Game 10: Colorado Rockies 10 @ St. Louis Cardinals 1

Today we drove down to St. Louis from Chicago. Mom tagged along and Dad got her a ticket right next to us yesterday when he called to get her a ticket. Originally she was supposed to join us for a few days in July to go to the World of Coca Cola on her birthday and then the Braves game, but she already found out that she would not be able to join us then. Thus when the chance came to join us this weekend she did this as an alternate. She does need to be back to catch a flight in the evening tomorrow, though, so we are skipping the Field of Dreams and going straight back to Chicago. We decided it was more worth it to have Mom go with to a game than see the Field of Dreams. Plus Mik will be happy for more in Chicago time.

Before the game we set up the tent at the KOA as it was pretty much on the way. We still ended up at the game half hour before the gates opened. We killed the time by walking over to the old Bowling Museum, which is now a Nike apparel shop with St. Louis Cardinals clothing including a lot of 2009 All Star stuff. Mom got Mik a zip up sweatshirt with the All Star logo and me a t-shirt with the All Star Logo.

The game was pretty good, although quite windy. The seats were in a good location. Dad and I walked over trying to find some food options, but found that most of the places have different names, but the exact same menu. Basically very little variety, especially for things without meat and the pizza I ended up getting was crap.

This was the first of three games in a row we will see the Rockies play in. They won this one 10 to 1 including three homers with two being by the same player. The Cardinals did at least get one run on the board with a homer and of course it had to be when I went to the restroom and I missed the celebration fireworks. Overall interesting game to watch. Mik and Dad were disappointed as they wanted the Cardinals to win since the Rockies are in the Dbacks division, but I wanted the Rockies to win since the Cardinals are in the Cubs division (seriously I really doubt Dad's devotion to being a Cubs fan).

Accessibility Review: U.S. Cellular Field

We did not end up finding the handicap parking at U.S. Cellular Field, but it still worked out great. We ended up in Lot B in the first row, which is all ramped up to the plaza, so no curb. Also, the spots are not lined and they direct you into them. Dad went wide to give room by Mik's side and the parking attendant was fine with that, especially since he saw the handicap placard. Before he directed the next car to park next to us he also checked to make sure we did not need extra room on that side of the car. So no handicap spot, but still very friendly in being accommodated.



We parked near Gate 5 and had to walk a little around to get to the handicap entrance at Gate 4, but I am glad we had to, as that is a way cooler entrance. The entrance is mostly just for Media and wheelchairs, but I think also the suites. Anyways outside it is a cool sculpture of players and small poles with the White Sox's retired numbers, so even if you are not eligible to go in through this gate it is a must see entrance. Inside the gate is cool, too, as the room by the elevators has the Sox's World Series trophy, a Sox decorated Statue of Liberty sculpture, and some other interesting Sox displays.



We sat in the wheelchair part of Section 108. The section is located at the top of the section and every spot is made for wheelchairs, so Dad and I ended up with folding chairs, but they were nice ones and not crappy like at the Dodgers. Also, the section had a wall along the back, so no people crowding in the area that did not have tickets, although before the game the seat vendors were grouped in the area.

Mik was happy that the seats had cup holders for everyone. The cup holders were even at a great height for him to reach without it being too low or too high. The bar that was in front of the section was also nice and low and did not get in the way of the view at all. There is an overhang over the section, but the only thing it kept us from seeing was the fireworks go off above the scoreboard. We still could totally see the scoreboards, though. Only issue was that the foul pole was in the line of sight, but that is only an issue of this section on the first base side and one section on the 3rd base side.

Overall this was one of the best accessible parks so far. All the well designed and friendly accommodations make up for the poor choice of section we ended up stuck in with the foul pole obstruction because we asked for the cheapest seats. Next (not that there will be a next time, as it is the Sox after all), we know to ask for the next section over or at least any other sections besides the two with the foul pole obstructions. The next one over would be pretty ideal for many, though, as a family restroom is located right behind section 108.

Car Stickers Update: Chicago White Sox

Dad got the Cubs and White Sox stickers for the car yesterday morning since he found them at a shop when he went to lunch with Mom and we have had some trouble lately finding good ones at the ballparks. I was fine with him getting them early, but I was kind of annoyed he put it on the car in the apartment parking garage rather waited until we at least got to the game. The stickers should not get on the car until we at least get to the ballpark, so it is only up-to-date for the ballparks we have been to on the trip so far. Oh well, now he knows and he will not put the Cubs on until we get to the game.

Kj's Baseball Collection: U.S. Cellular Field

The Retro Sox ball was cool looking, but since I found a U.S. Cellular Field ball I got that one instead. The ball has a Sox logo on one side and the opposite side says U.S. Cellular Field. The other strip has an image of the Field.

Mik's Mini Bat Collection: Green White Sox

At the White Sox Team Shop Mik had a hard time deciding between the natural and the green colored mini bats. Both had the same logo. Mik finally decided on the green one since it is a unique color for his collection and still appropriate with it being traditional for the Sox to do the green thing in relation to Irish heritage unlike all the teams making pink bats just to get little girls to want them and not even to put pink ribbons on them or something like that.

Mik's Food Scrapbook: U.S. Cellular Field

The main thing Mik had at the White Sox game was Nachos. He ate most of them, but he thought the Nacho cheese was not spicy enough. It is odd that he though that because he does not usually like spicy things, but when it comes to nachos he thinks the sauce should be spicy.

I had cheese Corn off the cob and Mik tasted a bite of it. He thought it was pretty good tasting. However, he thinks corn is better on the cob and it would be way better that way.

We shared a bucket of Popcorn, but we did not really each much of it. It was not that bad, but it was not that good either.



Mik got some Dippin' Dots, which were Oreo flavor. He likes them, but he did not really like that they came in a prepackaged bag rather than a cup like he is used to. In a cup he can eat it himself, but with the bag it could not really do it himself and Dad fed it to him.

Game 9: Cleveland Indians 6 @ White Sox 0

We got to the White Sox game only about two and a half hours before the game, which is probably about the closest to game time we have gotten to a park so far. We ended up actually having to wait for the parking lots to open as they do not open until two hours before game time. I am so glad it was not like the many other times when we have arrived way more than two hours early because we wanted to walk around it or see something else nearby or just plain had no other place to be.

We ended up parking right on the north side of the park and as we walked around to the handicap entrance at Gate 4 we found the home plate marker for the previous Comiskey Park, which was used through the 1990 season before the White Sox moved across the street to their new park that at the time was also called Comiskey, but is now called U.S. Cellular Field.

Overall our seats in section 108 were great, although the foul pole was slightly in the way. At least the handicap seats were actually accessible and we also could see the scoreboard well.

Before game time Dad and I walked around the park. In the center field area of the concourse there are a few statues of past Sox figures (mostly players, but also Comiskey). They are pretty interesting including a set of two that makes it seem like the one guy is throwing to the other guy who is waiting to catch the throw.

Tonight the Indians actually played well in comparison to their rather dismal outing yesterday. I was, of course, rooting for the Indians since I am a Cubs fan and cannot imagine rooting for the White Sox even if I do not really care about the Indians either. Dad was rooting for the White Sox, as even though he says he is a Cubs fan he is also a Sox fan since he went to school at IIT right across the freeway from the old and new Comiskey Parks. I think we can both agree it was a good game and it has proven me wrong on my theory of the American League being all crap pitchers, as the Indians pitcher actually threw a complete game. It is the first and I would not be surprised if only complete game we have seen pitched on the trip. I still maintain, though, that most of the good pitching games and especially pitching matchups occur in the National League.