Baseball Travel Tours are Unique With Big League Tours

The age old question when travelers are looking at sports packages with Big League Tours is simply what makes you different? 

Big League Tours specializes in baseball road trips across all of the United States and Toronto, Canada.  We are serious about getting you, the travelers, a unique experience, memories to last a lifetime and an all out great vacation.  

Here are some of the comparisons you can get with Big League Tours and with other sports tour companies:

• Hotels outside of the city not by any major attractions or the stadium itself.
• Big League Tours offers hotels in the heart of the city allowing you to have easy access to attractions and things you might want to do while you aren't at a baseball game.  Ex: In New York City we stay in Manhattan where you are in walking distance of Times Square, Central Park, 5th Ave. and much more.
• Seats at the games somewhere up in the upper decks. 
• Big League Tours only purchases tickets in lower level seating.  Allowing guests to experience the baseball game like they most likely never have, close up and in all of the action.
• Baseball stadium tours is most likely not even an option.
• Big League Tours offers private baseball stadium tours when the time is allotted.
• One on one meet and greets with retired and current players? Again most likely not going to happen.
• Big League Tours offers player experiences whenever they can.  Some retired players we have used in the past have included: Bill "Spaceman" Lee, Dick Drago and Ron Kittle just to name a few. 

Well, those are just a few of the things that makes Big League Tours so different from the rest.  We hope to see you in '09! Check out our website to see which tour you would like to be part of!

Remember don't just go to a game, become part of it!

Will Baseball Stadium Tours Include Robots Someday?

This video doesn't have very much to do with what we do at Big League Tours or small group tours right now, but maybe someday it will.  (I don't think it will be in my lifetime, but who knows.)  I thought it was pretty cool and thought some of you travelers might as well.  If you are interested in robots, baseball or both you might find this interesting.  Do you think this is what the future holds for baseball trips and stadium tours alike?

 New Citi Field is set to open in April 2009 and many escorted tours have really started selling! 

Citi Field will be a great place for baseball fans to catch a game.  There is a more intimate atmosphere with the seating angled towards the infield and set down lower.  The Mets and Citi Field have comissioned a statue of Jackie Robinson for when guests first enter the stadium and named Jackie Robinson Rotunda.  New Citi Field will be a great new addition to baseball stadiums in the United States.  Check out what the new stadium will look like when it opens in 2009.



Don't forget to check out our website for all the baseball trips we are offereing to the east coast in '09!

Are you a Minnesota Twins fan? 

Whether you answered yes or no many people still want to see all the baseball stadiums including the Metrodome.  Since 2009 is the last season for the Metrodome, you might want to think about getting your baseball travel tours all set in place.  Big League Tours will be visiting the Twin Cities in May on our Midwest 2 trip where the Twins will be taking on the Boston Red Sox. On this baseball road trip we will also be catching a White Sox game and Cubs game in the windy city and catching a Brewers game at Miller Park. It'll be a great chance to catch some great ball in the Midwest.  Check out what the Twins new stadium, Target Field, will look like in 2010. 

Are You Ready to Experience one of our Baseball Stadium Tours to New Yankee Stadium in '09!?

Many baseball vacation packages are now being offered for the opening weekend for the New Yankee Stadium in April 2009.  Have you planned your MLB road trip yet?   Check out the video of New Yankee Stadium and start planning your sports packages now, before its too late. You won't want to miss this! Check out our website for the many different sports packages that we are offering in '09 that include the New Yankee Stadium as well as every other Major League stadium.

Follow Your Favorite Team Into the Afterlife

There are many die hard baseball fans out there, but I have never seen anything like this.  Eternal Image makes unique caskets and urns for their customers.  Clint Mytych, CEO and only 27, of Eternal Image is determined to change the funeral industry with an array of new ways to celebrate the person who has passed.  Whether it is an urn for your favorite pet or you were a huge Phillies fan and you would like to dedicate your urn to the team.  With the permission of Major League Baseball fans can now take it to the next level.

