IDF
29-05-2005, 04:03
What are your favorite stadiums to watch a nice game? I don't care what sport it is. Why do you like that stadium? What traditions are observed there that make you love the place whether it is the home of your team or not?
For me, my favorite stadium is Comiskey Park II, although thanks to local cheapass Jerry Reinsdorf it is called US Cellular Field, and thanks further to local sports radio idiot Jay “moron” Marriotti (you can see this fatass on ESPN's “Around the Horn,” it is known as the Cell.
Name issue aside, I love Comiskey more than any other stadium I've been too. I've been to many such as old Tiger Stadium, Wrigley Field, Lambeau Field, Soldier Field (both pre and post flying saucer renovation), and many others, but I still love Comiskey.
The place is a fun one to watch my Sox win. If you show up for pre-game, there is much to do. They have FUNdamentals now in left field where you can practice baserunning, hit in a batting cage, or practice pitching. Sox instructors stand by and help you improve your skills and even track your pitch speeds on a RADAR gun. I've yet topped 55, but my cousin who pitches at New Trier HS can throw mid 80s. You can go in the rainroom and see some odd stuff such as the infamous “Veeck showerhead.” They have the Sox hall of fame loaded with great memorabilia from teams of the past or see the new mural timeline around the 500 level concourse.
The best comes with the game. The Sox know how to pump up fans. They show great video montages of recent highlights, of course they are accompanied with the audio calls made by Ken “Hawk” Harrelson. True Sox fans live to hear the great HR call: “YOU CAN PUT IT ON THE BOOOOOOAAAAAAARRRRRRDDDDDD, YESSSSSS!” They then show a 2 minute long montage of great moments in Sox history which includes great highlights such as a double steal on home in the early 70s and of course Bo Jacksons HR that clinched it for the Sox in 1993.
Immediately after this video ends, the stadium speakers go to full blast and AC/DC's Thunderstruck (http://searcht.netscape.com/ns/redir?src=singingfish&requestId=20ba3ede8d6e25fe&userQuery=ac%2Fdc+thunderstruck+audio&clickedItemURN=http%3A%2F%2F80srockstars.net%2Frams%2Facdc_thunderstruck.ram&area=DCBAVT1Title&linkIds=DCBAVT1Title[/url) is played as stadium announcer calls for Sox fans to get on their feet for their 2005 Chicago White Sox. The Sox then take the field one at a time as they are announced in this starting line-up tradition that is surpassed only by that of the Chicago Bulls, who are also owned by Jerry Reinsdorf.” Once the pitcher comes out to the mound, the whole thing ends with a tradition started by the Sox under Veeck's ownership in 1960. The exploding scoreboard and fireworks. While the exploding scoreboard, pinwheels and all, is only featured as Comiskey, almost every MLB team has copied the Sox idea of shooting fireworks for homers.
Once the game gets going fans can enjoy great views at their seats. I've been to dozens of games there and will be going once again on Monday. I've sat pretty much everywhere from behind homeplate on the 100 level, to bleachers, and to the 2nd to last row of the upper-deck. The UD is often attacked by those who think it is too high, but most of the critics haven't sat there. I have and it isn't bad. I actually prefer it to the bleachers. If you don't want to sit in your seats, you can sit at the Bullpen Sports Bar in RF and drink at field level, or you can go up to the Fan Deck in Center for a great view of all the action.
There are great traditions that many people may be familiar with as they have been copied, but really come from Comiskey. Many sports fans know “Na na hey hey kiss him goodbye” is a song that is at anthem status across the nations ballparks. This song was from “Steam” in 1969, they were pretty much a one hit wonder group that wrote this song and came out with nothing else noteworthy. Sox organist Nancy Faust, who has been with the team since 1970 and is still at every game, like the song and in 1977 she helped revive this song from the trash heap when she began to play it during a series against the Royals when the opposing pitcher was taken out of the game. To her surprise, Sox fans present during this summer of the “south-side hitmen” sang along making sure this poor pitcher was humiliated. Faust decided to stick with it and today when an opposing pitcher gets pulled mid-inning he can be sure to be serenaded with this song as 30,000+ Sox fans join in. The song is now the unofficial fight song for the Sox and is also played during homers and when the Sox get the final out to win. Of course it's near impossible to hear the song during homers as the place gets crazy as fans cheer, the scoreboard explodes, and of course the fireworks shoot out as they have for the past 45 years.
With all the tradition and the fun of watching your team win, what's there not to love about Comiskey?
http://www.thelaabs.com/Syls_Page/Baseball/Syl__Comiskey.jpg
A view from the 500 level overlooking the outfield and the scoreboard.
http://img225.echo.cx/img225/7586/400nocorknecessary1bt.jpg
The scoreboard lights as Frank Thomas hits #400 in late 2003. In the upper-left corner you can see some of the fireworks shot out over left-center field that accompany all Sox dingers. You can put it on the board, yes!
