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August 18, 2004
Riding Around America: The Other Chicago Ballpark
Yesterday was Pepsi half price night at U.S. Cellular Field, formerly known as Comiskey Park so I picked up a ticket for a seat in the upper deck for a mere $8. Originally built in 1991 to replace the original Comiskey Park, the stadium was renamed last year and has had a host of improvements recently which make it a pretty good place to see a ballgame.
When I arrived, the Detroit Tigers were taking batting practice. They had just finished when dark clouds started to roll in and the few fans in the ballpark were treated to thunder and lightning. Soon, rain was falling and I was experiencing my first rain delay. The grounds crew pulled a large tarp over the infield, the fans ran for cover and we waited. Around game time the skies really opened up and the downpour made it look like the game would be cancelled. After taking some photos of the rain I stood in one of the entrances to the upper deck and watched the Twins game on the big screen in center field. Of all the ballparks I’ve been to, U.S. Cellular has the biggest and best jumbotron I’ve ever seen. Watching the Twins while waiting for the game to end was a pleasure.
As quickly as it had begun, the shower ended and the clouds drifted off over the lake. The grounds crew rolled up the tarp and fans started brushing the rain off their seats. The game started off with a bang when the Tigers hit the second pitch of the game into left field for a home run. There were lots of Tigers fans in the crowd and they all cheered. This made me feel good because I, being a Twins fans, was naturally cheering for the Tigers also.
In addition to having a great scoreboard, the stadium also has some really nice grass. This may seem like a strange thing to say but I am fascinated by baseball fields and the stadium has beautiful deep green grass, neatly mowed in straight vertical lines.
This game was the first time that I’ve kept score, which was a nice way to stay “in” the game. Keeping score also appeals to my obsessive-compulsive side. Although I was concentrating on filling in the scorecard it was impossible not to miss the large group of loud fans in my section. These guys were hilarious. They were all drinking and yelling and screaming. When a kid nearby had his birthday displayed on the big screen in center field, the group, who didn’t know him beforehand, chanted his name and sang Happy Birthday to him in the eighth inning.
Eventually the White Sox bats came alive, the game ended up being quite a slugfest and I was finally able to see the famous exploding scoreboard in action. The term is actually a misnomer however because the scoreboard itself doesn’t actually explode. It did at the old Comiskey Park but these days that’s probably a lawsuit waiting to happen. Today’s scoreboard does have spinning pinwheels and flashing lights which are complemented by fireworks that explode over left field when a homerun is hit, which happened twice last night. The fireworks added a nice touch to the ballgame and the fans love them.
During this game I found several reasons to dislike the White Sox (as if I didn’t dislike them enough already). Basically, they look sloppy. They show no hustle on the base paths or when taking the field which is why, in the end, the Tigers prevailed.
Overall, U.S. Cellular Field is a common ballpark. It’s a nice place to watch a ballgame but it isn’t spectacular like Wrigley Field or Camden Yards. The fans are fickle and didn’t hesitate to boo when the White Sox made bad plays. They also went home in the seventh and eighth innings despite the fact that the Sox had rallied to within a few runs of the Tigers. But despite all this, U.S. Cellular Field is a nice place to watch a Chicago baseball team, especially if you refuse to pay exorbitant ticket prices to see the Cubs.
Posted on August 18, 2004 at 11:03 AM
Comments
I love the white sox, but agree with one of your reasons not to, especially the lack of hustle. I complain about it every day. Yet, I don't know how, but they are 10 games up on the twins right now. Go figure.
I found your site because I was looking for a picture of the inside of sox park. I am going to put it on the desktop of a cubs fan when she goes out of town. thanks!
Posted by: steve at June 29, 2005 3:28 AM