Because of this, trying to plan a full day of events is not as easy as other ballparks. The downtown area has a lot of bars and places to eat. So, whether you go before or after the game, you won't have to go far for things to do. The stadium is about a 15-minute drive to downtown, depending on the time of day.
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| The view of the skyline from my seat |
Getting to the stadium wasn't bad. It's right off the highway, which leads you right into the parking lot. I don't remember how much I paid for parking, but I think it was close to $20. I had a decent distance to walk but it was a straight shot to the gate. It felt longer due to the weather.
There was nothing special around the gates. No monuments, plaques or anything honoring former players. Also, the gates didn't open until an hour before the game. That's a bit ridiculous. Most stadiums are between 90 and 120 minutes before the first pitch.
The game I went to was a 1:15 PM game, 12:15 local time. In the middle of July with the Midwest sun beating down on the open stadium, especially where I was sitting, it was not enjoyable. I believe the "feels like" temperature was around 105 degrees.
I rushed to get something to eat because I thought the gates would open sooner than they did. I had myself a nice pulled pork sandwich, fries and a water. I left my seat to get water or Gatorade four times during this game. My shirt was a different shade of blue by the end of it.
As for the stadium, despite it not being near anything, it's a nice park. The outfield concourse is wide open. In the upper sections, the concourse is open enough to allow a nice breeze to come through while you walk around.
The center field structure is an interesting LED screen that is taller than it is wide and a fountain display on either side of the screen. There is a crown atop the screen for the Royals logo. There isn't much else as far as features go. It's a nice stadium but also simple in some aspects.
Behind the stadium is Interstate 70. It's an interesting backdrop compared to other ballparks. While you're isolated from the city, it's cool to see cars drive by doing their own thing. The grassy hills behind the stadium have a midwest feel to it, which makes sense since we are in Missouri.
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| The center field scoreboard and fountains |
The White Sox took an early 2-0 lead after the first inning as Leury Garcia scored on an error and Yoan Moncada scored from a double play. They scored another run in the third from a Moncada home run.
Then, the Royals offense woke up with five runs in the bottom of the third. Cheslor Cuthbert led it off with a home run. Jorge Soler hit a two-run home run. Billy Hamilton hit a 2-RBI single. They added another run in the bottom of the fifth to make it 6-3.
The White Sox scored a run in the sixth. Things then quieted down for a couple of innings. The White Sox scored one more run off of closer Ian Kennedy, making it 6-5 but Kennedy was able to get the final out to win the game.
Despite it being 110 degrees, I enjoyed the game and my visit to Kauffman Stadium. While it is simple compared to other stadiums, it doesn't overdo it with obnoxious statues or features that take away from the aesthetic of baseball. If you do visit Kauffman Stadium, just make sure you go when it's not 100 degrees out.
Now that I visited 20 out of 30, I figured I should post my updated rankings. I did my top 10 after visiting Minute Maid Park.
In reverse order, here are my top-20 MLB stadiums.
20. Citi Field (Mets)
19. Progressive Field (Indians)
18. Guaranteed Rate Field (White Sox)
17. Miller Park (Brewers)
16. Nationals Park (Nationals)
15. Globe Life Park (Rangers)
14. Comerica Park (Tigers)
13. Kauffman Stadium (Royals)
12. Minute Maid Park (Astros)
11. Citizens Bank Park (Phillies)
10. Target Field (Twins)
9. Great American Ballpark (Reds)
8. Dodger Stadium (Dodgers)
7. Busch Stadium (Cardinals)
6. Oriole Park (Orioles)
5. Fenway Park (Red Sox)
4. Yankee Stadium (Yankees)
3. Petco Park (Padres)
2. Wrigley Field (Cubs)
1. PNC Park (Pirates)
I will have to wait until 2021 to continue my visits. Thanks, COVID.
