Monday, July 6, 2009

Accessibility Review: Yankee Stadium

We arrived at Yankee Stadium about 5 hours before the game and parking is not supposed to open until 3 hours before the game. However, the place we had a parking pass for is a garage used for more than just the games, so we were able to get in and just had to make sure we handed our pre paid parking pass to the cashier with the pass we got when we entered the garage to get out without paying anything extra. The staff in the garage were pretty much the only friendly and helpful ones we have encountered on the trip. Most of the time they seem inconvenienced to be asked even a simple question such as where the handicap spots are, but here they were friendly including explaining how to get out after the game without an extra fee being charged.



Since we were at the game earlier we walked around the park, which is easy to do because there are no steps anywhere and just flat sidewalks. The only awkward thing we encountered was getting into the Team Shop and Hard Rock Café, which are located next to each other in a corner of the stadium with a few steps up to them from the outside of the stadium. There is a ramp off to the right, but they had barricades blocking the bottom of the ramp and then between the Hard Rock and the Team Shop. It was not too hard to move them and get to the ramp and then the Team Shop, but it was an inconvenience that did not make sense since both the Hard Rock and Team Shop were open.

After the Team Shop we finished walking around the stadium and taking some photos of the shell of Old Yankee Stadium. We then sat on a bench near Gate 6, which was the entry gate marked on our tickets. The line got somewhat long before the gates opened, but we were not in a rush and just got in line as they started to check bags and begin to let people into Yankee Stadium. As we got in line one of the staff at a side entrance that the staff only seemed to be going in through pulled us out of line and let us go in right away that way. All the other entrances including the one we were in line for have a way to go through with a wheelchair and in fact they were not even using the turnstiles at that time, so it was really nice that we got pulled out of line to go in the other way.



The first place we headed once inside Yankee Stadium was Monument Park, which is behind the centerfield wall. To get there you have to go down a set of steps, but they have a special elevator to get down there that is an actual elevator compared to the lifts at Cleveland’s Heritage Park. You have to be escorted on the elevator and then to Monument Park because you end up going through the staff part of the lower level. It was actually pretty cool because we even got a special view of the field through the open centerfield gate (see photo above). This is unique for Mik because the only times he has ever been able to see a field from field level is the one time we sat on the dugout level at the Dbacks and when we took a tour of the old Busch Stadium.



Monument Park itself is accessible once you get there the back way up the ramp. It was not too bad to navigate through the people since we went right when the park opened, however from our seats later we noticed it gets pretty crowded closer to game time. It also seems they close it entirely once the game begins.



After Monument Park it was suggested we head to the Yankee Museum. We tried to get there by elevator, but they do not let you use the elevators near it until two hours before the game because they do not let access to seats above the 100 level until then. They want you to see things like the Monument Park and batting practice before heading to your seats. All fine and good, but it was insulting that they suggested we go to the Museum after the game started because it is supposedly less crowded. Anyways we ignored that stupid usher and just took the ramp up to the museum before it got crowded with everyone like us that came to actually watch the game. It turned out to be a good time to visit the Museum, as it was not too hard to navigate through it all, but it clearly was beginning to become more crowded as we were leaving.

After the museum it was only a few minutes until they lowered the ropes and let people go into the upper levels of seating. Since we were already half way up to our seats on the 300 level we just walked up the ramps to our seats. Our seats were section 314. The usher here actually did a great job of keeping stragglers from wandering into it and even when they ended up in it from the other side he would come in and ask them for their tickets before then kicking them out because they did not have seats there. Keeping standing room people and such out of the section really helps with the game enjoyment, especially being able to actually get out of your section because you have to move your chair backwards to get out due to the spaces being full and their not being that much space between chairs.



The seats were great. The view was pretty good from the seats. The bar in front got in the way of foul territory and the first base foul line, but it was not too hard to see the whole field if you get the chair right up to it. The scoreboard was also easy it see in its entirety from where we were located. Not only do they have cup holders, but Mik says they are in a great location. They are not too high up that they then block the view when you put a cup in it, but they are still high enough up that he could easily get his drink. Only complaints about the seats were how hard they were to get due to the disorganization of the ticket sales department.

Overall Yankee Stadium does a great job of being an accessible park, which is good because with it being a new park I would have accepted no excuses if it had not turned out to be so accessible. Best of all is the elevator situation, which even newer stadiums often fail at for disabled priority. Here they had a row of four near our seats and perhaps more elsewhere in the park. At the end of the game everyone crowded around to go down them, but they are large capacity elevators, so going down would have been fast if we had to wait to get to the front of the crowd. However, we did not even have to do that, as the usher outside the elevator made the people in front move and told them that wheelchairs go first.

Sunday, July 5, 2009

Day 47: McCoy Stadium



Visiting McCoy Stadium was not originally on our plan, but yesterday someone tipped us off to it being where the longest baseball game in history was played. Thus it seemed liked a fitting place to stop and get a photo of the banner commemorating that game. Plus it was very on the way from Boston to New Jersey, as McCoy Stadium is located just a little off of the Interstate in Pawtucket, Rhode Island.

McCoy Stadium is the home of the Pawtucket Red Sox, who are the Boston Red Sox's Triple-A Minor League Team. The longest game in baseball history started here on April 18, 1981 with the Rochester Red Wings as the visitors. Play went until the President of the International League postponed the game at 4:07am on April 19 when the game was in the 32nd inning. The game was picked up and finished on June 23, 1981 (interesting that both stops today had a connection to one of our birthdays, as this one is related to Mik's birthday). The game ended with the Pawtucket Red Sox winning 3-2 in the bottom of the 33rd inning. Future Hall-of-Famers that played in that game were Cal Ripken, Jr. for the Red Wings and Wade Boggs for the Red Sox.

