With baseball season in full swing, fans right across the US are flocking to the ballpark to enjoy America's favorite past time. After reviewing the Best of the West, we are heading east with this list. Grab some peanuts, soak up the sun and get Tripping:
1. Fenway Park, Boston
Home to the Boston Red Sox, Fenway Park is the oldest ballpark in Major League Baseball. Opening in 1912, Fenway is considered one of the most well-known sports venues in the world. Steeped in history, the ballpark has hosted the World Series eleven times, first in 1912 and most recently in 2013. The Green Monster, a 37-foot wall towering over left field, is perhaps the parks most defining feature with its manual scoreboard. The monster however is just one of the many quirks that makes Fenway such a unique park.
2. Wrigley Field, Chicago
One of the most hallowed grounds in baseball, Wrigley Field celebrates its 100th anniversary in 2014. Home to the Chicago Cubs, it is one of the last ballparks in baseball (along with Fenway Park) to maintain a hand-turned scoreboard and is most well known for its ivy-covered outfield walls. The ivy on these walls grows so thick, many baseballs have been lost in it over the years from low drives to the outfield fence. This offers what is easily Major League Baseball's most entertaining ground-rule double.
3. Yankee Stadium, New York
Moving from the historic to a modern marvel, 'New Yankee Stadium' is the most expensive ballpark ever built, carrying a $1.5 billion price tag. The Yankees new South Bronx home opened in 2009 across the street from its predecessor, which served the club from 1923 to 2008. The new park incorporated a host of design elements from the previous Yankee Stadium while adding all the perks and amenities of a modern ballpark.
4. Oriole Park at Camden Yards, Baltimore
The first of the 'retro' ballparks to be constructed by a Major League franchise, Oriole Park opened in 1992 with a design that harkened back to the old jewel box parks. From the incorporation of the old B&O Warehouse, directly behind the right field wall, to picnic areas above the bullpen, this ballpark is full of individual charm. There is a reason so many parks have successfully emulated its retro style.
5. PNC Park, Pittsburg
Opened during the 2001 season, the home of the Pittsburgh Pirates sits alongside the Allegheny River and offers stunning views of downtown Pittsburg. Although a fairly recent addition, the park was built with classic stadiums in mind and maintains the retro stadium vibe made popular by Oriole Park. With all the amenities and local food you could possibly need, the real drawcard of PNC Park is that view of downtown Pittsburg and the striking yellow Roberto Clemente Bridge.
This blog was written by Ben Crock, Tripping Blogger.