The first stadium in our Baseball Fan Grand Slam was Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles. On July 25, we watched the Dodgers come from behind in the bottom on the ninth to tie the game, then triumph over the Blue Jays in the 10th. It was an exciting game and a fabulous launch to our ballpark chase.
Automobile Dodgers
The Dodgers name is an old one. It started out as a nickname for their fans, who had to dodge streetcars to get to the stadium. In the 1930s, they adopted the name Dodgers on a permanent basis.
While there are no streetcars in Los Angeles, we did our sharing of dodging to reach Dodger Stadium! Traffic in Los Angeles lived up to its reputation, as did the drivers’ strategies for handling it. We saw one driver swerve into oncoming traffic to scoot past the driver ahead of her. What made it particularly daring is that the driver in front was sitting at a red light! It didn’t get them far, of course, as the traffic was stopped in the next block as well, but it sure raised some eyebrows in our car.
Dodger Stadium is easy to access, even when towing a trailer. They have a designated oversized vehicle lot, and we had prepaid for parking, making the process even easier.
Dodger Stadium: The Tour
Because Dodger Stadium is the third oldest in Major League Baseball, we signed up to take a tour. Unfortunately, so did about 40 other people. Between our guide’s mediocre microphone, the stadium’s very strong sound system which was blaring music throughout our tour, and the tour route, it was more like a walk in the [ball] park than a tour. The one advantage it did give us was earlier entrance into the ballpark. Whether it was worth the $150+ we spent on those three tickets is questionable.
Dodger Fans and Friends
Our jerseys were, in some respects, an unintentional tribute to the home team of our first stadium. We blended in nicely with the sea of blue and white. A few fans stopped us to inquire about the “Stadiums – 2023” on our backs. In our seats, we were surrounded by friendly Dodgers fans. Some are now following this blog!
Brad sends a special hello to his new “friend,” the seven year old with whom he enjoyed conversations on topics ranging from baseball plays to how far a butterfly could fly. Ryan sends greetings to the couple behind us, who left in the 8th inning to avoid traffic. We were so glad to hear that you ended up watching the end of the game before you left!
Our Impressions of Dodger Stadium
We haven’t refined our rating system for stadiums yet, but we do have some observations.
Our Seats: We had excellent seats for the game. We were in the Reserved section: 9RS Row A, Seats 7, 8 and 9, on the third base line.
The Food: In general, we were unimpressed by the food selection. Generally, it was traditional baseball fare with a few unique options. It was overpriced for the quality. Ryan and Brad tried the signature Dodger Dogs, which they said were good hotdogs, but nothing particularly special. Three dogs, two sodas, and two servings of fries cost them about $80. I took my friend Julie Monajem’s recommendation and tried the Mediterranean Chicken Bowl served in a baseball bowl. While the chicken was a bit dry, the flavor was good and we now have a new cereal bowl for the Airstream!
Non-Alcoholic Beer Review: Apparently, the new trend toward non-alcoholic micro-brews has not hit the Los Angeles baseball scene yet. The only option was a Bud Zero for $18.50 from the AM PM on the 100 level.
The Game: Three Home Runs for Housing!
As I noted earlier, it was a close game. The final score stood 8 to 7, with a walk off double from the Dodgers in the 10th inning. Both teams had 12 hits and no errors.
Between the two teams, we saw 3 home runs, bringing in just over $1,000 for Home Runs for Housing. If you haven’t yet pledged, it isn’t too late! For every home run we see, we will be raising money to help people who are employed and experiencing homelessness or hardship across the United States. Learn more about the issue and the solution for which we are fundraising here.
Up Next: Petco Park & San Diego Padres
After the game ended, around 11:00, we headed south to San Diego, arriving at about 1:30 a.m. at Sun Outdoors San Diego Bay. On Wednesday, July 26th, we are headed to Stadium #2: Petco Park.
