven years later, we lived in Maine when my Mets played the Red Sox in the 1986 World Series. At the time, Mrs. Nomad was pregnant with Nomad the Younger and drove an hour to work each day with “Mets 86” license plates on our small car. As she drove, she dealt with Sox fans honking their horns and making obscene gestures. Yes, we knew Fenway.

Every once in awhile, when we lived in New England, we attended games at Fenway. On our first trip, we watched Mrs. Nomad’s favorite Brewers play the Sox from the right field bleachers. Mrs. Nomad, a former Wisconsin resident, rooted for the Brewers. So did others in the stands. One person had a large, Styrofoam “M” that he would wave occasionally. Late in the game, a Sox fan walked down to the fan, grabbed his “M,” and broke it into a few pieces. As the crowd roared, he handed the pieces back and walked back to his seat.

Welcome to Fenway.

Fenway is Baseball Nirvana

Fenway is so very right in so many ways.

Fenway is Still Standing

Even though Fenway opened the week after the Titanic sank in 1912, it still stands on Jersey Street. As such, it will celebrate its 108th anniversary on opening day in April 2020. It’s the oldest baseball stadium in the country, just two years older than baseball’s other historic gem, Chicago’s Wrigley Field. The next oldest ballpark was Yankee Stadium that opened 1923. Unfortunately, it was demolished in 2009.

I’ve written copiously about my disdain for the new Yankee Stadium. It’s not that the new Yankee Stadium is an awful place, although it is notably sterile and generic. However, the original Stadium was, to me, the cathedral of baseball. Yankee Stadium was the site of so many significant events and the stage for so many great players. It’s such a shame that they couldn’t find a way to protect it. Frankly, it’s a shame that they didn’t seem to want to protect it.

In contrast, the Red Sox and the Cubs have labored to keep their historical parks standing.

I’m partial. Baseball’s link to the past fuels my love for the game. When I look at the past, I realize that everyone has good days and bad. Yet we survived. Possibly wounded a bit, but we survived, nonetheless.

Similarly, Fenway Park represents survival and perseverance. In its long history, it’s seen championships and heartbreaking failures. However, in the last 15 years, the Sox broke their 86 year-long championship drought and won the World Series four times. With that said, tragedy lurks behind Fenway’s brick walls.

Unfortunately, as of this writing, the current cheating scandal tarnishes some of their recent record. Moreover, their payroll is too high, and they are starting to make cuts. It’s possible that there are years of adversity to come.

Fenway Has Been Modernized

There was a genuine chance that new owners would demolish Fenway in 1999. The proposal was to build a new version across the street ¹²³ similar to what the Yankees did in New York. Instead, Larry Lucchino – new team president led an initiative to remodel Fenway. I’m so glad they did.

Between 1998 and 2011 the Red Sox added:¹²⁴

• a new video display in center field
• three new scoreboards in right center field
• seats on top of the Green Monster
• party decks in left and right field
• new luxury boxes
• updated food areas
• in-game access to Jersey Street which runs next to Fenway

Let’s face it; it takes courage to remodel a 100-year-old stadium. The easy thing to do was to tear Fenway down and build a new bigger one across the street. A new Fenway would likely be more profitable as well.

I appreciate that they took the risk on the original Fenway.

Fenway is a Neighborhood Ballpark

I recently wrote a piece about Guaranteed Rate Field that speaks to the idea of a neighborhood ballpark as opposed to new, retro-designed stadiums. Initially, owners built ballparks in existing neighborhoods, which constrained the amount of space that they could use. As such, each was different from the others, with their individual charm.

In contrast, the suburban stadiums built in the next era of new stadiums had seemingly unlimited space and thus lost their distinctive charm. Using similar design principles, the resulting stadiums all look the same; they were sterile and utilitarian.

Finally, the latest retro stadiums starting with Orioles Park at Camden Yards had plenty of space. Their unique character is “more affectation than necessity.” ⁶⁰

Additionally, parking lots that surrounded these stadiums created a barrier between the park and businesses nearby. This placement diminishes the economic value the ballpark brings to the area. Fans drive in and drive out and make no connection to the neighborhoods.

