Ultimate Baseball Road Trip (143 page)

A
ll you need to begin charting your next baseball adventure is a copy of our book, a copy of the Major League Baseball schedule, and a general idea of how much vacation time you have coming your way. Oh, yeah, having a few bucks in your pocket and a GPS don’t hurt either.

We thought we’d provide four examples of ways in which you might make the most of your time on the road by incorporating a special theme or four to your trip. We have provided one sample itinerary for select ballparks of the Northeast, the South, the Midwest, and the West. The shortest of these is the Northeast trip, which covers five Major League parks in five days, while the longest is the West Coast trip, which covers eight big league parks and a bunch of minor league ones in fifteen days. The Northeast trip combines a focus on big eating with your ballpark exploration. The South trip includes visits to baseball museums along the way. The Midwest trip includes stopovers at historic baseball diamonds. And the West trip includes detours to Pacific Coast League parks.

Remember, these themes are just examples of ways in which you might add a special wrinkle to your travels. And they’re interchangeable. If you’d like to visit the minor league ballparks of the Northeast, or you’d like to eat your way across the Midwest, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t. We encourage you to shape your own adventures according to your own personal tastes and interests. Of course, you’re free to follow in our footsteps precisely if you’d like.

Enjoy your travels. And please e-mail us with feedback, stories, and photos from the road. You can contact us at
[email protected]
and
[email protected]
.

Days:
Five

Cities:
Four

Ballparks:
Five

Oriole Park at Camden Yards, Baltimore, Maryland
Citizens Bank Park, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Yankee Stadium, The Bronx, New York
Citi Field, Queens, New York
Fenway Park, Boston, Massachusetts

No celebrity personified the indulgence and decadence of the Roaring Twenties quite so much as Babe Ruth. And no American sports figure in the past or present defined his generation and reinvented his sport the way the Bambino did. Perhaps the only thing more famous than the iconic Sultan of Swat’s prodigious long balls was his insatiable appetite—for food, drink, and tawdry women. As such, this quick-hitting roadie through the Northeast delivers food, drink, and Bambino-related attractions in abundance. As for the saucy women, well, they don’t fall under our area of expertise.

The trail begins in Baltimore where the Babe was born, travels north through Philadelphia, then on to New York City, where Ruth obliterated slugging record after slugging record. It finishes in Beantown, where the Babe began and ended his Major League career.

Prior to this sojourn we recommend reading Robert Creamer’s
Babe: The Legend Comes to Life,
which does a superb job of demystifying the complex man who was George Herman Ruth. Another interesting book is John Robertson’s
The Babe Chases 60: That Fabulous 1927 Season, Home Run by Home Run,
which provides a blow-by-blow account of Ruth’s legendary record-shattering year. Finally, we recommend Leigh Montville’s
The Big Bam: The Life and Times of Babe Ruth,
which is as exhaustive a biography on Ruth as you’ll ever find. For pre-trip viewing, we recommend
The Babe Ruth Story
(1948), which is widely considered the worst baseball movie ever made. For precisely that reason, you will enjoy it, especially after having read Creamer’s book on the Babe. This movie’s hilarity begins with forty-two-year-old actor William Bendix playing the Babe as a teenager, then offers an outlandish account of the saint-like Babe’s heroism. During the film, Ruth draws the wrath of his manager after missing a game to take an injured puppy to the hospital. Later, he hits a home run that causes a crippled boy to rise from his wheelchair in awe, even though doctors had told him he’d never walk again. The movie is chock-full of ridiculously sentimental moments. Trust us, this one’s so bad, it’s worth watching, especially if you know a little beforehand about the Babe. The second film we recommend is
The Babe
(1991) starring John Goodman. The film succeeds by comparison in depicting Ruth as a human being, afflicted by human wants, needs, insecurities, and vulnerabilities. It also delves into Ruth’s personal life, shedding light on the Babe’s first marriage and his relationships with teammates.

In 1895 George Herman Ruth was born in Baltimore, two blocks from where Oriole Park at Camden Yards stands. He spent his early childhood in a saloon on Emory Street that was owned and operated by his family. Then, in 1902, he was sent to St. Mary’s Industrial School for Boys on the outskirts of Baltimore. While the Babe endured this lonely childhood, his parents birthed seven other children, yet only one survived infancy.

