Baseball Stadiums: 2012 Recap

As detailed in my last three posts, I visited three new baseball stadiums on my way back to Stillwater, Okla., last week.  I saw games at Riverwalk Stadium in Montgomery, Ala., Trustmark Park in Pearl, Miss., and AutoZone Park in Memphis, Tenn.  That brings my grand total up to:

• MLB = 19 (12 active)
• AAA = 9 (8 active)
• AA = 15 (11 active)
• A =3 (1 active)
• Short-Season A = 6
• Independent = 5 (4 active)
• College = 15
• Spring Training = 10

I have updated my Google map for those who want to partake in a spatial perspective of my journeys.  I don't have write-ups about all the stadiums because I visited many of them well before I found Blogger, and even before I decided to detail my visits.

I have now seen baseball games in 29 states, the District of Columbia, and one province.

Baseball Stadiums: AutoZone Park

After two games in two nights on my way to Stillwater, Okla., I capped my road trip with a stop in Memphis, Tenn., to take in a game at AutoZone Park between the Tacoma Rainiers and Memphis Redbirds at the start of the 35th anniversary of Elvis Week.  Beyond attending a game at a great ballpark and enjoying some delicious food, I went to the Friday night game because I wanted an Elvis bobblehead.

The King is in the ballpark.

There was a large crowd waiting outside the gates to claim their personal Elvis.  I don't understand the baseball player astride the entrance, but it is a great entrance to a fantastic ballpark.

Main entrance.

The Redbirds run a block party on Friday nights, which featured a band performing covers of Elvis songs.  With $2 Coors Light drafts and good music, it's a fun way to start the weekend.

Block party music at AutoZone Park.

The block party also featured an Elvis impersonator who took photos in front of a Graceland backdrop, so naturally I had to get my picture with him.

The King lives on!

If Elvis wasn't enough, the Budweiser Clydesdales greeted fans outside the stadium.

Clydesdales along Third Street.

Like many other ballparks constructed during the late 1990s to early 2000s, AutoZone Park opened in downtown in a previously rundown area.  City and team officials hoped the ballpark would revitalize the surrounding area, which from what I can see had mixed results.  The warehouses and other previously abandoned buildings provides a great backdrop for the ballpark, but it doesn't appear that the immediate area has stimulated new construction.  Regardless, fans get a great view from behind home plate.

First pitch.

It was extremely difficult deciding upon food at the ballpark.  I had read Benjamin Hill's entry about his dining experience at AutoZone Park, and he definitely found some good choices.  I had to decide between BBQ nachos (which I've now learned is way more common at minor league stadiums than I expected), the BBQ bacon hot dog, the Big Dog, and chicken on a stick.  Many people around the stadium suggest the BBQ nachos, but I declined because I had some within the past few weeks (Regions Park in Hoover, Ala.).

After much debate and introspection, I opted for the Big Dog.  The Big Dog is a foot-long hot dog covered in chili, shredded cheddar cheese, topped with three large onion rings, and served very appropriately with a fork and knife.

The very appropriately named Big Dog.

Upon further review, this camera angle may not give the Big Dog its due respects.  I debated upon getting a dessert item afterward, but I was too full from the Big Dog.

Although I struck out the night before in Mississippi getting know photo with the M-Braves mascot, I had quick success getting a shot with Memphis's Rockey the Rockin' Redbird.  Immediately after first pitch I found him on the concourse, and got my picture.

You may not see his T-shirt clearly, but Rockey Redbird is an Elvis fan.

The Redbirds did a great job with in-game presentation, as Memphis players had their headshots converted into Elvis-style headshots for the game.

Jose Garcia in his Elvis-style headshot for the scoreboard. Viva Las Memphis!

I respect that many people could care less about Elvis Presley, and they were not impressed with my Elvis bobblehead trophy.  However, the Redbirds put on a first-class game.  From beginning to end I enjoyed my experience at AutoZone Park.  The block party is a great way to start off Friday night, especially because I was just passing through and didn't have to wake up early the next morning.  The music was great and the drink specials were worthwhile, so much so that I didn't buy another beer at the ballpark.

The food was delicious, and amazingly tempting.  I wanted to sample the BBQ bacon dog, but I was too full from the Big Dog to even consider it.  I really love bacon, so it will be the next cased meat of choice when I visit AutoZone Park in the future.  I know I missed something special the following night when the Redbirds honored the Negro Leagues, but I was thrilled with my Elvis bobblehead and the entire evening.  Kudos to the Redbird staff!

