Baseball
Add comment April 27th, 2008
Spring marks the beginning of baseball season and we’re excited to get back into it! If any of you are baseball lovers like we are, you may be looking for ways to experience the sport outside of ESPN. Here a few relatively local ways to do so.
Whether you are preparing to go pro or just want to work on your skills, there are plenty of places in Rockford for athletic practice. One of the nicest is All Starz Sports Clinic at 7003 N. Alpine. Here, you can go hit a few balls in the batting cages for $1/14 hits. If you are a member, you get a lot of benefits and discounts for $65 per year. It is only $25/hour if you’re a member, while it is $30 for non-members. Also, they offer football and baseball turf rentals for pitching, hitting, throwing, and catching practices. Soon, you will be able to play basketball here, too. Call them at 815.654.0300 or visit their website.
To see a good baseball game in Rockford, you just have to go as far as Riverhawks stadium off Riverside at 4503 Interstate Drive. We’ve been to a couple of their games and you are always guaranteed entertainment. Tickets are between $5 and $15 for different seat locations. Their number is 815.885.2255 and their website is http://rockfordriverhawks.com/.
If you prefer major league, Milwaukee and Chicago are your closest options. Miller Park in Milwaukee is our favorite. It has a very crowd-entertaining atmosphere, with the brat races and active mascot. Also, the roof closes when it rains so you don’t have to worry about rainy days. If you go to the stadium, get there early. Bring some chicken or hamburgers and tailgate; it’s always such a good time! They have a parking lot specifically for tailgaters and there is plenty of room for cooking necessities. Tickets are between $8 and $45. For more information about Miller Park and the Brewers, visit their website, http://brewers.mlb.com/mil/ballpark/index.jsp.
In Chicago, you can go see the Cubs or the WHITE SOX. We are completely neutral towards whatever team you decide to go see cough WHITE SOX cough. Coughing aside, we’ve been to both fields and have had enjoyable times. If you’re into old-school baseball feel, without the frills and modern luxuries at newer fields, Wrigley is the place for you. It is also the place for you if hot dogs are important for you, as the Cubs, in our opinion, have the best compared to the other parks. Tickets are between $16 and $70. Visit their website, http://chicago.cubs.mlb.com/index.jsp?c_id=chc.
U.S. Cellular field is newer and arguably nicer than Wrigley. It is very modern and has been clean in our experiences. If you want to pick the best night of the season to go, we recommend any of the numerous fireworks nights or August 22. This is Elvis night and you may never see a larger or more varied collection of Elvis impersonators descend on a baseball field. And no, the impersonators are not limited to men… It gets a little interesting! Tickets are between $17 and $51, except for Mondays, which are mostly half off. Their website is http://chicago.whitesox.mlb.com/index.jsp?c_id=cws.
EDIT: Please note the changed phone number and website for All Starz Sports Clinic. We apologize for our misinformation.
