Our Going Yard: Give Back to Baseball trip, coming up June 8-13, will offer visits to four stadiums: Yankee Stadium, Doubleday Field, Fenway Park and Citi Field. Below is a close-up of the highlights you can check out at each.
YANKEE STADIUM
Year Built: 1922-1923
Number of Seats: 50,287
Special Features: Yankee Stadium’s extensive dining and lounge options include a dozen clubs, cafes, bars, food courts and lounges. It features four different team stores, including one featuring only collectibles and artwork.
The Stats:
- Has hosted 33 World Series
- Boasts of 26 World Championship titles; known as “The Home of Champions”
What should fans make sure they do or see when visiting the park?
- Visit the Babe Ruth Plaza, situated along 151st The plaza recounts Ruth’s life story through a series of porcelain images and storyboards.
- Visit the New York Yankees Museum, located on the Main Level near Gate 6. The museum features life-sized statues, hundreds of autographed baseballs, a full-size replica of a current Yankees locker, Thurman Munson’s actual locker and a large model of Yankee Stadium. Exhibits on significant teams and players are on display, and a video screen continually highlights great moments in Yankee history.
- If you’re in the mood for steak or fresh seafood, stop in for dinner at NYY Steak, located above the Hard Rock Café inside Gate 6. A glass wall bears the signatures of legendary Yankees.
Historic Value:
- Yankee Stadium was baseball’s first triple-decked structure and the first ballpark to be labeled a “stadium.”
- It is known as “The House That Ruth Built” because it was Ruth’s ability to attract a crowd that made the stadium financially viable.
What can you walk to in the neighborhood?
- 22 nearby restaurants
- 12 nearby hotels, including the Waldorf-Astoria
- Babe Ruth Plaza
- Mullaly Park
- Woodycrest Community Garden
- Macombs Dam Park
- Joyce Kilmer with Louis J. Heintz Monument and Heinrich Heine Fountain
DOUBLEDAY FIELD
Year Built: 1923 (although the land has been used for baseball since 1840)
Number of Seats: 9,800
Special Features: The field features a charming brick, 19th century-like entrance that proudly proclaims it is the Birthplace of Baseball, a covered grandstand behind home plate and bleachers encircling the rest of the field.
What should fans make sure they do or see when visiting the park? Just a couple of blocks away from the field is the National Baseball Hall of Fame and the Heroes of Baseball Wax Museum.
Historic Value:
- The land on which Doubleday Field sits is widely recognized as the birthplace of America’s pastime.
- Doubleday Field has been the site of the National Baseball Hall of Fame game, and it now hosts the National Baseball Hall of Fame Classic, bringing major league alumni to play each Memorial Day weekend.
What can you walk to in the neighborhood?
- National Baseball Hall of Fame
- Heroes of Baseball Wax Museum
- Blackbird Bay
- Cooper Park
- Lake Front Park
FENWAY PARK
Year Built: 1912
Number of Seats: 37, 493 (Night); 37, 065 (Day)
The Stats: Fenway Park has hosted the World Series 10 times.
What should fans make sure they do or see when visiting the park?
- Fans can learn about Fenway Park’s rich history by going to the Fenway Park Living Museum. They have over 170,000 artifacts relating to Fenway Park and the Boston Red Sox.
- Visitors can view the Red Sox Hall of Fame, a series of plaques located near the EMC Club. There is also a statue of teammates Ted Williams, Bobby Doerr, Johnny Pesky and Dom DiMaggio in front of the park’s Gate B.
- Guided tours of the park are offered.
Special Features:
- The EMC Club features a full-service restaurant and three bars. Guests outside the club enjoy padded seats, several flat screen televisions, overhead heating and in-seat food and beverage service. Club members also receive discounts on souvenirs from the Red Sox team store.
- Adjacent to the EMC Club is the State Street Pavilion, which also offers a fine dining experience as well as unparalleled views from the outdoor seats.
Historic Value:
- The foul ball safety screen behind the home plate was the first ever in Major League history.
- It is known as “America’s Most Beloved Ballpark.” It’s considered to be one of the most well-known sports venues in the world and, in 2012, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places.
What can you walk to in the neighborhood?
- House of Blues
- Commonwealth Avenue Mall
- Lucky Strike Lanes (bowling alley)
- Mothers Rest Park
CITI FIELD
Year Built: 2006
Number of Seats: 41,800
The Stats:
What should fans make sure they do or see when visiting the park? Fans can visit the Mets Hall of Fame and Museum, adjacent to the Jackie Robinson Rotunda, where they can find artifacts from special Mets moments, play with interactive kiosks and watch highlight videos. They can also take a trip to the Mets Team Store or go on a guided tour throughout the stadium.
Special Features: The field features natural grass, a family entertainment area, a state-of-the-art video and sound system and six clubs/restaurants. Citi Field’s iconic entrance, named for Jackie Robinson, features a nine-foot sculpture of his retired number, 42, and an exhibition of his life.
Historic Value: Citi Field replaced Shea Stadium, which was the home of the Mets from 1964 until 2008.
What can you walk to in the neighborhood?
- Flushing Bay Promenade
- Never Enuff Fishing
- Catch22 Dragon Boat Racing
- Cirque du Soleil