Blog Archives
Chuck Booth’s GWR Streak (Parks 25-29)
The Streak ended at 30 MLB Parks in 23 calendar days!!
I broke my old record of 24 days by being-Fastest to see all 30 MLB parks in 23 days from April 6th to 28th!
Sked is here: fastestthirtyballgames3021.wordpress.com/2012/04/18/30in20/
Follow me-@chuckbooth3024 on twitter
https://mlbreports.com/gwr-tracker/ or at my official website for all updates!
Friday May.4/2012
Chuck Booth and Lori Martini being interviewed by ‘Did The Tribe Win Last Night’ Blog at the Social Suite at Progressive Field.
MLB Park # 25 Day # 20
COL 2 @ PIT 1
April.25/2012
PNC PARK
Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Writer and @chuckbooth3024 on twitter)- My stay in Tampa Bay was a nice one the night before(despite having to commandeering a neighboring hotel just to do some laundry at midnight.) I was too fired up to sleep and there was no chance at all I would risk sleeping in on this day. I had known for a while that this was going to be an epic day. Since the fallout of the missed doubleheader for Cleveland and Baltimore was first established on that San Diego flight, I looked forward to this day thoroughly.
Chuck Booth’s 30 MLB Park Quest: (Games 16-21)
The Streak stands at 23 MLB Parks in 18 calendar days!!
Chuck Booth: I am the World Record Holder for-Fastest to see all 30 MLB parks in 24 days (2009)!
In 2012, I am going for 30 MLB Parks in 23 days from: April 6th to 28th.
Follow me-@chuckbooth3024 on twitter
Follow my streak all the through to the bitter end. Schedule is this link:
https://mlbreports.com/gwr-tracker/ or at my official website for all updates!
fastestthirtyballgames3021.wordpress.com/2012/04/18/30in20/
Tuesday April.24/2012
Ken Lee, Chuck Booth and Doug Miller all at Safeco Field for the game #18 in 14 days on April.19/2012. (They would later be featured on TV several times above the King’s Court Seats. ) Chuck also had a special welcome wave from the TV Jumbo Tron and was given a free gift bag from the Seattle front office.
MLB Park # 16 Day # 12
CHC 2 @ MIA 3
April.17/2012
New Marlins Ball Park
‘Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Writer and @chuckbooth3024 on twiter)- It was a great day for a new baseball park. During this trip, anytime that I have had a single game only for a day, I have felt a little bit more relaxed while watching the action. I flew into FLL (Fort Lauderdale Airport) really early and caught up on some writing. I was fully rewarded with my National Car Rental to the tune of a Chrysler 200 that was black in color. I made my way to my Best Western Hotel near the airport. Check in time was not till 3 PM, but I was able to coerce the staff to let me take a room early. I really appreciate the professional way the Best Western staff always helps me in the travels. Read the rest of this entry
A Ball Park Chaser Guide Courtesy of Ball Park Chasers.com
Friday Apr.20/2012
Kauffman Stadium Chaser Guide is courtesy of ballparkchasers.com
Kansas City, Missouri
Kansas City International Airport (MCI)
27 miles/35 minute drive to Kauffman Stadium
***All underlined words are direct clickable links when you are online***
WHERE TO STAY
Unlimited budget There are no 4 or 5 star hotels close to Kauffman Stadium
Moderate budget All three options are within walking distance of Kauffman Stadium
Clarion Hotel Sports Complex
Drury Inn & Suites Kansas City Stadium
Holiday Inn Kansas City – Waterpark
Chaser budget traveler The following lodging is within 4 miles of Kauffman Stadium
Super 8 Independence, MO
Best Western Truman Inn
Holiday Inn Kansas City Sports Complex
WHERE TO PARK?
Parking at “The K” has never been so easy-it sure beats struggling for a cheap lot at a downtown ballpark. The Kansas City Royals are one of a handful of ball clubs that offer a centralized parking lot in front of their respective stadium. General parking is only $10 and the Royals provide an easy-guide that has directions to either the east or west parking lot, depending on the direction you are coming from. Keep in mind that parking at Kauffman Stadium is cash only. If your trip allows it, we recommend to stay at one of the hotels listed above so you can walk to and from the game.
