Baseball Stadiums: Bowling Green Ballpark (2016)

Coming into the baseball season I thought I was going to have the opportunity to visit all three Minor League Baseball teams in Kentucky.  Unfortunately, scheduling prevented me from making the trip.  However, in early August things started to come together that would allow fiancée Katie and I to make the trip to see the Bowling Green Hot Rods over her birthday weekend.

I started by reaching out to Alex Cohen, the team's broadcasting and media relations manager, about securing a pair of tickets to the Club Level.  I also got assistance from Telia Butler with the Bowling Green Area Convention & Visitors Bureau, who helped me find a great hotel in town.  I ended up staying at the Fairfield Inn & Suites, where Katie and I were upgraded to a king suite.  The hotel is only a year old and featured newer design elements, and has all the amenities people expect from the Fairfield Inn brand: a great breakfast, indoor swimming pool, and gym.  The next time I stay overnight in Bowling Green, I will definitely stay at this hotel.

After a trip to the Historic Railpark & Train Museum (photos can be seen on my Instagram account), Katie and I ended up exploring some of the local beer and liquor stores in town.  We ultimately ate dinner at El Mazatlan, which was good, but nothing spectacular.

The following day Katie and I went to Mammoth Cave National Park, ate lunch at a Bosnian café/grocery store, and had some beers at White Squirrel Brewery.  Then finally we got to the primary reason we made the trip from Nashville to Bowling Green: to watch the Hot Rods play ball.

Approaching the main entrance of Bowling Green Ballpark.

I previously attended a game a Hot Rods game in 2014, and blogged about that experience (read it here).  So this time I wanted to do something different, and thanks to a pair of tickets to the Club Level at Bowling Green Ballpark Katie and I got to do just that.

Main gate of the ballpark.

There's a lot to explore at any ballpark, but my focus on this visit was on new additions to the stadium and specifically the Club Level.  The first difference between my visits that I noticed was the starting lineups and Midwest League standings alternating on a flatscreen TV.

Starting lineups for the West Michigan Whitecaps and Bowling Green Hot Rods.

Midwest League standings entering play on Saturday, Aug. 6.

After taking the elevator up to the Club Level, Katie and I got to enter the Stadium Club.

Entrance to the Club Level.

Upon entering the club there is a collection of home plates along the wall, which isn't unusual considering it's a baseball stadium.

Home plates in the Stadium Club.

However, upon further inspection it becomes apparent that the home plates are autographed.  Most of the home plates are not autographed by former players, but my notable guests or music performers who have been to the stadium.  My favorite home plate was the one autographed by former Cincinnati Bengals running back Ickey Woods, who was best known for his touchdown celebration: The Ickey Shuffle (see video here).

Home plate autographed by former Cincinnati Bengals running back Ickey Woods.

Past the home plates on the wall is the bar that serves the Stadium Club.  It looks like this...

Main bar at the Stadium Club.

As the photo illustrates, there is a full bar with a few beers on draft.  As the craft beer scene has grown in Kentucky, I hoped you find a few on draft, but that was not the case.  Instead the beers I found on tap were Michelob Ultra, Blue Moon, Bud Light, and other domestic macro beers.

While we mulled our beverage options, Katie and I went out to our seats and saw something you don't see at many Minor League stadiums: both teams in uniform in the stands.  As MiLB.com's Ben Hill previously detailed (read his story here), Bowling Green sits on limestone, which makes the area susceptible to sinkholes.  So when it rains the dugouts are prone to flooding, which was the case before tonight's game.

Bowling Green Hot Rods hanging out in the stands while water drains out of their dugout.

While the Hot Rods hung out in the stands, the umpires had declared that the game must go on.  So while sitting high above home plate I was able to capture my usual first pitch photograph.

Bowling Green Hot Rods starting pitcher Jose Mujica delivering the first pitch to West Michigan Whitecaps center fielder Derek Hill.

We watched a bit of the action I captured some views of the seating in the upper level, too.

View down the first base line.

View down the third base line.

After awhile of watching the game, Katie and I decided we should order something to eat.  While we could have ordered anything from the main concourse and brought it back to our seats in the Club Level, we decided it was best to stick with the options available on that level.

There are two menus in the Stadium Club.  The Club Grill Menu is what I would call the usual ballpark items with chicken tenders, a jumbo hot dog, the wings basket, and other items you'd expect to find at a baseball stadium.  The Past Specials Menu is what it sounds like it would be.  It is a menu featuring a variety of specials that have been available at the club such as a Meatball Sub, a Taco Bowl, and a BLT Chicken Wrap among other items.