Baseball Stadiums: Trustmark Park

The last affiliated minor league team in Jackson, Miss., left after the 1999 season.  While the city had some independent-league teams, residents did not get the opportunity to see affiliated ball until 2005 when the Greenville Braves relocated to the suburb of Pearl.

The renamed Mississippi Braves opened Trustmark Park on the eastern outskirts of Jackson.  Friends have told me that there was almost nothing around the stadium when it opened, so the presence of the Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World means that development has grown up around the stadium.  Unfortunately, the stadium blends into the surrounding when you pass by it on I-20.  In fact, I didn't realize it had its own exit when I first went into Jackson for some sightseeing before the game.  I only noticed the stadium exit the next morning.

The main entrance is in right field, which is quite unusual for modern minor league stadiums.  I also hoped and expected to see a grander entrance, but it was just a gate with signage.  Nothing stood out about it.

Main entrance.

The view from behind home plate meets a trends I have noticed recently with newer minor league stadiums.  The scoreboard in left center was nice, but the view beyond the outfield is just a cadre of trees.  It can be somewhat disappointing to fans who expect and want a great view at every ballpark, but the reality is that not every stadium can have a fantastic view.  It's ok to be utilitarian and get the job done.

First pitch at Trustmark Park.

I hoped to get a photo with the M-Braves mascot, Trusty, but I never saw him in the crowd.  I only saw him on the field with the motorcyclists because it was Bike Night, and bikers got $5 tickets.  I have no clue how to describe him, but for those who haven't seen him I wanted to include the best photo possible.

Trusty giving out high fives during player introductions.

I hoped to find something unique to eat at the park, but had a very difficult time settling upon something.  As usual, I talked to employees and fans asking for suggestions.  I was told to try a Philly cheese steak, but couldn't force myself to eat that in the South.  After reviewing all the concession stands and seeing that the food was simply generic - hot dogs, burgers, chicken tenders, etc. - and that nothing stood out as special I opted to eat at the Farm Bureau Grill. A ticket taker told me he really liked the gumbo and shrimp po boy, so I opted for the po boy.

Shrimp Po Boy.

I wanted to try the Knuckle Balls (naturally named for Braves legend Phil Niekro), but my request to get one each of the beef, chicken, and pork variety was rejected.  I hoped to sample a variety, so instead I stuck with the words of wisdom of the ticket taker.

However, my experience with beer at the ballpark was better.  As I searched the concessions stands for something interesting, I stumbled upon a craft beer stand tucked behind a corner.  The stand had Shock Top, Blue Moon, and some other national varieties but the saving grace was the local choices.  I sampled three different brews and settled upon Lazy Magnolia Southern Pecan Nut Brown Ale.  I got a 32-oz. drink for $8, which is a great bargain for this quality of beverage at a ballpark.  It was a tasty treat that complemented my shrimp po boy, and I'd definitely sample some of their other beers in the future.

Overall, I enjoyed Trustmark Park.  I wish the team store had their mascot on sale instead of generic hot dogs and peanuts with the M-Braves logo, but apparently the staffers don't control what products get sent their way.  It was interesting to see team caps in the colors of the state's three major universities: University of Southern Mississippi, Mississippi State University, and University of Mississippi.  These weren't caps for each of the schools, but instead the M-Braves logo on a cap in Golden Eagle or Bulldog or Rebel colors.  I've never seen that before at a minor league stadium, but it was a unique touch.

Baseball Stadiums: Riverwalk Stadium

On my way back to Stillwater for the school year I took a somewhat scenic route to watch some baseball games, and see some sights along the way. My first stop on the way from Georgia was Tuskegee, Ala., where I saw Tuskegee Airmen National Historic Site and Tuskegee Institute National Historic Site. Both sites were especially compelling because of the role they played within American - especially Black - history. I could write so much more about both places, but I will return to the focus of this post: the home stadium of the Montgomery Biscuits - Riverwalk Stadium.

The stadium is built into a former railroad building, which is clear from the signage at the corner of Coosa and Tallapoosa streets. The building still bears decorative signage dating from 1898 as home of the Western Railway of Alabama.

Main entrance to Riverwalk Stadium.

The view from home plate does not provide fans with a spectacular view, but there is a nice scoreboard in left center and fans get a nice, open view of the field.  The signage in the outfield isn't obsessive, so fans can watch the game for the sake of watching a game without being inundated with advertising.

First pitch at Riverwalk Stadium.