WHERE TO EAT?
One of our crew’s favorite restaurants in all of baseball is just 15 minutes from Kauffman Stadium. Chappell’s Restaurant and Sports Museum is a must see when coming to Kansas City. Chappell’s not only serves great food, but also is home of the country’s largest collection of sports memorabilia (within a restaurant). Don’t leave here without trying the famous half-pound burger, meeting Jim Chappell (the owner) and finding the autograph baseball from Ty Cobb and the authentic 1974 World Series Trophy!
If you haven’t already noticed in the other Ballpark Chasers Guides, we love “hole-in-the-wall” restaurants and the local favorites. If you feel the same way, look no further than LC’s BBQ. Just four miles from Kauffman Stadium, LC’s can practically be smelled from the seats! Well, that may be an exaggeration, but LC’s is arguably the best BBQ joint in all of Kansas City. Our mouths are watering just thinking of their burnt end sandwiches and fries. A few miles further lay one of the coolest interactive restaurants in the country. The 810 Zone is the place to go to find food made from scratch, interactive televisions at each table, a radio broadcast booth and a colossal collection of high-definition televisions and sports memorabilia! If that isn’t enough, bring your best swing for their golf simulator game that claims to be accurate within .3 percent. We recommend calling ahead for a tee-time if you want to play Pebble Beach. The 810 Zone offers three locations within a 20 minute drive of Kauffman Stadium.
The 2009 season opened with a newly renovated Kauffman Stadium. Some of the new features include a restaurant in right field, a Royals Hall of Fame exhibit and miniature golf in left field. Rivals Sports Bar is open just beyond the right field bleachers and is serving up traditional sports bar cuisine. To keep you up on the game, Rivals offers a number of flat-screen televisions, including a 103 incher! Rivals Restaurant makes for a perfect stop during those cool spring nights or blistering hot and humid summer days in Kansas City. A quicker option is Stroud’s Chicken, which is connected to the Royal’s Hall of Fame in left field. Stroud’s is a local favorite that arguably serves the best fried chicken in the country. For dessert, look for Sheridan’s Frozen Custard in the new “Outfield Experience”. Sheridan’s is the only custard stand operating in a professional sports venue.
WHERE TO BUY TICKETS?
The Kansas City Royals have consistently been in the bottom half of fan attendance for quite some time. The struggle of the Royals on the field translates into a struggle filling up the stands of Kauffman Stadium. Needless to say, tickets were relatively easy to come by during the 2011 season. Ballpark Chasers can pick up tickets right before the game at one of the box office locations outside of Kauffman Stadium or online using their interactive seating chart. If you can, plan on seeing the Royals play on Friday night in order to catch a great fireworks show following the game.
Ballpark Chasers Fun Fact: One of the most coveted and hardest to come by seats in all of baseball is the famous red seat found in Section 101, Row C, Seat 1. The Royals placed this red seat in honor of the legendary Kansas City Monarch, Buck O’Neil. Don’t expect to find the seat on eBay, as the Royals front office donates this seat to a member of the Kansas City community for each home game.
WHEN TO GO?
Summers in Kansas City tend to be hot and humid. Expect temperatures in the 90’s with the lowest probability of rain during the months of July and August. If you prefer less humidity and cooler temperatures, plan your trip in April, May or early June. Just be prepared to bring your umbrella.
WHAT ELSE TO SEE?
Besides the Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, no other attraction comes close to the Negro League Baseball Museum in Kansas City. Founded in 1990, the NLBM is a non-profit organization with a privately funded mission to preserve the history of African-Americans in baseball. Located in the historic district of 18 TH and Vine (10 minutes from Kauffman Stadium), the NLBM will provide hours of entertainment and will leave you with a greater appreciation of the Negro Leagues. Admission to the Negro League Baseball Museum is $8 for adults or $3 for children under 12. Ballpark Chasers recommends making a day out of it by purchasing a combo ticket ($10) which includes access to the Jazz Museum next door. Children under 12 would be $5 for a combo ticket.
After a day at the museums, head over to the Country Club Plaza for 15 blocks of restaurants, shops, concerts, entertainment and a unique atmosphere that cannot be replicated anywhere in the greater Midwest. If your trip to Kansas City is spent with the love of your life, don’t leave the Country Club Plaza without a Venetian style Gondola ride. Due to its popularity, reservations are recommended.
