Chicago, IL - The Cub

05/31/2011 - Chicago Cubs - Wrigley Field

Roughly 1,000 miles into our journey, we arrived at our "true" destination - Chicago, Illinois. You see, we have family in Chicago and when you tell people that you are embarking on a cross-country journey with a one year old, it's easier to explain with a "we're going to see family" than a "we're going to baseball games." You may know our hosts from such posts as Waco, TX and the Baylor Bears and after what seemed like forever on the road, it was great to see familiar faces (NOTE: I originally typed friendly faces but we were in the midwest - every face is a friendly face).

We stayed in Evanston, which is northern suburb of Chicago, and headed into the city on the "L", which is Chicago's elevated train. As the train rumbled above the city, we were offered occasional glimpses of downtown Chicago and Lake Michigan and then before we knew it, we arrived at the Addison stop, climbed down the stairs, and were right in the middle of Wrigleyville. For those who have never been to a ballpark set in the middle of a city, it is a sight. On gameday, pedestrians take over with streets blocked off from cars and restaurants pouring out onto the sidewalk turning a Tuesday afternoon into a party. As we were posing in front of the iconic Wrigley Field sign and I realized that although I've been a lot of cool places, I could now say that I've been to Yankee Stadium (the old one), Fenway and Wrigley. As any baseball fan would acknowledge, that's something to brag about.

Walking into the stadium, we were greeted by the smell of cooked meats and decades of beer soaked into concrete. We found our section and hiked up the stairs, all the while hoping that we hadn't paid to sit behind a pillar (the really old stadiums tend to have some obstructed views - it's charming, provided that it's not your view that's obstructed). Fortunately, the seats that we scored off Stubhub (quite cheaply, I might add), gave us clear sight lines of everything except for a little bit of short center field. For those unwilling to risk it and unwilling to pay for the primo seats, I suggest the bleachers. The bleachers at Wrigley are, from everything I've read, an experience. We unfortunately didn't have time for two games while in town and since you can't pass freely from the bleachers to the rest of the stadium, it'll have wait until our next trip to Chicago. Nevertheless, the 7 of us had a blast doing all the things that make a Cubs game unique. We sang "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" at the 7th inning stretch. We listened to the organ play. We watched Carlos Zambrano lose his cool and snap a bat over his knee. And by the end of the night, I'm pretty sure that we had converted my niece into a baseball fan (hot dogs and nachos in a helmet will do that!).

Unfortunately, the Cubs blew a ninth inning lead and fell to the Astros. But it didn't ruin our fun and I got to explain to our hosts that the white "L" flag that was raised above the manual scoreboard after the game was a tradition to help people passing by on the trains to know if the Cubs won or lost that day. Up until 1988, the Cubs played all of their home games during the day so it was common for commuters coming home from work to be passing the stadium after the game was over. As we exited back into Wrigleyville, we were picked up by the sea of people heading back to the L or into the bars. While it looked like the postgame party was just getting started, we had too many kids with us to consider anything other than the red line express home.

I love seeing the different parks and stadiums throughout the country and finding what makes them unique. In some cases, it's a local cuisine or a famous fan that dresses up for every game. Other times, it's the attitude of the locals and their passion for their team. But every once in while, you can just sit down and enjoy what a stadium doesn't have that makes it unique. No electronic scoreboard. No jumbotron. No excessive advertising plastered everywhere. You can just sit there and stare over the real grass field and the ivy covered wall and out into the skyline of Chicago and smile.

Milwaukee, WI - Bernie Brewer

5/29/2011 - Milwaukee Brewers -Miller Park

Our favorite stop of the trip, by far. Milwaukee is a city with a nice amount of space around it which leads to unclogged roads, cheaper parking and as a result, a lot less hassle when it comes to getting to your parking place. And once there, you look around and see tailgating. At a baseball game. I'm not talking about a few people here or there unwrapping some subs or something. This is full-fledged, get out the Weber, throw the pigskin around the parking lot stuff throughout the entire lot. At that moment it occurred to me that between Brewers, Badgers and Packers games, these people have - within an hour radius - about 100 days of tailgating a year. Before I could even comment, Mrs. Mascot Hunter looked at me and said "I think we're home!"

