If you have ever nursed hopes about batting, pitching, or running a homer in the Major leagues, then this article will stir your blood! Check out the five best summer league stadiums in all of the USA:
- Coors Field: Colorado Rockies
Baseball fans in Mile High City can enjoy the stunning views of the Rocky Mountains from their seats set at just over 5 000 feet above sea level.
You are advised to keep your eye on the ball, however, because the games in Coors Field move much more quickly: the high altitude results in balls that are drier and harder, and this means the actually fly almost 10% more quickly here!
- PNC Park: Pittsburgh Pirates
Even the top seat at the stately PNC Park in Pittsburgh is only 88 feet from the field, so fans are able to enjoy great views of the game’s action while taking in both the splendid Pittsburgh skyline and the marvellous Allegheny River.
The river sees festooned fans laying in wait in boats and kayaks hoping for a stray ball, and on the days where games take place the Roberto Clemente Bridge is closed to traffic, allowing you to walk across it if you wish to and then use the adjacent river path in order to make your way to the stadium.
- Citi Field: New York Mets
A favourite with punters who support the sports betting NZ and the rest of the world is able to offer, the New York Mets call Citi Field home. It was opened up in 2009 with superior sightlines, a rotunda honouring Jackie Robinson bathed in light, and an array of gourmet food, albeit of the ballpark variety. Lobster rolls, ribs, pizza, and more than 60 different kinds of beers are there for your enjoyment while you take in a game.
- Marlins Park: Miami Marlins
Marlins Park is based in Little Havana, and its debut took place back in 2012, although one would assume a longer history with the kind of impact this stadium has made.
There are two 1450-gallon tanks containing almost 100 tropical fish varieties for you to enjoy above and beyond the action brought by the Marlins, and you can hardly miss a home-run: a 73-foot marlin and flamingo sculpture rotates in order to celebrate home runs!
- Oriole Park at Camden Yards: Baltimore Orioles
Camden Yards has managed to perfect a blend of the old and the new. It was initially built over a railroad station that was once home to a café belonging to Babe Ruth’s dad, and this stadium hearkens back to the glory days of baseball, even if it opened as recently as 1992.
Camden Yards has largely been credited with beginning what is now a league-wide trend that has parks being built with the intention of integrating nearby neighbourhoods and regional cuisine being the mainstay of the menu on offer. You can follow your nose as it leads you to the smoky aroma emanating from Boog’s BBQ, where you can place an order for a pit-beef sandwich, replete with delicately-sliced raw onions and a splash of secret sauce to wrap it all together and take in a perfect baseball experience.