The crowd was almost nonexistent when I went to the came, and I'm not sure why.  It was a Wednesday night in August, so it's not a prime game-night but I expected the crowd to be better than what I saw.  Official attendance listed the gathering at 1,681.  I won't argue about attendance figures, but there were not that many folks in the stands from what I saw.

Anyway, onto the food.  With a team called the Biscuits and being in the South, I had to try the biscuits at the ballpark.  The biscuit stand is on a wide concourse immediately behind home plate, so you can't miss it.  I had a few options for my biscuits, but settled on plain biscuits for a handful of reasons.  #1: I didn't want to eat JUST biscuits, so I couldn't get chicken biscuits or biscuits and gravy and feel like I could eat something else.  #2: I almost went for the strawberry shortcake biscuits, but passed when I learned that the strawberries were not fresh and came from a can.  By default that meant I had to get plain biscuits and cover them with butter and either syrup or jelly.

Biscuits with butter and syrup.

Growing up in the South I've had biscuits with honey or jelly quite often, but I'd never had biscuits with syrup until this night.  I faced a difficult decisions: Alaga syrup or Yellow Label.  After taking into consideration some sage advice from the veteran biscuit seller and sampling the two varieties, I opted to mix and match.  So I combined the yellow label with the original cane flavored syrup for a delicious treat.

For my sustenance I opted for a foot-long red hot sausage at the Sausage Shack.  I love encased meats, so I had to go for the locally-made sausage.  I've never heard of Conecuh before, but I was very pleased with their meat.  Yes, insert inappropriate meat joke.  I got my sausage topped with grilled peppers and onions and added sauerkraut before topping it with just a touch of yellow mustard.

Foot-long Conecuh red hot sausage.

I also tried another beer from Back Forty Beer Co., which is based in Gadsden, Ala.  I tried their Truck Stop Honey Brown Ale previously (see Regions Park write-up), so I decided to stick with the local craft brew and branched out with their Naked Pig Pale Ale.  It was a good pairing with the spicy sausage, and I'm glad I stuck with a brand I already knew.

The food I missed out on were Dreamland BBQ nachos, but I had them at Regions Park in Birmingham, Ala., a few weeks prior to this trip.  So I didn't feel the need to sample them again, but many folks told me to try something from the South of the Border cart because it was the best bang for my buck.  So maybe next time I'll experiment with Mexican food at an Alabama ballpark.

Food is always great, especially when it's unique to the ballpark or region.  However, I think the best moment of the game was getting my photo taken with Biscuits mascot Big Mo - the biscuit lovin' beast.  I don't know how to describe him, and some friend said he looked like an anteater.  I guess it just goes to show you that some creatures are beyond description, and you just have to love them for what they are.

Me with Big Mo.

The game moved along fairly quickly as the Biscuits rallied in the 9th to claim a 2-1 victory over the stunned Jackson Generals.  An dribbler down the first base line left the pitcher and first baseman confused as to who should cover the base and who should field the ball, so the runner on second raced around the bags as the batter dove head-first and under the tag of the first baseman to give the home team the win.  It was a great finish to the game!

Good Eats in San Diego, Calif.

Almost eight years ago I went to San Diego for Christmas vacation, and stumbled upon some really good restaurants.  Only one restaurant stands out as being really great and worth talking about: Humphrey's by the Bay.

It has a fantastic view of the bay (as you would expect from its name), and a stylish dining room that provides everybody with a view.  You get to enjoy a fantastic view of boats anchored in the marina, which you can see from the web site.  It probably seems cliché that a restaurant in San Diego would have great seafood, and that is the case here.  I had some delicious sea scallops, but the item that makes this place stick in my memory is the corn chowder.  I had never eaten corn chowder before, but Humphrey's dish was fantastic.  It was creamy without being too heavy, and the corn was tasty but not overpowering.

Baseball Stadiums: Regions Park

For the first time in 19 years I went to a minor league baseball game in Hoover, Ala., and saw the Birmingham Barons host the Montgomery Biscuits in Southern League action.  My first visit to the stadium now known as Regions Park came in August 1993 with my dad, and sadly I don't recall that visit to the park.  Except for some souvenirs I have little recollection about that game.  However, I made sure to document my most recent visit to the stadium previously known as Hoover Metropolitan Stadium.

I got great seats on the day of the game (Section AA, Row 3) an hour before first pitch.  I don't know if sales are slow because it is the last season the Barons will play at Regions Park or a reflection about the team's overall attendance trend.  Regardless, I had great seats on a humid night.

Main entrance of Regions Park.

