The Next Step

In the fall of 2002, I met Elizabeth. When baseball season had arrived in the spring of 2003, Elizabeth joined me on a trip to Miller Park in Milwaukee, Wisconsin so we could go to the game, the Miller Brewery Tour, the Milwaukee Art Museum, and her aunt and uncle's house. I started the annual Memorial baseball trip with Chris and Kayley this year. We went to Safeco Field in Seattle. That summer Elizabeth and I visited the Metrodome in Minnesota. We went to the Walker Art Center in Minnesota as well. Elizabeth did not grow up as big of a baseball fan as I did, but she enjoyed seeing the new parks and she always was sure to find a local art museum to visit along the way.  

We arranged for a trip to California that summer to see our friend Matt and went to Oakland to see Network Associates Coliseum. Then on to PacBell Park in San Francisco.  (and the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art of course)

I went to Busch Stadium in St. Louis and Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City with Chris and Scott in August 2002. We also stopped by the Field of Dreams in Dyersville, Iowa.

The Beginning

On a rainy Memorial Day in 2002, I found myself pondering my first summer vacation as a teacher.  With some new found money from my tax refund, I decided to plan an eight day, seven city baseball road trip.  I've always enjoyed the feeling of going to a ball game and as a teacher, I realized that my summers would be a perfect opportunity to experience Major League Baseball from a variety of venues.  My July trip started out in Detroit, then I went to Cleveland, Philadelphia, New York, Baltimore, Pittsburgh, and Cincinnati. (Previous to this road trip I had already been to Fenway, Miller Park, Wrigley Field, Comiskey Park, Bank One Ballpark, and the old Busch Stadium) That fateful trip jump started a new personal goal:  visit every MLB ballpark.

As I visited these parks, I began to take pictures behind homeplate as a memento of my trip.  I also began to formulate some opinions about my experiences.