As we made our way from the Uecker lot over to the entrance, we were nearly run over by the Racing Sausages who were on their way to meet their adoring fans and pose for photo-ops. After snagging a few pics ourselves, we entered

Miller Park and were immediately overwhelmed by the smells of cooked meats. The stadium opened in 2001 and is unique in that it has the only fan-shaped retractable roof in baseball. Due to storms in the area, the roof was closed for our game and it struck me that it was the first time that I ever watched an indoor game. Besides the roof, the most noticeable aspect of the stadium is Bernie's slide, a bright yellow, two-story sliding board that juts out of the left field bleachers and is used anytime that the Brewers hit a home run or clinch a victory.

We had purchased tickets on StubHub and managed to land just beyond the first base bag in the back of the lower section. Miller Park has one of the most wide-ranging seating prices you'll find, with tickets ranging from the $100, right-on-top-of-the-action seats all the way down to the Uecker seats, a $1 tickets that offers you a moderately obstructed view. We walked all through the stadium and made it as high as Bernie's Terrace, which is the 400 level high above left field, and I can tell you that the $35 each we paid for the lower bowl was well worth it. Acrophobics beware - while Bernie's Terrace is cheaper and gets you closer to the moustached man himself, it is WAAAAAAAAY up there.

The most famous part of the game is, of course, the Famous Sausage Race. Taking place in the middle of the 6th inning, it is the daily race between the five Famous Klement's Racing Sausages (video coming soon). Our winner was Hot Dog and while I made it my goal for the day to eat all five of the contestants, my stomach ran out of room after Bratwurst, Polish Sausage and Hot Dog. Although their website states that racers must be employees of the Milwaukee Brewers, it has been my mission for many years now to be in this race. Hopefully one day, the good folks in the land of brats and beer will make an exception for a chubby guy with a dream!

The only miss on our trip was Bernie, who hung out in his dugout for the entire game. It is to be noted that the Brewers offer a Bernie's slide experience, which allows you to enter the stadium early, meet and greet with Bernie and even slide down his slide. Unfortunately, one of our group did not meet the 8 years old and older criteria (plus it's $200 a person), so it'll have to wait for next time. And yes, there will certainly be a next time!!!

Meet the Sausages

Brett Wurst (Bratwurst)

Stosh (Polish Sausage)

Guido (Italian Sausage)

Frankie Furter (Hot Dog)

Cinco (Chorizo)

Detroit, MI - Paws

5/27/2011 - Detroit Tigers - Comerica Park

The first stop on our road trip was Detroit, Michigan, home to the Detroit Tigers. Their current home, Comerica Park, opened in 2000 as a replacement for Tiger Stadium and is located in the heart of downtown Detroit. Our path into town took us right down Michigan Avenue and while it wasn't quite lined with the potholes and burning cars that the news makes it out to be, you immediately realize that this once thriving automotive city has indeed fallen on hard times. Parking next to the stadium was easy and an average cost for a ballgame ($20) and the giant Tigers at the main entrance were a very unique touch.

It was Polish Heritage Night in Detroit, which is why our friend Paws here is dressed up a little different from his usual garb. We were treated to pregame dancing on the field by costumed groups and the Polish National Anthem, which kinda sounded like a polka and really made me feel like I should be drinking and singing along. And before I get any Polish hatemail, I mean that as a good thing!

Detroit is known for their Coneys so we ordered up a few only to be greeted by this cheese, chili and onion-covered caloric monstrosity. I assure you that after some digging with a knife and fork that I was able to locate the hot dog inside of this mess and that it was delicious. Even after eating these, the smell of fresh-roasted cinnamon pecans that took over the concourse was too much to resist and we picked up a few bags to get us through the night (and as it turned out, the rest of our roadtrip).

The weather was downright frigid but it didn't stop the fans from packing the place for the Friday night game against the Red Sox. And despite Detroit's reputation as, let's just say not the most kid-friendly town in the US, Comerica Park was amazing for having a little guy. They had a kids area as well as a ferris-wheel and a merry-go-round for a nominal fee to keep everyone happy. As for the game itself, the Tigers fell behind early and were never really able to handle Tim Wakefield's knuckleball. Even with the cold, the rain and the score, the fans stayed until the end, belting out Journey's "Don't Stop Believing" in the middle of the eighth inning. Unfortunately, the team that was "born and raised in south Detroit" came up short 6-3.

