Final Game of Our Six Game Baseball Travel Tour
Tuesday, June 24, 2008 - As we headed into Fenway for the final game of our baseball road trip, I thought it was fitting that we started the tour in Baltimore with one of the finest, if not the finest, retro parks in the league and then we wrapped up the tour in Boston at the league's oldest baseball stadium.

It's interesting to see the contrast at this park with only 35,000 or so fans in the seats versus most other stadiums that seat 40,000 - 55,000+ fans. You are so close to the action here regardless of where your seat is. The only thing you have to be concerned with is an obstructed view. We've found the best way to avoid that is to sit low enough that the only thing that could possibly block your view is the batter in the on deck circle!

The other option for seating that guarantees an unobstructed view is on the Green Monster. I have to admit that before I was ever in Fenway or had ventured to the top of the Monstah, I couldn't imagine anyone wanting to sit up there for a game. However, I can honestly say that it's a fantastic place to watch a game. Since the wall is so shallow, you feel like you are the left fielder for the whole game. It's incredible. I would highly recommend getting seats up there at least once in your life.

Taking a Private Stadium Tour of Fenway Park
Tuesday, June 24, 2008 - Fenway Park has a charm to it that is unlike any other baseball stadium that I've ever visited. I'd have to say it's my favorite park. We began our visit to Boston with a private escorted tour of Fenway. (We were lucky enough to get Kim again. Great job, Kim!) The tour is a great mix of history and facts about the team, the ballpark and baseball in general.

One of the things that we like to do on our package tours is to bring in MLB players to share their experiences, sign autographs for our guests, and to have their pictures taken. This baseball trip was no different. We brought in Dick Drago, a pitcher with the Red Sox in the '70's. Dick pitched in the 1975 World Series and shared many stories about playing during that era. He's pictured with our group as we toured the ballpark.

While there are any number of sports travel packages that fans can choose from, we think that our Player Experiences are a key differentiator for Big League Tours. It's a way for us to make the baseball road trip into a truly MLB road trip!

Taking an Escorted Tour of Yankee Stadium
Monday, June 23, 2008 - One of the best ways to experience Yankee Stadium is on a stadium tour that gets you access into sections of the stadium that you would otherwise not see. Our started in the press box where I'm always reminded that, had I paid more attention in English class, I could have had one of the best seats in the ballpark...and been paid to sit in it!

We then made our way to Monument Park. I've been here several times but I always find new things to read and see when I'm there. This section of the baseball stadium really helps to solidify the position of the Yankees as the most storied franchise in all of baseball.

Because of a slight rain, we made our way through some tunnels to get to the Yankees dugout. While it's always fun to walk on the warning track, it was interesting to see parts of the stadium that I hadn't seen before. We saw the visitors clubhouse and their tunnel to their dugout. We saw pictures throughout the tunnel of Yankees through history. And we made our way through the tunnel from the Yankees clubhouse into the dugout where I shot this photo of the plaque with the famous quote from Joe DiMaggio.

If you haven't purchased a ticket for a stadium tour of the old Yankee Stadium, it might just be too late. The team has had such high demand for the tickets that it appears that they are sold out for the year.

Visiting the Most Hallowed of All Baseball Stadiums
Sunday, June 22, 2008 - It seemed only fitting that we went to Yankee Stadium on a Sunday. It's definitely a religious experience for some, especially those Yankee fans who take our baseball vacation packages. (Yes, we even take Yankee fans!)

Since this is the last year for this Yankee Stadium, everybody and their brother wants to get there for the first time or at least one more time before it's torn down. I'm convinced that the final game of the season at Yankee Stadium will be our generation's equivalent to Woodstock. 55,000 people will actually be in attendance but millions will claim to have been there...

Whether you are a Yankees fan or not, this is one MLB road trip that you should make before it's too late. It's amazing to see a facility that's 86 years old, that was built to the scale that it was, and is still in such good shape. It's also great to see where so much history has been created. It's not too late to check out package tours that are still available to see the House that Ruth Built before it's gone!

