Beers, Bratwurst, and Baseball
July 9th, 2009 by Zain Iqbal
Experiencing fireworks withdrawal? Are you craving hot dogs and ice-cold beer for lunch? If you woke up this week and realized that the post-July 4th summer is in full-swing, then it’s time to start packing in those weekends (and days off from work) with some fun outdoor activities. Why not have your own hot dog eating contest in the bleacher seats of a baseball game? We’ve made a list of some must-see stadiums in Major League Baseball as well as a few suggestions for beating exorbitant prices inside the parks.
Yankee Stadium: The New York Yankees opened the 2009 season in a brand-new, $1.5 billion stadium right across 161st Street in the Bronx. Almost everything inside the park is ridiculously expensive, from the $500 average “Legends Suite” seats around home plate to beers hovering around the $10 mark. So why go? For the experience, of course. The Yankees are arguably the most storied franchise in baseball and watching them play can humble even the most hardened baseball enthusiast (except perhaps a Red Sox fan.) For cheaper eats and drinks before the game, check out the Yankee Tavern on the corner of 161st and Gerard Ave. Another option is going across the New York Harbor to the Yankees minor-league affiliate in Staten Island. Take the ferry over for free from Battery Park and you’ll get a great view of the Statue of Liberty, lower Manhattan, and Brooklyn.
Night game at Fenway Park from right field
Fenway Park: You can’t mention Yankee Stadium as a premier baseball destination and not include Fenway Park, home to the Boston Red Sox (lest this author incite the ire of the Red Sox Nation.) The ballpark is the oldest baseball stadium in current use and contains a number of features made famous over the years; including Pesky’s Pole, the Green Monster in left field, the Triangle, and the Lone Red Seat where Ted Williams hit a 502 foot home run in 1946. On game day, Yawkey Way is open to the street with vendors and concession stands.
Wrigley Field: Will this year be THE year? This question is something Chicago Cubs fans ask of their beloved team at the start of every baseball season and 2009 was no exception. We have to be honest though; because of the loyal nature of Cubs fans, tickets for a game at the famous Wrigley Field may be a bit hard to come by, unless you’re willing to pay someone a lot extra for them. If you can’t make it into the stadium, there are plenty of bars around the corners of Waveland Avenue and Clark Street as well as near Addison Street and Clark, including the Irish Oak or Casey Moran’s.
PNC Park: The home of the Pittsburgh Pirates haven’t seen a lot of wins lately, but the silver lining to the organization’s recent cloud of futility on the field is an amazing home across the Ohio River and downtown Pittsburgh. ESPN writer Jim Caple rated PNC Park as one of the best all-around stadiums in baseball when it first opened in 2001. Ticket prices and amenities are reasonably priced compared to other new stadiums in the league and there really isn’t a bad seat in the house. Don’t even think about going and not indulging a Primanti Brothers sandwich: roast beef, cheese, cole slaw, tomato slices, and french fries piled in between two slices of Italian bread.
A statue of Giants great Willie Mays stands tall amongst the palm trees outside AT&T Park
AT&T Park: Our Offbeat Guides hometown San Francisco Giants play right next to the San Francisco Bay on the sunny side of the peninsula. You wouldn’t know it was actually baseball season in the stands when most of the fans are bundled up during night games due to the chilly summer weather, but AT&T Park makes up for it with great amenities and awesome views. Sunny days bring lots of kayaks and boats to the now-famous “McCovey Cove”, named after the former Giant great Willie McCovey in hopes that someone will hit a homer into the Bay. Check out the Hi-Dive or the Java House for buckets of beer and cocktails on their decks, as well as great views of the Embarcadero and the Bay Bridge.
[Fenway Park photo by werkunz1 from flickr; AT&T Park photo by eviltomthai from flickr]
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