We were on a tight schedule so there wasn't any time for sightseeing while in Detroit but that doesn't mean there isn't anything to suggest. Detroit is the birthplace of Motown and the Hitsville U.S.A. building still stands as a museum to one of the greatest musical styles ever produced. Right across the street from Comerica is the Fox Theater, which is an amazing building both inside and out and based on the names of upcoming acts currently gracing the facade, is doing its job to keep commerce flowing into a proud city that seems to be on its way to getting firmly back on its feet.

Next post... Meet the Sausages (or is it Meat the Sausages?)

THE ROAD TRIP - 2011

We just pulled back into town after one of the more epic baseball road trips imaginable. We (that would be yours truly, Mrs. Mascot Hunter and our 16 month old Junior member) took an 11 day swing to MLB games in Detroit, Milwaukee, Chicago and Cincinnati. Keep checking back over the next week or two as I get the individual games posted - as well as some other things from our journey - but for now I can offer a picture of Mr. Redlegs with a squirt gun and a summary of our trip, by the numbers...

11 days

7 states (PA, OH, MI, IN, IL, WI, WV)

2,078 miles

14 tubed meat products consumed

8 mascot photos

96 degrees - high temp @ Cincinnati on 6/4

52 degrees (and raining) - low temp @ Detroit on 5/27

$267.03 spent on gasoline

4,870 La Quinta rewards points earned

$885.39 spent on food and entertainment

1 pound lost (apparently a diet of stadium food just sheds the pounds)

Next post... Detroit Tigers

Baltimore, MD - The Oriole Bird

5/20/2011 - Baltimore Orioles - Camden Yards

Our never-ending trek through the American sports landscape found us back in Baltimore, MD last night, this time at the home of the Baltimore Orioles. I've been an O's fan since birth and while I wish I could provide some sort of glowing recap of the game (or the last dozen years for that matter), the fact is that the O's lost to their beltway rivals, the Washington Nationals. In fact, they did it in record setting style, yielding 17 runs. The only good new to report was that we missed the last field goal as the night extended past the littlest mascot hunter's bedtime (seriously, do the Washington Redskins ever even score 17?).

Fortunately, we're about the experience and not the outcome and as usual, Camden does not disappoint. When baseball's stadium design renaissance began in the early 1990s, Camden Yards was the pioneer. It was the first stadium built in a long time that didn't have the multi-sport cookie-cutter park feel to it. It opened in 1992 to tremendous fanfare and nightly sellouts. Built adjacent to the old B&O Warehouse the dominates the right field skyline and only blocks from Inner Harbor, it is the perfect example of an urban stadium that is easily accessible and fan-friendly.

While it's always fun to go to a new location, whenever I return to somewhere that I have been many times before, I always seem to find something new. During my (probably) 30 trips to Oriole games, I've never had the privilege to sit right behind the dugout until last night. What I learned was that those posh seats with the cupholders... they don't work if you are 6' 1". I had one knee wedged in the seat in front of me and my other foot shoved back under the seat. I felt like one of the $4 pretzels. In fact, before first pitch we had relocated closer to the foul pole into seats that allowed me to enjoy both the game and having feeling below my knees.

The clown-car seats notwithstanding, it was a great night. As big cities go, Baltimore is fairly easy to get in and out of (both in finding places and avoiding horrendous traffic) and the people are very friendly. I was astounded to see how many beer vendors knew the patrons by name (and vice versa) - although that could also have something to do with the Orioles success lately. We got to hang out with the Bird, sing Thank God I'm A Country Boy at the 7th inning stretch and see plenty of offense (even if it was the other team).

I think the Orioles are on their way back. The pitching is young but improving and management is making the right decisions to build for the not-so-distant future. I really hope that I'm right because as great as Camden Yards is, a sold-out Camden Yards was truly a sight to behold.

Harrisburg, PA - Grrrrounder

4/17/2010 - Harrisburg Senators - Metro Bank Park

What an improvement. I tried to think of more creative ways to start this post but for someone who had been to Senators games as a kid, someone who's first impressions of minor league baseball were shaped by metal, bleacher-style seat stadiums with outfield walls that appeared to be billboards fastened together... Like I said, what an improvement.