What Makes Baseball Vacation Packages Special?
Sometimes it's choosing the right tour operator who puts together sports travel packages that include some really cool features. But sometimes, the things that happen on the package tours can't be planned.

One of those unplanned events happened on our latest MLB tour when Josh Hamilton spent time signing autographs for fans along the third base line at Nationals Park. Josh became a favorite of ours last year when he made such a tremendous come back with the Cincinnati Reds. We hated to see the Reds trade him this past winter but it has been a trade that has worked out really well for both clubs.

The Reds received Edinson Volquez, who has just pitched lights out for them and leads the majors in ERA. The Rangers received Josh Hamilton who is a legitimate contender for baseball's coveted triple crown. And, it seems that the Rangers are doing everything they can to help support Josh's clean walk. Kudos to the Rangers ownership and management.

Here he is signing my son's baseball. Thanks for helping to make this baseball road trip special, Josh!

Baseball vacation packages at their longest and finest!

    June 30, 2008--I just got back from the longest trip that Big League Tours offered this summer.  We accomplished a groundbreaking six stadiums in six days out on the east coast.  We started out in Baltimore where we saw the Orioles beat the Astros 7 to 5. We then took a stadium tour of Camden Yards.  This is by far my favorite park to this date.  It is the most sense pleasing park I have been to so far.  Now when I say sense pleasing it is not only eye pleasing but smell, touch, and the sound of the park are all spectacular.  If you ever have the opportunity to go I highly recommend it! 
    Next, we took off to Washington D.C. where we saw the Texas Rangers VS the Washington Nationals.  In this 14 inning stretch the Nationals finally accomplished what they had set out to do they beat the Rangers 4 to 3. Next stop on our baseball trip was a quick stop in Philadelphia to see them take on the Los Angeles Angels. Angels definitely flew into play and the Phillies just could not hold them off and lost the game 2 to 6.  
    As our baseball trip was way under way we headed to New York to see the Yankees and the Mets play.  Yankees turned out on top when they played the Red's in the rain delayed day game.  However, the Mets as lucky Felix Hernandez had a great and bad game all in one.  He went up to bat in the second inning and hit a grand slam becoming the first American League pitcher since 1971!  Then in the fifth inning there was a play made at home and Felix was taken out by the runner.  He tried to pitch again but you could see him wince in pain as he put weight on his left leg he was then taken out of the game.
     Our last stop was Boston where we met up with Dick Drago a pitcher who played for the Red Sox in the 70's.  We got to hear some great stories from him and it's always great fun to have them reminisce with all of us. Then we got to see the Diamondbacks take on the Red Sox where the Sox beat the Diamondbacks in a nail biting close game. For part of the game we were able to stand on top of the green monster.  It was amazing! Unfortunately we didn't have any grand slams when we were up there, but it was still a once in a lifetime opportunity.  This was a long and packed trip but it was one of the best baseball road trips I have been on so far. I can't wait till next year...

Stadium Tour of Camden Yards
June 20, 2008 - We began our day with an escorted tour of Orioles Park at Camden Yards. After being blown away by this facility the night before, it was great to get a behind the scenes tour of such a great ballpark. It's just too bad that Boog's Barbeque wasn't open for another round...

The tour itself was fantastic. We started on Eutaw Street, which is now the space between the outfield seats and the warehouse, and managed to make our way through every level of the ballpark. Our guide, Susan, led us through the tour that was part Orioles history, ballpark history, as well as Baltimore facts and history.

Here's our group sitting in the Orioles dugout.

This has to have been the most thorough stadium tour that I have ever been on. I believe it was the most enjoyable, too. Thanks to Susan and everyone at the tours office in Baltimore!

Baseball road trip begins with a swing and a miss!

