C-Dawg
07-18-2007, 12:44 PM
Or maybe that word should be stadia?
Anyway, my "Doomed Ballpark Tour" this year took me to New York so I could experience both of their ballparks for the first time. The pictures are posted in the WSI Photo Gallery section, under "Other Parks". Feel free to check them out, and my other pics as well.
A few comments. Both parks are old and showing their age. Shea Stadium is the same age I am, so it'll be a little humbling to see it go (of course, other departed parks such as Busch and Riverfront were even younger). Yankee Stadium is much older, and as most of you know it was rebuilt in 1975 (I believe) and architectually is a mishmash of old and new designs. The modernistic escalator towers and upper deck framing make it look modern from the outside but the interior corridors are very traditional, dark and narrow, a little like Old Comiskey.
We didn't get a chance to get into Monument Park, but I understand the gist of it.... the Yankees had a lot of great players and won a bunch of World Series'... blaa blaa. I was too busy walking around to wait in line for it.
Fans at both parks were friendly. In three New York games, I saw the home team win each time, so I guess that keeps them happy. I suppose if Toronto had beaten the Yankees badly, I might have gotten a little flack for cheering for Frank Thomas. Actually, at the Mets games, I was prepared to root for the Mets, but then when we picked the dates and the opponent happened to be the Reds, I knew I'd be secretely rooting for them instead (Cincy was my birthplace and probably is my favorite NL team).
By the way, New York is crazy big and busy. Their subway system makes ours look small and quaint. Laguardia Airport reminds me of Midway circa about 1990; busy, but before the 90's-era modernization. Tons of really neat architecture everywhere, including some really cool Art Deco buildings at the airport, and lots of fantastic bridges and viaducts everywhere. The Number 7 subway, made famous by John Rocker's rant a few years ago, flies over various Queens neighborhoods on enormous concrete viaducts that are about 3 stories tall.
I never did get a chance to see if our CTA transit cards work in NY; maybe next time I see the Sox I'll try my New York Metrocard in the turnstyle here and see if it works.
Anyway, my "Doomed Ballpark Tour" this year took me to New York so I could experience both of their ballparks for the first time. The pictures are posted in the WSI Photo Gallery section, under "Other Parks". Feel free to check them out, and my other pics as well.
A few comments. Both parks are old and showing their age. Shea Stadium is the same age I am, so it'll be a little humbling to see it go (of course, other departed parks such as Busch and Riverfront were even younger). Yankee Stadium is much older, and as most of you know it was rebuilt in 1975 (I believe) and architectually is a mishmash of old and new designs. The modernistic escalator towers and upper deck framing make it look modern from the outside but the interior corridors are very traditional, dark and narrow, a little like Old Comiskey.
We didn't get a chance to get into Monument Park, but I understand the gist of it.... the Yankees had a lot of great players and won a bunch of World Series'... blaa blaa. I was too busy walking around to wait in line for it.
Fans at both parks were friendly. In three New York games, I saw the home team win each time, so I guess that keeps them happy. I suppose if Toronto had beaten the Yankees badly, I might have gotten a little flack for cheering for Frank Thomas. Actually, at the Mets games, I was prepared to root for the Mets, but then when we picked the dates and the opponent happened to be the Reds, I knew I'd be secretely rooting for them instead (Cincy was my birthplace and probably is my favorite NL team).
By the way, New York is crazy big and busy. Their subway system makes ours look small and quaint. Laguardia Airport reminds me of Midway circa about 1990; busy, but before the 90's-era modernization. Tons of really neat architecture everywhere, including some really cool Art Deco buildings at the airport, and lots of fantastic bridges and viaducts everywhere. The Number 7 subway, made famous by John Rocker's rant a few years ago, flies over various Queens neighborhoods on enormous concrete viaducts that are about 3 stories tall.
I never did get a chance to see if our CTA transit cards work in NY; maybe next time I see the Sox I'll try my New York Metrocard in the turnstyle here and see if it works.