The MLB urns are made from aluminum, sits on top of a wooden shaped base and topped with a clear dome and baseball can be displayed.  Then the logo of the persons favorite team is displayed on the side as well as their name. There is soon to be a casket that focuses on your favorite team as well.  The casket will resemble a wooden bat and will be lined in the persons favorite teams colors.

Are you this big of a fan?  Join us on one of our sports vacations and maybe you'll catch that commemorative baseball that can be displayed on your urn.  Or maybe during one of our baseball stadium tours you could get a bat signed by a special player for that wooden bat casket. If your not ready to take your favorite team to the afterlife just enjoy them now with Big League Tours.

Revealing New Airport Security

As many people know the airport is continually working on new ways to search people coming through the airport.  Simple metal detectors and x-ray machines are no longer doing the trick in protecting passengers who are traveling.  A new controversial millimeter wave scanner has been debuting all over the United States.  These new machines create an image of the persons body through clothing, and will pick up any type of knife, explosive or firearm - metallic or nonmetallic- a passenger may be carrying.

The new $170,000 millimeter wave scanners are electromagnetic waves to form a whole-body image of a person that shows any hidden items concealed on the person.  The millimeter wave scanner does not use X-rays, however, and it is not the same as similar scanners that use "backscatter" X-rays to produce an image. The wave scanners were introduced to service earlier this year at Phoenix Sky Harbor and Los Angeles and JFK International. They have also been used in London's Heathrow Airport for sometime now.

However, these machines seem to be helpful in determining if a passenger is carrying something they shouldn't be, but what is the cost? The image created of the passenger is of them with no clothing, resembling store mannequins.  Many people are not happy with what the image that will be displayed, but authorities say the image will be displayed in a different room and will be deleted immediately after.  What do you think about these new security measures?

For more information about millimeter wave technology, visit www.tsa.gov.

Most of our sports travel packages offer baseball stadium tours on the itinerary. So as you can imagine, we've had the pleasure of seeing lots of behind the scenes elements at many different ballparks. Here's something that we haven't seen, the inside of a manager's office. So while the World Series is suspended, take a peek at Joe Maddon's office.

If you love to get inside the game of baseball with behind the scenes opportunities like this, check out our 2009 MLB Tours and join us for an experience you'll never forget!

Family Tours East Coast Together
Here's a note that I received from one of our travelers. This is from Michael H. who traveled with his son and grandson on our East Coast 3 tour which included games at Yankee Stadium and Fenway Park, a full day at Cooperstown, and a private stadium tour of Fenway Park. Michael's letter reads:

I'm sending this note to let you know how great the tour that Jarrett, Nolan and I went on was to me. It's been almost two months and I still think of it everyday. I will always have the best of memories about this baseball trip.

You handled everything so well and made it even more enjoyable. It was a pleasure to meet you and your daughter and your dad.

Thanks again for a great time!!!" 

We very much enjoyed you traveling with us, too, Michael. We love it when our guests have such a great time on the baseball road trips, especially when three generations get to experience them together!

The local business paper, the Indianapolis Business Journal, featured Big League Tours in this week's edition. Some things they elude to and that you'll be hearing a lot from us about in the coming weeks and months are the new features that we're adding for 2009.

All 30 MLB Baseball Stadiums in 2009
With 20+ tours on our schedule, we're offering at least one trip to every Major League baseball stadium. We'll include behind-the-scenes stadium tours every chance we get.

Current Players Meeting Us On Tours
We've offered Big League Player Experiences on our package tours since we've started. That's where we have traditionally brought in former MLB players to tell baseball stories, get pictures with our guests, and sign autographs. This year, we're including some players still on the roster! It should be a real treat for our guests.

Opening Day at Citi Field and Yankee Stadium
Major League Baseball welcomes two new stadiums into its ranks this year and we're going to be there when they open. Why don't you join us on one of our baseball travel tours for these historic openings?

Stay tuned for trip details about our 2009 MLB Tours!

