The most important event in US baseball - the World Series - is coming up at the end of the month, which is a suitable reason to do a post about the five most iconic ballparks.
Even if you do not follow the game, these venues carry enough history and entertainment that they’ll be appreciated even by non-fans. Oh, and by the way, here are some tips for attending your first baseball game at The Most Iconic Ballparks to Visit in the USA.
The Most Iconic Ballparks to Visit in the USA
Fenway Park
Photo by Jared Vincent/CC BY 2.0
Home to the Boston Red Sox, Fenway Park is not only the oldest ballpark in the country but also the oldest sports arena for a pro team. It was built in 1912 and took its name after the Boston area where it’s located.
One of the most prominent features of the venue is the left wall which stands at 37 ft high and 310 ft away from the home plate and is suitably nicknamed the “Green Monster.” Despite its fame, the stadium is small for MLB standards, with a day and night seating capacity of 37,305 and 37,755, respectively. Since 2012, Fenway Park has been on the National Register of Historic Places.
Wrigley Field
Photo by Ryan Dickey/CC BY 2.0
Yes, this ballpark does take its name after Bill Wrigley Jr., the same person who founded the famous gum company. He took an interest in the Chicago Cubs and by 1921 was already the majority shareholder.
The Wrigley Field is the second oldest baseball stadium after Fenway Park with several notable features that make this place iconic. One of the most iconic features of this place is that the scoreboard is manually operated and it was only in 2015 that the place was equipped with a Jumbotron.
Dodger Stadium
Photo by Frederick Dennstedt/CC BY-SA 2.0
If you are planning a ballpark visiting trip then another must-visit, of course, is the Los Angeles Dodger Stadium. The ballpark is home to the LA Dodgers who have six World Series triumphs under their belt and sportsbooks place them among the favorites for winning this season's World Series as well.
An interesting fact you might not know is that the team that became the LA Dodgers started off in Brooklyn in 1883 as the Brooklyn Atlantics. Forty-seven years later they renamed themselves the Brooklyn Dodgers, and it was only in 1957 that they moved to LA.
Yankee Stadium
Photo by Coasttocoast/CC BY-SA 3.0
Even those not interested in baseball are bound to hear about the New York Yankees at least once during their lifetime. With a record of 27 World Series won, the team is only two triumphs short of having as many as the next three teams combined. Is there any better reason to visit their home? An important note, though.
Since 2009 the Yankees have been playing on the “new” Yankee Stadium which was built right across the original one which in turn was built in 1923. Unfortunately, the old venue was demolished in 2010.
On the upside, you can still experience some of its spirit by visiting the new arena which features a replica of the frieze that was decorating the old venue. The Yankees Hall of Fame (called Monument Park) was also relocated to the new team home.
Oracle Park
The home of the San Francisco Giants made this list because it is perhaps the ballpark with the most scenic view. The ballpark is located right next to the San Francisco Bay and the area past the right field wall is known as McCovey Cove.
As a matter of fact, until this year the place was called AT&T Park. Another thing that the ballpark is known for is the good food. There is also a Coca-Cola fan lot that features an 80 ft Coca Cola bottle-shaped construction with slides inside of it and a giant baseball glove.
An important note about Oracle Park is that in 2010 it was awarded a LEED Silver Certification for Existing Buildings, Operations and Maintenance. The LEED program awards buildings for their “green” practices.
In 2015 the ballpark received a Gold certificate while this year it was awarded a Platinum which is the highest level of recognition by the organization.
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