Metro Bank Park is located on City Island, which is a tiny island just west of downtown Harrisburg. It's accessible from both sides of the river and boasts not only the beautiful new home to the Double-A affiliate to the Washington Nationals, but also an arcade, batting cages, a mini golf course, sand volleyball and much more. We started this site to show people how to turn a game into a full-day activity and Harrisburg is one of the few places that you can do this without even moving your car. Add the fact that Hersheypark (the sweetest place on Earth) is right down the road and you have the makings of a full weekend.

The game itself was fairly well attended, especially considering it was 37 degrees at first pitch and Nats phenom Stephen Strasburg had just pitched the night before. Truthfully, the one bright spot of the Nationals struggles the last few years is that their farm system is stocked with young talent that you can see up close and personal for a discount until they make it to the big leagues. And Metro Bank Park and my previously mentioned upgrades? Well, you now get a seat instead of a spot on a metal bleacher (and a good seat at that) and they added tabletop seating to the outfield wall, a nice touch that almost feels like the merging of a bar and a ballgame. Also, for those that like a closer view of the action, you can sneak below the stands to check out the bullpen and get incredibly close to the field of play. With the arrival of Independent League teams in the area over the last decade, Harrisburg took the initiative to keep up with the competition and did a great job.

There was, however, one issue with the stadium that I felt needed mentioned. Without getting political, I think it is fair to say that there has been some unhealthy political discourse in our country the last few years. A lot of Americans seem fed up with taking the politicians crap and paying for it. So when I went to the food stand behind home plate looking to buy a hotdog and was greeted by this sign asking me to pay $5 for Senator Shits, I was appalled. I was outraged. And then I was re-directed to the boardwalk fries stand in center field, which was delicious. Seriously, guys, maybe take a step back and notice that you are stringing together a few letters that might not belong in a row.

Regardless of the ill-conceived signage, Metro Bank Park is a great venue for a game with an incredible amount of activities in the area. Whether you spend the day on City Island with your family, take a date to the nearby attractions of Hershey or hit the bars and restaurants along Front Street, a Senators game is great way to spend the day.

Presidents Race Video

Good to be back from a winter hiatus and looking forward to another fun summer of baseball games. We're planning some good trips so stay tuned - in the meantime, here is the video from the President's Race that I promised last summer.

Blacksburg, VA - The Hokie Bird

11/4/2010 - Virginia Tech Hokies - Lane Stadium

Blacksburg, Virginia is a tiny college town in the southwest corner of the state. To say it is in the middle of nowhere is really to underestimate how far out "nowhere" can be. Located just off the Route 81 corridor, the closest major cities on that road are Harrisburg, PA (323 mi) and Knoxville, TN (236 mi). So, it begs the question - why venture all the way out here in cold, rainy November? Four words - Thursday night in Blacksburg.

It is synonymous with atmosphere and emotion and it is where ESPN's Thursday night telecasts gained their popularity. While the yearly tradition was originally seen as a way to get additional exposure by being the only game on TV Thursday night, it has evolved into a yearly event and we were excited to finally get it into our travel schedule.

Unfortunately, we only had the day to spend in town so we weren't able to scope out any local eateries or activities this time through, but we made it through the sea of tailgating just in time for the Hokie Walk - their version of the popular team parade into the stadium, complete with band, cheerleaders, team and of course, Hokie Bird.

If you've never been to Lane Stadium before and enjoy the adrenaline rush of the team taking the field, make sure that you are in your seats in plenty of time because no one does it quite like the Hokies. The team gathers in the tunnel as the first few notes of Metallica's "Enter Sandman" begins blasting through the PA System. The crowd begins jumping up and down, shaking the stadium and, well, just watch for yourself. The game itself was a nail-biter with the Hokies picking off a late pass to survive 28-21 against the GA Tech Yellow Jackets. In fact, it was so exciting that we barely had time to leave our seats to get food. Fortunately for us, the concession stands sold Turkey legs that were enough to feed both of us without any return trips to the concourse.

