Baseball Stadiums

So if you know me well you know I am a big baseball fan. Perhaps close to being a "fan"atic! Ever since I was young and went to Royals games with my aunt, I have been hooked on baseball. I coach softball in the summer, umpire baseball and softball, and get to as many games as possible.

It is my plan to see a game in every ballpark in the country. To that end I have been to quite a few and will add more as I can. Below are the parks I have visited and my thoughts about them.

Royals Stadium/Kauffman Stadium (obviously). I am very excited that this stadium is getting a facelift beginning next year. They are making many improvements and changes that will make one of the most breathtaking stadiums, even better.

Tigers Stadium (old one). This was right in the middle of downtown. Saw them play the A's when I was young. We sat right behind one of the old green pillars holding the stadium up. Hopefully the new stadium has better sight lines. But a neat park as it was one of the old ones.

Milwaukee Brewers. Saw the Brewers play in Milwaukee a few years back as my sister, brother-in-law, and their kids did a mini-baseball tour before a family reunion in Kentucky. Milwaukee was the first stop on the tour. It is a newer ballpark, complete with a slide in the upper deck that the mascot goes down when the Brewers hit a home run. It dumps him in the middle deck.

Wrigley Field and the Chicago Cubs. Simply, beautiful. In the heart of Chicago, the ivy is great, the view is awesome (and we had to sit in the upper deck way out in left field). The area around the stadium is interesting. All neghborhoods, people who live there will get up early on game day and park their cars on the street then rent their yards to game goers to make money. A great idea. We paid $20 to park in a man's backyard. I need a house like that. This was stop #2 on the tour.

Cleveland Indians. The Jake helped revitalize downtown Cleveland. The stadium is very airy and open and one of the newer masterpieces of the Majors. Near the stadium you can find the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and many places to grab eats or drinks before and after the game.

Texas Rangers. We visited this stadium as a team during CEDA Nationals in Dallas in 2006. This is a great stadium. They have a little field for kids right out in Center Field behind the fence. There is a restaurant in the Right Field Upper Deck. It was a TGI Fridays when we were there. I imagine it still is. You can rent a front window table and watch the game from there while eating. A very nice stadium.

Houston Astros. Phi Rho Pi this past April, 2007 allowed us as a team the chance to see the Astros play. The stadium is very good sized and is a dome stadium. Most nights in Houston it is hot and the stadium is open. We happened to be there on the coldest game in team history--inside with the roof closed it was still 42 degrees. Very chilly. First game I have seen inside. Was like watching a game in a warehouse. The stadium is newer and is a really good looking stadium.

Colorado Rockies. I got to see the Rockies play in Denver a few years back when my softball team played in Nationals in Denver. Went to the game with a few of my players. I love this stadium. A waterfall in the outfield, a beautiful view of downtown, and located right in the heart of the revitalized Lo Do (Lower Downtown) District. The parking lot is very large and very long. The beauty is when you have to park far away they have a shuttle to pick you up and deliver you to the stadium front door. That is what I call service. They do a fireworks show on the weekends and let fans come down on the field to watch the show.

Atlanta Braves. We visited Turner Field this past weekend when my debate team competed at the Georgia State Tournament. This is probably the best stadium I have ever been in. It is large, lively, and full of things to do. We got there early and took it all in. When you enter there is a large plasma tv that plays the game. Below that is a staging area where a band plays before and after the games in marching band style. They have Braves girls cheering, dancing, and throwing t-shirts to the fans. In that area is an area sponsored by cartoon network for the kids. There is also a picture, that is about the size of a billboard, of the Hank Aaron home run ball that set the record in Major League baseball. There are plenty of dining options including some pretty good BBQ. They have an alleyway with a lot of simulated games for kids, including pitching radar guns, and batting cages, as well as face painting stations. There is a bar above the right centerfield area that you can go to regardless of where your seat is. The Coca-Cola pavillion is located above left field in the upper deck. There is a large Coke bottle made out of old bases, gloves, and bats. Underneath it is a basepath set at regulation feet that kids are allowed to run from home plate to first base. The outfield is adorned with pictures and names of the Braves greats. This is an amazing ballpark and I hope to get back there soon.

I want to hit up the ballparks that will not be around much longer, including Yankees stadium!

Debate Results from Georgia State

So we had our first tournament of the year at Georgia State this past weekend. We took 2 JV teams, and the Open team to scout.

