As Opening Day draws inexorably closer, one's thoughts turn unavoidably to the greatest sports-related travel itineraries in North American sports: Baseball road trips.
It's the combination of a number of factors that makes baseball foremost among sports in road-trip opportunities. It's an outdoor game in summer weather. It's got tickets that are usually both available and affordable. It's the beauty of the three-game series, which allows for scheduling flexibility. And of course, it's the only sport where the contours of the playing field are actually unique everywhere you go.
In 2002, a good friend and I saw Brewers-Pirates, D'backs-Cubs (in an afternoon game that we just made), Twins-White Sox, Phillies-Brewers (yes, the roof really does leak), Mariners-Tigers, Mariners-Tribe and Jays-Orioles -- where we missed the first game of a Saturday doubleheader but caught the nightcap, and the filming of the "first pitch" scene in Chris Rock's Head of State. Always dangerous with a mic in his hand, Rock thanked the fans for cheering during his scene, and thanked the Orioles "for being the only team in baseball with a black mascot."
Anyway, two more friends are hitting the road with me this August. We'll revisit some favourites, and check out the Great American Ball Park and the new Citizens Bank Park for the first time. Here's our planned itinerary:
Fri Aug 6: Toronto at N.Y. Yankees, 7:05.
Sat Aug 7: Texas at Baltimore, 4:35.
Sun Aug 8: Boston at Detroit, 1:05.
Mon Aug 9: Day off in Chicago.
Tue Aug 10: Kansas City at White Sox, 8:05 (7:05 CDT).
Wed Aug 11: San Diego at Cubs, 8:05 (7:05 CDT).
Thu Aug 12: Toronto at Cleveland, 7:05.
Fri Aug 13: San Diego at Cincinnati, 7:05.
Sat Aug 14: Colorado at Pittsburgh, 7:05.
Sun Aug 15: San Francisco at Philadelphia, 1:35 or 8:05.
Opening up the floor, does anyone else have baseball road trip stories? Any planned trips for '04 -- major league, minor league, Grapefruit League?
As the trip draws closer, I'll give out contact information in case any Bauxites will be in the area of any of these ballparks, and want to meet up (kind of a roving, non-denominational Cheer Club event). We'll take in batting practice and talk baseball!
PS. If you want to see Wrigley, act quickly. Cubs tickets went on sale today.
https://www.battersbox.ca/article.php?story=20040227033706999