The campus is a beautiful, rural setting and I'm sure that there are plenty of good local eateries (Zeppoli's, The Cellar) and activities. Hopefully our next trip to Lane Stadium will be more than a one day affair and we can see all that the Blue Ridge Mountains have to offer. However, even staying just the one day, we had a great time. And while I can't speak for weekends or day games, there truly is nothing like Thursday night in Blacksburg.

Ole Miss Rebel Black Bears

It's apparently "New Mascot Week" in the SEC...

A day after Georgia introduced their latest Uga to the world, Ole Miss has announced that the Black Bear is the champion of their new mascot selection, beating out a Land Shark (not the Lager) and a human-ish thing called Hotty Toddy that was best described as looking like "Duffman" from the Simpsons.

This whole process is seven years in the making and began when Colonel Reb (basically Colonel Sanders from KFC) was deemed offensive due to its reference to the Confederacy. After much consideration and a period of time where it looked like Admiral Ackbar might take over Oxford, the school narrowed the possible replacements to the three choices. Feelings seem mixed among the students, who are still very supportive of Colonel Reb but will likely be happy to once again have a mascot roaming the sidelines. Now, if they can only beat 'Bama this weekend...

Uga VIII to debut

The most anticipated debut of the season in Athens, GA will take place this Saturday and won't involve a new player or coach. Uga VIII will be introduced in front of the homecoming crowd and take his place as the next in a long line on English Bulldogs to grace the sidelines for the University of Georgia (UGA). Currently weighing in at 55 pounds, UGA VIII is just over a year old and takes over for UGA VII, who passed away last fall. While Georgia's season has not gone according to plan so far, his arrival should spark the team to a strong second half (as long as he doesn't get arrested or try to sell his jersey to an agent).

Bill the Goat (Bill XXXIII)

So... I came dangerously close to being run over by a goat today.

I was in Baltimore for the start of college football season and the Navy/Maryland game. The game itself was what you'd expect for an opener - high energy and a lot of mistakes, especially by Navy in the red zone. After Maryland stopped them at the goal line to clinch a 17-14 Terps victory, we started back to car when past us ran none other than Bill the Goat, the mascot of the Midshipmen. The problem was that his handlers were chasing behind him. I, of course, took up the chase with them until Bill was penned into a corner of the parking lot, darting in and out of the tall grass at the edge of the fence.

While they tried to get a hold of him, it occurred to me that I was the only one between Bill and the exit and those horns are at an unfortunate height and look pretty darn solid. Fortunately, the team of handlers (there must have been at least 10 of them) were able to corral Bill before he made a break my way and they were nice enough to stop for a quick picture before taking him back to Annapolis.

Lancaster with the Phillie Phanatic

Lancaster, PA - 08/14/2010 - Clipper Magazine Stadium

Our tour through the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball landed us in Lancaster, PA on a beautiful Saturday night (mid 70s in August!) for a game between the league's two closest geographic rivals, the York Revolution and the Lancaster Barnstormers. As one of the league's top draws, weekend games in Lancaster typically are close to sold out. Add in a rivalry game and a celebration of all things Philadelphia (with an appearance by the Phillie Phanatic), and those without tickets purchased in advance - namely us - found themselves on the lawn. Although the capacity is officially listed at "6,200+", 8,069 fans turned out to watch Lancaster outslug York 11-7.

Lately, getting mascot pictures had become a little easy. In many cases, we found ourselves at sparsely attended games or at places where the mascot had a set time and location to meet with the fans and pose for pictures. Not this time. We've met Cylo (Lancaster's cow)

a few times before and since Junior is fresh off of his Cheesesteak tasting excursion, we set our sights on the legend himself, the Phillie Phanatic. Watching the Phanatic walk through a sea of people is similar to seeing a politician move through a crowded room. His handlers were telling anyone the would listen "no autographs" and "he won't be stopping for pictures." Lucky for us that there is one thing politicians can't resist - kissing babies. Well done, Junior!

Camden, Philly and a book update

Sorry for the long break since my last post but I've been busy. All this book research and proposal writing is hard work. For instance, just the other week, I found myself sampling cheesesteaks in Philadelphia with Mrs. Mascot Hunter, trying to decide who had the best ones. Ah, the hard life I live. At any rate, the scope of the book has changed slightly to now only include the teams within the Atlantic League. These eight teams span from Connecticut to the southern tip of Maryland and will still allow me to approach the book how I want but will allow more detail on the teams and adventures than I could have fit in with the original plan of 30. I'll update the book's website to reflect this as soon as I get a few free minutes (or my cardiologist bans me from cheesesteak tasting for a week).