Fenway is unique because it is an actual neighborhood ballpark that is integral to the economic viability of the area. You experience that every time you go. Stores, bars and restaurants surround Fenway, not parking lots.

Fenway is a Party

You’ll find lots to do on Yawkey Way before every Red Sox game. Check out Big League Brian (stilt walker), the Hot Tamales Brass Band, a face painter, a balloon artist, a juggler, and speed pitch. A caricature artist also makes an appearance on Saturdays and Sundays. ¹²⁵

What do you get when you combine a little ballpark with a vibrant neighborhood that includes bars and eateries? You get a party. It’s not a drunken brawl kind of party, just a lot of baseball fans having a great time.

You should arrive at Fenway early and have a beer at the Cask ‘n Flagon or Beerworks or any of the bars that are in the neighborhood. Drop by a cart outside the park and have some “street meat” or find something to eat at one of the many restaurants. Just enjoy the atmosphere created by the neighborhood and rabid baseball fans.

Fenway is Green, Green, Green

“You should enter a ballpark the way you enter a church.”

Bill Lee¹²⁰

Of course, they also play baseball at Fenway. That means you need to leave the party and go inside and find your seat.

What you’ll see inside the park is terrific. It opens up to a sea of green. The seats, walls, and field are a lush green. Moreover, seating is intimate, so (if you are in the right place) you’re close to the action.

And then there are the quirky dimensions. The 37 foot tall “Green Monster” dominates the view as it stands only 310 feet from home plate. Starting at the left field foul pole, the Monster angles out to center field. It ends about 379 feet from home, where it forms the centerfield triangle, 420 feet away at its deepest point. In right field, the wall curves past the bullpens and ends at the “Pesky Pole.” There is nothing like Fenway Park.

If you go with someone who knows the park – or possibly take a tour (which I didn’t do), you’ll see little nooks and crannies like “Canvas Alley.” “Canvas Alley” was initially a pathway designed to enable circus elephants to walk in and out of the park. It’s now a much smaller area near right field where the grounds crew sits until they’re needed. ¹²⁶

My Visit to Fenway

Since Fenway is in a neighborhood near Kenmore Square, it is a great ballpark to walk to.

My starting point was a hotel in Cambridge that overlooked the Charles River. In the mornings, I could see crew teams row up the river from my room. The hotel was about a mile and a half from Fenway, perfect walking distance.

Each day, of my two-day visit, I walked along the Charles to the Boston University Bridge, where I crossed the river. Past the bridge, I took a left turn and walked along Mountfort Street. Then, I took a right onto Arundel Street, walked a few blocks, and turned onto Beacon Street. From there, I could see the Citgo sign and knew I was close.

Walking on Maitland Street and then crossing onto David Ortiz Drive, I saw increasingly more fans in Red Sox gear. Finally, I walked across Brookline Avenue and was next to the red brick park.

Saturday in Right Field

I went to Saturday’s game with my brother and his family. When I bought the tickets, I chose five relatively affordable seats in right field, near the Pesky Pole. I was on a budget and didn’t want to spend more than $100 per ticket. However, I didn’t want tickets along the foul lines between the bases and outfield. Fenway’s seats don’t angle towards the pitcher’s mound, so if you sit along the foul lines, you have to awkwardly turn to see the action. Granted this is a “first world problem,” but it’s not comfortable staring straight into the outfield.

We didn’t have to deal with awkward shifting since our seats faced the action. Unfortunately, the seats were further away than I expected, and I felt removed from the action. I’ve had similar seats in other parks without that feeling of separateness.

Later in the day, when the crowd started to thin out, we walked up to see who was in my brother’s corporate seats. The firm has seats above the walkway on the first base side. When we arrived, we found some empty seats, so we stayed and watched an inning or two. These seats were much better. They were closer to the field and seemed to have a little more legroom. We didn’t feel as cramped.

