Well my first sports road trip, to see the Orioles play at least, was one that I'll always remember. It was a real spur of the moment type of deal. And those are the best, aren't they? Something about the free-spirited, go-anywhere type of mindset really appeals to me — And I think I'm not alone in that...
When we got to the New-Carrollton metro stop, we decided it would be the best place to park. From level 3 of the garage, we made our way into the station and bought our metro passes, and awaited the next train. There were quite a few Nationals fans there, and it was obvious it was going to be an exciting night. 
The ride to RFK took only fifteen minutes (the Stadium-Armory exit is on the Orange line as well), and before we knew it — The stadium was in sight! Walking towards that stadium gave me a great feeling. For once, I truly felt like a die-hard fan. Now, I'm not suggesting that I wasn't a huge fan before that... But there was something just a little more daring about walking into the lion's den sporting my hometown colors. It was some type of an epiphany — I felt as if I had broken out of my shell.
RFK Stadium sure was a throwback. In fact, I loved it! It felt like a time warp... The drab marble-clad insides really reminded me of the dull-colored tiled insides of Baltimore's old Memorial Stadium. Not only that, but the more I walked around RFK, the more I felt like I was back in Memorial. There were many striking similarities:- They had similar names! (RFK is actually short for Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium)
- They were both from the 1950s/60s era (one which was a fairly quiet time in the history of stadium building)
- The concourses were tight
- There were numerous ramps (which were quite narrow in size)
- They were both multi-purpose stadiums (RFK was originally built for the Senators and the Redskins)
- They both had wooden seats (watch out for splinters!)
The feeling I got just being there was one that I loved. Camden Yards is nice and all... I consider it to be the most beautiful ballpark in the big leagues. But just give me a summer night in Memorial — I wouldn't trade that for anything. But this visit to RFK... This was as close as anyone could ever get to having that feeling again. And I loved every second of it, believe me.
As for the game itself, it was never really in doubt. I think the first clue came when during the Star-Spangled Banner, the entire stadium yelled "Oh!" — Including most Nationals fans! It really was something... To think that you could go to a visiting ballpark, and feel like you were at a home game! That must be what those countless droves of New York/Boston fans feel like when they swarm down Eutaw St. every single season... With the overwhelming amount of Orioles fans there, tourists would have had a hard time figuring out that they were actually in Washington, D.C. One of the only clues probably would have been a scoreboard gimmick that they ran, involving animated former U.S. Presidents (George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, and Teddy Roosevelt) racing each other around the bases — If memory serves me correctly, I believe Thomas Jefferson won.
The starting lineup for the Orioles was delightfully suspect, as was the case for most lineups pre-Andy McPhail. However, this didn't deter the visitors from eventually wearing out their welcome... It took awhile, but the Orioles finally cracked Mike O'Connor's code. Kris Benson on the other hand, was in total control for the entire night. Not only did he come with the complete stuff — And I mean complete (game) stuff, but he even managed to throw an RBI in the mix. Corey Patterson made the play of the game however, ripping an RBI triple in top of the sixth inning. This opened the scoring for the night, allowing for Benson to drive home his previously mentioned run.
During the middle innings, I walked around the upper deck promenade to try and get a feel for the place. Camera in hand, I made it a point to document my day's travels. I wanted proof — Proof that I had seen my own team play on someone else's turf. Much to my surprise, I took quite a bit of ribbing during my walk. The funniest part was, the majority of the people who were giving me the hardest time were mostly guys in their mid 20s/early 30s. These were guys who had rooted for the Orioles (MY TEAM) their entire lives! They weren't even alive when the Senators left for Texas back in 1971!! AND THEY WERE GIVING ME GRIEF?!
I just laughed every time someone said something... Here I am, being told to "go back to Baltimore," by a bunch of people who used to make the 35 mile trip north every baseball season to see and root for MY Baltimore Orioles. Give me a break people. I might have been a pretty young kid... But even I was aware enough to realize how hypocritical they were being. It was ridiculous — And you know what? That just made the win all that much sweeter! They never even got close to staging a comeback... Alfonso Soriano, it appeared, was the only one who took exception to the Orioles dominance. But not even his towering home run could stop the bleeding. The Nationals were done.
Looking back on it, I was quite glad we had decided to make the trip. It was pretty neat seeing my favorite team play in another city. Also — It was cool seeing RFK before they did the complete overhaul... Just a little over a month later, under new ownership in Ted Lerner, the Nationals staged a "Grand Re-Opening" of RFK Stadium. Part of the changes included the now famous presidential race (involving people dressed up as presidential mascots), and a new terrace food court (where an empty marquee once silently sat).
All in all, it was a good experience.
Atmosphere: A (Despite all the ribbing, I thought the atmosphere was great. Hometown fans are supposed to rag on opposing fans. That's part of what being a fan is all about...)
Stadium: A+ (Many people consider RFK to be a dump, but I love throwbacks... Especially this one. However, this grade is based more so on principle. Considering the Yankees aren't even playing in the real Yankee Stadium anymore, pretty soon there won't be a stadium in Major League Baseball that was even standing before the 1990s. This time warp type effect is one that many kids being born now will never know. No matter what venue you're talking about, there's something to be said for going to a game in a stadium that's stood the test of time. You can buy amenities, you can buy luxury boxes — But you can't buy history. Unfortunately, there are many people who just don't understand that.)