To date, I have received one rejection from an literary agent stating, in so many words, that the project was not far along enough to warrant her getting involved. At this moment, I have a completed proposal on my desk awaiting one last proofread and then it will be off to a publisher that I have identified as a possible fit based on some of their previous books. In the meantime, any activity or restaurant suggestions within a hour of Bridgeport, CT, Long Island, Somerset, Camden or Newark, NJ, Lancaster or York, PA or Waldorf, MD are always welcome at mascothunter@aol.com. OK, enough ramblings - you really just wanted to see pictures of us with Finley and Blooper of the Camden Riversharks and a six month old taste-testing cheesesteak. For the record, he preferred the roll at Pat's and the flavor of the steak at Gino's.

Phillie Phanatic Being Sued (Again)

Everyone likes the thought of holding a record at some point in their life (some day, mine will involve the most pictures with mascots and cause most of my in-laws to disown me). Today, however, a present day record got extended as the Phillie Phanatic got sued for $50,000 relating to an injury suffered by a fan at a 2008 Reading Phillies minor league game. Unlike Sluggerr's incident with an air-powered hot dog cannon, this one simply involved climbing through the stands and pushing down on a woman's arthritic knees. Make your own judgments on the merits of the lawsuit but this makes at least 6 such cases since 1990.

When asked why the lawsuits are piling up for the Phanatic, a professor of sports law cited that he had been around since the late 70's (me too), has a "bulky, hard-to-control body" (2 for 2), and we live in "a litigious society." All of a sudden, I'm a little concerned that I too may end up in court some day.

Oh, and if you ever need a character witness, Mr. Phanatic, you know where to find me.

Washington, DC - Jack and the Hoya

01/19/2008 - Georgetown Hoyas - Verizon Center

My intentions were good with this one. Really, they were. My college roommate (you may remember him from such posts as The Leprechaun) loves all things Notre Dame so I figured the perfect Christmas gift would be tickets to the nearest ND sporting event that I could find. That happened to be a basketball game in Washington DC against the 6th ranked Georgetown Hoyas. It's been a few years and my memory has blurred as to the exact details but when ND went down by somewhere around 30 points early in the 2nd half, he sarcastically thanked me again for the thoughtful present and offered to pick up some tickets to see my beloved Oregon Ducks football team get drubbed by USC sometime.

For an off-campus arena, I was very impressed by the student support. As best as I could tell, most of them came to arena on some sort of mass transportation and I don't know about your college experience but the thought of being up by noon on a Saturday much less taking a bus ride and being coherent enough to cheer... Like I said, I was very impressed. Despite the outcome, my roommate was a good enough sport to help me get a picture with the Hoya and Jack, their live animal mascot.

Since it was a professional arena, the food options were typical arena fare - nothing special to report. There are plenty of great eating options in the DC area, from the #1 rated, uber-expensive Komi on 17th Street all the way to Five Guys Burger and Fries (best fast food burgers EVER). So, in other words, there is really no reason to rely upon the arena hotdog to get through a gameday.

A weekend with the Blue Crabs and Nationals

Checked two more parks off the list this past weekend, Regency Furniture Stadium in Waldorf, MD (home of the Atlantic League's Southern MD Blue Crabs) and Nationals Park in Washington, DC (home of the NL Washington Nationals). Other than some lodging issues - when I reserve a non-smoking room, I want a room that people haven't smoked in - it was a fun time. Got to try the Pincher in Waldorf, which is a made to order, deep-fried concoction that can best be summed up as a Shepard's Pie if he were herding hot dogs. Think hot dog and mashed potatoes, deep-fried in a tortilla and then covered in chili and cheese sauce.

Sunday was a fun day in D.C. We managed to meet up with three of the four Rushmores (Abe was fast enough to win the race and elude us). I got a video of the President's Race - I'll try to post it when I have a few free minutes. I'll save the rest of the details of the parks for the book but here are some pictures to keep you entertained...

