INDIAN BASEBALL

Inside Fenway Park – Arty 84 Baseball Park Reviews

Stadium Name: Fenway Park

Team: Boston Red Sox

League: MLB – American League East

Years Visited: 1988 – Present time

Opposing Team: More I have seen than haven’t

Date Opened: 1912

Date Closed: NA

Overall Rating: (1-10) 9

Beer Price Rank (2016): 1st highest in the MLB

Ticket Price Rank (2016): 1st highest in the MLB

Baseball, Bars & Bedlam Rank: 2 out of 33

Baseball, Bars & Bedlam Visit Order: 1 out of 33

Notable Award: The stadium is currently the oldest ball park in all the major leagues.

Review:

Growing up 10 miles north of Boston makes me a little bias for this review but the Red Sox will always be my number team. I remember being a kid and getting all excited walking into the stadium. The stadium is just part of the experience. The green line train ride there, grabbing some food before the game and walking around the stadium before, checking out the sites is what makes Fenway, Fenway. I remember being a young guy and hearing all talk about ripping down Fenway and building a new stadium and as a kid that made me sad. I seen the Boston Garden come and go and it was like a piece of my childhood was gone forever. I remember going to the game with my dad back in October of 1993. The Sox were out of the playoff run and we must of just got tickets for free. We took the train in and I remember just walking up the ramp and seeing the green monster and green grass. When you 8 years old, that means everything to you.

My first game was when I was 4 years old. I was with my mom, aunt and grandfather. We sat 3 rows back behind the owners box. It was a rainy night, the ushers kept kicking people out from the unused owners seats in front of me. Every time an umbrella was opened, the usher where on it. I don’t know how i remember this at my age but the image is clear as day. I remember every time I had been to that stadium and we are talking over 100 times in the last 25+ years. It is a great place and I have great memories there. It will always be number 1 for favorite stadiums for me.

The Fenway area of Boston is a great place to go before, after and when games are not even going on. Over the years such places as Cask, Beer Works and Ball Park Tavern have been hangouts in the Neighborhood. With several colleges surround Fenway, the crowds are usually younger, but don’t be surprised if you see some grandmothers banging back shots at the bar before the game.

Getting to the game is fairly easy, jump on the Green Line, any train but the E train and get off at Kenmore. DONE. But if you do end up on the E line, get off at Northeastern and its about a 20 minute walk through the Fens Park, but just don’t do it at night, unless you want to hang out with the large amount of homeless people living in the park or criminals looking to cause trouble or your occasional drunk college kid passed out on the path on his way back to his dorm.

If you have never been there, GO! its a great place to watch your favorite team play. Its part of American history. The Green monster, manual score board, the 420 triangle or the Fenway frank (the original was better) are things that make this stadium unique. See it before the Sox don’t play there anymore and if you need any advice feel free to reach out to me.

According to Statista, the Red Sox are #1 for highest ticket prices in 2016, see link for all MLB teams prices. They are also the 1st highest in beer prices according to business insider, see link for all MLB teams prices. If you are in Boston, take in a game. Arty tip: Drink before you go to the game at a dive bar somewhere. Beers and food will cost you a leg. Also wait to last minute and get your tickets on Stubhub or Ace Tickets. Don’t buy from the box office because you can find tickets cheaper elsewhere.

Pictures from the Park:

Inside Progressive Field– Arty 84 Baseball Park Reviews

Stadium Name: Progressive Field

Team: Cleveland Indians

League: MLB – American League Central

Years Visited: 2010 & 2015

Opposing Team: Cincinnati Reds & Chicago White Sox

Date Opened: 1994

Date Closed: NA

Overall Rating: (1-10) 8

Beer Price Rank (2016): 29th highest in the MLB

Ticket Price Rank (2016): 22nd highest in the MLB

Baseball, Bars & Bedlam Rank: 10 out of 33

Baseball, Bars & Bedlam Visit Order: 18 out of 33

Notable Award: In 2008, Sports Illustrated named Progressive Field the Best stadium in the MLB

Review:

This field is one of the new era baseball fields. In the early 90’s, new stadiums were popping up in the majors. Teams were getting away from the multi use stadiums that were largely built in the 60’s and 70’s and moving forward to give baseball teams their own unique homes. Soon after Camden Yards was built, Jacobs Field or the Jake, as it was known before naming rights, was born.

The forever struggling city of Cleveland needed an uplift. For years the Indians would share Municipal Stadium with the NFL Browns. The stadium was falling apart and desperately needed help. Finally in the early 90’s a plan to redesign downtown Cleveland came about and part of the plan was a new arena and baseball field. The new era of baseball fields came with a more old school design with nooks and crannies making each field unique. The old “concrete donuts” multi use stadiums lacked any architecture and special feel to it, but these new stadiums all brought great character to the majors.

The first time I went to Progressive Field was in 2010 during a small long weekend road trip. The city of Cleveland, a tad dull on a Friday night, did bring in some fans for the night baseball game vs the inter-league Reds. Not as jammed pack as the stadium once was in the 90’s with the attendance record breaking days, but a fan base was seen there.

I liked the grand entrance out in left field to bring you into the park. I liked the home plate entrance that was very architecturally done well to welcome you to the Jake. The concourse was well designed and very easy to flow. Gift shops and beer stands were easy to get to. Much detail was done all the way down to the Indian’s symbols on the seats.

I went back years later for a day game on a wonderful Sunday afternoon in July. The sun was shining and the park was packed. Although the city of Cleveland gets a bad rap, the baseball stadium is one of the best in the the MLB. If your team is in town, check out the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and take in a Indians game, and don’t go to a Cavs game because Lebron Sucks.

According to Statista, the Indians are #22 for highest ticket prices in 2016, see link for all MLB teams prices. They are also the 29th highest in beer prices according to business insider, see link for all MLB teams prices. If you are in the Cleveland area, take in a game. Arty tip: Go to Stubhub for a better deal on tickets and grab some beers, its one of the cheapest in the majors.