Ballparks in Winter

[Gizzmonic]

The folks at Home Run Derby have set up a nice little gallery that answers the question: what does the ballpark look like in winter?  We Astros fans don't really see much change, but the pictures from the northern climes are interesting.

[S.P. Rodriguez]

You know, I like snow much better in pictures or when I'm skiing.  That said, I saw the Cleveland stadium last march, covered under about 8 inches of snow.  It's a beautiful park from what I saw (driving by and flying over).  Too bad the rest of the city is nasty.  And what they are doing to Lake Erie (I think) is a crime.  It's just disgusting.  I had to ask the locals, that's not really frozen trash in the ice covering the lake is it?  Unfortunately they confirmed it. 

[Bench]

When I was living in Boston I went to the .406 Club in Fenway Park one February evening for a fundraiser.  It had been snowing for a few days, and I was in that near-desparate state the end of the Void puts me in every year, so I figured it would be good for me to visit where the game is played, and listen to an erudite speech on baseball (or so I assumed).

Maybe it was the fact that that speech ended up being about conflict in the Middle East, but gazing at Fenway covered in snow left me more bummed out than when I had arrived. 

[WakePhil]

I've strolled by the park in Nov./Dec on nice days and it is beautiful. Too bad we can't have more days with the roof open.

[Gizzmonic]

When I was living in Boston I went to the .406 Club in Fenway Park one February evening for a fundraiser.  It had been snowing for a few days, and I was in that near-desparate state the end of the Void puts me in every year, so I figured it would be good for me to visit where the game is played, and listen to an erudite speech on baseball (or so I assumed).

Maybe it was the fact that that speech ended up being about conflict in the Middle East, but gazing at Fenway covered in snow left me more bummed out than when I had arrived. 

I guess it is a little bleak.  But remember, baseball's not dead, it's just sleeping...

[strosrays]

"Not nearly as yuppie as other baseball sites."  Nice.  When you are dealing with Cub fans, you really have to spell things out for them.

And I knew the roof at Miller Park had some leaks, but goddamn.

[Ty in Tampa]

I drive through the campus of the University of Tampa every day to get to my job. I pass right by the ball fields and Monday the team started their workouts. The end is near.

[Col. Sphinx Drummond]

"Yankee Stadium.  That place looks like a giant frozen bedpan. Usually it just looks like a giant bedpan."

Nice observation.

[Frobie]

You know, I like snow much better in pictures or when I'm skiing.  That said, I saw the Cleveland stadium last march, covered under about 8 inches of snow.  It's a beautiful park from what I saw (driving by and flying over).  Too bad the rest of the city is nasty.  And what they are doing to Lake Erie (I think) is a crime.  It's just disgusting.  I had to ask the locals, that's not really frozen trash in the ice covering the lake is it?  Unfortunately they confirmed it. 

If you think Cleveland is bad now, you should have seen it in the 70s.

Neat gallery.  Thanks to the OP for sharing it.

[HudsonHawk]

I drive through the campus of the University of Tampa every day to get to my job. I pass right by the ball fields and Monday the team started their workouts. The end is near.

Is that a nice campus or what?  My niece is a freshman there, BTW.

[Ty in Tampa]

Is that a nice campus or what?  My niece is a freshman there, BTW.

Very nice, and it's grown like crazy the last 10 years. Having Plant Hall/The Tampa Bay Hotel as the centerpiece ain't too shabby.

Great, now I'll be wondering if I'm gawking at your niece every time I drive through there.

[HudsonHawk]

Very nice, and it's grown like crazy the last 10 years. Having Plant Hall/The Tampa Bay Hotel as the centerpiece ain't too shabby.

Your link doesn't work.  But here's one for those who've never seen the University of Tampa.  Plus it's downtown, right on a really nice part of the Hillsborough River.

http://www.ut.edu/gallery/index.html

Great, now I'll be wondering if I'm gawking at your niece every time I drive through there.

Don't let me catch you buster....Actually, my niece is the sweetest thing since Cinnabon, but she's not the one you'd be gawking at while driving by. 

[Ty in Tampa]

Don't let me catch you buster....Actually, my niece is the sweetest thing since Cinnabon, but she's not the one you'd be gawking at while driving by. 

I read somewhere that the school population is something like 70/30 female to male. It sure seems that way.

[HudsonHawk]

I read somewhere that the school population is something like 70/30 female to male. It sure seems that way.

I believe you're right.  And might I remind that those 70% are females, aged 18-22...in south Florida.  Aside from my niece, who no one should be oggling anyway, you'd be hard pressed to find a more dense area of "talent".

[Ty in Tampa]

I believe you're right.  And might I remind that those 70% are females, aged 18-22...in south Florida.  Aside from my niece, who no one should be oggling anyway, you'd be hard pressed to find a more dense area of "talent".