Taking A Look Back At Yankee Stadium

2008 marks the end of an era for Yankee Stadium, but with an ending there is always a new beginning and that is exactly where 2009 will be taking the Yankees.  For many people Yankee Stadium was one of the top stadiums to see before it was gone and many are just as excited to see the new stadium.  Here are some images giving a glimpse into the future of Yankee Stadium.  Please click here.

Here are some memorable moments from Yankee Stadium:

April 18, 1923:  The first game at the Stadium attracts a crowd of 74,200 and is appropriately christened by Babe Ruth with a three-run home run in the third inning of the Yankees' 4-1 victory over the Red Sox.

Sept. 30, 1927:  With a drive off the Washington Senators' Tom Zachary, Babe Ruth becomes the first player to hit 60 home runs in a season, a record that will stand for 34 years.

Nov. 12, 1928:  At halftime of a scoreless game, Notre Dame coach Knute Rockne delivers his famous "Win one for the Gipper!" speech, and the Fighting Irish respond with a 12-6 victory over Army.

July 4, 1939: Lou Gehrig, forced into retirement due to ALS, delivers an impromptu, moving speech as he bids farewell to fans with comments such as "Today, I consider myself the luckiest man on the face of the Earth," and "I may have had a tough break, but I have an awful lot to live for."

May 15, 1941: Joe DiMaggio begins his 56-game hitting streak with a 1-for-4 game in a 13-1 loss to the Chicago White Sox.

Nov. 9, 1946: In what many football historians consider the greatest college game ever played, Notre Dame and Army, both undefeated, duel to a scoreless tie and share the national championship, although the Irish are ranked No. 1 in the Associated Press poll. Army's last-minute drive is thwarted by Notre Dame's Johnny Lujack, who tackles Heisman Trophy winner Doc Blanchard at the 11-yard-line.

June 13, 1948: Babe Ruth puts on uniform No. 3 for the last time in ceremonies marking the Stadium's silver anniversary, which would be his final public appearance.

Aug. 17, 1948: One day after his death at the age of 53, Babe Ruth's body lay in state at the main entrance of the Stadium where more than 100,000 mourners pay respects.

Oct. 5, 1953: Billy Martin singles home Hank Bauer from second base for the winning run in a Game 6 triumph over the Dodgers that completes the Yankees' fifth consecutive World Series championship.

Dec. 28, 1958:  Often referred to as "The Greatest Game Ever Played," the Baltimore Colts come from behind to defeat the football Giants, 23-17, for the NFL championship. Steve Myrha's field goal ties the score with seven seconds remaining in regulation, and quarterback Johnny Unitas directs a scoring drive in OT culminating in Alan Ameche's touchdown run. 

Oct. 4, 1965: Pope Paul VI, the first Pontiff to visit the United States, celebrates Mass before a crowd of more than 80,000. Pope John Paul II also said Mass at the Stadium during his U.S. tour in 1979, and Pope Benedict XVI came to the Stadium this past April.

May 14, 1967: Mickey Mantle's hits his 500th career home run, off the Baltimore Orioles' Stu Miller.

Oct. 18, 1977: Reggie Jackson puts the finishing touches on the Yankees' World Series victory over the Dodgers with three home runs on three pitches from three pitchers - Burt Hooton, Elias Sosa and Charlie Hough - in Game 6.

June 21, 1990: A rally is held at the Stadium in honor of Nelson Mandela after his release from prison following the end of apartheid in South Africa.

May 17, 1998: David Wells pitches a perfect game, 4-0, against the Minnesota Twins.

Jul. 8, 2000: Chuck Knoblauch's three-run homer highlights a four-run fifth inning as the Yankees go on to a 4-2 victory over the Mets in the second of two cross-borough games on this date. Earlier, the Yankees beat the Mets by the same score at Shea Stadium.

Aug. 4, 2007: Alex Rodriguez hits his 500th career home run, off the Royals' Kyle Davies in the Yankees' 16-8 victory. A-Rod, at 32 years, 8 days, becomes the youngest player to reach the plateau, breaking the previous mark of Jimmie Foxx (32 years, 337 days) when he got to 500 Sept. 24, 1940.