Food: B (I don't remember anything sticking out too much. As I said, I visited before the overhaul, so better food was still 1-month away.)
Transportation: A- (The D.C. Metro has had a pretty clean record up until their recent blunder.)
Overall Grade: 92.5/100
Orioles Away Record: 1-0
Some shots of the group:
Uncle Chuck, Mom
We are family.
That was a great recount of your road-trip. I'll always remember my first road-trip when I traveled down to Nationals Park a few years ago. It would've been cool to see a game at an old ballpark like RFK. However, I'm a bit surprised that you gave the stadium such a high mark. I've heard that RFK was a dump and an absolutely terrible stadium. I understand that your experience was nice but it sounds like your opinion of the stadium is based off of the fact the Orioles were playing. It's not like there is a ton of great baseball history that happened there. It almost sounds like you're putting RFK in the same category as Fenway, Wrigley, or the old Yankee Stadium. Either way, I appreciate your recounting of your first road trip.
ReplyDeleteThanks BK! I'm glad you enjoyed it. My high grade of the stadium was based on a few things that have to be taken into account. Make no mistakes about it, what you heard is absolutely true. RFK was (and still is) in terrible condition. Later I might even post some photos of the rust that I encountered on the underside of the roof. As is commonly the case with old structures, in certain places, this stadium is in total disrepair.
ReplyDeleteBut in that same vein, so is 1st Mariner Arena! And I absolutely love that place. Yes it's true, we do eventually need to build a new arena... But the second someone lifts a wrecking ball to start bringing that place down, I'm going to start missing it like crazy and wishing there was someway to save it (I really hope they can at least preserve the stage).
I understand how you might be confused, that the mere fact that the Orioles were in town factored into my Stadium grade. But that had absolutely nothing to do with it — That's what the atmosphere grade was for.
Yes — In a sense, I did put RFK in the same category as Fenway, Wrigley and Old Yankee Stadium (I'll have more on the third one later, I assure you). However, this credit is well deserved. RFK by many accounts, is "the forgotten ballpark" — A creature so hard to categorize, that many simply ignore it and move onto something else. These people are quite mistaken though! What few seem to recognize, is that RFK was actually one of the most innovative and influential ballparks of the past 100 years. It was the first of the so-called, "cookie cutters." And yes, no matter how much that grouping as a whole is discarded by the general public, there is absolutely no denying the fact that RFK was a trendsetter. The Astrodome, Shea, Fulton County, Busch, The Murph, Riverfront, Three Rivers, The Vet, The Kingdome, even Tropicana Field — I could go on and on. All of these places were influenced, at least a little, by good ole' RFK. The interesting thing is, despite its influence, it still managed to retain a fair bit of its character. In fact — RFK was one of the only cookie cutters to even have any character. Its roller coaster roof, and stylized marble marquee remain its defining features.
I'm sure you could make the case that RFK doesn't belong anywhere near the upper echelon of stadiums — The likes of Fenway, Wrigley and Old Yankee Stadium. But despite the fact that RFK was built in the 1960s, and it had many remnants of the 70s, 80s and 90s... So did all of those places! Sure, Fenway Park was built in 1912. But there were vast improvements made over the years... Many parts of that stadium look as much like they're from the 1980s as the 1910s. Wrigley field is the same way. And with Yankee Stadium, that place experienced a dramatic face lift in the mid 1970s. Yes, about 70-80% of the structure was original, yet it still had the overall cosmetic appearance of a sleek mod 70s cookie cutter.
As for the actual history... RFK has had quite a checkered past. But it did host the 1962 and 1969 Major League All Star Games. Presidents ranging from JFK to George W. Bush have walked its corridors. Many people will even recall the 1982 Cracker Jack Old Timers game in which Luke Appling still managed to hit a home run at the ripe old age of 75. Granted, neither the Senators nor the Nationals did anything spectacular within its confines... But many great Orioles teams played there every single year. Frank Robinson, Brooks Robinson, Jim Palmer, Boog Powell, Paul Blair, Don Buford, Davey Johnson, Mike Cuellar, Dave McNally, Pat Dobson, even Earl Weaver represented our city with a huge display of pride. Our 1966, '69, '70 and '71 pennant winners each wore those old flannel Baltimore greys on that very field. That makes me value RFK just as much as any ballpark in baseball.
ReplyDeleteDon't forget about all the other important stuff either! From 1961-1996, it was home of the Washington Redskins. That included numerous playoff teams, and 3 Super Bowl champions — Lest we neglect to mention the fact that the 1991 Redskins could easily be one of the top 5 NFL teams of all time. Combine that with the fact that the Baltimore Colts used to battle with their beltway rivals on that very soil — Johnny Unitas, Raymond Berry, Jim Parker, Gene "Big Daddy" Lipscomb, Artie Donovan, Bert Jones, Mike Curtis, even Bruce Laird... They all represented the city of Baltimore at that stadium. There aren't too many stadiums still standing that you can legitimately say the Baltimore Colts played in. Then just sprinkle in some World Cup and Olympic matches, and you have yourself one incredible place.
Many people fail to see the big picture. Yes, RFK has its faults... But so does every ballpark. So with that regard, it's easily one of my favorite venues of all time.
(Sorry about the length, that was too big to post as one comment...)