A White Sox Road Trip

By: Jon Kerr

Stepping foot inside a major league ballpark is an annual pilgrimage for me. Two dozen or so new parks have been built since the 1990’s, so there is plenty of product. And when I found myself in Tampa Bay, FL last week, my trip would not be complete without a trip to the Trop.

The White Sox are in town, which makes me feel a bit more at home. As I pull into the parking lot, I soon realize I might as well be at 35th and Shields. The familiar grey and black unis are a comfortable fashion statement amongst the tailgaters in Aisle 6. I hate to break the color barrier as I slip on my Irish Green “Wrigley Field” T-Shirt, but being a Cub fan is a daily burden. We can’t selectively show our support, we must demonstrate it at all times. I get a few awkward glances as I head to the ticket window.

Where are the hometown jerseys? I see about a half dozen Frank Thomas jerseys on Floridians before I see the first Ray. You want to know why a franchise is floundering? Check out how many of their jerseys are worn by fans. I don’t have any scientific evidence to back this up, but have you been to St. Louis recently?

Based on advice given by a colleague, I buy the cheapest ticket I can, $11, and promptly walk towards the visiting dugout. The White Sox are finishing batting practice and I want to get a closer look. Nick Swisher is raking the ball, Javier Vazquez - tonight’s starter - is long tossing in the outfield. Jim Thome runs over to sign some autographs, and within seconds he is right in front of me. I am as empty handed as one can be during one of these sessions - no pen and with nothing to sign. A middle-aged guy from Boca next to me has a backpack filled with baseballs and a separate insert stacked with Sharpies. I quickly back away as I realize I am taking up valuable signage space from serious-minded professionals.

We’re still about 20 minutes before first pitch, so I decide to take a stroll around the old ball yard. Within minutes I come to a conclusion - this might be the worst ballpark in America. Worse than Phoenix. At least the one in Anaheim is outdoors. With more concrete then the Millennium Falcon, the Trop has as much charm as a hospital ER. As I take a lap around, I feel as though I am at the County Fair. The only thing missing are the pig races and butter cow. With no franchise history to speak of, plastered on the walls is a collage tilted “100 years of baseball in St. Pete”.

In case you were wondering, the old St. Louis Browns held spring training in Tampa. They hosted the Cubs on Feb. 27, 1914 in the first baseball game ever in the area. The Cubs traveled to Florida via steamboat. They are just six years removed from their last World Series.

I shouldn’t complain all that much. The advantage to attending a game in a place devoid of baseball interest is for $11, I get to sit wherever I want! I pick a spot 5 rows behind the visiting dugout. A “greatest moments in Rays history” montage is playing on the jumbo screen as the hometown boys take the field. I think the only thing shorter would be a Cesar Izturis Cubs highlight DVD.

By the ninth inning, the Sox are up 9-0 on the Rays. Paul Konerko and Jim Thome both hit home runs. Vazquez gets out of a few jams. The Sox are a much improved team that should contend all season. They seem to be playing with more confidence than last season. It’s hard to tell against a team like Tampa - are the Sox this good, or are the Rays this bad? The few folks who follow the team tell me this game is out of character for them, the team finally has some good, young talent. All I know is by the sixth inning, I’m ready to leave. The ballpark feels like a bus ride to Des Moines, there is a guy two rows in front of me wearing a Ryne Sandberg jersey with the name “Urban” stitched on the back and I’ve got a plane to catch.

Before I feel the urge to defend the Sandberg family name, I head to the parking lot. I see the Cubs beat the Pirates 3-2. A group of a dozen kids are playing tag in front of the exit doors as I walk out.

All I can think of is get me back to Chicago. Get me back to outdoor baseball. The White Sox are good.

It’s going to be a fun summer.

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Jon Kerr is a freelance writer. A graduate of Michigan State University, he is a former sportscaster at CLTV. He is also a Cubs season ticket holder and lifelong Chicagoan. Jon can be reached at jkerr1970@hotmail.com. He's got a blog, too.

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