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Cal Ripken Induction @ Cooperstown Accommodations -- 2007-03-30

If there is anyone that is looking for accommodations. My friends and I are renting a house one block from the HoF Museum for 5 days (Thursday before and leaving Tuesday morning after Induction). The cost of the rental house that sleeps 10 people is $6000.00 that breaks down to $600.00 per person. The one room that is left has either a double or queen size bed I cannot remember, if you are interested please contact me ASAP either by email or phone (410)879-0761. Larry Stickler

Larry Stickler

Stadium Review for 2003 -- 2003-09-20

Overall Rating: B+

Facility A

Nice new stadium. The concourse is above the seating bowl. The concourse is lined with concession stands and the gift store. The parking area is large and free.

The field is maintained at MLB standards, it is that good. The staff is friendly and I still love the all access badges (reminds me of HRC) some wear.

Some of the seating sections are too long and when you move down the line they tend to face into the outfield. No more sewage trucks making the rounds past center so that is an improvement.

Atmosphere B

The focus is on the field, stadium and staff. The on field crew is largely ignored. Early in the year we enjoyed watching the youngsters trying to figure out how to shoot t-shorts into the crowd (they didn’t). On our next visit they had mastered the art.

There is an MLB approach to minor league ball on display here. Our impression after a few visits is that many of the fans come hoping that Cal will be here. Each game we have been to there have always been comments from the fans around us debating whether or not Cal will be there that night. While that would be great to see Cal (or be lucky enough to get an autograph) it seems to us that fans focus too much on that and not enough on the current players.

Value B

Ticket and food prices are high. The $6 seats are not bad but prices jump higher (they top at $13). If you call for tickets you have to go through Ticketmaster which adds to the cost as well. Since the team sells out this is for now a mute point. We will check back in four years.

Odds and Ends

Be careful leaving. For now a two-lane road is the entry point. Late in the game it is supposed to be outbound only but some motorists don’t get the word making for a dangerous situation. I would hate to own a home on that road.

We went to four games here this year and every time we visited a staff member would tell us that Cal would not be at the game. There is an obsession with all things Cal here. When we went to see the Arsenal play some time back the prices were high and crowds non-existent. Now they sell out but the long-term question is whether they can turn Cal watchers into a fan base.

Given the sell outs so far will Cal want more home dates and move away from the short season NY-Penn League.

Karen and Kevin Flynn

Eat before you go -- 2002-12-09

I went to 24 different minor league parks this (2002) summer. It is an OK park, but the food is bush league in the worst way.

jon burton

Ripken Stadium, An Overview -- 2002-08-21

Amazing. That sums it up. Since buying the team after the 2001 season and moving them from Utica to Aberdeen, construction has produced a spectacular stadium in a short amount of time. Surrounding construction for the other fields is still continuing. Cal took a look at the stadiums the Orioles visited and some of the local parks and combined what he liked to create this gem. The hill area down the left field line where people can sit on blankets and watch the game. The concessions are in the open, the field is below street level, and the height difference from fans to players are all from Frederick. Cal also took things from Delmarva and Camden Yards (like the green paint color). Good luck finding tickets for 2002, the season's almost over and when ordering our tickets in June, our seats were bought by someone else right before we 'slapped down the plastic' for Ticketmaster. Not one seat is bad in the house. The scoreboards are top of the line, plus Cal Ripken is usually 'in da house' and signs autographs for the people who ask (when he is stopped to look at something or ask people how they like the stadium). Cal spent 45 minutes in the Ironbirds store running the cash register Aug. 6 (reminds me of Mark Cuban of the Dallas Mavericks). I did not have an Iron Man sighting Aug. 7, but if I lived in the area, I would go often just for the chance.

Mike

Gem of a park! -- 2002-07-10

Went for the first time 7/6/02 and was very impressed with the entire operation. Comfortable brick/steel park much like all the other MD Orioles affiliates (Bowie, Delmarva...) seating 6000. Great sightlines throughout; wide concourse and very comfortable seating (wide aisles, and the seats themselves were more comfortable than Camden Yards club seats.)

There's a big video scoreboard, picnic pavilion area, and plenty of places for little kids to run around (away from the adults who want to concentrate on the game!)

Ticket pricing is a little high for low Single A ball -- $7-$15 -- but still cheap compared to the majors. Adequate concessions (not great food in terms of either quality or wide selection, but reasonable prices and quick service). Ample free parking. Big souvenir store with the usual stuff (a lot of which is _not_ available on their Web site - at least not yet).

Road construction is still ongoing for the park's feeder roads, so if the park is full (as it has been almost every night this Inaugural Season), be prepared to sit in the lot for a little while after the game.

It's a nice park and a fun time, worth checking out if you're in the neighborhood, but honestly not worth a long trip just to get there. However, for 2003 they should be finished with the construction of the adjacent Pony League diamonds -- scale replicas of four famous major league parks (Memorial Stadium/Camden Yards from Baltimore, Fenway Park, and Ebbits Field) -- that will definitely warrant even on a special trip.

There's also the Ripken Museum in town a couple of miles away, which is interesting and should take about 90 minutes or so -- unfortunately it's only open from 11-3, so pack a picnic dinner or something to entertain yourself until the park opens at 6.

Jeff Spence

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