June 5, 2008- Boston Red Sox VS Tampa Bay Rays

This was a game that every major MLB Tours group should have been at! It was probably the most exciting game that I have ever been to in my life.  We knew that there had been a run in the night before with Coco Crisp’s controversial slide into second base and were expecting some type of payback.  What we weren’t expecting was for it to happen so early in the game! James Shield was the starting pitcher for the Rays and Coco came up to bat in the second inning and was hit by the pitch in the thigh.  At first it appeared that Coco was just going to go to first base.  However, that was not the case Coco through his gear down and charged the pitcher’s mound. Starting an uproar in the crowd and on the field he was outnumbered to begin with but soon each team was on the field including the bullpen!  After the fight was broke up both Coco and Shield were ejected from the game. This was a great beginning to our MLB road trip!

How many stadium tours take you on the Green Monstah!?

Thursday, June 5- East Coast 1 started off in Boston, MA where some of the guests arrived a day early and some arrived on the day of the game.  We began our baseball trip by taking an escorted tour of Fenway Park. Bill “Spaceman” Lee and his wife Diana joined us on our tour as well.  Allowing guests to speak with him have pictures taken, get autographs signed, and hear some stories from when he played for the Boston Red Sox. 

It was a cold misty day in Boston, but we got to see a lot of the stadium and were given a lot of information about the park.  We got to go to many parts of the stadium, but my favorite was the Green Monster.  It was a great view of the entire stadium and a once in a lifetime opportunity. If you can ever get the opportunity to take any type of stadium tours in Fenway take the opportunity!

Players Make Baseball Vacation Packages Unique
Bill "Spaceman" Lee and Dick Drago are joining Big League Tours when we tour Fenway Park on each of our East Coast tours this summer. We have had several players join us at the ballpark for stadium tours or other events including Vida Blue, Tom Browning, Len Barker, Al Hrabosky and Ron Kittle, to name a few, . It always makes the baseball trip special when you get to spend time with guys who have played the game. The players joining us in Boston will be no exceptions.

Here's some background on Bill Lee taken from his website, billspacemanlee.com: Bill Lee pitched in the Major Leagues for 14 years, 10 of which were with the Boston Red Sox. The California native amassed a career record of 119-90 including three consecutive 17-win seasons with the Red Sox. Ron Sheldon, the creator of Bull Durham admits to modeling Kevin Costner's unforgettable character on Lee. Bill earned the nickname 'Spaceman' early in his career for his nonconformist attitudes, his outrageous comments and for hinting more than once that he enjoyed recreational drugs. Lee was always eager to challenge his coaches and managers, most notably Don Zimmer, who he mistook for a gerbil. Because of his unconventional approach to the game and his candid views on social issues, Lee was a fan favorite for years in New England and later in Montreal. A shoulder injury sustained during an on-field fight contributed to Lee's eventual retirement.

Here are some quotes from Bill: "I'm mad at Hank (Aaron) for deciding to play one more season. I threw him his last home run and thought I'd be remembered forever. Now, I'll have to throw him another." "Do they leave it (Fenway's Green Monster) there during the game?" "My Karma ran over my Dogma." And my personal favorite, "You should enter a ballpark the way you enter a church."

Here's some background on Dick Drago taken from baseballlibrary.com: Drago made the majors when he was picked by the Royals in the expansion draft, and he became the ace of their struggling staff. Improving with the rest of the team, he had his best season in 1971 (17-11, 3.01), but his record suffered when the team declined in 1972 (12-17 despite a 2.99 ERA). Boston acquired him for 1974, and in their AL championship season in 1975 he was their bullpen ace with 15 saves. He saved Games Two and Three as the Red Sox swept the A's in the ALCS, but lost Game Two of the World Series in the ninth inning on a Ken Griffey double. His three scoreless innings of one-hit ball in Game Six kept Boston in the game, and they won on Carlton Fisk's famous homer in the 12th inning. Traded to California for 1976 and then to Baltimore in mid-1977, he returned to the Red Sox for 1978 and had his last good season in 1979, going 10-6 with 13 saves.

The players will be joining us for our escorted tours of Fenway Park. Bill Lee will be on our East Coast 1 and East Coast 3 Tours. Dick Drago will be joining us on the East Coast 2 Tour.