For me, my favorite stadium is Comiskey Park II, although thanks to local cheapass Jerry Reinsdorf it is called US Cellular Field, and thanks further to local sports radio idiot Jay “moron” Marriotti (you can see this fatass on ESPN's “Around the Horn,” it is known as the Cell.
Name issue aside, I love Comiskey more than any other stadium I've been too. I've been to many such as old Tiger Stadium, Wrigley Field, Lambeau Field, Soldier Field (both pre and post flying saucer renovation), and many others, but I still love Comiskey.
The place is a fun one to watch my Sox win. If you show up for pre-game, there is much to do. They have FUNdamentals now in left field where you can practice baserunning, hit in a batting cage, or practice pitching. Sox instructors stand by and help you improve your skills and even track your pitch speeds on a RADAR gun. I've yet topped 55, but my cousin who pitches at New Trier HS can throw mid 80s. You can go in the rainroom and see some odd stuff such as the infamous “Veeck showerhead.” They have the Sox hall of fame loaded with great memorabilia from teams of the past or see the new mural timeline around the 500 level concourse.
The best comes with the game. The Sox know how to pump up fans. They show great video montages of recent highlights, of course they are accompanied with the audio calls made by Ken “Hawk” Harrelson. True Sox fans live to hear the great HR call: “YOU CAN PUT IT ON THE BOOOOOOAAAAAAARRRRRRDDDDDD, YESSSSSS!” They then show a 2 minute long montage of great moments in Sox history which includes great highlights such as a double steal on home in the early 70s and of course Bo Jacksons HR that clinched it for the Sox in 1993.
Immediately after this video ends, the stadium speakers go to full blast and AC/DC's Thunderstruck (http://searcht.netscape.com/ns/redir?src=singingfish&requestId=20ba3ede8d6e25fe&userQuery=ac%2Fdc+thunderstruck+audio&clickedItemURN=http%3A%2F%2F80srockstars.net%2Frams%2Facdc_thunderstruck.ram&area=DCBAVT1Title&linkIds=DCBAVT1Title[/url) is played as stadium announcer calls for Sox fans to get on their feet for their 2005 Chicago White Sox. The Sox then take the field one at a time as they are announced in this starting line-up tradition that is surpassed only by that of the Chicago Bulls, who are also owned by Jerry Reinsdorf.” Once the pitcher comes out to the mound, the whole thing ends with a tradition started by the Sox under Veeck's ownership in 1960. The exploding scoreboard and fireworks. While the exploding scoreboard, pinwheels and all, is only featured as Comiskey, almost every MLB team has copied the Sox idea of shooting fireworks for homers.
Once the game gets going fans can enjoy great views at their seats. I've been to dozens of games there and will be going once again on Monday. I've sat pretty much everywhere from behind homeplate on the 100 level, to bleachers, and to the 2nd to last row of the upper-deck. The UD is often attacked by those who think it is too high, but most of the critics haven't sat there. I have and it isn't bad. I actually prefer it to the bleachers. If you don't want to sit in your seats, you can sit at the Bullpen Sports Bar in RF and drink at field level, or you can go up to the Fan Deck in Center for a great view of all the action.
There are great traditions that many people may be familiar with as they have been copied, but really come from Comiskey. Many sports fans know “Na na hey hey kiss him goodbye” is a song that is at anthem status across the nations ballparks. This song was from “Steam” in 1969, they were pretty much a one hit wonder group that wrote this song and came out with nothing else noteworthy. Sox organist Nancy Faust, who has been with the team since 1970 and is still at every game, like the song and in 1977 she helped revive this song from the trash heap when she began to play it during a series against the Royals when the opposing pitcher was taken out of the game. To her surprise, Sox fans present during this summer of the “south-side hitmen” sang along making sure this poor pitcher was humiliated. Faust decided to stick with it and today when an opposing pitcher gets pulled mid-inning he can be sure to be serenaded with this song as 30,000+ Sox fans join in. The song is now the unofficial fight song for the Sox and is also played during homers and when the Sox get the final out to win. Of course it's near impossible to hear the song during homers as the place gets crazy as fans cheer, the scoreboard explodes, and of course the fireworks shoot out as they have for the past 45 years.
With all the tradition and the fun of watching your team win, what's there not to love about Comiskey?
http://www.thelaabs.com/Syls_Page/Baseball/Syl__Comiskey.jpg
A view from the 500 level overlooking the outfield and the scoreboard.
http://img225.echo.cx/img225/7586/400nocorknecessary1bt.jpg
The scoreboard lights as Frank Thomas hits #400 in late 2003. In the upper-left corner you can see some of the fireworks shot out over left-center field that accompany all Sox dingers. You can put it on the board, yes!