Arlington, TX - Rangers Captain

05/13/2010 - Texas Rangers - Ameriquest Field

I truly don't know what would possess two college-educated individuals to fly halfway across the country with a four month old (sorry fellow Delta passengers!) but one thing led to another and we found ourselves in Dallas with a free afternoon. Fortunately for us, Major League Baseball has been trending lately towards a "getaway day." These games occur when both teams are leaving town after the game and don't particularly want to play a night game and then hop the redeye to Toronto or Oakland. They typically lead to poor attendance (most people work or are in school on a Thursday afternoon in May) and although I first wrote them off as another way pro athletes were getting soft, I realized that what they really were was an opportunity to snatch up some good seats cheap. Thanks to our old pal StubHub, we paid $9 a ticket and landed in the second row of club level.

Ameriquest Field - formerly called The Ballpark at Arlington - opened in 1994 and serves as the home of the Texas Rangers (MLB). It is easily recognizable by the grassy batter's-eye and the white steel facade office building beyond it in center field. Between the two lies an expansive children's play area, complete with whiffle ball stadium, speed pitch booth and other random kid-friendly activities. Views of the field are good from most areas that I walked around to, including a neat view from beyond the left center field wall where you can both watch the game and peer into the visitor's bullpen.

The game itself was a pitcher's duel, won by the Rangers in extra innings. The highlight of the game for me occurred as the teams were taking the field. Most teams show a montage of their franchises greatest moments - no hitters thrown, pennants won, etc. While the Rangers did that, they finished the video with probably the greatest fight of all time. You know the one that ended with the batter, Robin Ventura of the White Sox, ending up in a headlock administered by non other than team president and baseball hall-of-famer Nolan Ryan.

The people were very friendly and the large number of students in attendance (they claimed to be on field trips) made for a fairly enthusiastic bunch. We tracked down Rangers Captain around the 6th inning after he had finished leading everyone in singing "Deep in the Heart of Texas." I wanted to ask him why his name wasn't Walker (you know - Walker, Texas Ranger) but his handler mumbled something about being scared of Chuck Norris so I decided to let it go. The food options were mostly standard ballpark fare but I was impressed at the oversized bottles of water for only $3. I guess everything is bigger in Texas.

This game brings me to 12 major league parks (9 current). While I am certain to be adding to that total in the near future, I am focusing my immediate efforts towards writing a travel book about baseball, food and fun in the mid-atlantic states. If you want to follow my progress or contribute any ideas or insight (please do), you can find all you need at baseballtravel.blogspot.com. Whether or not it ever makes it to print is anyone's guess but as usual, I'm going to just enjoy the ride and see where it takes me. In the meantime, I'll be checking in here whenever I end up someplace not destined for the book.

-MH

Hagerstown, MD - Woolie

04/30/2010 - Hagerstown Suns - Municipal Stadium

Our never-ending tour through the minor leagues continued last night in Hagerstown, MD, home of the Hagerstown Suns. Even though it is only the end of April, it is our 4th minor league game so far this year and our 3rd different stadium. The Suns are the Single-A affiliate of the Washington Nationals and play in one of the oldest minor league ballparks in the country, Municipal Stadium. The stadium was built in 1930 and despite a few recent renovations it is still truly a glimpse into the old days of minor league baseball.

If you've ever watched Bull Durham - and if you haven't please stop reading now and go rent it - walking into Municipal Stadium gives you the immediate feeling that Crash Davis is about to jog out of the home dugout. The seats only extend from first base to third base and only the first 3 rows are actually seats. The rest are grandstand benches and a recently-added, standing room only beer garden in left field. The press box? Well, Mrs. Mascot Hunter described it as a trailer parked on the roof and I can't really come up with a better description.

The field itself had some unique nuances as well, most notably in left field. As you approach the warning track, the ground starts to go uphill until you reach the wall. The wall itself is probably around 30 feet tall, presumably to help protect the homes and businesses on the other side of it, and straight away left field has a manual scoreboard where the scoreboard cowboy hangs giant numbers on pegs on the front of the board. This place is seriously old school.

