Hit the Road — Baseball Bench Coach

I must admit that I wasn’t thrilled with the ALDS and NLDS this past week. Maybe it was because I don’t have a team in the chase. Or maybe it was that I always felt lost in the broadcasts. I kept asking myself, where again are the teams playing? Oh yeah, AL games in NL park bubbles, and vice versa. Then there is the fake crowd noise that was too much. Just turn it down a little. And while the cardboard cutout fans were kind of fun two months ago, I’m not digging them anymore. I know what I need; I want to go on a baseball road trip! So imagine, you’ve boarded a comfortable motor coach, and we “hit the road”.

Indianapolis, IN. Let’s begin at the “crossroads of America”, the home of the AAA Indians. Going to a minor league game often means getting a first look at future MLB players. When I was growing up, the Indians were my Reds’ AAA-affiliate and fans were treated to Dave Concepcion, George Foster, and Ken Griffey at a little ballpark, Bush Stadium, on the near west side of town. In 1996 the team moved to Victory Field, a downtown ballpark modeled after Baltimore’s Camden Yards and Cleveland’s Jacobs Field. The AAA facility has been touted as the “best minor league ballpark in America” (Sports Illustrated). The Indians have been a big hit in their downtown location, walking distance from numerous hotels and restaurants and leading minor league baseball in attendance (2017). My daughter and I visited the ballpark a little over ten years ago and we experienced my favorite in-game promotion ever. Between every half inning, a lucky fan was awarded a pre-owned car. It just so happened that the Brickyard 400 was the next day! The Indians are now the Pirates’ AAA-affliate, so let’s go see the big league team too.

Pittsburgh, PA. Our journey east on Interstate 70 takes us to the Steel City, a reborn city where there is much to do. Your first thoughts might be football (I’ll give you that) or food (there’s nothing like a Primanti’s sandwich topped with fries and cole slaw), but there is so much baseball to explore. Pittsburgh has retained some of its old glory, like the left centerfield wall of the former Forbes Field. One of the top five moments in MLB history was Bill Mazeroski’s 1960 World Series, Game 7, bottom of the ninth inning, home run over that wall to complete the surprising upset of the Yankees. Forbes, and Three Rivers Stadium after it, have been replaced by PNC Park, built in the “retro classic” style common today and considered by many as the best new ballpark in the country since its opening in 2001.

To get to the ballpark fans cross the Roberto Clemente Bridge and often stop to take photos by the many statues of famous Bucs players. Prior to a game baseball enthusiasts might tour PNC Park and get a touch of Pirates history. That evening take in an MLB game at the beautiful ballpark (how about a classic NL matchup between the Pirates and the Cardinals!) with a wonderful view of the city skyline and the Allegheny River. Your Pittsburgh baseball experience is not complete without a private viewing of the Roberto Clemente Museum, located in the former Engine House No. 25 in the Lawrenceville section of Pittsburgh. Your Coach has visited many baseball museums, and I can easily say that this one will be truly memorable for first time visitors.

Williamsport, PA. It’s time to see the Pennsylvania countryside along Routes 22 and 90 in route to Williamsport, the home of the Little League World Series. I remember as a kid watching the games on ABC’s Wide World of Sports, scorning the play because the pitcher’s mound was only 45 feet away from home plate and a little envious of all of the attention the Little Leaguers received. Now, I just can’t wait to see Williamsport for the first time. The little town is a great place to relax and learn more about baseball’s history. It is also the home of the Crosscutters, a team in the New York-Penn League that plays its home games at Historic Bowman Field, the second-oldest ballpark in minor league baseball. After a fun night at the ballpark, the next morning let’s visit the World of Little League Museum. One of the cool features of this museum is that the self-guided tour follows the concept of a six inning Little League game.

Cooperstown, NY. Oh my, our next stop is in central New York state, baseball’s mecca. While the origin of the game of baseball is often disputed (see “150 Years”, 09/16/2019), Abner Doubleday would be proud of the history stored in this little village today. I’ll never forget my first time at the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum (Hall of Fame) fourteen years ago (25th wedding anniversary). We happened to plan our visit when the state was under a severe flood warning. I only could tour the Hall of Fame three days before we needed to leave for drier ground. There is so much to see in the Hall of Fame – exhibits, artifacts, and interactive displays. The Hall of Fame was established in 1939 when MLB inducted its first class – Ty Cobb, Walter Johnson, Christy Mathewson, Babe Ruth, and Honus Wagner. It will be a chance to see your favorite Hall of Famer, and learn more about how he impacted the game. And you will have time to stroll the streets of Cooperstown, browse the shops, and talk baseball. I can’t wait for my return visit.

Stockbridge, MA. It’s time to rev up the motor coach again and onto the Norman Rockwell Museum. What? Wait a minute Coach, there is an art museum on this road trip? You bet! Everyone will have a chance to explore the hundreds of Rockwell works throughout the museum. There is one in particular that I’ve had in my home for many years, “Tough Call”. It is a 1948 painting that served as the cover for an April, 1949 edition of the “Saturday Evening Post”. The painting is at a ballpark, and highlights three umpires looking up at the sky as it is beginning to rain. The context of the painting is that Rockwell attended a Brooklyn Dodgers game at Ebbets Field in 1948, took numerous photographs, and captured the setting in this painting. You might have already seen a replica at the Hall of Fame in Cooperstown!

Boston, MA. The final stop is Boston, and of course you will want first to get acquainted a little with this amazing city. While in Boston, do what the tourists do! We will go to Boston Common and the State House, and of course do some exploring in the Faneuil Hall area. But then it’s time for baseball and a tour of the oldest MLB venue, Fenway Park. Built in 1912, this historic park has some unusual features. You will see “The Triangle”, that area in center field where the walls are formed into a triangle shape. There have been some great caroms off those walls and certainly misplays by visiting outfielders. How about Pesky’s Pole, the right field foul pole just 302 feet from home plate, the shortest porch in baseball? The pole was named after Johnny Pesky, a Red Sox player who hit a home run that hooked around the pole, one of his only 6 career HRs at Fenway. And then there’s the “Green Monster”, the 37 foot high left field wall, the highest in the major leagues. The Green Monster was part of the original 1912 construction, but the wall wasn’t painted green until 1947.

Now it’s game time and if you haven’t seen a ballgame at Fenway, you finally get to check that off of your bucket list. About 35 years ago I had the pleasure of attending a Red Sox vs. Yankees game on a sold-out Saturday afternoon with a great friend, one of the fondest memories I have of seeing live baseball. This visit will feature another traditional American League opponent, the Baltimore Orioles. There’s nothing like watching today’s version of MLB baseball on the same grounds that literally thousands of games have been played before.

That was quite a trip readers! If you’ve enjoyed it, check out the Itinerary tab of my blog for details of “Hit the Road” next August, 2021. I will serve as the baseball historian for the trip. Shoot an expression of interest to me (baseballbenchcoach@gmail.com) and join the team. All travel arrangements will be made by GLOBUS and Joe Lang Travel.

Until next Monday,

your Baseball Bench Coach