Our White Sox experience started off horribly. We waited in traffic for 30 minutes after getting off the highway to park. About a block before we got to the lot, the police officer closed the street and started re-routing people around... to the place where we got off the highway. We were directed to a lot in a small college across the highway that was a mile away from the stadium. The fee?? $23. I forked the money over and tried to forget about it.
U.S. Cellular is a stadium that is not sure whether it is old school or new. It features ivy covered walls in centerfield and a traditional monochromatic lightbulb scoreboard in left that are reminiscent of its crosstown rival. They play organ music, except it usually involves modern pop songs like "Poker Face". My favorite feature was the most detailed "around the league" LED scoreboard I've ever seen. It displays players on base as well as the current pitchers and batters for every game around the league. They do a great job with giving fans interesting "did you know" stats during the game.
The first thing that I associate with U.S. Cellular Field are the 1970s fair-ride-pinwheels on the top of its scoreboard. I don't know the history or significance of the pinwheels, but I don't like them. The dimensions of the stadium make it feel very large. The steep upper deck is positioned very close to the field, creating great views from the cheap seats (which we retreated to in attempt to get out of the sun). The scaffolding behind the outfield seats closes in the ballpark and intensifies the crowd volume. 
For lunch, I had the "Chicago dog". It starts out with mustard and onions (no surprise). Next there is the brightest green relish ever. Then some tomatoes (kind of like "unprocessed ketchup" - I do without). Then a pickle (often comes on the side, but let's pile it on top). And then whole hot peppers (for some spice). Then celery salt (no idea). The White Sox version was pretty good, but the concessions lines are horrible. Stacey was gone for at least an inning and a half (I honestly started to get worried). When I got my Chicago dog, it seemed like the person made every attempt to take their sweet ass time. 
1 comment:
New Cellular gets such a bad rap because it was the last "new" park before the Camden Yards-type parks started to be built (I think Camden came one or two years later). I think there's this perception that New Cellular is second rate because it's a newer park, but without all the ammenities and character newer parks have. Maybe that's true, I don't know (never been).
Chicago dogs! Love them. I get one everytime I got to Comerica (well, Kevin got me the last one...I called it!). That's how a hot dog should be done (minus the tomatoes). Ask any hot dog aficionado and they'll cringe at the thought of putting ketchup on a dog. Mustard and peppers all day.
$23!?!? How long did it take you to shake that off? I would have stewed and have been pissed about that for a couple of innings. At the very least I would have been grumpy, especially afer waiting in traffic for 30 minutes.
And I like when the organ plays current songs. It's kinda cool. Mix it in with the old classic ballpark songs.
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