Despite finishing the MLB tour with a rained out game, the trip as a whole was a great time. We saw a game at Yankee Stadium, toured Yankee Stadium (and even got in the clubhouse!), received autographs from several of the players, took in the sites at Shea Stadium (although they were damp), and had our Big League Player Experience with Miracle Mets team member Art Shamsky.

Here are some things that our guests had to say about our baseball road trip:

           "Dana & I wanted to thank you so very much for the great time we had in New York.  We appreciated your thoughtful, caring attitude toward creating a truly once in a lifetime major league experience for both of us.  You have successfully fulfilled your mission of creating a first class big league tour." Dana G. and Darrel M., Grand Junction, CO

           "Christine and I wanted to thank you for the wonderful time in NYC. We really had a blast and the baseball experience was outstanding. As I stood on the warning track in center field at Yankee Stadium and heard the voice of the "Mick" , I have returned to the fold as a Yankee fan. The seats were wonderful for both games and Christine was especially pleased to get so close to the field and to the Mets. I am sure we will meet again!" John and Christine L., Athens, GA

            "We really hated leaving New York - love it there and loved the trip. You did a fantastic job putting together what fans want to do and see!"  Sonia and Patrick D., Bakersfield, CA

             "Tami and I just wanted to tell you what a great time we had in New York. It was a fantastic experience. We're already talking about taking another trip with Big League Tours!"  Joe and Tami M., Ball Ground, GA
         
            "We had a wonderful time on the baseball trip - you took great care of all of the details and it made for a wonderful vacation. We had never been to NYC before and this was such a fun way to see the city for the first time. The seats at the stadiums were great too - we would never have been able to get those ourselves. Finally, meeting Art Shamsky was a highlight. We had no idea what to expect, but we were really glad that we had the opportunity to do that. We have already talked about traveling with Big League Tours again."  Bridget and Jeff M., Rochester Hills, MI

 Rain Out At Shea
Friday, May 9th - Today the inevitable happened. When your business revolves around outdoor sporting events, you know that at some point you're going to get wet and that at some point you're going to have games canceled or postponed. That day finally arrived. After dodging rain outs all across America for a couple of years, we suffered our first one at Shea Stadium. All wasn't lost, though.

Part of the attraction of MLB road trips is to see the stadiums. While it was raining most of the time we were there, we were still able to walk around and see quite a bit of the stadium. In fact, it was quite nice. Most of the fans stayed away from Shea so we were able to check it out without fighting a large crowd. We essentially turned the time into our own baseball stadium tour. In addition, you could clearly see the new stadium, Citi Field, from inside the old ballpark. Here are some of the folks from our group. That's Citi Field in the background.

About half of the guests on our package tour were staying an extra night in New York City and were able to return to Shea to see the game (and it was a gorgeous day!). Unfortunately for me, I wasn't one of those lucky enough to see the game...

In my opinion, seeing Shea Stadium isn't worth a trip on it's own. If you are going as part of a baseball vacation package or baseball road trip of your own that includes other baseball stadiums, then it's worth making a stop. If nothing else, it will give you a greater appreciation for the new stadiums that are built with the fans in mind.

The Cool Stuff
Friday, May 9th - One of the things that we love to share with our travelers is the cool stuff, things that you hope for on a baseball vacation but aren't always guaranteed. That's why we plan baseball stadium tours whenever we can. That's why we bring in MLB players to meet with our travelers. That's also why we go early to the games - to give everyone a chance to really see and experience  the stadiums and get closer to the players.

Here's a picture from the stadium tour that we took this morning at Yankee Stadium. This is my son standing in the Yankees' bullpen. Several in our group have received autographs from players and coaches at the ballpark and in our hotel. I was even lucky enough last night to catch a ball in batting practice.

If you are considering a baseball road trip or any kind of sports travel package, consider what kind of extras that they are going to provide. Also, consider whether or not you are getting the "cool stuff" that you wouldn't be able to get on your own.

