Best neo-classical ballpark

Sounds like Heinz Field, though I've never been as concerned about the "charm" of a football stadium as I am a with a baseball park. Heinz Field is a nce place to watch a game. Fantastic sight lines. Comfortable enough. But in the end, nothing special about it. Kind of a let-down after PNC Park, which is worth the price of admission no matter how disgracefully bad the home team is.

Trust me, buckdub, as a man who loves baseball, you would definitely appreciate watching a game there.

 

I've been to Camdsen and even though it was pouring, it was great. PNC is gorgeous and it was packed the night I was there to see the Rockies.

My fave: AutoZone Park in Memphis.

 

There's virtually NO shaded seating, and in that town, during the warmer months, that's an f'n disaster.

 

Neo-classical is so 1995.

Let's show a little love for the glories of Exhibition Stadium and the days of Mulliniks and Iorg.

 

Saw my first MLB game at the Ex: Jays - Angels (May 28, 1977, thanks Retrosheet) and spent many a weekend afternoon in the $2 seats in left field, watching great games against the Tigers, Royals and Red Sox. It was a shithole but it was our shithole.

Saw loads of concerts - both in the grandstand setup (seats in left field only) and full stadium. There was a bar in the parking lot on the first base side that I frequented on game days too.

The former home of the hockey hall of fame and the Canadian sports hall of fame is visible behind the grandstand.

 

You're right. It was a dump but it was our dump.

Most memorable moment: the division clinching game against the Yankees in '85. Doyle Alexander pitched a gem

Oh, and in case I forget, fuck you Jim Sundberg.

 

I agree with Buck in regard to the new cookie cutter. And the sad thing about all these neo-classic parks is that due to the fetish to get rid of columns, upper deck seats are much, much farther away from the field than in the old originals.

But then again, modern ballparks aren't about baseball. They are about delivery systems for food, drink and souvenirs, in a baseball-esque setting.

 

No love for Parc Jarry?

I've been to Comiskey, The Ballpark, The Jake, Minute Maid, Pac Bell and Citizens Bank.

Technically I've been to Turner Field but it was during the Olympics. Not sure that counts.

Pac Bell is the best of that group, followed by Minute Maid.

One nice thing about Minute Maid is that the press box is at street level.

 

Since we've got a minor threadjack going on with the Exhibition digression, how about some love for Arlington Stadium. Because, uh...because...well...err, cool scoreboard?

 

I will agree with this, too. Part of the problem might be that they're all pretty much using the same architects, HOK, to build these new places.

However, I think it's important to keep in mind that probably the majority of the people on this board have seen multiple ballparks. I, honestly, wonder when I go to a Reds game or an Indians game, how many of those fans sitting near me have been to multiple stadiums. I really doubt that many.

So, while I'm with you in saying, I've seen features like this in Milwaukee..or Detroit...or Pittsburgh, you have to keep in mind most of those people are saying, we never had this feature in Riverfront...or Three Rivers...or Municipal Stadium.

Living where I do, I can think of plenty of times where I've heard people say (or had people even say when I'm with them), this ballpark (Great American) is amazing and I love coming down here. Then I'll ask if they've been to PNC or been to Comerica and they'll blankly stare back confused as to why I'd ever drive four or five hours to watch a big league game when I could just drive an hour and a half.

 

Damn right. A nice building (the murals underneath the third-base stands are cool and they've got a nice, big souvenir shop), but not that well-designed. I damn-near barbecued myself one Saturday afternoon in the left field bleachers a few years ago.

I'll echo what everyone else said about PNC, with this addition. I went to a game a few years back where there was a decent crowd (30,000 or so) and was out of the stadium, in my car and back at my hotel 3 miles away in less than 30 minutes. You can't beat that.

Milwaukee's great, too. Not a bad seat in the house and the weather's rarely unpleasant during the summer. Gets extra points because the fans tailgate in the parking lot like it's a college football game.

Detroit's nice, too, and the neighborhood around the park is better than you might think. (Though, in fairness, I went the year after they had the Super Bowl, so it was probably improved for that purpose. Comerica and Ford Field are right next to each other). I really dig the statues of former Tiger greats overlooking the outfield.

Haven't been to Cleveland or Colorado, but hoping to get there at some point.

I think this would be the proper place to note that myself and two friends did Wrigley, Comerica, Skydome/Rogers Centre, PNC, Great American, Busch, Miller and U.S. Cellular/Comiskey on consecutive days a few years ago. Flew into Chicago, rented a car and drove around for the rest. Missed Jacobs because the Indians were on the road the whole time.

Gonna do Yankee-Fenway-Cooperstown-Shea later this summer. (Wanted to include Philly-Washington-Baltimore but one of the other guys couldn't get away for that long).

Anyone else ever done a trip like that?