Freshman Melvin Kirkendoll (from Emporia) and Soph. TJ Dubin (from SM North) were 5-1 in prelims, won Quarters, and dropped in Semi-Finals to the eventual champions from Miami, FL. So they finished in 3rd place.

Freshman Austin Montee (from St. Joseph C.) and Freshman Noah Fugate (from Tonganoxie) were 4-2 in prelims and lost in Quarters to Samford. So they ended up tying for 4th.

Atlanta is a really great city to see. The hotel was great, and they put us on the concierge floor. We went to a Braves game on Friday night. Great game even though they lost. But an amazing ballpark--probably best I've seen in person.

This coming weekend we debate at Missouri State.

List of BBQ Places

As an addendum to my previous post, I thought I would list the places we have yet to visit but that we will definitely want to. Feel free to leave other suggestions in the comments section and I will add them to the list.

If you licve somewhere outside of KC, please feel free to add BBQ places to the list. We travel a lot so we might be inclined to try out BBQ in other places and I will add good places to the list.
The Rib Haven (I think thats the name) at the Augustana Tournament is one such place.

To visit, in no particular order, in KC:
Gates
Jack Stack
Haywards
Big Bubba's
RJ's in Merriam
Johnny's
(someplace south of olathe on i35 before Ottawa--they have fried pickles. the guys on 810am talked about it. need to find out the name and then the restaurant)

Kansas City BBQ

Ok I am using this to post my first blog on the KCKCC Debate blog. I figure this is a subject anyone familiar with me or KC can relate to.

A few weeks ago some of the debaters and I started what we have deemed the "BBQ Tour". Each week we have ventured to a different BBQ place in search of the perfect Que!

The tour began with a stop at Rosedale BBQ. I am a big fan of Rosedale's Beef/Sausage Combo on a bun. With a side of fries and a must have side of corn nuggets, it doesnt get much better. The sauce is the right blend of spicy and sweet and the sausage has quite a kick to it. As for the corn nuggets---nuff said.

The next week found us dining at the Original Arthur Bryant's in KC MO on Brooklyn. If you go to Bryant's try the original location first. And while you are down there, visit the 18th and Vine Historic Jazz District and see the Negro Leagues Hall of Fame. Again I opt for the Beef/Sausage Combo and fries. I love Bryant's sauce the best out of all in KC. The Rich and Spicy and the Sweet Heat are both wonderful. I could live on this stuff I think.

In an impromptu stop on the tour one day before class, we found ourselves dining at Famous Dave's. It is what it is. It is a chain, and for chain BBQ it is pretty good. The sauce on this occasion left something to be desired. If you are going for sides at Dave's the Apples and the Onion Strings are really good choices.

Our next BBQ outing took us to Wyandot BBQ just down State Avenue from the College in KCK. The food there is good--I love the fries--very crispy. Wyandot does a good sandwich, but the burnt ends are really good too.

Our most recent stop on the tour was Oklahoma Joe's. Located in the Shamrock Gas Station in KCK, this place was packed at lunch time. They also have good burnt ends, but I am a fan of the Z-Man. It is brisket piled high, toped with Provolone Cheese and 2 Onion Rings. I think sides really help distinguish a place and Joe's does not disappoint. I am always conflicted because they have the best Onion Rings in KC and the fries are legendary as well. I usually opt for the Rings, as I did this time, then snag a fry or two from a fellow diner, Chris on this occasion.

I believe our next stop on the tour will likely be Gates.

Well in fact, our next stop was not Gates. We only had a short time before class on Wednesday the 19th, so Chris and I hit up RJ BBQ at 85th and Parallel Parkway in KCK. We arrived right around Noon and the place had a medium sized crowd. We both ordered the Round-Up sandwich (Chris choosing Beef and Ham and myself choosing Beef and Turkey). We both had fries for a side and I also got an order of the beans. You always have to try the beans to get a good feel for a BBQ joint. RJ had pretty decent beans, the meat on the sandwich was tender, and the sauce was pretty decent. The fries were nice and crisp--always a plus. Overall it was a decent meal. One thing to know about this place is they do not take credit cards. If you choose to use a debit card they have a debit machine that you withdraw money from via a receipt. There is a charge for this service. So if you go to RJ, be sure and take cash.

Perhaps, Gates will be next. I do plan on trying some southern BBQ on our impending trip to Atlanta for a tournament.

We will keep you posted. And in the meantime, remember, if it aint KC BBQ, it's wishing it was! And that is not debateable.