I'm not one to watch baseball games that aren't publicized very much/well, but the part of the game I took a peak into today (because I really didn't know if it came with the price of the daily admission into the Hall of Fame nearby) was rather a success. Though you could tell that the sun was beating down on the people on the 1st base side bleachers, you could tell those who paid for admission for the grandstand behind home plate really had a nice cool spot, and while I knew I wasn't staying long (to just take a picture or two and/or get some experience in) with the game in progress, I was fascinated by what I was seeing.
It didn't really take me much effort to get in. THe gates were open to the grandstand, as well as the 1st base bleachers (I couldn't tell quickly about the 3rd base bleachers), but it was more or less the effort of knowing just how much it would take to get in to see a non-Induction weekend game to know just how much was needed to see for an experience for Yelp. I wanted to get away many weeks before Induction weekend and had that chance today to go. The time was "just right".
Seeing a bunch of high school or nearby college kids playing baseball on the field today, really makes me wonder the awe of the spectators on inauguration weekend (when I know for sure these seats are pay-only seats regardless). I can hardly believe they actually fit an accurate number on crowd-goers into the stands on Induction weekend without having standing-room only crowds (I've heard about a number of these years when standing room crowds had happened here for that weekend.) While the bleachers weren't filled at all for this game, the grandstand was a-quarter empty with some more coming in periodically!
But be careful. Although there's a parking lot that's meant for Doubleday field, Doubleday field parking also constitutes a number of fine folks who feel the need to walk to get to the Hall of Fame or comparable Cooperstown baseball and souvenir shop businesses around the corner. Today, when I came into the parking lot (to get mainly to the Hall of Fame), I couldn't believe the response of parking lot space choices. With the exception of legal 1-2 spots down the one side, the rest of the lot was full. I liked that they only took credit card payments here (for ease of use and simplicity), but you could tell that some people just didn't feel the same way.
There seems to be a non-affiliated Doubleday field lot that has a flat rate of $10, but I didn't want to go any further when I saw just how well this location is managed - price for time.
There was no game when I initially got there, but you could tell the game was in-progress when I came back out to my car (one hour before the end time on my parking ticket which they want inside the Dashboard of the car you paid for) to drop my stuff and head back "home" a fair distance away (I came from Dutchess County - two hours/100 miles away.)
The last time I was here before today, I never got to experience this field, but could tell there was excitement in the air and something I needed to go back and see one last time. I don't think I'll be back for the field, but it's quite potential that I could be back if I was looking to go to the Hall of Fame itself and came early enough. read more