Day 47: Huntington Avenue Grounds



Before heading south towards New Jersey and the Yogi Berra Museum, we headed back north to Boston. Originally I had meant for us to see the site of the old Red Sox park, Huntington Avenue Grounds, but I totally forgot the day we went to the game. Yesterday would have been convenient to do it, too, since we drove through Boston to get to New Hampshire, but I did not remember about seeing the former MLB ballpark site until last night. The site is now occupied by Northeastern University, but they have some plaques and a statue to commemorate the site.

The main thing to see is the Cy Young statue. I really thought this would get Mik interested in the stop, as he really likes Cy Young, but I had to force him in front of it and then quickly take a photo of him before he rolled away from it. The statue is located where the pitching mound used to be. Cy Young is one of the significant players that played at Huntington Avenue Grounds not just for helping the Red Sox (called the Pilgrims at the time) win the first World Series in 1903, but also for pitching the first perfect game of the modern era there.



Another thing to find at the former Huntington Avenue Grounds site is a home plate shaped plaque. It is not obviously there, but if you just walk in the direction Cy Young is looking getting ready to pitch you will stumbled upon it somewhat hidden in the grass. Engraved in the stone home plate is a little about the First World Series. The info includes stating that the first game was played on October 1, 1903 on this site (exactly 84 years before I was born) and that general admission cost 50 cents.



The one other thing commemorating the old park that we found was a plaque on the side of the Cabot Building on the Huntington Avenue side. The plaque marks approximately where the left field flag pole stood.

Saturday, July 4, 2009

Day 46: 4 States on the 4th of July



This morning we left the campground in the Boston area around 9am. Originally I had wanted to drive to Vermont and stay there yesterday and tonight, but back in March I found out that was impossible because for the 4th of July weekend you have to book three nights at a KOA. Thus we are still in Boston tonight and just drove through Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont today and back to Boston. It was about a seven-hour driving adventure in which Mik did not even get out of the car until we stopped for ice cream near the campground. It was fun, though, and now the only state the three of us have not been to is Alaska.

Along the way we stopped at the Welcome Centers in New Hampshire and Maine to get photos. Vermont did not have one the few miles we were in that state, so I just got a photo of the welcome sign. Now we are back at camp doing some laundry and using the Internet. We are planning to do a campfire tonight and roast marshmallows. Mik is happy that we are not seeing any fireworks on the 4th.

Day 46: Maine

Day 46: New Hampshire

Friday, July 3, 2009

Game 21: Seattle Mariners 7 @ Boston Red Sox 6

This is one of the big games Mik has been looking forward to, as he liked the idea of going to the oldest ballpark still being used in the Majors. Also, the only currently active player that has never played on the Dbacks that he likes plays for the Red Sox (Jonathan Papelbon). I still think Wrigley is the best, but Fenway is definitely one of the best baseball park experiences.

We got to Fenway around 2pm after driving in circles for over half an hour because of the stupid GPS giving totally messed up directions that was not limited to the issues with it not knowing about any of the abundant road work in the area. Anyways we finally did get there by just doing the old fashioned follow the streets on the map route and found parking right across the street from Fenway.



Before the game we spent time walking around the park and got the Team Shop visit out of the way. We also had a late lunch/early dinner at the Game On restaurant that is in one corner of Fenway Park. Right before we ended up going into the park I got a Fenway Park t-shirt and Mik got a Papelbon t-shirt, which he ended up putting on right away. Finally around 5pm the park opened and we went inside. There really is not much to walk around to inside, so we just went to our seats.



Mik enjoyed this game from the start. Of course, no matter what I think he would have enjoyed it just because it was Fenway. However, he got to see Papelbon pitch a great 10th inning, although he wished he came back out in the 11th. What Mik loved the most, though, was that Jeffery Donovan, who plays Michael Westen on Burn Notice (one of Mik’s favorite shows) threw out one of the ceremonial first pitches.

This game was the fifth time we have seen the Mariners play this summer. The first four games we saw them in they lost. We were all hoping the trend would continue. Even though we do like to see Ken Griffey Jr. do good, we preferred to see a Red Sox win. Not only did the Red Sox end up losing in 11 innings, but Griffey also had a bad outing as the designated hitter going 0 for 5.

The Red Sox took an early lead in the bottom of the first with the first run scoring on a ground rule double and the second run scoring with a wild pitch. In the top of the 3rd the Mariners got a run off of a single. In the top of the 4th the Mariners tied the game with a RBI double and then went ahead with a two run homer by Cedeno. The Red Sox decreased the lead to one with a homer by Drew in the bottom of the 7th. The Mariners got the two run lead back in the top of the 8th with a homer by Lopez. The Red Sox then tied the game up in the bottom of the eighth with a 2 RBI double. The game then went scoreless until the top of the 11th when the Mariners got a 2 RBI double. The Red Sox tried to come back with a homer in the bottom of the 11th, but it was too little too late as by then they already had two outs.

Overall a great baseball experience even though the Red Sox lost. It certainly would have been fun to see them win, but at least it was an exciting game. Mik might hate the extra innings games, but this one he at least liked until the 11th inning began and Papelbon did not return to pitch. He only liked the 10th because that is when Papelbon came in, which would not have happened if the Red Sox had won in the bottom of the 9th.