Ultimate Baseball Road Trip (104 page)

A limited number of Rockpile tickets are always available on game day. They go on sale two-and-a-half hours before the game at Gate A. If the game is otherwise sold out, be sure to arrive early to wait in line.

If you’re in Colorado primarily to gaze at the snow-capped Rockies and baseball is your second priority, consider sitting in the Upper Level. The mountains are visible from all upper
seats, and particularly from those on the first-base and right-field side of the park. Ironically, the worst seats in the house—those in Upper Right Field Reserved Sections 301–304—offer the most panoramic and breathtaking views of the mountain range.

Generally speaking, the Upper Level at Coors is steep and expansive. Rows 1–9 hang below the midlevel concourse and are called Lower Reserved seats—even though they’re in the Upper Level. We found this a tad confusing. Most ballparks call the seats in this area “Upper Boxes” or “View Boxes.” There’s nothing “lower” about these seats.

The Upper Reserved seats begin behind the Lower Reserved seats and span Rows 10–25. Rows 19 and higher are beneath the sunroof for those in search of a shady or dry spot—depending on the weather.

Even all the way out in Section 347 in left field, the Upper Reserved seats are free of underhang obstructions. It’s another story entirely, however, in right field, where Sections 301–315 are tarnished by the extension of the deck below. The right-field warning track is hidden from view for those in Sections 311–315, while even more of right field and center field disappear for those in 301–310. These seats are to be avoided like Rocky Mountain Oysters—but more on that so-called delicacy in our food review.

No alcohol is allowed in Section 342 on the third base side, so teetotalers had best aim for tickets in this Family Section.

Scalpers can be found peddling their wares on the corner of Blake and 20th Streets. They usually have wads of tickets, so don’t overpay. Remember, if the game isn’t sold out, you can usually do better than face value on the street.

Denver is a decidedly Western town. Though Los Angeles is farther west and is often billed as the center of the
Urban
West
,
Denver epitomizes the
Old
West
.
Josh likens it to the Cactus League hotbed of Scottsdale, which projects a similar gun-slinger’s vibe. In Denver, you’ll find stores to buy grain for your cattle, a saddle for your horse, and chaps for your rugged ridin’ legs. The atmosphere still exists in LoDo, whereas deeper into downtown the city becomes more generically metro-stuffy. So be sure to wear your Stetson and cowboy boots to LoDo and spit some “tobbaccy” juice if the spirit moves you. No one will think any less of you for your eccentricities.

Coors Field is located at the corner of 20th and Blake Street amongst a bevy of renovated brick warehouses. The hood was reportedly a bit grimy before the ballpark was
built, as it had been decades since original road trippers Jack Kerouac and Neal Cassidy roamed the streets, hooting and hollering into the mountain air. But Denver’s beauty of a ballpark has had a delightful impact on its surroundings. If the yards in Baltimore and Cleveland were the prototypes for the ballpark as a catalyst for urban revitalization, Coors is the master example. What were once abandoned warehouses and pawn shops have reopened as hip yuppie bars and have been converted into trendy loft apartments within a lively entertainment district.

The ballpark is accessible from Interstate 25 via Exit 213 (Park Avenue). From the east or west, take Interstate 70 to Interstate 25 first. Street parking is not an option on most days because the metered spots on 19th and 20th allow only two-hour parking and remain active until 10:00 p.m. However, on Sundays these meters are free all day. The team run parking lots charge $13 (Lot B) or $15 (Lot A). Lot A is a bit closer to the main entrance, hence the extra cost. But there are also several private lots in the neighborhood that charge less than the team does. The cheapest one we found was the bus station lot on the corner of 19th and Curtis Street. There was also a discount lot at the corner of 18th and Market Street.

The Regional Transportation Department (RTD) offers bus service to the game from points throughout Denver, while the Light Rail drops fans at 20th and Welton Street as part of the RockiesRide program.

RockiesRide Map:
www.rtd-denver.com/PDF_Files/RockiesRide_map_and_fares.pdf

LoDo boasts more than ninety restaurants and bars and is also the home of more than thirty art galleries. Josh counted them to be sure, while Kevin just took the local chamber of commerce at its word. In any case, it makes good sense that travelers find plenty of examples of urban art within LoDo, including an especially apropos piece at the pedestrian bridge that spans Wynkoop Street. A colorful arch rises over the walkway celebrating the evolution of the ball. It offers representations of baseballs, tetherballs, meatballs, mothballs, matzo balls, cheese balls, masquerade balls, crystal balls, beach balls, dust balls, snowballs, rubber-band balls, lacrosse balls, jai alai balls, soccer balls, pearl balls, screwballs, typewriter balls, Christmas tree balls, foosballs, volleyballs, snooker balls, bowling balls, punch balls, skittle balls, kick balls, fireballs, racket balls, tennis balls, basketballs, softballs, roulette balls, wrecking balls, laurel balls, eyeballs, ball-point pens, spitballs, billiard balls, skeet balls, and more. The sculpture was produced by local artist Lonnie Hanzon, whose work can be found throughout LoDo. It was commissioned in 1995 by the Denver Metropolitan Major League Baseball Stadium District.