In February 1914, Jack Dunn, the owner of the minor league Baltimore Orioles, assumed legal guardianship of the Bambino in order to sign him to a professional contract. But when the Orioles encountered financial difficulties, Dunn was forced to sell Ruth to the Red Sox. Later that year, ten months after leaving St. Mary’s, Ruth started his first big league game as a pitcher for the Red Sox.

Afternoon:
Visit The Babe Ruth Birthplace and Museum located a few blocks from Camden Yards at 216 Emory St. The attractions include a 714 Exhibit, which chronicles the Babe’s homers. For more information, visit
www.baberuthmuseum.com
.

Game time:
Enjoy some barbecue on the Babe Ruth Plaza, located just inside the Oriole Park turnstiles on Eutaw Street. The plaza is a great place to snag a batting practice homer. Just bring a glove, because the competition can be fierce.

Late-night:
While the crab-cake sandwiches inside the park are very good, we recommend saving some of your appetite for after the game. Visit Bohager’s Bar and Grill at 701 South Eden St., where the Crab Deck features Maryland blues in heaping portions. Then head to the Downtown Sports Exchange at 200 West Pratt St., to catch the West Coast games and enjoy a nightcap.

Wearing a Boston Braves uniform, the Babe played the very last game of his career at Philadelphia’s Baker Bowl, on May 30, 1935. But don’t worry: That doesn’t mean the Phillies’ current park has to be the last stop on your trip. We recommend getting a good night’s rest in Baltimore, then making your way to the City of Brotherly Love in midafternoon. This will allow you to miss the morning rush on Interstate 95 North. Baltimore and Philly are only about a hundred miles apart, so expect a two-hour drive.

Afternoon:
Ditch the car in a public parking lot and take a walk on famous South Street. If you’re interested, check out the Liberty Bell Pavilion, Betsy Ross House, and Independence Hall on 5th and 6th Streets.

Game time:
Visit Ashburn Alley, where plaques and statues honor former Phillies and Athletics heroes like Richie Ashburn, Gabby Cravath, Billy Hamilton, Steve Carlton, and Mike Schmidt. Treat yourself to a snack at Bull’s Barbecue, which is run by former Phillies slugger Greg “Bull” Luzinski, or at Harry the K’s, which features the massive sandwich known as the Schmitter.

Late-night:
Visit cheesesteak central. Philly invented the cheesesteak, so don’t miss out on this tasty regional specialty. After the bars close, head to the intersection of Passyunk Avenue and 9th Street where Geno’s Steaks and Pat’s Steaks sit on adjacent corners. Josh prefers a Pat’s hoagie with provolone, while Kevin favors a Geno’s sandwich topped with gooey orange Whiz. Either way you can’t go wrong—well actually, you can. These joints aren’t located in the city’s best neighborhood, so consider taking a cab across town and having the cabby wait for you while you get your treat. Fainthearted types can visit Jim’s Steaks on the corner of 4th Street and South Street where the steaks are almost as good and the atmosphere is more tourist-friendly.

The New York beat reporters loved to play up Babe Ruth’s big appetite, larger-than-life persona, and gargantuan heart. This is where the Babe earned such monikers as “the Sultan of Swat,” “the King of Swing,” and “the Bambino,” along the way to becoming the most widely recognized human being on the planet. This is where he posed with a crown on his head for the famous
Life
magazine cover. This is where he allegedly ate sixteen hot dogs right before a game, homered in his first at-bat … and then belched in triumph as he circled the bases.

You’ll want to arrive in the Big Apple early, and with your appetite whetted. Philadelphia and New York are about ninety miles apart, but driving in the city can be a nightmare. We recommend staying at a hotel in Jersey City or Newark and taking the Path Train to Manhattan, then the subway to the Bronx.

Afternoon:
Stretch your stomach with an early lunch at Mickey Mantle’s Restaurant, located at 42 Central Park South. The place is full of memorabilia and serves an impressive menu of upscale pub food.