Sunday on the Third Base Side

Sunday, my brother’s family abandoned him as they had other things to do. So it was just the two of us.

We met near the park and walked over to Beerworks for a beer. Beerworks is a microbrewery that opened across from Fenway about 25 years ago. My brother tries to get there before each game he attends.

After our beer, we walked over to Sausage Connection, a cart on Lansdowne Street. I had a 12″ dog with brown mustard and kraut. It was nicely charred, crispy, and tasted great. It ranks third on my list of best hot dogs.

Finally, we hung out on Jersey Street, which is closed off to the general public on game days. In so doing, fans can walk in and out of Fenway, making the experience similar to Eutaw Street in Baltimore. We watched the brass band, the jugglers, and Big League Brian (the stilt walker). We soaked up the fun atmosphere and got in the mood for baseball.

Our seats were on the lower level, somewhat close to home plate on the third base side. Their location was fine, but uncomfortable because they were tight with no legroom. They were so tight that we were almost on top of each other. Later we snuck down to the field level where season ticket holders sit. These seats were more comfortable and wonderfully close to the action. I felt that I was part of the game.

Uncomfortable Nirvana

My Fenway weekend were two of the best days of my trip. I was with my family and in a park that I love. I felt like I was part of the history of the game. In many ways, Fenway is baseball’s nirvana.

Unfortunately, the seats can be uncomfortable. Since the games are popular, it’s likely hard to get good seats. Moreover, you have to know your way around the park or research where the best seats are located.

My recommendation is to do some research and spend a little extra to get comfortable seats with a good view. You might find better seats on the secondary ticket market (a service like Stub Hub). Whatever you do, go to Fenway and get there early to enjoy the atmosphere and game in the best way possible.

I flew home on Monday. After the two day respite, I drove west to Cleveland to start my trip to see the Indians, Reds, Pirates, and Louisville Slugger Bat Factory and Museum. My journey’s pace was picking up.

Do they still play the blues in Chicago
When baseball season rolls around?
When the snow melts away, do the Cubbies still play
In their ivy-covered burial ground?

Steve Goodman – A Dying Cub Fan’s Last Request ¹⁴³

I’ve always wanted to go to Wrigley Field and couldn’t consider my baseball life complete without at least one visit. This summer was my chance.

I was ten or so when I first learned of Wrigley Field. I saw a Sports Illustrated cover with a player and beautiful ivy walls behind him. How can a baseball stadium have ivy-covered walls, I wondered. What is this place that is so much different than others?

Later, as a teenager, I lived in New York and saw many Mets games televised from Wrigley. This enchanting, quaint ballpark on Chicago’s Northside was not like any other I’d seen. I loved that fans sat on roofs across the street to watch the games. Furthering my intrigue was the unfortunate team that played there. The Cubs hadn’t won a World Series since 1918 and a pennant since 1945.

He told his friends, “You know, the law of averages says
Anything will happen that can” that’s what it says
“But the last time the Cubs won a National League pennant
Was the year we dropped the bomb on Japan

Steve Goodman – A Dying Cub Fan’s Last Request ¹⁴³

Balls would fly out of the little stadium, especially when the wind was blowing out. When they did, fans would run after balls in the streets behind the outfield walls. Occasionally balls would hit houses across the street from the park, I especially remember one of those long balls by Dave Kingman vividly.

Wrigley intrigued me for decades

Missed Opportunities

Occasionally I’d go to Chicago for business but could never find the opportunity to see Wrigley.

My latest attempt prior to this year, was over the July 4th holiday in 2015. My nephew planned to drive up from Indianapolis and join Mrs. Nomad and me for the fun. Additionally, Mrs. Nomad and I were going to include our first visit to Citi Field in the trip. The plan was to see the Mets play the Cubs at Citi on Thursday afternoon. That night we’d fly to Chicago to see the Cubs play a day game on Friday at Wrigley. We planned to go to at least one of the weekend games as well.