BALLPARK CHASERS VACATION?
Ballpark Chasers rave about the “Midwest 3” baseball road trip. This includes seeing Kauffman Stadium, Busch Stadium and Coors Field. We recommend finding the cheapest airfare to either Denver or St. Louis and using a rental car to drive in between. The drive from Denver to Kansas City is roughly 9 hours, or about 610 miles; whereas the drive between St. Louis and Kansas City is about 240 miles or 4 hours.
Unfortunately, there is not a close Minor League ballclub around the Kansas City area. Therefore, if you are looking to stay in town, Ballpark Chasers suggests seeing a couple of games at “The K” and spending some time at the Negro League Baseball Museum.
A big Thank-you goes out to Craig Landgren (Founder of ballparkchasers.com) for lending us the chaser guide today for Kauffman Stadium. To view any of the 30 MLB Parks and their awesome chaser guide click here.
Please e-mail us at: mlbreports@me.com with any questions and feedback. You can follow us on Twitter and become a fan on Facebook. To subscribe to our website and have the Daily Reports sent directly to your inbox, click here and follow the link at the top of our homepage.
Field of Dreams Movie Site Traveler Guide
Friday, March.02/2012
If you build
it……………….
They will come!!
Douglas ‘Chuck’ Booth (Baseball Writer)- If you are a baseball fan, chances are you have seen one of the best baseball movies all time in “Field Of Dreams”. From sitting on the same benches of Kevin Costner, to viewing the Field that happens to have been built after plowing down a corn field, this place is a perfect day trip for the avid baseball fan! One story I heard was so good I am passing it on to you.
A group of baseball players that played ‘extras in the field’ during the filming of the movie continued to play a regular Sunday night game after the picture went to Hollywood. Tourists liked this idea so much that they asked the Land Owners if they could have the players play every year.
The following year, and unbeknownst to a 300 passenger bus of Japanese Tourists (in the middle of the night mind you), the group of ball players walked through the cornfields and reached the grass in the outfield as the tourists gasped with nervous energy. The tour guide never told this group that these players were to arrive. The Japanese tourists cheered feverishly as the players took the field and played.
The Japanese tourists were so impressed with the caliber of play (and for what these ball players had done for them), that they hired these two teams to travel all throughout the Japan year-round and play exhibition style games. All of the extras (who all had played semi-pro in some fashion) had a great career now. Even to this day, there is a new generation of men playing with the old style “Sox” jerseys.
QUICK TIPS:
Fly into Milwaukee via Air Tran on any flight you can find from the best Airline in America. Try to tie it in with the Chicago teams, Milwaukee, St. Louis or Minnesota on a baseball vacation. Luckily for you, Milwaukee is one of the cheaper cities to rent a car, and/or pay for lodging. Use Priceline (www.priceline.com) to bid on your hotel rooms-and you will be amazed at what price you will only have to pay.
To drive to the Field of Dreams Movie Site will take you about 4 hours from the Milwaukee International Airport. The park is still as beautiful as it was when the movie was a hit nearly a quarter-century ago. This amazing landmark must be on a baseball fan’s bucket list. Not only is it a fantastic attraction- but there is no cover charge to see the Field!
Those who visit are welcome to bring bats, balls and gloves to break out in a pick-up game. Visitors from all over will just come and do the same. Be sure to buy something from the gift shop on your way out as that is how the kind landowners are able to keep up the maintenance of this truly amazing ballpark in Iowa.
*******There is a Best Western in Dodgeville, which is a 90 minute drive North East from this movie site-where you can stay for under $100 a night. Dodgeville does have a Walmart and is one of the nicest heritage towns in America.
So be like James Earl Jones & Kevin Costner and GO THE DISTANCE!!!!
*** Th
ank you to our Baseball Writer– Douglas “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 click here for Chuck’s website, fastestthirtyballgames.com***
Please e-mail us at: MLBreports@gmail.com with any questions and feedback. You can follow us on Twitter and become a fan on Facebook . To subscribe to our website and have the daily Reports sent directly to your inbox , click here and follow the link at the top of our homepage.
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