matthewweaver.com | mlb ballparks | great american ballpark

Ballpark:
Light years better than their old Riverfront Stadium (Cinergy Field) home, the Reds' Great American Ballpark is a very nice venue for baseball. There aren't many nuances to set this park apart from the other new ones, but the place is cozy and there really isn't a bad seat (that I was able to find).

The outside of the park is well adorned with statues and memories of the Big Red Machine and they did add two smoke stacks in center field that remind visitors of the Ohio River's influence in Cincinnati. One of the more unique things about the building is "The Gap", which is a cutout portion of the upper deck structure above third base. Supposedly, this is to allow a view of downtown, though the building seen through it are hardly skyscrapers. Also, the park has several restaurants that overlook the field - almost a prerequisite for a new stadium nowadays.

One thing that I found peculiar is that the outfield opens to the Ohio River, rather than the skyscrapers of downtown. Most new downtown ballparks celebrate the skylines in their particular cities; however, the folks in Cincinnati chose to point everyone's eyes toward the river and the rolling hills of Kentucky. A beautiful sight for sure, but I think they could have done better by rotating the park 180 degrees.

The food is good, though I never have been a big fan of Cincinnati chili, despite spending 5 years at Miami University about 45 minutes North of town.

Ultimately, Great American Ballpark is a nice place to spend a Summer evening or afternoon, but nothing stands out to make this park rise in my list of favorites. I rate this park a "B+".

How to get there:
From Cincinnati-Covington International Airport in Northern Kentucky, take Interstate 275 East to Interstate 71 North. Follow I-71 North toward Cincinnati and take the ballpark exit onto Pete Rose Way. There are several parking garages in the area. The stadium is right along the Ohio River.

City:
Cincinnati is the 3rd largest city in Ohio (behind Columbus and Cleveland) and it sits along the Ohio River on the border of Ohio and Kentucky. The city is Midwestern and rather laid back, but there is a bit of a redneck influence to the culture. It is a nice place to live and I spent 5 years at college in the area, but I don't think I could live there permanently. The city is pretty big on sports, but it took threats to build two new stadiums for their football and baseball teams. You never know what you'll get in Cincinnati, as they once made Jerry freakin' Springer their mayor!

Stuff to do while there:
Downtown Cincinnati has many cool bars and restaurants to check out, but the waterfront in Covington, Kentucky is the place to be. Covington is home to many bars and dance clubs - some of them floating on river boats - and most of the young people flock there. If you want some family fare, drive North on I-71 to Kings Island amusement park and take in one of the best amusement parks in the country.

Story:
I flew into Cincy to take in a couple of Reds games and to visit my alma mater, Miami University, to see a football game. In just three days, I managed to see two baseball games with Kappa Sigma Brothers Jay and Tim, as well as see Miami's Ben Roethlisberger (2004 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year) lead the RedHawks to victory in his stellar Senior season.

Way back in 1990, I took in a game at Riverfront Stadium during a Miami University sorority date party, but our group was drinking quite a lot that night. Therefore, I really don't remember much about the game, except that I was sitting in the bleachers in right center field. I do remember how green the AstroTurf looked, though.

Fun facts:
The Cincinnati mascot is Mr. Red and he looks much like one of the aliens from Close Encounters of the First Kind.

At the Cubs-Reds game, Pearl Jam lead singer Eddie Vedder came out of the Witness Protection Program to throw out the ceremonial first pitch. Click here to see the photo.

In its final years, Cinergy Field had a 40-foot "Black Monster" wall in center field which was 3 feet higher than the Green Monster in Boston's Fenway Park.

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A wide shot of the park from CF
September 26, 2003

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Great American Ballpark from the Kentucky side of the Ohio River
September 27, 2003

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Frank Robinson poses with his statue during the dedication
(Yes, I took this photo!)
September 26, 2003

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Matt at Great American Ballpark
September 26, 2003

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The first pitch of the game from Todd VanPoppel to Kenny Lofton
September 25, 2003

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The smoke stacks steam after
a Sean Casey home run
September 25, 2003

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The scoreboard in left field
September 25, 2003