Ahh, spring, when thoughts turn to home runs, hotdogs, a sunny afternoon at the ballpark, and great memories!
Ohio is home to two major league teams, and exciting things are going in both Cleveland and Cincinnati this summer.
Jacobs Field opened in 1994, hailed as a beautiful new stadium with retro elements. But 20 years is a long time, and the entry on East Ninth Street and right field concourse at what is now called Progressive Field underwent a facelift in the off-season as part of an ongoing effort to improve the fan experience.
The main concourse is now a tribute to Cleveland’s neighborhoods and the restaurants popping up to give the city its reputation as a foodie town. There’s a Great Lakes Brewery representing Ohio City, and new dining options are available, including Melt, Barrio and Sweet Moses.
The corner of right field also features a bar called The Corner, homage to Tom Hamilton's radio call at the beginning of the game, "We're under way at the corner of Carnegie and Ontario." The two-level bar offers drinks, food and views of the action.
The gate into the stadium in right field has also been reconfigured, adding more open views of the field from deep in the outfield. Heritage Park remains, but the statues of Jim Thome and Bob Feller have been slightly relocated.
Another change is the location of the bullpens, where pitchers warm up before the game and relief pitchers warm up during the game. The bullpens were located effectively in the seating area, with seats all around them. It’s possible to sit in the outfield and have better seats than some of the players – and it’s a far cry from the warmup mounds located next to the dugout at old Municipal Stadium.
We sat in the family area, also new this year, offering reduced price tickets for kids. The family area also offers access to the expanded Kids Clubhouse, two stories of games and child-friendly activities. There are also views of the field so Mom and Dad can keep an eye on the game.
Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati will become the center of the baseball universe in July, when it hosts Major League Baseball’s annual All-Star Game, a staple of the baseball season for more than 80 years. The site of the game rotates annually, and it hasn’t stopped in Ohio since 1997, when it was at the newly-opened Jacobs Field. The last time it was in Cincinnati was even longer ago, at Riverfront Stadium in 1988.
The All-Star Game itself is July 14, but the entire weekend will be full of events, including a Futures Game and the Legends and Celebrity Game, featuring retired ballplayers and actors on Sunday. There's also a Workout Day including the Home Run Derby on Monday.
But even if you don’t have a ticket, there are plenty of events around the stadium, including the All-Star FanFest, which will run from Friday to the day of the game at the Duke Energy Convention Center, not far from the ballpark on the riverfront. There’s also an All-Star Color Run 5K on Saturday July 11, 2015.
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