Thursday, May 8th - The MLB road trip officially started today. We met in the hotel lobby and then took off for Yankee Stadium. Our group contains travelers from California to Georgia and several places in between. For many on our group tour, this is their first time to New York City. So to give them an appropriate welcome and initiation into the city, the first thing we did was head into Grand Central Station and get on the #4 train to 161 and Yankee Stadium.

We arrived at Yankee Stadium just as the gates opened. This was the third game in the series against the Cleveland Indians. The Indians had won the first two games so the Yankees fans were anxious for a win. They weren't disappointed as the Yankees' bats finally came to life. None were more alive than Jason Giambi"s as he hit a towering home run into the Tier Boxes in right field. We had seats on the third base side looking down the right field foul line which were perfect for seeing whether or not that hit stayed fair. What an incredible shot! The Yankees ultimately won 6-3 avoiding the sweep from the Indians and drawing them to 18-18 for the season.

Here's a shot into famed Monument Park at Yankee Stadium. Our group will be taking the baseball stadium tour on Friday and will get to see the Park first hand along with other elements of the "House That Ruth Built". The Yankees have left town to play in Detroit so we will hopefully have access to their clubhouse and dugout.

One of the things that I love about our MLB tours is that we include some features that aren't on any other baseball travel tours available. One of those features is what we call our Big League Player Experience. It's where we bring in MLB players to meet the fans traveling with us, share stories about their playing careers, answer questions, and sign autographs and get pictures with the fans on our small group tours. It's an opportunity to get an inside look into baseball and meet some of the players that we've grown up watching.

Our upcoming trip to New York City is no exception. On this baseball trip, we're going to be joined by Art Shamsky, a member of the 1969 World Champion New York Mets. Here's an excerpt from his biography:

In 1965, Shamsky made the Cincinnati Reds and hit .260 as a backup outfielder. He batted .289 as a pinch-hitter that year. In 1966, despite getting only 272 plate appearances for the, Art was second on the team with 21 homers, trailing Deron Johnson by 3. He homered four times in four at-bats from August 12 through August 14, tying a Major League record. On August 12, Shamsky became the first player in Reds history to hit two extra-inning home runs in one game and the only player in Major League history to hit 3 home runs in a game and not be in the starting lineup. The bat that he used to hit the four home runs in a row is on display in Baseball's Hall of Fame. 

During the winter of 1967 Art was traded to the New York Mets and was part of the Miracle Mets that won the 1969 World Series. Art hit .300 that season and batted .537 with 7 hits in 13 at-bats against Atlanta in the National League Playoffs. The 1969 Mets are still recognized as one of the most remarkable stories ever in professional sports. After 13 years in pro baseball and with a World Series ring Art retired from baseball in 1973.

In his post baseball career, Art has been involved in numerous business endeavors and was a radio and television broadcaster that included the New York Mets in 1979, 1980 and 1981. In 2004 Art's popular book, "The Magnificent Seasons', was published.

To read more about Art Shamsky, click here to be taken to his website. Or, if you would like more information about other Big League Player Experiences offered on our baseball vacation packages, visit our website or give us a call!

MLB Tour Wrap-Up

The last event of our tour was on Saturday night when we took in the Diamondbacks and Rockies game at 6PM. We had incredible seats that were located three rows behind the Diamondbacks dugout. (This picture was taken from our seats as Todd Helton belted a home run into the right field seats.) The game was really close for a few innings but the Diamondbacks ultimately poured on the runs and put the game out of reach.

This was a fantastic baseball road trip. If anyone is planning a sports vacation or is specifically looking for a sports package that is a great fit for a family tour, Denver is a fantastic place to go. The city is crazy about its teams, has many things to offer the non-sports fans, offers a moderate climate all year round, and is filled with friendly folks everywhere you go. Transportation is easy to manage, whether you are driving or relying on public transportation. And the city is the micro-brew capital of the world!

This is one trip that we'll definitely offer every year. We can't wait to go back!