As Katie and I wanted to eat something unique we wouldn't traditionally find at a baseball stadium, we ordered from the Past Specials Menu.  We decided to split the bacon mac-n-cheese bites and the BBQ shrimp burger.

The BBQ shrimp burger (left) and bacon mac-n-cheese bites (right).

Both items were undoubtedly unique, as I've never seen a BBQ shrimp burger at any baseball stadium.  The bacon mac-n-cheese bites are a food item that has gained notoriety recently as people experiment with ways to macaroni and cheese, but there was a unique twist with diced jalapenos mixed in with the mac-n-cheese.  Katie and I agree that we'd get both items again.

After letting our meal settle, we decided we needed something to "close our stomaches."  We didn't need to explore or debate any choices, as the Hot Rods had been promoting their funnel cake fries during the MiLB Food Fight.

I had some amazing funnel cake fries to cap off my food at @bg_hotrods game. They are best dessert I've ever had at a ballgame. #fandriven #baseball #milb #minors #milbfoodfight

A photo posted by Steven Ericson (@geo_steven) on Aug 6, 2016 at 6:55pm PDT

After finishing up the funnel cake fries, we decided to watch the remainder of the game from the field level.  As we walked around the stadium, I felt obliged to take a photo of the grandstand from the outfield to provide an overall view of the ballpark.

A view of the grandstand from right field.

The amenities at Bowling Green Ballpark haven't changed since my first visit in 2014, which is good because it is a park that has everything a fan needs.  I wouldn't normally splurge on club level tickets, but can say from my first experience (thanks to Alex Cohen) that the additional expense is well worth it.  The food that is exclusively available at the Stadium Club was excellent, and the views were great.  Additionally, the staff at the stadium really is #FanDriven.

Final Score: West Michigan 3, Bowling Green 7
Box Score

Presidential Pathways: #16, Abraham Lincoln

Born: Feb. 12, 1809, in Hodgenville, Ky. (Visited: June 2005)
Died: April 15, 1865, in Washington, D.C.
Burial Place: Oak Ride Cemetery in Springfield, Ill.

Birthplace

The Lincoln cabin no longer stands, but a Memorial Building contains a replica cabin.

There are 56 steps to the Memorial Building, which represent the 56 years of Lincoln's life, and 16 rosettes, which symbolize Lincoln being the 16th president.

The replica cabin inside the Memorial Building.

Presidential Pathways: #12, Zachary Taylor

Born: Nov. 24, 1784, in Barboursville, Va.
Died: July 9, 1850, in Washington, D.C.
Burial Place: Zachary Taylor National Cemetery in Louisville, Ky. (Visited: June 2005)

Burial Place

In 1883, the Kentucky government erected the granite column to honor Taylor.

In 1926, the U.S. government built a limestone neoclassical mausoleum for Taylor's remains.

The mausoleum contains the remains of Taylor and his wife Margaret.

Taylor was originally interred in his family's crypt, which still stands.

Baseball Stadiums: Bowling Green Ballpark

I have participated in the AP Human Geography Reading since 2011, which has taken place in Cincinnati each year.  I regularly attend Cincinnati Reds games while there, but also try to catch a game at a stadium I haven't visited before or watch a contest at a stadium I have not blogged about previously.

On my drive back to Georgia this year, I decided to make two stops: Bowling Green, Ky., and Nashville, Tenn.  I've been through Bowling Green and visited many of the sights in town, but my last visit was prior to the Hot Rods moving there in 2009.

As MiLB.com's Ben Hill detailed last spring, the stadium is at the center of a revitalized downtown.  If you want to read about his visit, you can click here for details.  I parked my car by Fountain Square Park, snapped some pictures of the park, and then walked over to the stadium.  There is plenty of parking on the streets around the stadium, if people prefer to park closer.  I wanted to visit the park, so chose to park there and make the short walk to the ballpark.

The stadium's entrance is unique because it doesn't scream out "baseball stadium here."  The most unique part of the entrance is the painting on the side detailing how to swing a baseball bat.

Main facade of the ballpark with its address.

Part 1 of 2 detailing how to swing a baseball bat.

Part 2 of 2 detailing how to swing a baseball bat along with the main gate.

By the ticket office is the only imagery outside the stadium displaying the Hot Rods logo.

Only spot on front of the stadium with Hot Rods logo.