Not only did Crash Davis not jog out of the dugout but Nook LaLoosh wasn't starting for the Suns tonight either. The second batter of the game hit one so far that it should have had a flight attendant on it (seriously folks, watch the movie). The visiting Augusta Green Jackets jumped all over the home team early and coasted to a 14-6 victory. Even though the crowd couldn't have totaled more than a few hundred people, they were very vocal and even cheered loudly for Mrs. Mascot Hunter when she took the field in the eighth inning to race in the shopping cart derby. Although she lost the race back to the on deck circle, we left with a bag full of complimentary groceries for her troubles.

And of course, there was Woolie. Listed at 7 feet, 9 inches tall and 593 1/2 pounds, Woolie seems to be some sort of caterpillar. I don't know how that ties in with the Suns nickname but I've learned not to question things with that much of a size advantage on me so we just tracked him down and smiled for the camera.

Note: This was Junior's second mascot picture but the first that he was awake for. If you look closely at the picture, you can see the mixture of fear and uncertainty towards his parents.

New York, NY - Mr. Met

06/19/2009 - NY Mets - Citi Field

I've had the privilege to travel into NYC on many occasions in my lifetime and as travel cities go, I can't imagine anywhere exceeding the experience that the Big Apple has to offer. There are

Broadway shows and some of the best (not to mention diverse) restaurants in the world. You can spend days just being a tourist - wandering around Times Square, taking the ferry out to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. Depending on the time of year, you can witness the ringing in of the new year or the downing of dozens of Coney Island hot dogs. No matter what you enjoy, you can find it in New York City.

This trip to New York was courtesy of my birthday present from Mrs. Mascot Hunter and consisted of a dream weekend for me. We got into the city Thursday night and spent Friday just being tourists. We stayed in Queens and rode the subway into the city. After walking through Central Park and heading to the Top of the Rock for some very picturesque views of the city, our stomachs led us into Times Square and right to John's Pizzeria. This pizza shop is located in an old church and between the views of the stained glass and the smells of the brick ovens, has

unbelievable ambiance (yes, a pizza joint can have ambiance). After trekking through the city for most of the day, we took the subway to Flushing and right to Citi Field, the brand spanking new home of the NY Mets.

First of all, I love taking mass transportation to a sporting event. It seems to build a feeling of camaraderie amongst the fans. Instead of fighting someone for a parking space that you just paid $20 for, you can talk about the starting pitcher or the cleanup hitter with a complete stranger - a unique experience that you won't find too many places. Upon exiting the subway, any baseball fan with a sense of history will be floored by Citi Field's first impression.

The facade of the park was designed to mimic the old Ebbets Field, home to the Brooklyn Dodgers from 1913-1960. Once inside, you walk through Jackie Robinson Rotunda. This area is dedicated the man who broke the color barrier in major league baseball 63 years ago today. Quotes and pictures of the baseball legend fill the great hall and in the center is a sculpture of his retired jersey number. As a interesting side note, it was the first time I have ever stood in front of an eight-foot tall statue broadcasting my pant size.

The stadium itself is magnificent and, as you would expect, well attended. Our Pepsi Porch tickets (right field - upper deck) cost upwards of $90 each on the secondary market but due to the unique overhang of the section over the field, ended up being pretty nice seats. We were treated to a home run by the home team and an appearance by the home run apple in center field (a tradition carried over from the team's days at Shea Stadium). Unfortunately, the closest we got to Mr. Met was his appearance on the Jumbotron. Although the mascot picture is our calling card, its hard to be disappointed since Mr. Met's elusiveness just means we'll have to go back again.

Despite the late night, we rolled out of bed early Saturday morning and drove out Long Island to Bethpage Black and the rain-soaked second/third round of the US Open (told you it was a dream weekend). It was my second trip to a PGA event (first major) and despite muddy conditions reminiscent of Woodstock, good times were had by all.

After two days and well over 20 miles of walking, we retired to our hotel room with some Chinese takeout and something to clean off my shoes. We left town Sunday morning completely

exhausted and with the list of things we didn't get to do far exceeding what we did. Which poses the question: what to do next time we're in town? Katz's Deli, a Broadway show and a Yankees game? A Rangers game at MSG followed by ice skating at Rockefeller Center? I think the point is that you can't go wrong in New York as long as you show up with a thirst for adventure... and machine washable shoes.