If you have some memories you would like to share with Big League Tours hit the comment button at the end of this blog.


 

Baseball Stadium Memories at Shea Stadium

At Big League Tours one of our best stops is heading out to Queens to see the Mets.  Most people don't go to see the stadium per se, but rather to just plain and simple see a Mets game. In 2009, we will head out to Citi Field to see a beautiful ballpark and a great game.  To see a slideshow of the new stadium please click here. 

Here are some great memories at Shea Stadium:

April 19, 1964: Al Jackson pitches a six-hitter in the Mets' 6-0 victory against the Pirates, their first victory in the new stadium.

Aug. 15, 1965: Shea rocks. Greeted by a shrill din produced by 55,600, mostly teenage girls, that made their performance impossible to hear, the Beatles change the music world again, presenting a concert on the largest stage ever.

Oct. 9, 1965: No. 7 Notre Dame beats unranked Army, 17-0, in Shea's first big-time college football.

Oct. 6, 1969: With Nolan Ryan pitching seven innings in relief, the Mets come from behind to beat the Braves to sweep the first National League Championship Series.

1969: “Miracle” Mets are considered one of the most improbable champions in baseball history. They trailed by 9.5 games in mid-August, yet won the division and the National League Championship Series before upsetting the Baltimore Orioles, who had won 109 games, in the World Series.

Aug. 6, 1970: Nine days before the first anniversary of Woodstock, Jimi Hendrix and Janis Joplin headline the Summer Festival of Peace.

Oct. 3, 1979: Pope John Paul II says mass at Shea after heavy rains threaten the event. The rain stops as the Popemobile enters the park.

May 6, 1983: With the Mets floundering in fifth place, Darryl Strawberry is promoted to the big leagues. He goes hitless with three strikeouts in four at-bats, walks twice and scores the decisive run in the Mets' 13-inning, 7-4 victory against the Reds.

1986: The New York Mets come back from a 3-2 series deficit to win Game 6 (Oct. 25) and Game 7 (Oct. 27) against the Boston Red Sox and clinch the World Series.

July 28, 1993: A ninth-inning double by Eddie Murray drives in the decisive runs in a 5-4 victory against the expansion Marlins that ends the record-setting losing streak of Anthony Young at 27 games. Young had allowed the Marlins to take the lead in the top of the ninth. The Mets bottom out with 103 losses, equaling the most ever by an established team in an expansion era, at the time.

April 15, 1998: Straw returns. With Yankee Stadium closed for repairs, the Yankees play the Angels at Shea. And their designated hitter, one Darryl Strawberry hits a home run, his 127th at the park, still the most ever

Sept. 21, 2001: Bagpipes and baseball. The Mets engage the Braves in the first professional sporting event in New York to follow the attacks on the World Trade Center. The emotional evening climaxes with a two-run home run by Piazza in the eighth inning that creates the final 3-2 score.

Let Big League Tours know what your favorite memories are of Shea Stadium.  Whether it's one from when you were there or any other.

There are families who love baseball, but then there are families who LOVE baseball.  Corrin and her mom, Terri, and her step-father, Dave, absolutely love baseball and everything to do with it.  Corrin even goes as far as to say, "I loooooove baseball, more than most people do."  Dave and Terri reside in the Twin Cities of Minnesota making them avid Twins fans.  Corrin originally from there is also a Twins fan but now lives in Chicago where she attends many White Sox and Cubs Games.

They joined Big League Tours on the East Coast 2 trip.  On one of our longest MLB roadtrips of the season, they made their way to Baltimore, Washington D.C., Philadelphia, New York, and Boston seeing six stadiums in seven days.  They chose this trip because of the number of stadiums offered and the fact that they were going to be able to see Yankee Stadium, Shea Stadium, and Fenway Park all in one stop.  A favorite memory for them was being able to take in the action of a ballgame on the Green Monster.

