I left my hotel in Cleveland at 4:00am so I could make it to Chicago in time for the 12:15pm game at Comiskey Park. After an hour on the road, I pulled into a rest stop and took a quick 45 minute nap before continuing on my journey. I passed through most of Ohio, the entire state of Indiana, and even made a quick detour to South Bend, IN to take some pictures of the University of Notre Dame football stadium (and accompanying painting of Jesus). I made excellent time.
I had figured that the journey from Cleveland to Chicago would take nearly seven hours to complete, and I was scheduled to meet with someone from the White Sox front offices at 11am. In total, the journey took me only five hours (and I didn't really factor in the time change in which I gained an hour) so I arrived in Chicago well before 10:00am. I drove around the neighborhood looking for a cash machine, parked my car in one of the "official White Sox Parking Lots" and walked around the outside of the stadium. I entered the White Sox front offices at 10:00am, well in advance of my appointment. I sat for over an hour before someone came to get me.
Throughout my travels to other ballparks, when the subject of the New Comiskey Park comes up, the players, coaches and fans I speak with cringe and make disparaging comments. The overwhelming feeling seems to be that the designers tried to make the park look like the old style ballparks (such as Jacobs Field or Camden Yards) and instead came up with a post-modern theme park. From the outside of the park, I can see how someone could get that impression -- it is an ominous building with stucco and cement walls, little coloring, and very high walls preventing fans from looking in from the outside.
The stadium is built on a very grand scale. The concourses are wide and expansive, the park seats more than 40,000 fans, and the field is one of the largest in the major leagues. But, it is what is hidden around the stadium that makes it so special. I was given a tour of the entire complex -- inside and out -- by Assistant General Manager Dan Evans and learned a lot of things average fans would never find out. First, I learned that the ballpark was built entirely public funds, and cost the taxpayers only $162 million. That explains much of the plain coloring, the uncovered roof areas in the concourses, and the simple design that garners so much criticism from outsiders. And, because of the location of the stadium (they were unable to secure the downtown site they preferred), the water table prohibited the team from building the stadium lower into the ground (as many of the new stadiums are built now) so the team was forced to build the stadium up, giving it the ominous appearance it has now.
The stadiums offers fans a number of special opportunities not found at other stadiums. Coat checks are conveneniently located near the elevators on every level of the stadium, a rain room ( an area where fans can walk under a shower to cool off on a hot day) is located in deep center field, a New Era Hat Store (offering every major league, minor league, college team, and other sport hats) is located on the main level beyond the left field foul pole, and a kid's area (where everything is proportionally smaller to accommodate young people and families) is located in deep center field. Picnic tables are located throughout the concourses offering fans places to sit and enjoy their pre-game food, a cafe and bar is located next to the visitors bullpen and offers lucky fans the opportunity to sit on the field (just beyond the outfield fence) and enjoy drinks while watching the game, a private restaurant offers season ticket holders a private area to escape the ballpark and enjoy a gourmet meal before or during the game, and the White Sox Hall of Fame (attached to the official team store on the main level) gives fans a taste of the history of the team and the stadium.
The underlying concept behind the construction of the New Comiskey park was to make it both fan friendly and accessible while still preserving as much of the history of the old Comiskey park as possible. All around the concourses, murals representing the White Sox players whose numbers have been retired add color and feeling to an otherwise drab area. In addition, ushers, security guards, attendants, and other Comiskey park staff, all easily identified by White Sox replica jerseys are located throughout the complex offering assistance and answering questions. Also, it is one of the few ballparks with plenty of parking available to all fans (today, the parking was only $5 because it was a day game) within a very short walk of the complex.
I can see where much of the criticism of the stadium comes from, it is not the pretties ballpark in the majors. But, at the same time, if you look deeper into the ballpark, you see that Comiskey Park in Chicago offers fans more to do than any other ballpark. Families can feel very safe bringing, or sending their kids to this ballpark. Non-baseball fans don't have to worry about being stuck watching something they don't enjoy as there is plenty to do for those who come with baseball fans. And, everything is so easy to find, so easy to use, and so reasonably priced, you don't have to limit yourself to one activity, you can do them all. It is a wonderful park.
The management of the Chicago White Sox went out of their way to make me feel welcome and to accommodate my needs during my visit to Comiskey Park. When I first sent a letter to the team, I was immediately contacted by one of the assistants, Nancy, and all the arrangements were set for a meeting well in advance. Then, as the time got closer and my schedule got all screwed up, Nancy was very kind in accommodating all the changes and still arranging for my meeting.