The team draws its name from the General Motors Assembly Plant, which is home of the Corvette, but instead of incorporating a sleek, modern hot rod-style the team went with the 1930s and 1940s models for its logo.

The car theme is evident throughout the stadium, such as Chuck's Liquor Outlets Garage.  It wasn't until the next day that I realized the local sponsorship because I really focused on the name "Chuck's Garage" and the baseball bat hanging below it.  I also made a stop at Chuck's Liquor Outlets and bought two 750ml bottles of Voodoo Doughnut Maple Bacon Ale made by Rogue Ales.  The unique part about the bat is that it appears as if it was dipped in red wax like a bottle of Maker's Mark bourbon.

Signage for Chuck's Liquor Outlets Garage features a baseball dipped in red wax like a Maker's Mark bottle.

Close-up of the hot rod pickup.

Unlike Ben Hill's designated eaters, I did not have access to the Stadium Club.  Therefore, I did not get to sample the Grand Slam Burger.  The burger choices on the concourse level can be seen below...

The burger selection.

All the above burgers are available at Black Mountain Burgers.

The burger stand on the main concourse.

I really wanted to try the Grand Slam burger, and asked multiple employees about it.  Unfortunately, nobody was able to tell me where I could find it.  However, on my quest for burger heaven I was able to get my picture taken with both of the team's mascots: Axle the Bear and Roscoe the Grease Monkey.

Me with Axle the Bear.

Me with Roscoe the Grease Monkey.

Between my mascot photos and trying to decide on what to eat for dinner, I watched some baseball and took my seat behind home plate for the first pitch.

First pitch between the Fort Wayne TinCaps and Bowling Green Hot Rods.

I previously mentioned the ballpark as part of a revitalized downtown, and before I continue to neglect that topic I should include a picture of Hitcents Park Plaza.  It contains office space, but most notably has numerous restaurants on the first floor.  I had a beer at Mariah's before entering the stadium, but there were several other restaurants on the ground floor of the building.  None of the restaurants appeared packed, but on the Monday night I attended a game the restaurants all had a crowd of people dining and drinking before the ballgame.

The kids' area of the ballpark with Hitcents Park Plaza in the background.

Here is a shot of Hitcents Park Plaza from a distance.

View of Hitcents Park Plaza from the third base line.

Despite perusing the choices at Black Mountain Burgers, I could not decide on what to eat.  So I continued to explore the ballpark while watching the game.

Hot Rods starting pitcher Jaime Schultz.

Hot Rods designated hitter Armando Araiza.

Steakadelphia mobile stand down the third base line.

In the 3rd inning, I finally made a decision about my meal.  I decided to order a Kentucky Hot Brown sandwich.  I've had a Hot Brown many times because I spent two years of my undergraduate education at the University of Kentucky.  However, I've never had a Kentucky Hot Brown at a baseball game.

I've gotten very good over the years at the one-handed photo of my ballpark food.

The Hot Brown was served on a hoagie roll, so instead of having it in the customary open-face fashion I folded the sandwich together after taking my picture.  It was good, and for those who are unfamiliar with a Hot Brown I highly suggest ordering it.  However, as a purist I would have preferred to eat it as an open-face sandwich with a knife and fork.  Admittedly eating food with a fork and knife while sitting at a baseball game isn't easy, so I don't blame the Hot Rods for tweaking the sandwich.

In addition to the very good food variety, the beer selection at Chuck's Liquors Outlets Garage was good.  There were the standard craft beer choices, but no particularly interesting local or Kentucky choices.  Maybe I was just being picky after spending a week in Cincinnati, where I had a plethora of unique options available.  Regardless, beer aficionados should be able to find something to suit their tastes.  I opted for a Goose Island Honker's Ale.

I have to admit I didn't pay a lot of attention to the between innings promotions, but when I was watching they seemed to be standard fare for a minor league team.  Two things that did stick out were the scoreboard and the retired number above the Hot Rods bullpen.

High-definition scoreboards have become common place at minor league stadiums, but note the Corvette Assembly sponsorship. Not many teams would swing that sponsorship deal.

Minor league teams do retire numbers, although it's not often.  While Jackie Robinson's #42 was retired throughout Major League Baseball in 1997.  Minor League Baseball is not bound by this retirement, but some teams have chosen to honor Robinson's legacy by retiring his number.

"42" in honor of Jackie Robinson above the home team bullpen.