We dubbed Corrin, Terri, and Dave "the walking family". They took total advantage of every extra second they got in each city.  One of their favorite parts about the trip there was ample time in each city to do some site seeing on their own.  While in Washington D.C. they walked over four miles doing site seeing and didn't think twice about it.  they were a family just having a great time on their vacation making the best of every moment.  Big League Tours must also thank Corrin for allowing us to use her traveling gnome idea (see some of our previous blog posts to spot Gnigel in our group photos!)  It has been such a great addition to our team.  So, to the families who love baseball, are you ready to join us for one of our sports travel packages?  You'll be glad you did!

 Group Tours Brings Families Together

    Baseball isn't just for the guys anymore.  Two of the most loyal and die hard fans to travel with us were a mother and daughter duo from Texas.  Betty and Suzanne decided that they wanted to attend a game at "the house that Ruth built" before the Yankees moved into the new Yankee Stadium.  Betty was researching trips and their options and came across our East Coast 1 trip including Fenway Park, Cooperstown, and Yankee Stadium.  Things that drew them in were guaranteed stops at three of baseball's most sought after sites.  Betty and Suzanne are pictured here with Bill "Spaceman" Lee.  Lee, a former pitcher for the Boston Red Sox, joined our guests on a private, escorted tour of Fenway Park. 
 
    "The Best part of the trip was getting to make memories with my mom!" states Suzanne.  She says that getting to see live baseball in both of these historic places was unforgettable.  She recalls the first game at Fenway Park and her mom's reaction.  "I wish everyone could have seen her face as she sat down with her scorecard and pencil twenty rows directly behind home plate at Fenway Park.  My 63 year old mom was giggling like a 15 year old, and I was doing the same!"  I can agree with Suzanne with this statement because I had the opportunity to sit next to them at the Boston game.  It has been a great experience working with Big League Tours, but nothing tops seeing the looks on our guests' faces when they sit in their seats and begin to experience what we work so hard to achieve.

    Suzanne and Betty achieved their goal of seeing the Yankees play at Yankee Stadium before then end of this year.  They even got to see a Yankee Stadium first where Johnny Damon hit a walk-off game-winning single in the bottom or the ninth.  It was the first time a Yankee had ever gone 6-for-6 at Yankee Stadium.  Suzanne said, "My mom and I had a wonderful time together.  We very rarely get girl time together and thoroughly enjoyed the trip! I'll always remember this time together with her.  One of the guys on the tour with us took the trip with his college-age son.  He said that it made his heart glad to see a mother and daughter spending time together like this at our age.  It game him hope that he and his son would continue to stay close as they get older, too."

Package Tours Make A Stop In Pittsburgh

The next stop on our tour was Pittsburgh, PA to see the Pirates take on the Cincinnati Reds.  We were all very impressed with PNC Park it was even nicer than we had heard. I loved Camden Yards and many parks have been based off of its design including PNC Park.  It is very pleasing to the eye, well kept, and fun for all ages.  My only complaint would be when you are in the outfield area it can get a little confusing to where you are supposed to go, but I found my way back to home plate.  This was also such a great experience because we were in the fourth row from the visiting team, Cincinnati Reds, dugout.  This gave us a great view of the players as the came in and out of the dugout and an amazing view of the entire field.  However, being this close to the field along the baseline can be dangerous so we had to be aware at all times.  Unfortunately, just like all the games before the home team lost again.  I don't know if our group being there put a jinx on all the home teams, but the home team lost again.  The Cincinnati Reds took the Pirates for a win 3-1.  We were able to see Chris Dickerson, the rookie of the team, first career RBI in the sixth inning.  To read more about the games or to see official stats please click here.

Tips From an Expert
The fans who travel with us on our baseball travel tours are typically die-hard fans who want to experience as much as they can in each city, stadium and game that they can. So we incorporate arriving to the baseball stadiums early, giving our guests time to explore the neighborhoods or the park itself.

Another thing that fans love to do is catch batting practice. It's a great time to get some autographs from players and possibly to snag some balls, either hit by batters or thrown into the stands by players warming up.

