REDS

... And you thought our Adventure was over! Don't count us out just yet!



Aptly named Great American Ballpark, this gem was not on our original itinerary. But we could not be more pleased that we found a way to squeeze in a game here on our way home. This one is a HIT!


There is truly not a bad seat in the house. Rather than following a standard symmetrical pattern, this field is broken into many small sections, each angled to give fans the best view of the game nomatter the size of their wallet. Here we are at our $7.00 seats, 2nd row of the upper bleacher section. WOW!


We made out like BANDITS at this game, and practically needed a second backpack to haul our treasures home with us. First of all there was batting practice. Jim, out in the bleachers, caught a batting practice home-run ball! Robert (who happened to be wearing his Reds hat and jersey #4 from little league last Fall) was tossed a ball from Reds #4 Phillips. Coincidence? You decide! Carter was tossed a ball from the Reds Bat Boy, and then used his polite cuteness to get three of the Padres players to sign a ball for him (#4 Hundley, #5 Kouzmanoff, and #2 E. Gonzalez, who all played in the game.) And, to top that off, Greg Maddux gave Robert his ABC gum (which he, sadly, decided not to keep.)

At the Fan Accommodations booth, we met three WONDERFUL employees, who were only too happy to bestow hats and antique-style commemorative balls upon our smiling boys. And while we were standing there, a sweet old man got up out of his wheelchair to give our boys each a special baseball card.

The kids' area was a big hit, with plenty of things to occupy us before the game, all at no additional charge. And, we acquired 6 new Gillette Rookie Announcer T-shirts there, two of them autographed by Jim's new girlfriend, Erin Andrews.




On the field, before the game, they do a lot to entertain the fans. You might get a chance to toss a ring onto a bat attached to a guy's helmet, or make a basket perched so that the ball will land on another's head. They throw T-shirts into the stands and the mascots patrol for photo ops, or to give an autograph (Mr. Redlegs signed Robert's cap.)
Oh, and get THIS! Gapper actually RECOGNIZED Carter from Fanfest! Notice all of the nearby fans trying to figure out the connection between the mascot and our little guy.

The sound-system had a terrible echo, and they have not caught up with most of Major League Baseball with between-innings entertainment, but it did not detract from the experience. There were several large misting-fans around the stadium to keep their guests cool, as well as a huge mist-area under the outfield smokestacks. In one area, the Highlight Zone features a huge wall of TVs, tuned to various sporting activities. And, this was the only park we were in that had cheerleaders... don't know if that's a good thing or a bad thing, but it needed mentioning.

The park is clean and airy, with many open walkways that look out over the Ohio River and nearby landmarks. It is a beautiful park by day, but it truly sparkles at night!

And, as if a wonderful baseball experience at Great American Ballpark wasn't enough, we topped it off with home run number 606 by the great Ken Griffey, Jr.



We are SO glad we didn't pass this one up. We would have missed out on one of the most enjoyable baseball experiences of our trip.

Don't turn that dial!

Next stop: Louisville Slugger Museum!