After lunch, stroll around Central Park, then hop on the 4 Express train, which will take you to the Bronx. Before heading into the stadium that was modeled after the
original “House that Ruth Built,” duck into Billy’s Sports Bar (856 River Ave.) to check out the mural of Babe Ruth.

Next, check out Babe Ruth Plaza, located between Gates 4 and 6 of Yankee Stadium, where Ruth’s accomplishments are celebrated with porcelain images and storyboards displayed on light posts.

Finally, if time allows, take the Yankees’ Classic Tour, a behind-the-scenes walk through new Yankee Stadium that includes a stop at the Yankees Museum. For more information, visit:
http://newyork.yankees.mlb.com/nyy/ballpark/stadium_tours.jsp
.

Game time:
It is
essential
that you enter Yankee Stadium right when the gates open. This way you’ll have time to visit Monument Park, which only remains accessible to fans until forty-five minutes before the scheduled first pitch. Here you’ll find the Bambino’s retired number 3, his plaque, and his monument. Have the camera ready and pose with the Babe!

Late-night:
Take the 4 train back into Manhattan and treat yourself at the tavern of your choice. The bars stay open until 4:00 a.m. and you’re not driving very far tomorrow so being a bit bleary-eyed shouldn’t cause you too much trouble.

You’ve got another game to catch in New York … after you visit another Ruth attraction, of course.

Afternoon:
Take a drive on Route 87 North to nearby Hawthorne, New York. At the Gate of Heaven Cemetery you’ll find Ruth’s gravesite in Section 25, Plot 1115, Grave 3. This is a more popular tourist attraction than you’d think. As you’ll see, his large stone is usually adorned by Yankee Stadium ticket stubs, hot dog wrappers, and napkins, not to mention the beer cans that pilgrims often leave behind.

Game time:
Take the 6 train from Manhattan to Queens and catch a Mets game at Citi Field.

Late-night:
Still tired from last night? If so, hit the rack early and rest up for tomorrow. If not, the night is young, and this is the city that never sleeps.

Boston is where the Bambino’s career began. After pitching the Red Sox to a World Championship in 1918 when he won two games and posted a 1.06 ERA in October, Ruth tried his hand at hitting the next season and bashed a then-league-record twenty-nine dingers in part-time play. A season later, the Sox sold him to the Yankees, where he became a full-time outfielder. The rest, as they say, is history. But it’s a little-known fact that Ruth returned to Beantown in 1935 to finish his career with the National League Boston Braves.

Two hundred and ten miles of highway lie between New York and Boston. If you depart NYC by 8:00 a.m., you should arrive in Boston by lunchtime.

Afternoon:
Visit the New England Sports Museum located inside Boston’s Fleet Center, home to the NHL’s Bruins and NBA’s Celtics. The Fleet Center is easily accessible by the MBTA’s Green and Orange Lines, using the North Station stop. The NESM offers an extensive baseball exhibit, including plenty of Bambino memorabilia. For information, visit:
www.tdgarden.com/sportsmuseum/default.asp
.

For lunch, walk a few blocks to Boston’s famous North End, a big Italian neighborhood that makes New York’s Little Italy look like a food court. We recommend La Famiglia Giorgio (112 Salem St.) or Regina Pizzeria (11½ Thacher St.).

After lunch, hop back on the Green Line, take it to the Kenmore or Fenway stop and you’ll be in the Fenway district. If the ballpark gates haven’t opened yet, stand behind the Green Monster on festive Lansdowne Street to see if you can snag a batting practice homer. Or perhaps you’d prefer to sit down and have a pint of Bambino Ale at Boston Beerworks (61 Brookline Ave.). Tip one back for the Babe!

Game time:
This is another park you’ll want to enter early. Walk around during batting practice and soak up the history. Touch the Green Monster in left, walk down to field level in right and try to imagine how the Babe must have felt a hundred years ago standing on the mound in brand-new Fenway. Though you might still be full from lunch, cram down a Fenway Frank.

Late-night:
After the game, buy a sausage sandwich from one of the street vendors outside. Stand off to the side and savor it as the crowd marches past. You did it: five parks in five days!

Days:
Eight

Cities:
Seven