While through the campus is the most direct route to my office, I could get there faster going a different way.

[Bench]

I believe you're right.  And might I remind that those 70% are females, aged 18-22...in south Florida.  Aside from my niece, who no one should be oggling anyway, you'd be hard pressed to find a more dense area of "talent".

Tampa is considered south Florida?

[HudsonHawk]

Tampa is considered south Florida?

Eh...depends on who you ask.  Some would say that anything in the penninsula is "south Florida".  Some would say "South Florida" = Miami area.  I consider it south Florida, mainly because it's not "West Florida" (the panhandle) or "North Florida" (Tallahasse, Gainesville, Jacksonville) or really even "Central Florida" (Orlando area).  I know, more than you were asking.

[Ty in Tampa]

Tampa is considered south Florida?

It depends. Most call it west central Florida but the University of South Florida is located in north Tampa.

[HudsonHawk]

While through the campus is the most direct route to my office, I could get there faster going a different way.

And so that no one thinks you're only interested in hot young co-eds...the University of Tampa has an outstanding baseball program.  They're a Div II school, usually ranked in the top 10 and have recently won several DII National Championships.

[HudsonHawk]

It depends. Most call it west central Florida but the University of South Florida is located in north Tampa.

And the University of Central Florida is in Orlando, but Florida Southern College is in Lakeland, only a few miles from UCF. 

BTW, I read recently where UCF is now the 5th largest school in the country.  It's bigger than UT-Austin now.  Unbelievable how much it's grown. 

[Ty in Tampa]

And so that no one thinks you're only interested in hot young co-eds...the University of Tampa has an outstanding baseball program.  They're a Div II school, usually ranked in the top 10 and have recently won several DII National Championships.

2 in the last 3 years. Their park is squeezed into a space next to railroad tracks and 2 residential towers and there are ~50 ft. fences surrounding the whole thing. Very odd. BTW, N. Boulevard is the road I take to work.

[HudsonHawk]

2 in the last 3 years. Their park is squeezed into a space next to railroad tracks and 2 residential towers and there are ~50 ft. fences surrounding the whole thing. Very odd. BTW, N. Boulevard is the road I take to work.

When I was a kid, we used to go to the swimming pool there (one of my friend's dad was a professor there).  Also, they used to have a football team, and I my dad used to take me to a few games.  They played at Tampa Stadium, before they expanded it for the Bucs.  In fact, the Bucs were kind of the final nail in the Spartan football coffin.  When Tampa was awarded an NFL team, the University decided to drop football, fearing it would eat away at what little support they had left.

[Ty in Tampa]

When I was a kid, we used to go to the swimming pool there (one of my friend's dad was a professor there).  Also, they used to have a football team, and I my dad used to take me to a few games.  They played at Tampa Stadium, before they expanded it for the Bucs.  In fact, the Bucs were kind of the final nail in the Spartan football coffin.  When Tampa was awarded an NFL team, the University decided to drop football, fearing it would eat away at what little support they had left.

The pool is very, very nice. See above.

[chuck]

... you'd be hard pressed to find a more dense area of "talent".

Miami.

[HudsonHawk]

Miami.

Perhaps a more detailed study is in order.

[chuck]

Perhaps a more detailed study is in order.

I have conducted an exhaustive survey, but data is malleable and inputs are constantly changing. Additional research is always indicated.

[strosrays]

And so that no one thinks you're only interested in hot young co-eds...

I, for one, would prefer that he is only interested in coeds, rather than the other 30% of the student, um, body (NTTAWWT.)

[Col. Sphinx Drummond]

When I was a kid, we used to go to the swimming pool there (one of my friend's dad was a professor there).  Also, they used to have a football team, and I my dad used to take me to a few games.  They played at Tampa Stadium, before they expanded it for the Bucs.  In fact, the Bucs were kind of the final nail in the Spartan football coffin.  When Tampa was awarded an NFL team, the University decided to drop football, fearing it would eat away at what little support they had left.

John Matuszak went there.

[Ty in Tampa]

I, for one, would prefer that he is only interested in coeds, rather than the other 30% of the student, um, body (NTTAWWT.)

While I enjoy watching the UT baseball team, I do not gawk at them.

[HudsonHawk]

John Matuszak went there.

As did Freddie Solomon.  He played QB at Tampa, but was a WR in the NFL.

[HudsonHawk]

John Matuszak went there.

The University of Tampa has also produced two famous professional wrestlers:  Joanie Laurer, aks "Chyna" of WWF/Playboy fame, and Mr. Wonderful, Paul Orndorff.  Orndorff played football there.

[Ty in Tampa]

Many know this already but Tino Martinez was a standout at Tampa as well.