Sunday April 22, 2012

Paul Swaney and Son

Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Writer and @chuckbooth3024)- I was fortunate to talk with Paul Swaney about Comerica Park recently.  Amongst the ball park chaser community (or any sports community for that matter), Paul Swaney has come to the forefront as one the top stadium reviewers for all of sports in the world.  Paul had a vision of starting a website to chronicle his own sports venue experiences.  He thought of this as soon as his son was born.  Since then, he co-founded the stradiumjourney.com website and they have since gone into publication as a magazine.  Paul has made it his full-time job to provide information on hundreds of sporting venue’s around the globe.  Get to know this man and website because he is going places with his new venture.  I asked Paul Swaney to be part of my featured profiles of ‘The Fastest 30 Ball Games'” and am pleased that he accepted my invitation.

CB: “Welcome to the Comerica Park Expert interview Paul, please about yourself and  then give us a bit of background information on your life as Tigers fan?”

PS: “I grew up in Northern Michigan, and the Tigers were definitely the first team I really loved. I remember watching the Tigers in the 1984 World Series, one of my first sports memories. The following season, my dad, my brother, and I traveled to Tiger Stadium. I remember the excitement I felt as the Tigers clashed with the Red Sox on a sunny September afternoon. The dark blue of the stadium, the green of the field, and the energy of being in a large urban setting for the first time of my life are still vivid memories.”

CB: “Your website/magazine business Stadium Journey.com has exploded into one of the best venue information sites in the world.  Did you ever think it was going to grow this much this fast?”

PS: “Stadium Journey has been an amazing experience. I intended for this site to be a one-man show. I just wanted to do something epic with my two passions; sports and travel. We have now grown to a team of 70 writers stretched out all around the world, with more than 850 stadiums reviewed to date (as of March 20, 2012).”

CB: “Is Stadium Journey going to come out with a Baseball Magazine in the near future?  Where can people find your Magazine copies for sale right now?”

PS: “We currently produce a monthly magazine and plan to issue a MLB-themed edition in May 2012. There will be plenty of more baseball pieces in the future, and you can expect to see travel guides of both major and minor league stadiums as we continue to grow.”

CB:”Describe the differences between what the experience is like now at Comerica Park for a baseball game, as oppose to Old Tiger Stadium?”

PS: “Comerica Park is a much more family-friendly environment. From the Ferris wheel to the carousel, the walkability of the ballpark, as well as the resurgence in the neighborhood; it all lends itself to a great ballpark to visit. Tiger Stadium was more of a classic baseball stadium. It was quirky and historical. The short porch in right field and the cavernous center field made for a fun park to see a game. I feel like Comerica is the superior ballpark experience, as much as I loved my visits to Tiger Stadium.”

CB: “What is your favorite method of transportation to and from Comerica Park?”

PS: “I usually drive to Comerica Park, and park in one of the nearby garages. I also like to take the People Mover and park further away on occasion, especially if I want to grab a meal in Greek Town.”

CB: “What advice would you give for somebody experiencing Comerica Park For the very first time?”

PS:  “Sit in the lower deck on the left field side, but bring sun screen. I like that side of the stadium because I am close to the statues in left field, as well as the carousel and ferris wheel closer to home plate. Don’t get a hot dog, stick with the kielbasa instead, a much more beloved encased meat in Detroit.

CB: “What is the food like at Comerica Park? What is your favorite ballpark food there?”

PS: “The food is solid. I like to get a Little Caesars pizza, but the Kielbasa is a must have.”

CB: “What is your favorite all time game that you have been in attendance for at Comerica Park or Old Tigers Stadium?”

PS: “On June 17, 1997 I was at Tiger Stadium for interleague play against the Marlins. Bobby Bonilla hit a home run over the right field roof, the 33rd and final time it occurred. I was really glad to have seen that once in my lifetime.”

CB: “With the addition of Prince Fielder to the already stellar lineup, ow do you think the Tigers will fare in 2012?”

PS: “It is hard to think that the Tigers won’t easily win the division, and are probably the odds on favorite to win the World Series. Those aren’t real fair expectations though in my mind. Losing Victor Martinez will be a huge issue for the Tigers, so even with Prince in the line-up my hope is just that they’ll make the playoffs, and then we’ll take things from there.”

CB: “As a fan of the team, can you describe what winning a World Series  might do for the city of Detroit?  Were you a fan when they last won the Series in 1984?”

PS: “1984 certainly made me a fan of the Tigers. It wasn’t until that World Series that I really began to love baseball. In 1985 I began collecting cards, playing baseball all the time, going to games, keeping score while I watched games on TV listening to George Kell and Al Kaline, or the great Ernie Harwell on the radio. A World Series this year would be fantastic. I think it is sometimes overblown what sports accomplishments do for the city of Detroit. It is a city that is struggling, but so is much of the state of Michigan. A Tigers World Series victory in 2012 would be great for all Michiganders, and Tigers fans wherever they may roam.”

CB: “Thank-you Paul.”

***Thank you to our Comerica Park Expert- Paul Swaney for participating in today’s expert article series.  To learn more about Paul and his website click here***

Follow Paul Swaney on Twitter @PaulSwaney

 ***Thank you to our Lead Baseball Writer- Chuck Booth for preparing today’s feature on MLB reports.  To learn more about “The Fastest 30 Ballgames” and Chuck Booth, you can follow Chuck on Twitter (@ChuckBooth3024) and you can also follow Chuck’s website for his Guinness Book of World Record Bid to see all 30 MLB Park in 23 days click here  or on the 30 MLB Parks in 23 days GWR tracker at the Reports click here. To Purchase or read about “The Fastest 30 Ballgames Book, ” please click here ***

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