Unfortunately, my old friends, the Grateful Dead, got in the way. That weekend, the remaining members of the band scheduled concerts to commemorate the twentieth anniversary of their last gig with Jerry Garcia. Since the shows were planned for Chicago’s Soldier Field, hotel rooms and flights were scarce and expensive.

Thus we changed our plans and stayed in New York. That weekend we saw the game at Citi Field and then spent July 4th at Yankee Stadium.

What can I say? I’d seen so many Dead shows when Jerry was alive and have hundreds of shows on my computer and phone. I tried not to take it personally that they spoiled my chances of going to Wrigley in 2015.

Now that I was finally going to get my chance to visit Wrigley, I wanted to celebrate! I’d like to take a tour, see a day game, and sit on a rooftop – I had to do it all. So I planned three days over a weekend. Nomad the Younger, Mrs. Nomad, and the Nomad’s sister would travel in for the fun.

Outside Wrigley

Each day of that special weekend, I’d leave my downtown hotel and find my way to the Red Line on Grand Street. Heading north, the train would change to the elevated tracks when it passed the “North/Clybourn” underground station. As it traveled past Fullerton and Belmont, I saw DePaul University’s Wish Field, where the Cubs used to play. The next stop was Addison, where Wrigley Field looms across the street.

Leaving the station, and walking down the stairs would take me to the corner of West Addison and Sheffield. I could walk in one direction up Sheffield and end up behind the park. Instead, I chose to walk up Addison past the statues of Cubs greats Ron Santo and Billy Williams.

The famous “Wrigley Field” red marquee is located at the corner of Addison and Clark. Taking a right and traveling past the stadium on Clark Street, I walked through the new Triangle Plaza with seating and a statue of Ernie Banks. At the end of the plaza is a building that houses bars, restaurants, a team store, and offices. The plaza was part of a five-year renovation. It is reminiscent of other entertainment areas outside ballparks inspired by Baltimore’s Eutaw Street.

At the end of Triangle Plaza is Waveland Avenue, where fans queue to get into the bleachers. Waveland Avenue is also famous for fans chasing home run balls that leave the ballpark.

The individual entrances to the buildings that house the Wrigley Rooftops line Waveland and Sheffield Avenues. At the intersection of the two avenues is the Bleacher Gate behind a statue of the great broadcaster Harry Carey.

Each day I’d linger around these areas and absorb the fun atmosphere of Wrigley that is unlike any other.

Learning Wrigley’s History via The Tour

I started the week in Minnesota watching the Twins playing two games against the Mets. I planned to leave Minneapolis on Thursday morning, so I could be in Chicago in time to take the “Ivy Tour” at Wrigley on Thursday afternoon.

If you tour Wrigley on non-game days, you can visit the press box, Cubs dugout, and visitor’s locker room. For an extra $10, you can take the “Ivy Tour” so you can stand on the warning track, touch the ivy and have your picture taken in front of these unique walls.

Unfortunately, I woke up in Minneapolis to a veritable light show outside my hotel window caused by dramatic lightning.

The lightning delayed my flight in Minneapolis until early afternoon. Luckily they rebooked my tour for Friday morning. I’d miss the Ivy Tour and other non-game-day perks but would still see a lot of the park.

On Friday morning, the tour started w/ opportunities to get pictures taken in front of a projection of the ivy wall.

After some introductions, our guide took us into the hallowed ballpark. The guide was a young baseball fan who worked at the park and also conducted tours. He provided an excellent combination of humor and information.

At our first stop, we stood on the field, near the third-base dugout and watched workers prep the ground in the morning dew. The ivy walls and antique scoreboard were in the distance. The empty stands rose behind us. This Baseball Nomad had made it to baseball’s Mecca.

Back to Back Championships?

After leaving the field, we sat in a section of field boxes on the first base side of the field and listened to some stories.

Our guide began by explaining the Cubs’ century of futility. He explained that after the Cubs won the 1908 championship, they played 107 years of exhibition games before winning their second straight championship in 2016. I thought that was as good an explanation of the Cubs’ century of frustration as any I’d heard.