The stadium opened in 1987, which is obvious from the massive concrete grandstand, and lacks any special charm despite attempts to renovate the entrance.  The flags were at half mast because of the shooting in Aurora, Colo., the previous day.  Whether at half mast or not, the flag poles disrupt a fan's ability to read the name of the park at its main entrance.  The souvenir shop is just feet past the game, but is very small and has just the minimal amount of novelties for sale.  I purchased a Babe Ruff doll for my friend's two-year-old son, which I know he'll enjoy.  However, I was disappointed that the store did not have the replica wooden bat I wanted.  I hoped to find a natural-colored mini bat for my collection, but the store only had red and black varieties.  The team did the best with a not-so-good situation, but it certainly lacked the usual appeal that other souvenir store possess.

Dreamland BBQ Nachos.

I had mixed results with the food and drink selection.  Three concession stands had the same items, except for the Stadium Pub & Grill.  The decor was the same as the other stands, but it featured Dreamland BBQ nachos.  The nacho chips were covered in melted cheese, pulled pork, bbq sauce, sour cream, onions, diced tomatoes, and jalapenos.  I've seen BBQ nachos at other ballparks (Dickey-Stephens in North Little Rock and Pringles Park in Jackson, Tenn.), but these were something to brag about.  I complemented the nachos with a 16-oz. Shock Top, and felt full but not stuffed.  There were a few specialty stands like Mojitos Mexican Grill and Barber's (an ice cream stand), but the thing that stood out for me was the premium beer stand along the first base line.  It has a variety of local microbrews, but the most shocking thing was the inclusion of Rolling Rock as a premium beer.  I've had Rolling Rock on many occasions, but I'd never classify it as a premium beer!  At least the Truck Stop Honey Brown Ale I drank hit the taste buds right.

The in-game entertainment was nothing special, but the postgame fireworks show compensated for any shortcomings of the in-game crew.  The entertainment was not bad, but nothing stood out about the promotions or contests.  It was also difficult to hear the public address announcer, so my friend was not clear on the name of the female mascot.  The mascot names were cute, but Babe Ruff and Lillie Mays could have contributed more to the entertainment experience.

Fireworks over an Alabama night.

Baseball Stadiums: Great American Ball Park & Fifth Third Field (Dayton)

I spent the last week in Cincinnati, Ohio, working at the AP Human Geography Reading.  This is the second year I've participated, and while I went to Great American Ball Park last season I did not post any photos of commentary about my visit.  Additionally, I saw a Dayton Dragons game at Fifth Third Field.

Great American Ball Park is sandwiched along the Ohio River, and provides a view of the Kentucky hillside as fans look past the outfield stands.  The more interesting view is the skyscrapers of downtown Cincinnati behind the stadium.  I saw the Pittsburgh Pirates beat the Cincinnati Reds in two games last week.  I went to two games last season, but this year did a few different things.

First, I ate at the Riverfront Club, which is a fine dining restaurant along the right field line.  I went with some friends from the AP Human Geography Reading for our dine-out night, and we had a fantastic meal.  We opted for the buffet, which included roasted pork shoulder with bourbon sauce, catfish with pecan-encrusted glaze, chicken and dumplings, and some excellent salads.  The food was delicious and well worth the price!  If you want a unique ballpark experience, I highly recommend checking out the Riverfront Club.

Second, I went on Zoo Night and got to see a variety of animals during the first inning.  A bald eagle flew down to the field as part of the opening ceremonies, but several other animals were on display in the Fan Zone.  I don't remember all the animals on display, but I avoided the boa constrictor and enjoyed taking photos of the leopard tortoise as he attempted to make a get away.  Later that night, I got my photo taken with the Reds superfan (sorry, but I don't know his name) and Rosie Red.

Me with Rosie Red.

On Friday night, I went to Dayton with some friends to see the Dragons.  The stadium sits among some old warehouses in downtown, so the view isn't awe-inspiring, but it is cool seeing the old buildings around the park.  I did not find any really unique food item, so I had the a Chili Cheese Dog.  The Chili Cheese Dog is kind of unique to the area because of the famous Cincinnati-style chili that often accompanies hotdogs.  The Chili Cheese Dog was filling, but left me wanting something really unique to the area.

Chili cheese dog.

The most impressive part of the game as the fan experience.  The mascots (Heater and Gem) were awesome!  The costumes were great, and they did an excellent job of interacting with the fans.  The in-game promotions were great because the team stayed true to old-favorites like the mascots dancing on the dugouts but instead of the cliché dizzy bat race the contestants competed in Crazy Frog and had to leapfrog over their partner to win the race!  As a bonus, the game took only 2 hours and 32 minutes, but the final score was 14-6.

