I could get used to this
Written: Jul 03 '04 (Updated Jul 05 '04)
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Pros: This was an excellent place to see a baseball game.
Cons: None
The Bottom Line: If it's summer, any visit I make to Atlanta from now on will include a game Turner Field. Hopefully the Phillies will be playing and win next time!
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| andre98's Full Review: Turner Field |
It was a picture perfect day in Georgia when I drove to Turner field, having just flown to Atlanta for the first time to attend a convention starting in a few days.
Forgive me if my impressions of Turner field are mixed with my impressions of the region and people. Right from the start, I was impressed with how un-stereotypically southern Atlanta was in and outside the actual city borders. I was fresh off the plane, not able to check into my hotel yet, so I made the 1pm game on Sunday June 6th at Turner against my Philadelphia Phillies. Darn it! I forgot my Phillies cap! I had bought a $27.50 ticket online, and after parking in one of the first lots surrounding the stadium that I saw because they were filling fast, I found out, of course that I had to walk nearly to the other side to enter, because that's where the "will call" window was. That main entrance brings you into the outfield.
It's been a while since I attended a baseball game at any park, but even so, this ballpark is exceptional. I quickly found out that I could have been happy with a general admission ticket ($7, I believe) because this stadium gives you plenty of room to move around! There is a huge open plaza as you enter that doubles as a sun splashed food court, complete with picnic tables and a Jumbotron-type screen. I was starving, so I almost stopped there, but it seemed a waste to be at the park and watch the game on a screen. I can see where this would be best for a large family because there's room for the little ones to stretch their legs. There are also sports bar type restaurants with vantage points that allow you to eat and drink constantly if that's your thing, and be near the action. The odd thing about that is, the fellow park patrons that wander around the levels, can stand right at the railings of these eateries and all you see from the table viewpoint is their butts. If you have it in you to stand for about 3+ hours, you have the run of the park. There are several places to stand, several high pedestals to eat from standing up, or lean on a railing in the outfield, risking dropping your beer into the bullpen.
Now, the paid seating sections are guarded like hawks by attendants all through the game. My seating section was one level up from the field, under the shade of the third level's overhang, just beyond 1st base. Days ago, the forecast was for a chance of rain, so I wanted to be covered. Having arrived at about 9am in Atlanta, I had wandered through the streets of Atlanta in my rental car, exploring with my map until I was late! The game had just started by the time I arrived. I heard the anthem as I came through the gates. After grabbing a $7.95 deli sandwich and a $3.75 soda, I reached my seat section, and the attendant saw that not only was my seat occupied and in the middle of a packed section, but that I was bigger than your average bear, and would need some cocoa butter and a shoehorn to wedge in there. I didn't want to tell her that in fact, I had bought two tickets to ensure I had some room to breathe: one for me, one for my beer. She reasoned with me...how about one of the seats on the level where everyone walked around freely, just behind the seating section? Just a few rows behind my assigned seat section, there are seats reserved for the handicapped. They were spaced comfortably apart, so I could get up and down without unseating 15 people. It was an excellent option and made the entire experience a delight! There were a few disabled folks nearby, but also plenty of empties. All during the game, as people roamed about, spotted me without a disability, and thought I was an interloper, so therefore it meant they could sneak in a sit down in that row also. They were shooed away in less than 30 seconds. The attendants were relentless!
The usual playfully annoying routines that ballparks incorporate into a game to entertain were par for the course. "The wave" just won't die, will it? Neither will the playing of that Fleetwood Mac music track that allows the crowd to yell "HEY"!! They show closeups of the fans on the big screen so they can wave, or get up and dance, make a goofy face, or kiss each other. Harmless fun in the sun in a gorgeous ballpark on a gorgeous warm summer day. This was a great way to decompress from the flight in, and get ready for the confines of a convention center.
Gotta say this:
I wasn't aware that Atlanta was still wedded to doing the "Tomahawk Chop". I hadn't been up on that since the Indian nations tried in vain to raise some measure of enlightenment to what they regarded as a disrespect of their culture when the Braves had that run of playoff and World Series appearances years ago. It had been a staple for years before that, but the high visibility of the TV coverage gave rise to more debate, as it had with other indian symbols in pro and collegiate logos and mascots. In Atlanta, the chopping arm motion and the chanting is still going strong, and obviously officially endorsed by the Braves organization, since the drumbeats were played and the visuals of a Tomahawk was displayed onscreen. Boy, when we (sports fans) decide we like something, and you fold in fan pride and loyalty, we can really thumb our noses at any small group trying to salvage some dignity. Instead of that "Ohhhh" chant, they might as well have been chanting:
"Screeeeew the indians,
...weeeeee don't caaaaare"
I am not a Native American, and I shouldn't have to be to feel offended. Back when the topic was hotter, did the Braves fans question the chop, even a little? The people who it matters to are offended... that should be enough. Just my personal opinion, but it goes beyond just disrespect. Unless it touches us personally, we have as a society, a bad habit of disregarding any notion that an activity we enjoy should be compromised because of a few. We just state that we don't "intend" it to be so, then stiffen our resolve, use a cliche like "Get over it", and steadfastly continue to pursue it with little remorse. I looked around, expected to see a fair number not chopping with the arm... how naive of me.
Anyway, back to the game. I didn't want to make this a political minute, but it was a part of my Turner Field experience, just as was the little girl of about 12 or so that kept yelling with a hell of a loud voice " LET'S GO (name)" at whomever the Brave was at bat. Her voice was like an air horn, echoing off the rafters, you could see several shoulders in the crowd jump each time. Seriously, if I could tell when it may have been coming, I'd have covered my ears, the kid had pipes! I have no doubt that the batters may have actually heard her, she picked the moment when there was a lull just right. Her Mom, each time, kept trying to get her to stop, but I guess, like the Chop, it was your problem if you didn't like it. This was little Becky's way that she enjoys the game and that's all that matters to her. Such is life among the masses. I'm a long way from my 50 inch TV in my basement in NJ.
I would recommend Turner Field highly, especially if you are a visitor to the city as a family. As an individual, I recommend paying the general admission, and be free to roam around. (If only I could have had that $60 back!)
Recommended:
Yes
Parking Availability: No Problemo
Seat Location: Mid Level
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Epinions.com ID:
andre98
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Location: Bergen County, NJ
Reviews written: 65
Trusted by: 6 members
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