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Rounding the bases

Touring the Midwest’s diamonds

Courtesy of Derek Jensen

By ALEX LUFT

March 13, 2008 | 12:00 a.m. CST

Baseball parks in June can be magical places
— the team is still in the pennant race, the fans are ready
to cheer, and the beer is cold. Follow the road, see the sites,
and take in a classic summer in the all-American cities of
Cincinnati, Cleveland and Detroit.
On June 10, hit the bleachers at Cincinnati’s Great
American Ball Park as the St. Louis Cardinals visit the
Reds. Cardinals’ home-run king Albert Pujols will stand tall
at the plate in the riverside park that has been the home to
Cincinnati baseball fans since 2003. Watch right field for two
64-foot smokestacks that erupt in fireworks after big plays
and victories. Cincinnati has been a cornerstone of baseball
history since the then-Red Stockings became the country’s
first all-professional team in 1869.
It’s 90 feet from home plate to first base, and it’s only a
half a mile to the world-famous Contemporary Arts Center.
Fans of America’s pastime can also enjoy the fascinating
exhibit American Idyll, a blend of contemporary art and
karaoke. Iraqi-born architect Zaha Hadid designed the center,
which serves as a home for Cincinnati’s modern art. Kristin
Suess, program manager for Enjoy the Arts, a Cincinnati arts
organization, says the center’s building looks like it grew out
of the urban landscape. “The first floor invites you in,” she
says. “Other architectural elements, such as stairs that seem to
descend at a dizzying angle, play with your sense of space.”
Stay in the heart of Cincinnati’s growing downtown at
the conveniently located Terrace Hotel. After spending nine
innings on the edge of your seat, sit back and sample the
french fries at Honey. This restaurant on the city’s North Side
features Idaho, Yukon or sweet potatoes tossed in herbs and
served in a bucket. Then hit the highway for the four-hour
drive to Cleveland.
On June 11, the Minnesota Twins visit the Cleveland
Indians at Progressive Field — formerly Jacobs
Field or just “the Jake” — in a match-up
of division rivals. Grady Sizemore and
the Tribe won the American League
Central division last year;
the Twins finished third.
Progressive’s asymmetric
field and open view into
downtown give it the feel of
an old-time ballpark, even
though it opened in 1994.
Watch as Twins catcher Joe
Mauer takes swings across
the league’s largest video
screen, 36 feet high and
almost 149 feet wide.
No visit to Cleveland is
complete without a stop at
the legendary Rock and Roll
Hall of Fame. The museum
features a special exhibit in June that examines the tandem
evolution of rock and baseball, including a tribute to the
hundred-year-old tradition of singing “Take Me Out to the
Ball Game.”
Entrance to the hall is $22 per adult, so look at a nearby
hotel for a good deal. A $139 package from the Crowne Plaza
City Centre Hotel includes a pair of tickets to the museum,
parking and breakfast at Pimento’s Restaurant. Rock ’n’ roll
can be hard work —
take a seventh-inning stretch with some
of Cleveland’s best pizza at Mama Santa’s in the Little Italy
neighborhood.
En route from Cleveland to Detroit, stop in Sandusky,
Ohio, to experience Cedar Point, an amusement park so large
that one lap around the rides is more than two miles. The
park is packed with 17 roller coasters and won the reader’s
choice award for best park in Theme Parks magazine. The latest
addition, Maverick, was voted the best new ride of 2007. The
ride plummets passengers toward the earth at a 95 degree
angle — it packs quite a punch. Beat the usual crowds with
this midweek stop.
On June 13, the Detroit Tigers host the Los Angeles
Dodgers at Comerica Park. The Tigers boast one of the
league’s best pitching staffs while the Dodgers enter this
interleague contest during their first year under new manager
Joe Torre.
While in Detroit, revel in the culture of Greektown,
located just blocks from the stadium. End the trip in style,
and stay at the upscale Atheneum Suites. Be sure to sample
the authentic neighborhood fare at the New Hellas Café,
which serves authentic Greek cuisine. Dare to order the salty
saganaki — the classic flaming cheese that is served with an
enthusiastic “Opa!”
There is no need for extra innings after this three-city
tour, so pack your lucky glove and head back to the clubhouse.

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