The first hometown boy in Dayton Dragon history on the mound.

Perhaps the best part about attending the Dayton Dragons' game was seeing a special welcome on the scoreboard for me and my friends!  I stumbled upon a page on the team's web site where fans could submit message requests, and took advantage.  It was so cool to see that message.

My visit to Fifth Third Field means that I have attended three Low-A games, and my first in the Midwest League.  I have also updated my map of baseball stadiums.  I have seen professional games in 25 states, 1 province, and the District of Columbia.

Baseball Stadiums: Dickey-Stephens Park & Pringles Park

For the past two summers, I have driven home to Georgia for work. Instead of driving 14 hours straight through as usual, I decided to make a few stops along the way and check out some baseball stadiums while also enjoying some of the sights.

My first stop was North Little Rock, Ark., for an Arkansas Travelers game. I had a deer dog, which is a jalapeno and cheese deer sausage made by Petit Jean Meats. I debated between the deer dog and bbq nachos, which staff at Dickey-Stephens Park said were the two most unique food items at the stadium. I opted for deer dog because I've had so many different cased meats that I felt like I had to go that route.  It was covered with grilled peppers and onions, and I added some Texas Pete hot sauce for good measure. It was delicious, and well worth it.

My Deer Dog.

Beer fans would also enjoy this ballpark, which has a host of local brews.  Diamond Bear Brewing Company supplies most of the local brews on tap.  My first selection was a Southern Blonde, which went down smoothly.  In the beer garden, I tried a New Belgium Dig, which is a spring ale.  It was flavorful, but too hoppy for my tastes.  With my deer dog, I had a Firehouse Pale Ale, which is made by Vino's Brewpub.  It was a great compliment to the deer dog, and a great cap to my beer and food exploration for the night.

My other stop was Jackson, Tenn. There's not much sightseeing to do in Jackson, but I wanted to add another ballpark to my list and figured it was a good jumping off point to visit Shiloh National Military Park.  Pringles Park is nice, but it reflects the growing trend of minor league stadiums where fans enter the ballpark on a concourse with the seating bowl below.  The stadium is right off I-40, so the view beyond the outfield is the interstate and some trees.  It's nothing special, but the atmosphere was good.

My decision to get the Deer Dog the previous night proved wise because the two specialty food items at Pringles Park according to staffers are bbq nachos and Ricoh's Burger.  The bbq nachos might be great at Dickey-Stephens Park and Pringles Park, but apparently they are not totally unique to just that one locale.  Ricoh's Burger is a 1/2-pound patty covered with grilled onions and peppers covered with cheese and bacon served on a pretzel bun.  It was tasty, but it didn't blow me out of the water especially with a bun that was dry and flavorless.  Perhaps I should've gotten the bbq nachos.

Ricoh's Burger as the field gets prepared for the game.

Prior to my journey home, I made a visit to Houston to watch my alma mater's football team take on the University of Houston in September 2011.  I went to Minute Maid Park, and saw the Colorado Rockies take on the Houston Astros.

So I have visited three more ballparks since my last update.  I added one more MLB stadium (Houston, Texas) and two AA stadiums (North Little Rock, Ark., and Jackson, Tenn.).  Here is an updated list of my ballpark tallies...

• MLB = 19
• AAA = 8
• AA = 13
• Low-A = 2
• ShortSeason-A = 6
• Independent = 5
• College = 16

Good Eats in Shiloh, Tenn.

Last week, I visited Shiloh National Military Park on my way from Oklahoma to Georgia. I had been told about Hagy's Catfish Hotel a few days prior, and made it my lunch stop after the ranger at Shiloh said, "It is awesome!"

I didn't get to eat lunch until after 1, but had a delicious catfish sandwich and honestly the best hush puppies I've ever eaten. I'm not particularly a fan of hush puppies, so I wasn't thrilled when I was told they come with every item on the menu.  I expected to eat one or two, and leave the rest because I didn't expect to enjoy them.  Well, hush my mouth these are awesome!  They were soft and flavorful, and weren't dry.

To top off my meal, I had a piece of caramel pie.  Homemade caramel pie is a favorite of mine, and this hit the spot.  It had tons of whipped cream on top, but it wasn't overdone.  I don't expect to travel through that part of Tennessee anytime soon, but if I'm in the area I will definitely be stopping at Hagy's Catfish Hotel, and you should, too!