Showing posts with label Chicago White Sox. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Chicago White Sox. Show all posts

Tuesday, March 8, 2011

Spring Training in Tucson 2011 - Game 1: Chicago White Sox 12 @ Arizona Diamondbacks 1


Yesterday (March 7, 2011) I went to one of only two spring training games in Tucson this year. It is rather sad that there are only two and that it took a tragedy to get baseball teams to play in Tucson. It is not the same as having actual spring training in Tucson, but better than nothing. Plus, the ballpark is kind of nice looking without advertising all over the place and the only thing on the outfield wall being a 12 retired number type thing honoring Christina-Taylor Green's little league number.

Of course, it is now no longer called Tucson Electric Park and instead Kino Veterans Memorial Stadium. It certainly does not seem like a stadium, but it appears it is mainly used for Pima Community College football since the last of baseball abandoned it last year. However, at least it will be seeing some real baseball this summer with the Padres AAA team (Tucson Padres) being temporary relocated to Tucson while they build a new ballpark in California for the Portland Beavers to be permanently relocated.


The ballpark was its usual spring training mess of long concession lines, but they actually did better than normal. That is actually surprising considering these were mostly new employees and no major events being here in awhile. Definitely, liked that they had a new vendor with stir fry noodles that were vegetarian only, as usually it is just pizza as an option at the Tucson ballparks. I sure hope they keep that vendor for the Padres games this summer.

The game itself was okay. I liked it more than I thought I would because I actually knew several of the players as former Nats including some decent guys, such as Adam Dunn. Of course, the local paper said that it was mostly nobodies playing, but considering I have not followed anything except the Nats the past year and a half I actually knew who several of the players were. Of course, I have also heard of some of the Dbacks since Mik tells me about them occasionally.

The actual action of the game was not that great, but that tends to be what spring training is like and sounds like maybe the teams did not send everyone down to Tucson, which is what partially killed Tucson spring training in the first place. Sure did not make me care for more spring training here with it not seeming like much more than a publicity game, but I kind of like the idea the local sportswriter Greg Hansen wrote about having a game of the week down in Tucson every week of spring training.

I think the turnout shows that the people still like spring training in Tucson. It sucks it was only because of a tragedy that they are even playing any down here this year.

Friday, August 27, 2010

Other Baseball Sightseeing: Jack Brickhouse Statue in Front of Tribune Tower, Chicago


This Jack Brickhouse statue is located outside of the Tribune Tower on Michigan Avenue in Chicago. Jack Brickhouse was a WGN-TV play by play announcer for the Chicago Cubs from 1948 to 1981. He also called the White Sox games before 1968 when the team stopped being on WGN until more recent times. He also called some World Series games for NBC in 1950, 1954, and 1959 (White Sox were in this one). He was the one that said Hey Hey, which is now on the foul poles at Wrigley Field.

The statue has a bust of Jack Brickhouse. The front of the pedestal it is on has some images of ballparks he broadcasted from including Wrigley Field and Comiskey Park. The other two stadiums on it are Chicago Stadium, where the Bulls used to play, and Soldier Field, where the Bears play, to symbolize he also called the basketball and football games during his career.

Wednesday, July 1, 2009

Car Sticker Update: Chicago White Sox



We originally had a cling sticker for the White Sox, but we lost it in the rain in Denver. In Cooperstown I found a replacement sticker at the same store I found a Reds sticker. Now the American League side is back to being up-to-date.

Saturday, June 6, 2009

Accessibility Review: U.S. Cellular Field



We did not end up finding the handicap parking at U.S. Cellular Field, but it still worked out great. We ended up in Lot B in the first row, which is all ramped up to the plaza, so no curb. Also, the spots are not lined and they direct you into them. Dad went wide to give room by Mik's side and the parking attendant was fine with that, especially since he saw the handicap placard. Before he directed the next car to park next to us he also checked to make sure we did not need extra room on that side of the car. So no handicap spot, but still very friendly in being accommodated.



We parked near Gate 5 and had to walk a little around to get to the handicap entrance at Gate 4, but I am glad we had to, as that is a way cooler entrance. The entrance is mostly just for Media and wheelchairs, but I think also the suites. Anyways outside it is a cool sculpture of players and small poles with the White Sox's retired numbers, so even if you are not eligible to go in through this gate it is a must see entrance. Inside the gate is cool, too, as the room by the elevators has the Sox's World Series trophy, a Sox decorated Statue of Liberty sculpture, and some other interesting Sox displays.



We sat in the wheelchair part of Section 108. The section is located at the top of the section and every spot is made for wheelchairs, so Dad and I ended up with folding chairs, but they were nice ones and not crappy like at the Dodgers. Also, the section had a wall along the back, so no people crowding in the area that did not have tickets, although before the game the seat vendors were grouped in the area.

Mik was happy that the seats had cup holders for everyone. The cup holders were even at a great height for him to reach without it being too low or too high. The bar that was in front of the section was also nice and low and did not get in the way of the view at all. There is an overhang over the section, but the only thing it kept us from seeing was the fireworks go off above the scoreboard. We still could totally see the scoreboards, though. Only issue was that the foul pole was in the line of sight, but that is only an issue of this section on the first base side and one section on the 3rd base side.