Jackie Robinson Played at Wrigley

The guide then directed our attention to the retired numbers on white flags that hang from the foul poles on either side of the field. Ernie Banks, Ron Santo, and Ferguson Jenkins’ numbers are in left field. Billy Williams, Ryne Sandburg, Greg Maddox, and Jackie Robinson’s numbers are in right. I thought that was a good number of retired numbers, just Hall of Fame members.

• 

• 

He made special mention of Robinson. Wrigley Field is now the only remaining ballpark where Jackie Robinson played. New stadiums replace all the others. He explained that the only other current stadium that existed in the late forties and fifties was Boston’s, Fenway Park. Since Fenway is an American League park, Jackie never played there.

I ruefully remembered that this was just another reason why the old Yankee Stadium should still be standing. That’s where Robinson played so many World Series games. I have the iconic picture of Jackie stealing home in Yankee Stadium in 1955, hanging on my office wall. The image is one of my favorites.

Why the Name “Cubs?”

Our guide continued with his history lesson. After compiling these notes, I checked his stories with written sources to add some things and confirm his points.

The Cubs began to play in the nineteenth century as – believe it or not – the Chicago White Stockings. The guide didn’t mention this, but Adrian Constantine (Cap) Anson led the White Stockings. Anson had a Hall of Fame career, spending 22 years with the team as first baseman, manager and minority owner. However, Anson also infamously instigated the Gentleman’s Agreement that kept black players from Major League Baseball for about seven decades.¹⁴⁴ He did so, in the mid-1880s by declaring the team would not play against teams that included black players. Others followed his lead, and soon the ban was universal.

The White Stockings won six pennants between 1876 and 1886 and became known as the “Chicago Colts” (or “Anson’s Colts”). In 1897, when the team floundered, and they fired Anson, newspaper reporters started to refer to the Colts as the “Orphans.” Beginning in 1903, they became known as the “Cubs” because of all the young players on the team. ¹⁴⁵

Meanwhile, the American Baseball League started in 1901, and the Chicago franchise took the “White Stocking” name. They later shortened it to the “White Sox” ¹⁴⁵

The Federal League and Wrigley Field

The Cubs played in a series of ballparks during these years. You pass one of them, West Side Park (now DePaul University’s Wish Field), when you ride on the red line train To Wrigley from downtown.

Wrigley Field was built in 1914 but was initially known as “Weeghman Park” after owner Charles Weeghman. Weeghman built the stadium for his Federal League franchise, the “Chicago Whales.” ¹⁴⁵

The Federal League was a short-lived initiative organized in 1914 by owners who wanted to invest in the increasingly popular sport. They lured current American and National League stars to their teams by offering them higher salaries and other benefits. Since the players were unhappy with their existing situation, many moved to the new league. ¹⁴⁶

Part of the new league’s allure was new fan-friendly stadiums. Thus Weeghman built his ballpark on Chicago’s north side, about two miles up North Sheffield Ave from West Side Park, where the Cubs played.¹⁴⁵

When the league folded in 1916, Weeghman became an owner of the Cubs and moved them to his new ballpark. However, Weeghman’s businesses were failing, and he gradually sold his shares to chewing gum magnate, William Wrigley, Jr. By 1921, Wrigley was the majority owner, and Weeghman Park was renamed Wrigley Field. ¹⁴⁵

7th Inning Stretch

Our guide told a story about how the Cubs and Wrigley have a lot to do with the playing of the Star Spangled Banner before all sports events. However, I can’t find support for the story in my albeit brief research.

His story is that during World War I, Weeghman was worried that his German ancestry would make him seem disloyal. To indicate his support for America, he hired bands to play the Star Spangled Anthem at his ballpark. He recounted (as I remember it) that a band played the song when President Taft stood during the seventh inning.