Bowling Green Ballpark does not have a flashy exterior and it's interior fails to meet any grandiose, extravagant designs of some newer stadiums.  However, if you want to visit a beautiful ballpark in a re-born downtown where the team places an emphasis on #FUNNER then this is the place for you.

Baseball Stadiums: 2014 Resolutions

Last year I hoped to visit a handful of Minor League Baseball stadiums, and hit the mark on a few but missed on some others.  This year I set some rather ambitious goals, but I've always aimed high when it comes to traveling.  To make sure I'm accountable, I want to disclose my stadium visit goals for 2014.

I've posted a handful of tweets breaking down my goals, and will share them here.

The first goal is close to my heart as someone who grew up in Georgia.

In 2014, I resolve to visit all four Georgia @MiLB teams: @GreenJackets, @GwinnettBraves, @TheRomeBraves, and @gnatsbaseball. #PlayBall
— Steven Ericson (@geoSteven) January 1, 2014

My first minor league game was between the Greensboro Hornets and Macon Braves at Luther Williams Field in Macon, Ga., with my dad on Aug. 2, 1992, so it is only fitting that I attend a game at each active minor league stadium in Georgia for my blog.  I have been to a Gwinnett Braves game at Coolray Field, but it was prior to me blogging about my gameday experiences.  I have not seen the three teams that play in the South Atlantic League - Augusta GreenJackets, Rome Braves, or Savannah Sand Gnats.

I currently teach at The University of Alabama, so my second goal is to watch a game at the four minor league stadiums in the Yellowhammer State.

In 2014, I resolve to see all four @MiLB teams in Alabama: @BhamBarons, @HuntsvilleStars, @Mobile_BayBears, and @BiscuitBaseball. #PlayBall
— Steven Ericson (@geoSteven) January 1, 2014

I have been to three Minor League Baseball stadiums in Alabama, but two of my visits occurred before I started blogging about my experiences and one ballpark no longer houses a team.  My first minor league game in Alabama was between the Greenville Braves and Birmingham Barons at Hoover Metropolitan Stadium (later named Regions Park) in Hoover, Ala., with my dad on Aug. 1, 1993.  Not surprisingly, I did not take photos from that trip, but I visited the stadium during its final season in 2012, and documented the experience for my blog.

To complete the requirements for my master's degree in sports administration at Georgia State University, I interned with the Huntsville Stars during the 2003 season.  I attended a Southern League playoff game as a fan, but that was long before I considered blogging about my baseball stadium visits.  With rumors swirling about the Stars being sold and moving to Biloxi, Miss., I feel that it's critical to capture the gameday experience.

While I saw the Montgomery Biscuits play at Riverwalk Stadium in 2012, I have not been to Alabama's Gulf Coast to see the Mobile BayBears.

My other resolutions relate to trips I typically make each year.

Since 2010, I have attended the Association of American Geographers Annual Meeting.  The conference is in a different city each year, which aides my quest of visiting new ballparks.  Three of the four years I have gotten to visit a new ballpark; 2012 was the lone exception because the conference was in New York in February.  So I am hoping to visit some ballparks around Tampa, Fla.,

In 2014, I resolve to visit @Threshers and get a photo with @PhinleyThresher while attending @theAAG conference in @VisitTampaBay. #PlayBall
— Steven Ericson (@geoSteven) January 2, 2014

Last summer during MiLB.com's Mascot Mania promotion, I became enamored with the Clearwater Threshers mascot: Phinley.  So I'd like to visit that ballpark and get my photograph taken with him.  I hope to visit a few other ballparks in the region, but have not committed to visit any beyond the Threshers' Bright House Field.

For the past three summers, I have spent a week in Cincinnati, Ohio, working as an AP Human Geography reader, and on each trip I try to visit at least one new stadium.  This year I want to visit each of the minor league teams in Kentucky.

In 2014, I resolve to visit all three @MiLB teams in Kentucky: @LouisvilleBats, @LexingtonLegend, and @BGHotRods. #PlayBall
— Steven Ericson (@geoSteven) January 2, 2014

I have previously saw the Louisville Bats with my mom on June 13, 2005, which was well before I started my blog.  I have never seen the Bowling Green Hot Rods or Lexington Legends play a game.  When I was an undergrad at the University of Kentucky in the mid-90s there was a lot of discussions about bringing a minor league team to the city, but the Legends didn't come to the Bluegrass until after I had left UK.

At the end of the summer, I'll recap and see how successful I was in keeping my New Year's resolutions.