As many other fans of the greatest pastime in America have done, my father and I have taken on the task of journeying to each field of dreams in this nation (and Toronto). So far we have made it to Cincinnati (both Riverfront and Great American), New York (Citi Field), St. Louis (Busch Stadium), Chicago (Wrigley Field) and, after this past Saturday, Atlanta (Turner Field).
Although I'm loathe to say that it was the best stadium I have been to in my 19 years of baseball-loving life, Turner Field was easily one of the most stunning baseball stadiums that I have ever seen. From the Braves fans and ushers to the accessibility of the stadium and the stunning art and history poured into the stadium, Turner Field is an extremely fun ballpark to go to watch a baseball game.
Braves fans were eager to interact with the out-of-town crowd before the gates even opened. Even after we sat down and were in the seats for near six full innings, a line of Braves fans were extremely courteous as they took their seats and informed my dad and I that we had been sitting one section over from our ticketed seats.
There was little to no animosity between the two teams, although I do have a feeling that there's a bitter taste in their mouth for the NL Central leaders headed into the All Star Break following last season's questionable Wild Card Game.
Also, I have to say that y'all get really excited on strikes, but the Chop, Wave and your "Freeman" chant definitely saved the fans from a big write-off from me. (Nothing against cheering for strikes, but when you cheer on every strike in the first five innings it does get somewhat old)
The ushers were attentive and, other than the friendly jibe, let us off easy for wearing the red and white pullovers and my Brandon Phillips #4 shirt. While the Reds were hitting batting practice, the centerfield ushers were eager to allow fans into the outfield seats in order to catch a homer or vie for Tony Cingrani's attention.
Except for the initial set-back of not being able to get to our seats for some unknown reason, the entire ballpark was an easy walk with ramps available at the two outfield corners and escalators running on the first-base side. Restrooms, something that is extremely important to baseball fans if you don't want to miss a homerun, were plentiful around the stadium and never seemed to be crowded with the 47, 000+ crowd.
The entire stadium was filled with artwork and history of the ball club. Every single season, I believe, was given a season recap on the walls of the stadium before walking to your seating section. The Cocacola cannons on the top level, third-base side, were an instant eye-catcher as I scanned the stadium from my first-base side seat for the first time. The cannons, however, seem to serve no purpose other than to look cool.
The view provided into the city of Atlanta was stunning to say the least. The entire city was visible from the left field corner terrace and three gigantic red seats provided for a good place to settle with any young ones that might need to be kept in eye-sight.
The JumboTron, which featured an amazing review of the Reds and Braves history prior to the start of the game, was a great way to watch the action on the field, get interesting facts about players from both teams and watch the Steve Miller concert after the game.
Cincinnati South, as some Reds fans refer to Atlanta, lived up to the name. Everywhere I turned I could see someone sporting a Reds jersey or Cincinnati ball cap. And on a Saturday that promised an exciting third installment of the four game series, it was no surprise the I-75 caravan was cheering with full-force.
The only complaint that I have with the game had nothing to do with baseball or the stadium. Instead, I just have to question the logic with which the city of Atlanta decided to force most traffic into the downtown streets and forced bumper to bumper traffic after the Steve Miller Post-Game Concert. Is this a regular ritual or something special for this particular Saturday?
All-in-all Turner Field is a great place to go with families and friends to watch a good game between the always fun Braves and any opponent that shows up.
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