However, this story runs counter to the numerous stories about how the seventh inning stretch started. The most famous is that President Taft stood up in the middle of the seventh inning during opening day at Washington’s Griffith Stadium in 1910. Fans saw him do so and also stood up as a sign of respect for the president. Thus the tradition started.¹⁴⁷ Other stories point to the tradition starting in 1869 in Cincinnati. There is a letter from Red Stockings manager Harry Wright that describes the practice. ¹⁴⁷ Moreover, Woodrow Wilson was president during World War I, not Taft.

National Anthem

In any event, in 1918, the Cubs and Red Sox faced each other in game one of the World Series at Comiskey Park – not Weeghman Field, which was deemed too small. During the seventh inning stretch, a band played the Star Spangled Banner. Players took off their hats and turned to face the music. Others followed, and the fans started singing.

After that, Boston owner Harry Frazee opened each game when the series returned to Boston by having the band play the song. It’s been a tradition ever since. ¹⁴⁸

First Concession Stand – The Marquee Grill

Then the stories returned to food. Initially, vendors served food in the aisle that bisects Wrigley’s lower boxes. However, the smoke and steam would rise from the grills and spoil the patrons’ view from above. In a move of sheer brilliance or at least originality, Mr. Wrigley built the first permanent grill in a stadium. It’s called the Marquee Grill and is still in use. It stands right behind where we are sitting.

Ivy Walls

Stories about the origination of Wrigley’s distinctive ivy-covered outfield walls vary. The story the guide told is roughly similar to most of them.

His story was that owner P.K. Wrigley, did not appreciate the original, bare red brick walls. He wanted the park to have a garden atmosphere that would give fans a sense “sunshine, recreation and pleasure.” ¹⁴⁹

The story goes that during a renovation in 1937, Wrigley suggested adding the ivy. His assistant, Bill Veeck, Jr. quickly complied by planting the ivy with help from groundskeepers in one night. I’ve found articles that support the guide’s story. These stories suggest that the ivy-covered outfield walls Wrigley saw in Indianapolis’s Perry Field, inspired him to do the same.¹⁵⁰ However, I’ve found other stories that say Veeck was the one inspired by ballparks with ivy-covered walls he’d seen. In these stories, Veeck planted the ivy without seeking Wrigley’s input. ¹⁵¹

Alternatively, some stories say that Veeck did not supervise the secret planting one night. The ivy was purchased well in advance, and the team had announced that they would plant it in the outfield. ¹⁵²

Regardless of the ivy’s distinctive beauty and origin, it interferes with the game when balls get lost in it. Our guide recounted that outfielders have “accidentally” retrieved lost balls from previous seasons while chasing a hit ball in play. To avoid confusion, Wrigley has unique rules that award the hitter second base when the ball lands in the ivy.

Finally, Wrigley is the grandfathered exception to the league rule requiring padded outfield walls to protect the outfielders from injury. ¹⁵³ However, the red brick is exceptionally unforgiving, and the ivy does not provide padding. Instead, the warning track in front of the wall is much wider than others and offers some protection.

Bleacher Bums

The tour continues as we follow the guide to the bleachers and listen to more stories.

He says that the bleachers are the largest general admission section in sports and hold 5,000 or so fans. To get the best seats, fans line up one Waveland and Sheffield Avenues as early as possible. The Bleacher Gate is at the corner of the two avenues, right behind a statue of broadcaster Harry Carey.

The guide explains that the team started to televise its games in the 1960s. Writers began to notice that the same fans were in the bleachers day after day. Since the Cubs only played day games, they assumed they were unemployed. As such, they described them as “bums” or “bleacher bums.” However, these fans did not consider the name disparaging. Instead, they accepted it with pride.

The story goes that since the Cubs of the 1960s were awful, the bleacher bums tended to get bored. The boredom, combined with the Wrigley classic, Heinemann’s Old Style Beer, resulted in a sense of reckless abandon. Thus the start of the famous bleacher bum races.

Bleacher Bum Races

Back in the day, a Bleacher Bum Race started with two – likely inebriated – “bums” on top of each end of the centerfield wall.

It’s important to note that Wrigley’s outfield has a unique shape. Recessed areas in right and left field give Wrigley the most extended dimensions (355 feet) down the line of any ballpark. These recessed areas end as the outfield wall juts back into centerfield. The bums began the race at the point where each of the recesses ends.

