Final reflections on our journey

After traveling about 2500 miles, it is time for our highlights and thoughts on each stadium we visited. Here are our rankings.
1 - Gold) Wrigley Field - Not only did we enjoy our time in Chicago (a great city), but we were just blown away by how much fun a game at Wrigley is. It was truly the quintessential baseball experience, even for non-baseball fans. Yes, we suggest finding time to go to Wrigley and cheer on the Cubbies for a game. Maybe you'll get to sing Go Cubs Go or see Vince Vaughn!
2 - Silver) Busch Stadium - The sea of red is an impressive sight. Great ballpark and fans. Food is fantastic as well.
3 - Bronze) PNC Park - A minor league feel at a major league park (not talking about the way the Pirates play). Very family and fan friendly. Super affordable! Incredible view with the river and bridge. Great place to catch a game.

We decided to end the rankings there, because we found the other parks were all pretty nice , but not Top 3 material.

Best hitting performance - Aramis Ramirez, 3 homers, 7 RBI
Best pitching performance - Paul Maholm, CG shutout
Best defensive play - catch in the first inning by Shin Soo Choo
Best comeback - The Cubbies, down 6-1, they came back to win 14-7
Worst area surrounding a stadium- Detroit (Cincinnati almost won, but we forgive them for their construction work.)
Underrated city - Cleveland (had a wonderful hotel stay, Rock Hall was good, so close to Canton as well)
Best ice cream - Comerica Park
Best ballpark design theme - Great American Ballpark's riverboat theme
Best Mascot - Pittsburgh Pirate Parrot
Best Stadium statues - It was cool to see so many amazing player statues, but we really loved the tigers displayed around Comerica.
Best Promotional Event - Christmas in July at Progressive Field (People could win items having to do with A Christmas Story. The house from the film is close to Cleveland!)

Alright, that's it for now. If you have any questions, respond on the blog. Later!

Day 8: Canton, OH and the trek home

After a wonderful hotel experience in Cleveland, we felt rested enough to head to Canton and check out the Pro Football Hall of Fame, before heading home. It was truly amazing to see the wing where all of the busts of the hall of famers are stored. After this visit, it was time to head home. Unbelievably, we didn't hit any traffic or problems, which was pretty much the case the entire trip. It was an incredible journey, over 2000 miles traveled, and well worth it! The next and final entry of the blog will be our list of best to worst of the ballparks visited.

Day 7: Cleveland

We made our way to Cleveland today and a hotel in the city with a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame package. Very cool place! Really enjoyed seeing the MJ memorabilia. We went to Progressive Field, home to Cleveland's baseball team. The home team had a 2-1 lead before a big rain delay, followed by another rain delay after gaining a 3-1 lead. As I write this, I don't know the final score. We came back to relax before our long trip back to NYC. We might even hit Canton tomorrow to check out the Pro Football Gall of Fame. Can't believe this journey is almost at an end!

Day 6: Great American Ballpark, Cincinnati

OK, today was a challenge. We had to wake up at 4:30 eastern time to drive to Cincy and make a 12:30 p.m. start. You've probably figured out that we did it! Under six hours. Woo hoo! We even went across the river from Cincy to Kentucky. It was pretty hot, so we decided to avoid our seats for most of the game and walk around the stadium to find shady areas to watch the game. This proved to be a good idea. We sampled the stadium's famous Coney hot dog. Good stuff. It's a nice ballpark, with a wonderful river view. Unfortunately, the Nationals pounded the Reds, again, 7-1. This was due in part to the efforts of former Red, Adam Dunn, who homered.

Day 5: St. Louis, The Cards extend their winning streak

Day 5 was one of the few times we encountered rain. We saw some serious lightning. Serious! Despite the weather and a slight delay, we made it on time. The new Busch Stadium is a beautiful park. The faithful Cards fans always create a sea of red in the stands and it was cool to witness this in person. The place was closer to NYC in terms of prices, but C did get Hardee's, which was well worth the price. The Cards got big hits from Albert Pujols and Matt Holliday to get the win. Next stop, Cincinnati!

Day 4: Wrigley Field, Cubs win by a touchdown

Chicago was the next stop on our trek. We were able to stay with some friends and wish C's goddaughter a Happy 7th Birthday before heading to Wrigley. What can I say, our first Wrigley Field experience was fantastic! We had great seats on the cheap. (Thanks Stubhub!) The stadium is beautiful. The fans were fun. And the Cubbies played inspired ball for us, winning in a slugfest, 14-7. Aramis Ramirez hit three homers and had 7 RBI. We also saw Vince Vaughn! All in all, pure baseball perfection. We'll end by saying, "Go Cubs Go!"

Day 3: Comerica Park, Tigers go extra innings

We took our time heading to Detroit from Pittsburgh today. It was actually a lovely drive through Ohio, coming close to Canada! We even so a sign for the legendary 8 Mile area from Eminem fame. To be honest, Detroit is a little sketchy, but Comerica Park is a beautiful park, with huge Tiger statues in and around the stadium. It's literally right next door to Ford Field, where the Lions attempt to play football. We were in a higher section than the previous game at PNC, but the seats and the weather were perfect. It was a sloppy game, with some great performance by Josh Hamilton of the Rangers (4 hits) and Miguel Cabrera (2 homers). The game went extra innings, with the Tigers losing 8-6. Off to Chicago and legendary Wrigley Field. We can't wait! Oh, and Happy Birthday, Abby!