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Baseball fans: Take a quick tour of all 30 major league ballparks

Authors Josh Pahigian and Kevin O’Connell explore America's major league ballparks in "The Ultimate Baseball Road."

11. Cincinnati Reds/Great American Ballpark

AP

  • By Ross Atkin Staff Writer

Opened: 2003

Capacity: 42,271

What the authors say: “Great American Ball Park … is as gorgeous a yard as you’ll find in the bigs today.”

Learned from the book:

• An unusual architectural element is the 30-foot “Gap” that divides the upper deck in two and allows fans in some parts of the park to see a sliver of the downtown skyline.

• Crosley Terrace in front of the new stadium pays tribute to the long-departed but still beloved old ball yard. It even has a sloped grass incline like the one in Crosley’s outfield, and the bronze statues of four Crosley-era greats (Joe Nuxhall, Frank Robinson, Ted Kluszewski, and Ernie Lombardi) are well done and made to look as if they are interacting with one another .

• The park takes full advantage of its location, with open views of the barges and boats that ply the Ohio River.

• Anyone who loves watching homers sail out of the park is likely to go home satisfied. A breeze that blows toward the river often provides lift for long balls, making Great American Ball Park a notable home run haven.

• The city’s singles crowd enjoys Free Agent Friday nights in which an outfield fan zone is used for mixer, speed-dating, and dance contest promotions.

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Mark Sappenfield
Editor

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