Take me out to the ball game; make your next vacation a grand slam - Baseball Vacations

Randy Mink

AS BASEBALL FANS, WE'RE LUCKY ENOUGH to live just outside Chicago, one of only two U.S. cities--the other being New York--with two major league teams. But every summer our family embarks on a mini-road trip to see how the national pastime plays in other locales, building a vacation around games and behind-the-scenes stadium tours. I guess you could say we "collect" ballparks.

Combining our passions for baseball and travel, we flew out to Denver last August to see our beloved Chicago Cubs battle the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field, a dazzling brick stadium built in 1995. Fearing we might stick out like sore thumbs with our Cubs shirts and caps, we soon felt at ease at the sight of other Cub loyalists around us on the right field side. In fact, when Cubs slugger Sammy Sosa hit a grand slam, it seemed that more than half the crowd stood and cheered. Apparently, a lot of Midwestern travelers had the same vacation idea.

Coors Field, like other urban ballparks, is a key city attraction, a real focal point. In Denver's case, the stadium was a catalyst in the development of the trendy LoDo (Lower Downtown) area, once a neglected warehouse and railroad district. Today LoDo abounds with restaurants, bars, and art galleries, not to mention young urban pioneers who have moved into converted loft buildings that blend in with the red-brick facade of retro-style Coors Field.

This summer we plan to visit Cincinnati to catch a Reds game and tour their brand new home, Great American Ball Park. Two years ago my son Jeremy and I made the two-hour drive to Milwaukee to watch the Cubs play the Brewers at spanking-new Miller Park, a retractable-roof marvel. A year before, he and my wife went to the Detroit Tigers' Comerica Park in its inaugural season.

When we're in a city during off-season, we still take a stadium tour (usually available year-round) and visit the team's souvenir shop, where Jeremy adds to his collection of baseball memorabilia. On a business trip in Seattle this past January I had a free afternoon, so I toured SAFECO Field and picked up a Mariners pennant and T-shirt for Jeremy.

Of the major league cities we've visited, Denver is our favorite. Coors Field is family-friendly, LoDo has a hip feel, and downtown hotels are within easy walking distance of the ballpark. Nearby, thrill rides await at Six Flags Elitch Gardens, America's only downtown theme park.

Soon after checking in at Hotel Teatro, Jeremy, my wife Karen, and I strolled over to Coors Field and caught the 11 a.m. tour of the 50,000-seat stadium. Our guide took us into an exclusive suite, the press box, and Rockies' dugout. In the upper deck, a single row of purple seats (a team color) sits exactly one mile (5,280 feet) above sea level. As on most stadium tours, we were allowed on the edge of the field but told not to touch the grass.

Jeremy and I would do more exploring the next day before and during the Cubs game. We're always on the lookout for what makes a ballpark unique, comparing it to historic Wrigley Field, our hometown park of choice. Though Wrigley has a magical charm, it's antiquated, lacking the bells and whistles (like video scoreboards) that distinguish state-of-the-art stadiums unveiled in the last decade.

One popular diversion at Coors Field is looking down on the center field bullpens, landscaped in rustic Colorado style with river boulders, pine and spruce trees, and a waterfall. Adjacent fountains shoot skyward before the game and during the seventh inning stretch, and also for a Rockies home run or win.

After surveying this little chunk of national park-style "wilderness" we bounded up to the Rockpile, an affordable bleacher area that towers over center field, for panoramic views of the stadium, city, and Rocky Mountains; tickets there are only $4 for adults, a mere $1 for seniors and children.

Coors Field caters to families with a playground, gift shop, and food stand just for little buckaroos, plus a family section that provides booster seats and serves no alcohol. Another crowd-pleaser: Team mascot Dinger, a purple dinosaur. Behind the bullpens, fans of all ages can test their pitching and batting skills in the Interactive Area. In the Fantasy Broadcast Booth, would-be announcers can do a half inning of play-by-play commentary and take home the recording.

Because food and drink is such a big part of going to the ballpark, we like to check out the refreshments and see what's different. At Wrigley Field it's mostly hot dogs, hamburgers, and pizza, so at Coors we jumped at the chance for some exotic fare at the concourse's sausage kiosk. Choices included chicken Parmesan, andouille Cajun, habanero cheddar, and Louisiana hot sausage.