Manny Thanks!

While we were taking the escorted tour of Coors Field, we had an unexpected thing happen. As we passed by the doors that led to the Rockies' clubhouse, we ran into Manny Corpas. Manny is the closer who had a phenomenal run at the end of last year.

Manny motioned for my son, Hiatt, to follow him into the clubhouse area and then gave him a personal tour of the clubhouse, the weight room, training room and cafeteria. The tour guides told us that this never happens which made it all the more special for Hiatt. Can you imagine being 10 years old and getting a personal tour from an MLB player? I would have been as excited at 40!

We've taken many baseball stadium tours but this one will stand out in our memories for a long time...Our thanks to Manny for going out of his way to make that stadium tour special for a young baseball fan. You instantly made him a Rockies fan and a personal fan for life. Thanks so much!!!

Yesterday we took the stadium tour of Coors Field. It's a great ballpark with a lot of interesting features. Since it was a game day, we started the tour on the field which is usually the last stop. Here's our group and guide just outside the Rockies dugout.

We then went up to the top of the stadium to work our way down. In the upper deck, the stadium has a row of purple seats that are located exactly at 5,280 feet. I like the that the seats are one color. The days of marking sections with different colored seats were awful. One row of purple seats seems appropriate.

Another interesting stop was in the press box. These guys not only have one of the best jobs in the world, but they also get the best seats in the house. Our guide pointed out that a fresh hole in the wall had been made from a Garrett Atkins foul ball during the Friday season home opener. It was marked with the date and his name so that they could remember all of them by the end of the season.

The guides were great and allowed us to take our time for many pictures and questions. We've been on many tours where they herd you through the park at break-neck speeds without your chance to really enjoy the moment.

When we got up Friday morning, you could sense the excitement building throughout the city. We wanted to get in the mix of things as early as we could so we headed down to 16th street to grab an early lunch amidst all of the restaurants and shops. You could hear live music all over town. News trucks were setup capturing footage of fans in the city. It seemed as though everyone was heading to the game.

There's a section of Denver near Coors Field that is called the Lower Downtown (or LoDo). This part of town used to be warehouses and factories. But with the development around the stadium, it's now restaurants, bars, condos, and office space. Needless to say, this section of town was hopping.

I fully expected this Opening Day to be high energy, higher than most since the team is celebrating its National League Championship. The ceremonies contained the typical player introductions, flag presentation, balloon release and military flyover. The NL Championship trophy was unveiled on the first base line but the pennant wasn't raised. That element seemed unceremonious to me. Then again, maybe I had built it up to be something that it wasn't supposed to be.

Coors Field did live up to its expectations, however. We sat behind the Rockies dugout and really enjoyed the view of the game. One thing that we noticed is how friendly the Rockies fans are. Everyone around us was very talkative and much to share about the city and their team.

Unfortunately, the Rockies' home opener was spoiled by the Diamondbacks. Micah Owings had a great outing. It seemed like he kept the Rockies off-balance for most of the game. The only real mistake he made was the home run that he gave up to Todd Helton. The game ended 8-1 in favor of the Diamondbacks.

Today we're off for a baseball stadium tour to see all the behind the scenes elements of the ballpark. Tonight's game is set to feature Jeff Francis for the Rockies and Brandon Webb for the Diamondbacks. Should be exciting. Then again...a day at the ballpark is always better than sorting out an inbox...

Recently the Washington Post posted an inside look into the new Nationals Park that's set to open this evening with the (U.S.) opening game. Click here to get a virtual baseball stadium tour. You can see the dugout, clubhouse and many other places within the park. Also, follow the video links and you'll get virtual escorted tours through many of the different sections of the ball park.

If you are planning a baseball road trip this summer, this would be a ballpark to include on one of your MLB Tours. Have questions about putting your baseball vacation package together? Check out our website for some suggestions or drop us a note. We would be glad to help you with information to plan your trip!


This photo appeared in the New York Times. You can see the complete story at this link.