Overall this was one of the best accessible parks so far. All the well designed and friendly accommodations make up for the poor choice of section we ended up stuck in with the foul pole obstruction because we asked for the cheapest seats. Next (not that there will be a next time, as it is the Sox after all), we know to ask for the next section over or at least any other sections besides the two with the foul pole obstructions. The next one over would be pretty ideal for many, though, as a family restroom is located right behind section 108.

Car Stickers Update: Chicago White Sox



Dad got the Cubs and White Sox stickers for the car yesterday morning since he found them at a shop when he went to lunch with Mom and we have had some trouble lately finding good ones at the ballparks. I was fine with him getting them early, but I was kind of annoyed he put it on the car in the apartment parking garage rather waited until we at least got to the game. The stickers should not get on the car until we at least get to the ballpark, so it is only up-to-date for the ballparks we have been to on the trip so far. Oh well, now he knows and he will not put the Cubs on until we get to the game.

Kj's Baseball Collection: U.S. Cellular Field



The Retro Sox ball was cool looking, but since I found a U.S. Cellular Field ball I got that one instead. The ball has a Sox logo on one side and the opposite side says U.S. Cellular Field. The other strip has an image of the Field.

Mik's Mini Bat Collection: Green White Sox



At the White Sox Team Shop Mik had a hard time deciding between the natural and the green colored mini bats. Both had the same logo. Mik finally decided on the green one since it is a unique color for his collection and still appropriate with it being traditional for the Sox to do the green thing in relation to Irish heritage unlike all the teams making pink bats just to get little girls to want them and not even to put pink ribbons on them or something like that.

Mik's Food Scrapbook: U.S. Cellular Field



The main thing Mik had at the White Sox game was Nachos. He ate most of them, but he thought the Nacho cheese was not spicy enough. It is odd that he though that because he does not usually like spicy things, but when it comes to nachos he thinks the sauce should be spicy.



I had cheese Corn off the cob and Mik tasted a bite of it. He thought it was pretty good tasting. However, he thinks corn is better on the cob and it would be way better that way.



We shared a bucket of Popcorn, but we did not really each much of it. It was not that bad, but it was not that good either.



Mik got some Dippin' Dots, which were Oreo flavor. He likes them, but he did not really like that they came in a prepackaged bag rather than a cup like he is used to. In a cup he can eat it himself, but with the bag it could not really do it himself and Dad fed it to him.

Friday, June 5, 2009

Game 9: Cleveland Indians 6 @ White Sox 0

We got to the White Sox game only about two and a half hours before the game, which is probably about the closest to game time we have gotten to a park so far. We ended up actually having to wait for the parking lots to open as they do not open until two hours before game time. I am so glad it was not like the many other times when we have arrived way more than two hours early because we wanted to walk around it or see something else nearby or just plain had no other place to be.



We ended up parking right on the north side of the park and as we walked around to the handicap entrance at Gate 4 we found the home plate marker for the previous Comiskey Park, which was used through the 1990 season before the White Sox moved across the street to their new park that at the time was also called Comiskey, but is now called U.S. Cellular Field.

Overall our seats in section 108 were great, although the foul pole was slightly in the way. At least the handicap seats were actually accessible and we also could see the scoreboard well.



Before game time Dad and I walked around the park. In the center field area of the concourse there are a few statues of past Sox figures (mostly players, but also Comiskey). They are pretty interesting including a set of two that makes it seem like the one guy is throwing to the other guy who is waiting to catch the throw.



Tonight the Indians actually played well in comparison to their rather dismal outing yesterday. I was, of course, rooting for the Indians since I am a Cubs fan and cannot imagine rooting for the White Sox even if I do not really care about the Indians either. Dad was rooting for the White Sox, as even though he says he is a Cubs fan he is also a Sox fan since he went to school at IIT right across the freeway from the old and new Comiskey Parks. I think we can both agree it was a good game and it has proven me wrong on my theory of the American League being all crap pitchers, as the Indians pitcher actually threw a complete game. It is the first and I would not be surprised if only complete game we have seen pitched on the trip. I still maintain, though, that most of the good pitching games and especially pitching matchups occur in the National League.

Monday, May 25, 2009

Game 4: Chicago White Sox 17 @ Los Angeles Angeles of Anaheim 3



Tonight's game was again with the Angels, but this time at their home stadium. Again our choice of team to root for was the Angels and again they lost. This time, though, it was pretty apparent throughout that they were going to lose and they really never had much of a chance. It started out like they might though, as the White Sox score 3 in the top of the first and then the Angels came back to tie it up in the bottom of the first inning. The White Sox, however, quickly pulled away with 4 in the second and 4 in the third. They continued to put runs on the board almost every inning. I think the only innings they did not score were the 6th and the 8th.

The Angels might have lost, but it was overall a much better game experience compared to the other day at the Dodgers. The seats were way better, although they did have an annoying bar in the line of site. There were at least sort of cup holders for the handicap seats and better yet for once we actually could see the scoreboard. It was also cool that we were right above the bullpens and that both bullpens are in left field (where we sat) instead of one in right and one in left like most parks. Lastly, Mik was on his best behavior tonight and did not complain at all for once. He might not be actually watching the games, but at least he is finally starting to get into being well behaved and entertaining himself with his iPod and DS during the games. That certainly helps make the games more enjoyable for Dad and I.

Tomorrow it is off to Oakland and our first night at a campground. It will be a late night since the campground is an hour north of Oakland and we will not be able to go and set up the tent until we get there after the game, but at least we are at the same campground for two more nights and it is not one of our one night stays.