Wrigley Field, a relic dating back to 1914, is one that ballpark collectors and nostalgia buffs put high on their must-see lists. From its vine-covered brick walls to old-fashioned green scoreboard, Wrigley offers a pure baseball experience. Until 1988, there were no night games; even now, in the tradition that baseball was meant to be played during the day, night dates are limited in number. Many weekend games sell out before the season even begins. Stadium tours are available on selected dates.

The revelry at Wrigley Field is contagious, with many spectators more interested in partying than watching the Cubs. (The team has not won a National League pennant since 1945, a World Series since 1908.) A game highlight is the crowd's boisterous rendition of "Take Me Out to the Ball Game" during seventh-inning stretch, a ritual made famous by the late announcer Harry Caray and often led by a visiting celebrity or sports figure.

Only Fenway Park, home of the Boston Red Sox, predates Wrigley Field. Built in 1912, the 33,933-seat stadium, small by today's standards, is a well-preserved gem. Not much has changed since legendary Red Sox slugger Ted Williams began playing there 60 years ago. On a Fenway tour with Jeremy, it was a major league thrill to be able to stand at home plate, sit in the press box, and touch the old-time scoreboard on the high left field wall known as the "Green Monster."

Boston, with its bustling waterfront, pleasant parks, colonial history, and hands-on museums, makes a great family destination. "America's Walking City" is ideal for wandering by foot, but start your visit with a rollicking 80minutes on one of Boston Duck Tours' World War II amphibious vehicles that ramble down the streets and cruise the Charles River.

The nation's third oldest major league ballpark--and its most famous--is New York's Yankee Stadium, "The House That Ruth Built." This 1923 Bronx landmark has seen 30 World Series, the Yanks winning most of them. It's where all-time greats--Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Joe DiMaggio, Mickey Mantle, Yogi Berra--made headlines. Memorials honor Yankee heroes in Monument Park, behind center field.

Though we have an affection for Wrigley Field, it's easier to get tickets when the Cubs are playing the Brewers in Milwaukee. Several times we've done overnight stays, combining a game with sightseeing or one of Milwaukee's lakefront ethnic festivals. And, because the Brewers can play under cover, we never have to worry about a rainout or freezing to death. Miller Park's convertible roof shields the natural-grass field at the touch of a button. Indoor temperatures can be up to 30 degrees warmer than outside.

Crowds at Miller Park like tailgating in the parking lot, eating bratwurst with tomato-based Secret Stadium Sauce, and cheering on their favorite sausage character--a brat, hot dog, Polish, or Italian--in the Sausage Race. Mascot Bernie the Brewer plunges down a long slide to celebrate his team's home runs.

Last summer we drove up to Milwaukee for an exhilarating day at John Hancock All-Star FanFest, an annual expo staged the weekend before mid-July's All-Star Game. Miller Park was the game's 2002 venue; this year's contest pitting the American League against the National League takes place right in our own backyard at U.S. Cellular Field (formerly Comiskey Park), home of the Chicago White Sox. Aimed at tree fans of all ages, the event is billed as "baseball heaven on earth." FanFest this year is slated for July 11-15 at Chicago's McCormick Place convention center. For details, call (800) 449-3267 or visit www.MLB.com.

FanFest features priceless artifacts from the National Baseball Hall of Fame and autograph sessions with former stars, plus trivia games, batting cages, baseball clinics with retired pros, and a chance to do a video voiceover of a memorable moment in baseball history. We chose to narrate Hank Aaron's record-breaking 715th career home run. The video was ours to keep. And we came home with loads of free posters, pins, and trinkets.

Appearing in Milwaukee for free autographs were players I hadn't seen in 40 years--legends like Minnie Minoso, Don Larsen, Harmon Killebrew, and Robin Roberts. Dozens of memorabilia vendors peddled their wares, from rare trading cards and new bobble-head dolls to signed balls, jerseys, and photos priced at hundreds, even thousands, of dollars.

Rawlings craftsmen demonstrated the making of major league bats and baseballs. Stage entertainment, prize raffles, live radio broadcasts, and a display of trophies (Rookie of the Year, Most Valuable Player, Golden Glove) rounded out the jam-packed agenda. We spent at least four hours soaking it all .in at downtown Milwaukee's Midwest Express Center.

St. Louis, an avid baseball town, is another major league city within driving distance for us. Wear red at Busch Stadium, and you'll fit right in. Across the street, pay tribute to players like Stan Musial, Ozzie Smith, and Mark McGwire at the St. Louis Cardinals Hall of Fame, which shares a building with the International Bowling Museum and Hall of Fame. Nearby are the Gateway Arch and Mississippi riverfront. A new ballpark, slated to open in 2005, will anchor a Ballpark Village with restaurants, residences, a world-class aquarium, and new Cardinals Hall of Fame.

