Best / Worst Sports Stadiums

[Frosty]

Boise State's blue turf has already been mentioned.

One problem in this thread is many of the multipurpose monstrocities of the 70's have been demolished. Thank God. But, there are still some awful places out there. I'll start with one Chicagoans can identify with, The Rosemont Horizon, home of what's left of the DePaul Blue Demon basketball team.

Located in the shadows of O'Hare Airport, the Horizon is perhaps best known for the roof collapsing from the jets flying overhead shortly before it's opening. When the Horizon finally debuted for a Ted Nugent concert, fans arrived wearing hardhats. For basketball, the Horizon is the worst place I've ever seen a game with awful sightlines.

[Blitzzzzz]

RIP Cobb's Cathedral, The Corner, Michigan and Trumbull, Tiger Stadium!
Meanwhile, the Tigers hang on by a thread, 2 games ahead of the Twins who are in town at the depressingly generic Coma (Comerica Park) where tonight we celebrate the 25th Anniversary of the, 35-5 starting, 1984 World Champions!:cool:

[swag]

Texas-Arlington may be the only NCAA D-1 basketball team that does not play in a stadium, an arena, or even a gym.

They play their games in the 3400 seat school auditorium, with the court set up on stage.

[Frosty]

RIP Cobb's Cathedral, The Corner, Michigan and Trumbull, Tiger Stadium!
Meanwhile, the Tigers hang on by a thread, 2 games ahead of the Twins who are in town at the depressingly generic Coma (Comerica Park) where tonight we celebrate the 25th Anniversary of the, 35-5 starting, 1984 World Champions!:cool:

I've seen pics of the new park and it looks fantastic.

[Blitzzzzz]

I've seen pics of the new park and it looks fantastic.http://www.ballparksofbaseball.com/al/copa08931.jpg
http://www.ballparksofbaseball.com/past/pictures/tiger09950.jpg
If you're in the lower deck, it's not so bad though it is oddly open and breezy which is great on a summer evening, but we are talking about baseball in Michigan here. From the Weather Channel:Windy with a few showers possible. High near 60F. Winds NW at 20 to 30 mph. Chance of rain 30%. Winds could occasionally gust over 40 mph.
Game time 12 Noon, First of two today making up for last nights rain out and this will be better than tonight's weather.
It is pretty enough, but the upper deck is too steep and too far from the action and those of us who remember the intimacy of Tiger Stadium fondly will never feel at home there.:cool:

[ohio]

The old multi-purpose stadium here was just horrible for both fans and players. Paul Brown Stadium & Great America Ball Park are really beautiful and fan friendly. Still, there were some great memories linked to old Riverfront Stadium:
World Series: 1970, '72, '75, '76, & '90
Pete Rose's 4,192nd hit
Tom Browning's perfect game
Tom Seaver's no hitter
All Star Game: 1970 & 1988

AFC Championship wins: 1981 (the Freezer Bowl) & 1989

[Blitzzzzz]

The old multi-purpose stadium here was just horrible for both fans and players. Paul Brown Stadium & Great America Ball Park are really beautiful and fan friendly. Still, there were some great memories linked to old Riverfront Stadium:
World Series: 1970, '72, '75, '76, & '90
Pete Rose's 4,192nd hit
Tom Browning's perfect game
Tom Seaver's no hitter
All Star Game: 1970 & 1988

AFC Championship wins: 1981 (the Freezer Bowl) & 1989
http://www.ballparksofbaseball.com/past/cinergymainuse.jpg
http://img2.allposters.com/images/FIP/AS-00036-C.jpg
Memories, for sure, Bry!
I suspect you're too young to have made it to Crosley Field? I never saw a game their but I remember when we would make the Florida trip from Michigan, coming down the interstate and seeing right into the park with a game in progress. That must have been quite a place.:cool:

[t.o..fester]

If you're in the lower deck, it's not so bad though it is oddly open and breezy which is great on a summer evening, but we are talking about baseball in Michigan here. From the Weather Channel:Windy with a few showers possible. High near 60F. Winds NW at 20 to 30 mph. Chance of rain 30%. Winds could occasionally gust over 40 mph.
Game time 12 Noon, First of two today making up for last nights rain out and this will be better than tonight's weather.
It is pretty enough, but the upper deck is too steep and too far from the action and those of us who remember the intimacy of Tiger Stadium fondly will never feel at home there.:cool:

I use to love going to games at Tiger Stadium You were right on top of the action. Yea, I know it was old and crumbling, but once in your seat, it was fun to watch a game there.