Fans enlisted a female usher to stand in the center of the section and start the race. She held a handkerchief in one hand and an Old Style in the other. When she dropped the cloth, the bums ran forward, trying to maintain their balance on top of the wall. The one who reached the usher first won the race and was awarded the beer.

Of course, since too much beer can negatively effect a “bum’s” balance, many accidents occurred. Moreover, the railing they tried to balance on was not terribly wide, and so they were not very stable. Many a bum fell off the wall, and dropped the eleven feet to the clay warning track, hurting themselves and interrupting the game.

The races ended In 1970 when the Cubs transformed the wall, so the top was slanted and very difficult to stand on. They also added the famous outfield baskets to the top of the wall. The baskets prevented many types of fan interference including falling into the field of play. ¹⁵⁴

Returned Home Runs

The guide confirms that the Wrigley bleacher tradition of throwing home runs hit by visitors back onto the field continues. That leads to the discussion of fans outside the park chasing balls that leave the stadium. Once caught, visitors’ home run balls are also thrown back onto the field from the street. Thus, the game can be interrupted when a ball comes soaring over the bleachers and lands in the outfield.

The Longest Home Run and the “Kingman House”

The natural next subject is about the longest ball hit out of Wrigley. My ears perk up when the guide describes a home run, Mets slugger Dave Kingman hit at Wrigley. He confirms a memory that I’ve described for years but could never find a video to prove it. Later research shows that the event happened on Wednesday, April 14th, 1976. ¹⁵⁵ At the time, I was near the end of my freshman year in Syracuse. I assume that I was home from school when I saw it on television, possibly as a replay on the news.

My memory is of Kingman hitting a ball that went out of Wrigley. The ball went over the bleachers, passed Waveland Avenue and down what I now know is North Kenmore Avenue. I remember the ball hitting against the front door and a woman answering the door to find a baseball.

• 

• 

The guide repeats the story and points to the third house down North Kenmore Avenue off Waveland. He says this is where Kingman’s home run landed. The only difference between his story and my memory is that the woman saw the ball hit the house because she was watching the game on television. She went outside to pick the ball up.

I was so happy to have some sort of confirmation that this had actually happened and that the woman subsequently opened her door. For the record, there is some controversy if the ball went 530 felt or 600 ft.¹⁵⁵ On Sunday, Nomad the Younger, took my picture in front of the house. It is a treasured item from the summer.

Scoreboard, Pennants, W & L Flags

Now we’re up on the second level of the park and discussing the famous scoreboard.

Interestingly, although there are 30 teams in the major leagues, the scoreboard only reports the games for 24 teams. That can’t change. The scoreboard is a declared landmark and can’t be changed.

Then there are the pennants that hang above the scoreboard. They are ordered based on the standings in each National League Division. Observers can watch them move up or down the order, in the form of a race. In short, the term “Pennant Race” originated with this practice at Wrigley.

Possibly my favorite story is about the flags they raise after a Cubs game. The flag is white with a blue “W” when the Cubs win. When the team loses, they fly a blue one with a white “L.” In the days before the internet and smartphones, when the Cubs only played day games, the flags were how people learned the games’ result. They could see the flags from the Red Line as they rode home from work. It’s a quaint story about the baseball days that are long gone.

The Games

The Fans

Maybe its Wrigley mystique, or perhaps it’s real, but the fans seem to appreciate the game differently than others. They seem to know they are in a special place, and that inspires reverence for what goes on there.

I was able to have good conversations with the people around me. They were friendly and accommodating. For example, at the game on Saturday, some of my view was blocked by a pole. I imagine that an obstructed view is likely not a rare occurrence. The young guy sitting to my right was a local. He and his wife, who was sitting to his right, live close and come often. He said, “if this is your first visit to Wrigley, it has to be good, let’s change seats.” He amazed me with the offer, but I declined.

