Visit baseball fields of dreams across the Northeast
By Jackie Sheckler Finch
It’s as synonymous with summer as the chirp of birds, hum of lawn mowers and splash of children in swimming pools. The sharp crack of a bat and a ball brings back memories of games, either on dusty neighborhood lots or slick professional fields.
“The celebration and appreciation of baseball history is timeless,” said Brad Horn, vice president of the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown, New York. “Baseball serves as the metronome for American life for so many people across every corner of the country who measure their days by the wins and losses of their favorite teams, and by how their favorite baseball heroes perform daily.”
For a nostalgic trip to the past or a chance to get caught up with your favorite “Boys of Summer,” check out this road trip for baseball lovers. Choose any or all of these destinations for an adventure that will take a group out to the old ball game. As an exciting “double header,” some states have more than one Major League Baseball team. A few cities even have more than one team, which must make for a heated rivalry.
Most MLB teams offer group packages to tour the fields and get behind-the-scenes looks at popular places such as the dugout, press box and home plate. Many teams also have a museum on-site to celebrate the teams’ history and glorious moments in the sun.
National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum
Cooperstown, New York
[/media-credit] National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, Cooperstown, N.Y.
A great way to start a baseball tour is to first visit the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum. A treasure trove of the sport, the museum showcases some of baseball’s shining moments and honored athletes.
“Since 1939, the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum has served as the iconic destination in the pastoral village of Cooperstown, New York, where memories of the game’s greatest moments and heroes live on, and where the dreams of baseball fans come true,” Horn said. “They come here seeking a celebration of baseball heroes and memories of their youth, and they leave with a sense of their own place in history, and how baseball has served as a series of markers along the road of their lives.”
The museum’s newest exhibit, “Whole New Ballgame,” explores the last 45 years of baseball and how the game has changed significantly in that time.
“Fans enjoy exhibits like ‘Sacred Ground,’ which explores the ballpark experience, and ‘One for the Books,’ where the game’s fabled records are documented and come to life,” Horn said. “But it is the totality of the experience that stays with them long after they leave.”
Cincinnati Reds | Great American Ball Park
Cincinnati, Ohio
[/media-credit] Great American Ball Park, Cincinnati
Baseball’s first professional franchise, the Cincinnati Reds have a home base at the Great American Ball Park on the meandering banks of the Ohio River in downtown Cincinnati. The park has a salute to its river heritage whenever a Reds slugger hits a home run. Two large smokestacks and a paddlewheel reminiscent of old-time riverboats shoot fireworks, make noise and create mist to let folks (even outside the ballpark) know what just happened.
To learn more about the Big Red Machine, stroll over to Reds Hall of Fame Museum adjacent to the ballpark. A rose garden now blooms near the museum where Pete Rose slammed his record-breaking 4,192 hit at the old Riverfront Stadium.
Chicago White Sox | U.S. Cellular Field
Chicago, Illinois
[/media-credit] U.S. Cellular Field, Chicago
Opened in 1991 as Comiskey Park, the Chicago White Sox home was renamed U.S. Cellular Field in 2003. For the 2016 season, U.S. Cellular Field will go from having the smallest video board in the majors to one of the biggest. The field will boast three new video boards, including one between 7,000-8,000 square feet above center field. Left and right field boards are expected to be about 2,500 square feet.
Fans have plenty of places to mingle throughout the outfield concourse. A favorite photo spot is by statues of great White Sox players like Nellie Fox and Frank Thomas. When summer heat soars, one of the most popular areas is the Rain Room where a cool mist helps beat the heat.
Chicago Cubs | Wrigley Field
Chicago, Illinois
Built in 1914 on grounds once occupied by a seminary, Wrigley Field is a holy place for Chicago Cubs fans. The second-oldest ballpark in the majors behind Boston’s Fenway Park (1912), the park has seen such memorable sights as the historic moment when Babe Ruth allegedly pointed to a bleacher location during Game 3 of the 1932 World Series, then hit the next pitch for a homer to his “called shot.”
“Our game day and non-game day tours take fans through our storied past and exciting present with a behind-the-scenes look at our beloved ballpark,” said Alison Miller, Cubs senior director of marketing. “Based on availability inside the ballpark, we grant tour patrons access to game-restricted areas such as the clubhouse, dugout, press box, indoor batting cage and the field’s warning track. Each tour gives fans the unique opportunity to create a lasting memory at Wrigley Field outside of a game day experience.”
Cleveland Indians | Progressive Field
Cleveland, Ohio
[/media-credit] Progressive Field, Cleveland
Built in 1994, Progressive Field was named the Best Major League Baseball Stadium in 2008 by Sports Illustrated. For 2016, the Cleveland Indians home is sporting a major facelift with more improvements on the way.
“Newly renovated Progressive Field provides the best experience in baseball for die-hards, families and millennials alike,” said Joel Hammond, assistant director of communications. “With amazing sightlines of the city from any seat in the ballpark, plus a new, state-of-the-art scoreboard and an infusion of local food vendors, Progressive Field is the best spot in baseball to catch a game.”
New York Mets | Citi Field
Queens, New York
[/media-credit] Citi Field, New York
Walk through the Jackie Robinson rotunda at the main entrance of Citi Field and watch huge TVs play highlights of Robinson’s career. With its retro feel, the home of the New York Mets opened in 2009 and includes an interactive Mets museum and Hall of Fame displays.
When a Mets player hits a home run, watch for a giant apple with a Mets log on the front that lights up to rise from its housing in center field. The new apple is four times the size of the previous one used at Shea Stadium. The original Shea apple is now outside the ballpark at Mets Plaza.
New York Yankees | Yankee Stadium
Bronx, New York
[/media-credit] Yankee Stadium, New York
Opened in 2009, the $2.3 billion Yankee Stadium is the most expensive stadium ever built. A Yankees Museum features a “Ball Wall” which has hundreds of balls autographed by past and present Yankees. The museum centerpiece is a tribute to Don Larsen’s perfect game in the 1956 World Series with a commemorative home plate in the floor and statues of Larsen pitching to Yogi Berra. The ballpark is famous for its wide choice of restaurants — 25 fixed concession stands along with 112 moveable ones.
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