While the White Sox were unwilling to grant me a press credential (standard policy for trips of this nature) I got something even better -- a private tour of the entire Comiskey Park complex, beginning with the site of the old Comiskey Park and ending more than two hours later back at my seats. Assistant Manager Dan Evans showed me the skyboxes, the press box (including introducing me to the attendant, Joe, who has worked for the White Sox for nearly fifty years), the scoreboard operations room, the radio announcers booth (including introducing me to the two radio announcers for the White Sox), the stadium club, the owner's box (including introducing me to General Manager Ron Scheuler and his two daughters), the bullpen bar, the front offices, the underground hallway by the clubhouses (where they have enough room to drive the team buses in to pick up the players after games), and more.
The tour was so extensive, and so informative, I can't even begin to explain all the things I learned. In addition, Mr. Evans and I talked about inter-league play -- he is big fan saying "anything that helps us bring baseball to people who haven't experienced it before is good for the game." We spoke about the influence of money in baseball -- he acknowledged that the White Sox have a high payroll but emphasized that perserverence over a long season, not simply high priced talent, wins ball games. And, we talked about stadiums, since he has visited them all, and discussed what worked and what doesn't at different stadiums in the country. It was the best treatment I was given by any team to date.
THE FOODThe New Comiskey Park claims to have over sixty different options for fans to feast on. I am not going to argue. In addition to the regular fare of hot dogs and popcorn, there are sausages, bratwursts, hamburgers, deli stands, sno-cones, churros (fried sugar treat with chocolate or cream filling -- Mexican treat), nachos, ribs, fried chicken, special dessert stands, and several different restaurants. There is a "kid-cession" stand that offers children's food (such as PB&J's) in a setting designed for kids, with lower counters, smaller chairs and tables, and friendlier colors. There is also the stadium club which offers season ticket holders gourmet food (and unbelievable desserts)
But, the most popular item by far in the stadium is the food prepared by the Bertucci Brothers. The Bertucci brothers operate a stand in center field (ribs, chicken and burgers) and run the bullpen bar and restaurant underneath the stands in deep right field. I had the privelage of meeting both Bertucci's and they took very good care of me, touring me around their kitchen and restaurants, and providing me with a heaping plate of fried chicken, ribs, a cheeseburger, onion rings, fried mozzarella, and curly fries. I ate the entire plate (with a little help) and enjoyed every morsel. I also sampled a Churro (Bavarian Cream flavor) and tasted (but did not finish) a hot pretzel (normal, plastic taste and all). I haven't eaten that much food in months.
Only 25,000 fans showed up for the mid-day game against the Red Sox, but they were treated to a one-sided show of power by the White Sox. The fans were very interested in the game, and very interested in watching the White Sox end their four game losing streak, but were forced to battle the hot sun throughout the game. At times, the fans were very loud and you could feel the stadium shake beneath you, but most of the time they sat quietly as the sun beat down on them. I noticed more than one sunburn.
I was joined by Rachel Turow, the daughter of my father's college roomate Scott Turow. She will be a freshman at Stanford University in the fall and is a self-proclaimed Cubs fan. She arrived at the game several innings before I finished my tour of the stadium and sat patiently until I arrived. We spent the rest of the game eating, talking about baseball and college, and making fun of the group of mid-twenties gentlemen in front of us who had enjoyed a few beers on this beautiful day. One occasion, Albert Belle fouled a ball into their row (three in front of us) and brawl almost broke out amongst the group of friends. On another occasion, the group tried to start a wave (and failed miserably).
As mentioned above, the White Sox ended their four game losing streak and spanked the visiting Red Sox 11-8. Throughout the game, the White Sox sliced and placed key hits to all parts of the field, baffling the Red Sox fielders who seemed unaccustomed to the enormous outfield at Comiskey. Frank Thomas belted a homer to deep right-center and the Red Sox botched several simple defensive plays that led to more White Sox runs. But, the White Sox bullpen, who relieved baseball's oldest pitcher Danny Darwin in the sixth, continued to give up runs, loading the bases in the ninth, and made everyone nervous. When it all ended, the White Sox came away with an ugly victory, but a victory nonetheless.
The whole day, my longest to date on the trip, was wonderful. From the stop at Notre Dame Stadium, to the private tour of the stadium, to watching the national pastime on a beautifully sunny day in one of baseball's charter cities. It was the perfect summer afternoon -- and I recommend everyone try it for themselves.
Here's a picture of Rachel.
The view from my seats at Comiskey Park in Chicago.