As we talked, I tried to learn more about the fans. My new friend agreed that they tend to be knowledgeable and into the game. I also noticed that they weren’t doing the wave. I asked if it was something they do there. After all, Wrigley is an excellent place to do the wave. A wave of fans can flow around the park, through the outfield bleachers and back around. Other stadiums have more of a break between sections that don’t accommodate the wave as well.

My neighbor said that the wave is “frowned upon.” My kind of place.

Standing Ovation for the Wind

It was a hot weekend. On Friday it was 92 degrees, and on Saturday it was 94. Luckily, we were under the overhang and not in the direct sun. What wind there was blew in from behind us and out to the outfield. Luckily Mrs. Nomad brought cooling towels. When you get these towels wet and “snap” them, a reaction starts, and they get cold. We wore them around our necks to try and survive the heat.

During the top of the sixth inning of Saturday’s game, everything changed. Instead of breeze from behind us heading out toward the outfield, a strong wind started to blow in from the field. This wind was clearly off the lake, as it was cool and had a fresh lake smell. It was so much different than the stagnant, hot city air that we endured for two days.

As the wind blew and cooled down the crowd, the fans stood and cheered. It was my first standing ovation for the wind!

The Rooftops – “Closer to Heaven”

Oh memories of yesterdays broken dreams
Don’t you know they’ll all fade away
If you’ll come
up the ladder to the roof where we can see heaven much better.
Go up the ladder to the roof where we can be oh closer to heaven.

Edward Holland Jr. / Lamont Dozier / Brian Holland – Up The Ladder To The Roof ¹⁵⁶

Almost from the time that Wrigley opened, fans would watch games from the rooftops of buildings behind the outfield. At the time, it was a very casual thing, a perk for the people who lived in the buildings and their friends.

In the 1980s, owners of the building started to set up bleachers and other seats and charged admission. Not surprisingly, the Cubs owners didn’t appreciate the fact that others were profiting from their product. Legal hijinks ensued. Finally, in 2004, 11 of 13 roofs settled out of court. The agreement included the Cubs receiving 17% of the gross revenue in exchange for official endorsements.

Tensions increased as improvements that Cubs made to the park blocked some sightlines from the rooftops. The rooftop owners sued in 2015. In response, the Ricketts family began buying the properties and currently own or control through agreement 11 of the locations. ¹⁵⁷

I had to experience the rooftops. After all, I had been enchanted by the experience since I was young. I was impressed that there was a website that allowed me to compare locations and choose the one I wanted. The level of coordination made more sense once I realized that the Rickets family owned most of the sites.

The Rooftop Experience

We picked a good day for the rooftops since Sunday was overcast and rainy. We stood in light rain. waiting on line to get into the building at 3639 Sheffield. After a security procedure, we received passes on necklaces and proceeded up the stairs. On the third and fourth floors, there were seating areas and bars where we could hang out until it stopped raining. When the skies cleared, we moved up to the rooftop’s bleacher seating on the fifth level.

The ticket price includes all food and drink (soda, beer, and wine). I chose to tip heavily when I got my beers. I thought it was only fair. The food was okay, nothing phenomenal, but certainly not bad. The menu included steaks, burgers, hot dogs, bratwurst, and Italian beef sandwiches. Accompanying these choices were nachos, chips, pasta salad, and fruit.

The view was good, and we could see most of the action. The rooftop next door had a loudspeaker tuned to the radio broadcast of the game, which I found to be a bit annoying at first.

My reaction to the rooftop experience is that it’s okay, but only for larger groups. We were a group of three, likely too small to take advantage of what the rooftops offer. I’ll probably stick to the ballpark when I go back. On the other hand, Nomad the Younger thought it was the “coolest sports experience” of her life.

Wu=ith that said, the rooftops seem perfect for weddings and other similar events. The owners market the rooftops for corporate events and outings, which are also a good idea.

Monday morning, Mrs. Nomad and I rented a car and drove an hour north to Milwaukee with fond memories of our Wrigley weekend. I’ll go back to “The Friendly Confines” anytime!