I love seeing the excitement on the face of our travelers when they show me the ball that they snagged or the autograph that they received from a player. I know this will be a MLB road trip that they won't forget!

For those of you really interested in snagging a baseball at a game, here's a video about a guy who, at the time, had snagged at least one baseball in over 450 consecutive games.

Visiting One of MLB's Best - Wrigley Field
August 10, 2008 - One of the most common requests for baseball trips is to offer a baseball vacation package that includes Wrigley Field. And for good reason. Although it's crumbling around you (literally) as you watch the game, it's still a fantastic place for baseball. This was the first time that my wife and daughters had joined one of our group tours to Wrigley and they loved it.

The Cubs loved it, too. The game was originally scheduled to be played in the afternoon but was moved to an evening game so that it could be covered on ESPN's Sunday Night Baseball. After the sun went down and the winds picked up, I don't think there was an unsold sweatshirt or long-sleeved shirt left in any vending booth in the ballpark. I know that our family came home from this baseball vacation all decked out in Cubs gear!

Some of our group headed out to Wrigley early in the day but here's a picture of part of our group outside the ballpark. The Cubs went on to beat the Cardinals pretty handily by a score of 6-2. Click here to check out the box score from the game.

Taking Baseball Travel Tours to Miller Park
August 9, 2008 - Whenever we book any of our MLB Tours to include Chicago and Milwaukee, we plan it to stay in Chicago the whole time and to take a bus up to Milwaukee and back on the same day. It works out great because we don't have to move hotels and deal with getting situated a second time. Plus, it's only a 90 mile bus trip so it's an easy drive.

This escorted tour took us up to Miller Park with plenty of time to take in the sites of the stadium, batting practice, and of course, the tailgaters outside the stadium. Brewers fans know how to tailgate! We actually drove through a little rain on our trip up to the stadium. We didn't mind because we knew they would have the roof closed if it was bad outside. But shortly after batting practice, the skies cleared up and the sun came out so they opened the roof. Here's a photo of the roof opening. I didn't time it from start to finish, mainly because I had my face buried in a bratwurst covered with sauerkraut and the secret sauce that they serve at Miller Park, but I'm guessing that it took about 10 minutes to open it up.

If you haven't been to Miller Park, you should consider adding it to your list of sports vacations stops to be made. You'll be glad that you did. Bring the farmer's golf set, beer, brats and a grill and you'll fit right in! Maybe Bernie will let you go down his slide!

Baseball Stadium Tours Continues To Cleveland

In Cleveland our guests were able to take a stadium tour of Progressive Field.  We had a wonderful tour guide who was full of information about the team's history and the field itself.  I was unaware that Progressive Field had a memorial area, Heritage Park, similar to the National Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, NY.  This area commemorates some of Cleveland's finest playeres throughout the years ranging from Shoeless Joe Jackson to Cy Young.  It was great to experience Heritage Park since I am not very knowledgeable of Cleveland's past.  Big League Tours guests were able to experience a suite, batting cages where guests saw Ben Francisco practicing, and dugout seats to just name a few of the big stops.  Unfortunately, Cleveland's winning streak ended to Baltimore on Wednesday August 13th.  The Indian's put up a good fight but in the end could not hold the Orioles who won 6-1.  To see official MLB stats click here.

 Package Tours Take It To Wrigley Field

Sunday was the last day of Midwest 1 and what better way to end it with heading out to Wrigley Field.  This was the game I had personally been looking forward to for the whole MLB road trip.  On this day the Cubs took on the St. Louis Cardinals and being a Cardinals Fan anyone who knows the two teams know they have somewhat of a rivalry.  So, I came to the game decked out in my Cardinals gear ready to see a great game.  Wrigley Field is one of the oldest stadiums left so the atmosphere and the feeling of being there is like no other.  Everyone who comes is ready to have a great time and enjoy some of America's favorite past time.  Unfortunately for me, the Cardinals did not have such a great game, but it was a great to see Ryan Dempster's 13Th win this season.  The Cubs won the game 6-2 and ended up winning the series 2-1.  To see the official stats click here.