[ScoopJohnD]

I was lucky enough to see a Tiger/Yankees opening day at old Tiger Stadium years ago. Second deck out in right field. Can't remember who won but Larry Herndon hit one of the longest home runs I ever saw, dead center, which in old Tiger Stadium is a f^&**ing SHOT!

And holy s*#t I googled and found a blurb about that home run in a 1990 article about a Padres/Expos game.....

"Memories were resurrected for several Padre players when they watched replays of Cecil Fielder's home run over the left-field roof Saturday at Tiger Stadium. That's impressive, to be sure, but Dennis Rasmussen and Mike Pagliarulo remember a mammoth shot that left everybody awestruck. It was the opening day of the 1987 season when they were members of the New York Yankees, they said, and playing on a cold and blustery day in Detroit. In the first inning, with Rasmussen on the mound, Larry Herndon hit a home run to dead center that bounced off the upper facade. Just how impressive was the homer? The center field fence is 440 feet away from home plate. "I think everyone that was at the game that day will always remember that one," Rasmussen said."

[Frosty]

http://www.ballparksofbaseball.com/al/copa08931.jpg
http://www.ballparksofbaseball.com/past/pictures/tiger09950.jpg
If you're in the lower deck, it's not so bad though it is oddly open and breezy which is great on a summer evening, but we are talking about baseball in Michigan here. From the Weather Channel:Windy with a few showers possible. High near 60F. Winds NW at 20 to 30 mph. Chance of rain 30%. Winds could occasionally gust over 40 mph.
Game time 12 Noon, First of two today making up for last nights rain out and this will be better than tonight's weather.
It is pretty enough, but the upper deck is too steep and too far from the action and those of us who remember the intimacy of Tiger Stadium fondly will never feel at home there.:cool:

Having never been there but putting it on my list of parks to visit, the pictures do not look like the upper deck would be far from the action. Especially if it is steep instead of back. But, still having Wrigley, I understand what you mean about the old stadium. The biggest thing is the new one has a great openness to the sky and skyline. A far cry from the concrete monoliths that once dominated baseball in the 70's and 80's.

[Delta]

Throwing my vote in for the Redbird's stadium (whatever it's called) in Memphis, and our minor league park here in town. We had the Mets farm club in the 70s and early 80s and then the Astros farm club so we got to see many of the great players right here up close and personal.

[Blitzzzzz]

I was lucky enough to see a Tiger/Yankees opening day at old Tiger Stadium years ago. Second deck out in right field. Can't remember who won but Larry Herndon hit one of the longest home runs I ever saw, dead center, which in old Tiger Stadium is a f^&**ing SHOT!


Scoop, that must have been 1987, Jack Morris lost 2-1. You got me remembering the last game of the 1987 season when I sat in the right field upper deck and watched Frank Tanana, by then a junk baller, pitch a 1-0 shut out to clinch the AL East. That one run? A Larry Herndon second inning, dying quail, home run that barely cleared the left field fence.:cool:

[ScoopJohnD]

Scoop, that must have been 1987, Jack Morris lost 2-1. You got me remembering the last game of the 1987 season when I sat in the right field upper deck and watched Frank Tanana, by then a junk baller, pitch a 1-0 shut out to clinch the AL East. That one run? A Larry Herndon second inning, dying quail, home run that barely cleared the left field fence.:cool:

Yes indeed 1987, although I found the box score and the blurb I found had the inning wrong. Herndon hit it in the 6th. I found another article that quoted Herndon as saying he can't remember ever hitting a ball harder in his career.

And I'm a Giant fan too and he was a ex-Giant so that was nice as well.

[mangoon]

Shea Stadium was the worst. The neon ball players that were on the outside of the stadium were horrible.

Still love MSG for a hockey game. Enjoyed my trips to the Fleet Center also.