Josh:
I hate to be a ball-buster, but where are the Rocky Mountain Oysters?

Kevin:
It’s a celebration of balls, not seafood. You should smarten up.

Josh:
Okay, wise guy. I’ll show you who’s smart.

Kevin:
C’mon, I want to try a pint of that Railyard Ale before the game.

A brick clock tower rises above the home plate entrance on 20th Street. The numbers on the face appear in Rockies Purple, while a purple sunshield provides a small roof over the face. This wonderfully understated finishing touch reminded Kevin of Ebbets Field, and Josh that it was almost game time.

1701 Wynkoop St.

Just a short walk from the park, fans find glorious Union Station, which dates back all the way to 1881. It too, features an old-time clock beneath its arching orange sign. Inside, visitors find Amtrak trains, public restrooms, long wooden benches and a throwback concession stand. There is also a large model train set downstairs courtesy of the Denver Society for Model Railroaders. To be clear, we are not model railroaders ourselves, but we found the train set well worth the time it took to seek it out in the basement.

Kevin:
There’s something about a train that puts me in the mood for baseball.

Josh:
Must be a West Coast thing.

Kevin:
True, we Seattle fans like our train, but the folks in Houston dig theirs too.

Josh:
Like I said—a West Coast thing.

Kevin:
To you New Englanders anything west of Pittsfield, Mass. counts as “West Coast,” huh?

Josh:
The only Choo Choo that puts me in the mood for a game is Shin-Soo Choo.

Some players are synonymous with their city: Ted Williams and Boston; Babe Ruth and New York; Sandy Koufax and L.A. The Rockies, however, haven’t been around long enough
to ordain any statue-worthy icons of their own. In fact, as of press time the team’s only retired number was that belonging to Jackie Robinson, whose No. 42 is universally retired throughout MLB (or will be when Mariano Rivera finally retires). In the absence of a statue or two outside dedicated to a particular player, the Rockies offer a statue named “The Player.” This attractive nine-footer portrays a baby-faced player with a bat over his right shoulder. It was commissioned by the Denver Rotary Club and is dedicated to the memory of groundbreaking baseball executive Branch Rickey, who championed Robinson’s integration of the game. Each year since 1992, the Rotary Club has crowned a Branch Rickey Award Winner to acknowledge the big league player, coach or executive whose contributions to society reflect the courage and generosity of spirit Mr. Rickey so nobly embodied. Past winners include Dave Winfield (1992), Ozzie Smith (1994), Tony Gwynn (1995), Paul Molitor (1998), Jamie Moyer (2004), Tommy Lasorda (2006), and Vernon Wells (2010). Their names, along with all of the other winners’, are etched onto the base of the bronze statue.

Huge flower pots reside on the plaza outside the main entrance beneath the clock tower. These hold small spruce trees as well as piles of baseball-sized boulders that add a distinctive touch to the area.

Kevin:
Check it out. They’re growing rocks.

Josh:
Well, they are the Rockies.

The Rockies offer a seventy-five-minute tour of Coors Field that takes fans into the Club Level, Suite Level, press box, clubhouses and dugouts. The Tour departs from Gate D at the corner of 20th and Blake Street and costs a reasonable price of $7.00. While on the clubhouse level, we recommend checking out the bronze stars between the two locker rooms that honor each Rockies player who has made the National League All-Star squad. You’ll observe multiple stars for such repeat All-Stars as Dante Bichette, Brian Fuentes, Andres Galarraga, Todd Helton, Matt Holliday, and Larry Walker.

For more information or to buy tickets for the Tour, visit:
http://colorado.rockies.mlb.com/col/ballpark/tours/index.jsp
.

1962 Blake St.

www.sportsteams.com/bColoradob-W6C143.aspx

This memorabilia and apparel store features old-time jerseys and hats for all four major sports. If you’ve been looking for that heinous old-school Denver Nuggets jersey with the rainbow-band over the city skyline, this might be your chance to pick it up. Negro League and college teams are also well represented. Our favorite items were the Colorado Rockies salt and pepper shakers shaped like beer bottles.

Second among Major League neighborhoods only to Wrigleyville, LoDo houses scores of bars and restaurants. Some predate Coors Field, while others have sprung up as part of the urban renaissance the ballyard incited. Offering open warehouse settings, a range of foods in the Southwestern tradition, and local microbrews, the eating and drinking establishments of Lower Downtown compose a baseball fanatic’s paradise. Arrive early and stay late. Cruise down 20th, Blake and Wynkoop and see what strikes you. Hop from bar to bar, and eat hearty! The Mexican fare is damned good, at least by our standards.