Baltimore also has a baseball shrine close to its ballpark. Before or after a game or tour at Oriole Park at Camden Yards, make a pilgrimage to the Babe Ruth Birthplace, a two-story rowhouse where the "Bambino" was born in 1895. Ruth's father operated a bar in what is now the outfield of Oriole Park. Not far away are the museums, shops, and cruise boats of Baltimore's tourist-friendly Inner Harbor.

The game's most revered shrine draws fans to Cooperstown, an idyllic town in upstate New York. Here is the National Baseball Hall of Fame, where a gallery with more than 250 bronze plaques honors the sport's elite. Displays showcase antique gear, bats and balls associated with significant players, and thousands of other artifacts, such as Joe DiMaggio's locker and seats from Brooklyn's Ebbets Field. Exhibits also spotlight contributions made by women and African-Americans. The ceremony for this year's inductees--Gary Carter and Eddie Murray--takes place July 27 at Clark Sports Center during Hall of Fame Weekend; it's free and open to the public.

A block from the museum is historic Doubleday Field, the site of a former cow pasture where legend says Abner Doubleday in 1839 invented the modern game of baseball.

For those who cannot travel to Cooperstown, the Baseball Hall of Fame is taking some of its treasures on the road. "Baseball as America" the first major exhibition to examine the relationship between baseball and American culture, will be at The Field Museum in Chicago until July 20. The national tour continues on to the Cincinnati Museum Center (August 16 to November 9), then to St. Petersburg, Washington, D.C., St. Louis, and Houston over the next two years.

When thinking of road trips, don't forget that minor league baseball can be major fun, especially when you're traveling with kids. In smaller cities--and even fairly large ones--minor league parks are big attractions. Giveaways, contests, on-field races, mascot antics, and musical entertainment between innings are just as important as the game itself. Parents like the parks' intimate size, and there are fewer hassles with parking and traffic. The price is right, too. Several times a year we go watch the Kane County Cougars (an affiliate of the Oakland Athletics) in suburban Geneva, Illinois, rather than make the expensive trek to downtown Chicago.

The Toledo Mud Hens, one of America's best-known minor league teams, are a popular family attraction in northern Ohio, last year drawing more than a half million fans (as did the Kane County Cougars). The Detroit Tigers affiliate is in its second year at Fifth Third Field, a new 8,500-seat stadium that is sparking a revival in downtown Toledo's Warehouse District. Ohio also has six other minor league teams.

Fodor's Baseball Vacations by Bruce Adams and Margaret Engels ($20, 399 pages) covers 117 major league and minor league ballparks around the country, grouping two to four stadiums into 34 regional car trips that can be accomplished in a long weekend.

ROAD TRIPS

SPORTS TRAVEL AND TOURS, A Massachusetts-based tour operator, offers a carefree way of seeing the big league ballparks you've always dreamed of. Its multi-city motorcoach trips, from three to 13 days, include game tickets, accommodations, and services of a tour host. In some cities, tour members stay in the visiting team's hotel. Trips cost from $495 to $2,995.

Jay Smith, president of Sports Travel and Tours, said tour members range in age from 8 to 80 and come from all over the country, but "they all have one common passion--a passion for baseball--that gives our tours such a spirit of camaraderie. It breaks all barriers."

Tours generally begin with a reception at a sports-themed location, such as Mickey Mantle's Restaurant in New York or Harry Caray's in Chicago. A great icebreaker, the welcome party gives everyone a chance to meet their fellow travelers. On bus trips between cities, baseball videos keep passengers entertained.

East Coast itineraries feature such parks as Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore, Philadelphia's Veterans Stadium, Yankee Stadium, the New York Mets' Shea Stadium, and Fenway Park, plus an excursion to Cooperstown. Central and Western tours are available as well.

Sports Travel also customizes ballpark trips that fit a fan's individual schedule. For a brochure, call (800) 662-4424. The website is www.sportstravelandtours.com. Similar trips are offered by Jay Buckley's Baseball Tours, of La Crosse, Wisconsin. Many of the tours start in La Crosse, with pickups in Milwaukee and Chicago. Call (888) 666-3510 or visit www.jay buckley.com.

COPYRIGHT 2003 World Publishing, Co. (Illinois)
COPYRIGHT 2003 Gale Group