One of the things I love most about baseball is the sense of community it gives me and so many others. Having the ability to connect with people near and far is something I cherish. In order to get the most of this opportunity, I decided to take on a challenge…
Visiting all 30 professional ballparks by the time I turn 30!
My love for the game and my passion for travel inspired me to take on this journey. But the idea that I could share this experience with so many of you — whether that be in person, or via social media — as I visit and review each park, is what motivated me to go through with this personal challenge.
As I check ballparks off my list, I plan to write up a short (or long) review of each visit. Each review will give the ballpark an overall grade, factoring in 3 major components.
The first: atmosphere. This will include how the ballpark feels: Is it a newer stadium, or more traditional? The crowd energy and who the park caters to, the “extras” the park offers and more.
The next category will give insight to the area surrounding the park. Is there a designated street/bar where people gather before the game? How accessible is the park and what are the options to get there? Can you tell the area around the park caters to baseball fans, or do you have to enter the park to get any sort of gameday experience?
The final category will be food/drink options. This one is pretty self-explanatory, but I’ll fill you in on what food and dietary restrictions the park does or doesn’t cater to, and what kind of drinks they offer. Whether or not they have local cuisine or drinks on the menu, or if the park goes the more traditional route when it comes to refreshments.
I’ll be giving each of the above categories a grade from 1-5. To keep this on-brand and corny, the grades will range from a single (1) to a grand slam (5). If something is really terrible, it will earn a grade of zero, also known as a strikeout. Get it? Baseball.
Each review will end with any notes on ballpark or team traditions. I won’t factor this into my rating system, because who am I to judge a tradition I’m experiencing for the first time or one that outlives me by many years?
I’m so excited to start this journey and can’t wait to hear from or meet you all as I make my way to every ballpark across the US!
Follow me on Twitter @mollyburkhardt!
Awesome!