[ohio]

Memories, for sure, Bry!
I suspect you're too young to have made it to Crosley Field? I never saw a game their but I remember when we would make the Florida trip from Michigan, coming down the interstate and seeing right into the park with a game in progress. That must have been quite a place.:cool:
I did go a few times with my dad when I was in maybe 1st grade, definitely wasn't old enough to appreciate it. The old-timers hated Riverfront though!
Nice pictures btw! The Beatles played there in '66.
setlist:
Rock and Roll Music
She's A Woman
If I Needed Someone
Day Tripper
Baby's In Black
I Feel Fine
Yesterday
I Wanna Be Your Man
Nowhere Man
Paperback Writer
Long Tall Sallyhttp://www.gbphoto.com/photos/008.jpg

[Blitzzzzz]

I did go a few times with my dad when I was in maybe 1st grade, definitely wasn't old enough to appreciate it. The old-timers hated Riverfront though!
Nice pictures btw! The Beatles played there in '66.
setlist:
Rock and Roll Music
She's A Woman
If I Needed Someone
Day Tripper
Baby's In Black
I Feel Fine
Yesterday
I Wanna Be Your Man
Nowhere Man
Paperback Writer
Long Tall Sallyhttp://www.gbphoto.com/photos/008.jpg

Wow, Paperback Writer? One of my favorites, never imagined they had played it live!
That's a great picture, too!:cool:

[Blitzzzzz]

Nice pictures btw!

Ballparks of Baseball dot Com. Really nice collection of pictures, Past, Present and Future!:cool:

[mightyradgumbo]

Schaefer Stadium was a gawd awful monstrosity of a stadium. Aluminum benches like you see in high school stadiums were the only seats but for a minimal upgrade late in the life of the stadium. The seats in the nosebleed section were aptly named. Birds would fly by you and question what you were doing so fricken high up. It didn't help that the team was one of the worst run franchises for much of the stadium's existence.
Security was lax, there were fights all the time and of course the aluminum seats felt sooooo comfortable in the New England winter time. Security was so lax that my brother and I were at a game with my dad and one of his friends. We went up to the concessions and we were in the beer line (for them not us-we were something like 11 or 12) and they get beers and the server pouring, without even looking asks how many we wanted so my brother and I respond "two" and walk away with beer in our mitts. My dad turns around and asks us if we want a coke or a hot chocolate and we have a couple of frosties in our hands.

[eZe]

Tiger Stadium was probably my favorite ball parks. Metrodome was just the worst. I loved Cole Field house for basketball. Small, hot and rocking. Reynolds, before some of the renovations was also great...never been to a louder place.

[t.o..fester]

I really love watching hockey at Matthews Arena in Boston (Northeastern University), which by the way, was the original home of the both the Bruins & Celtics.

[mightyradgumbo]

I really love watching hockey at Matthews Arena in Boston (Northeastern University), which by the way, was the original home of the both the Bruins & Celtics.

Also, the Beanpot tournament was originally held there...great arena

[MaloGator]

Schaefer Stadium was a gawd awful monstrosity of a stadium. Aluminum benches like you see in high school stadiums were the only seats but for a minimal upgrade late in the life of the stadium. The seats in the nosebleed section were aptly named. Birds would fly by you and question what you were doing so fricken high up. It didn't help that the team was one of the worst run franchises for much of the stadium's existence.
Security was lax, there were fights all the time and of course the aluminum seats felt sooooo comfortable in the New England winter time. Security was so lax that my brother and I were at a game with my dad and one of his friends. We went up to the concessions and we were in the beer line (for them not us-we were something like 11 or 12) and they get beers and the server pouring, without even looking asks how many we wanted so my brother and I respond "two" and walk away with beer in our mitts. My dad turns around and asks us if we want a coke or a hot chocolate and we have a couple of frosties in our hands.

YYR, Gumbo, what a shit hole. But its namesake had one of the best advertising slogans ever; (sing along, Dan, you know the words...)

Schaefer is the one beer to have when you're having more than one! :D

Hey, tarbender...!

[festivalgirl]

YYR, Gumbo, what a shit hole. But its namesake had one of the best advertising slogans ever; (sing along, Dan, you know the words...)

Schaefer is the one beer to have when you're having more than one! :D

Hey, tarbender...!

http://www.taverntrove.com/beerpics/Schaefer-Beer-Coasters-F--M-Schaefer-Brewing-Company_54571-1.jpghttp://www.baseballforum.com/attachments/baseball-history-teams-yester-year/320d1154064598-beer-ballparks-schaefer-beer-can-.jpg

[McGregor]

Tiger Stadium was probably my favorite ball parks.

+1 for Tiger Stadium in Detroit (not in B.R., that place is falling apart)

So cool being so close to the field, the overhang in the outfield, the press box being literally 100 feet from home plate. There were some beams that created bad sight lines but I'm so glad I got to see a handful of game in that place before it was torn down, really cool.