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Lost MLB ballparks

Many games at Metropolitan Stadium and then the Metrodome.
Ballpark at Arlington
Old Yankee Stadium
I remember driving by Comiskey, Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium and Candlestick but never went to a game.
 
Not many former, but in addition to the Metropolitan, Metrodome and Sec Taylor, went to a stadium nobody else has mentioned, the Kingdome in Seattle.

That was one UGLY and cheaply done park, had to be the worst of all of the domes. Lots of the seating was metal benches without backs, like one might find in the average small town high school ball park. Astroturf field, completely worn out. Entry/exit was via open spiral ramps, which had large capacity vs escalators or elevators, and safer than stairs, but took forever.

Attended Wrigley pre-rennovation and urban renewal of the neighborhood, very attractive now but had tons character before, that's been lost. Had a Mike Grace foul ball in my hands until swarmed by everyone around, ball got knocked into my seat and my hand got caught in the seat by the crush. Guy behind me ended up with the ball since I was temporarily trapped.
 
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Original Busch (the old sportsman park) - uncle wanted to make sure that we got to see Stan the Man before he retired.
Memorial Stadium (Baltimore)
Veterans Stadium
Metropolitan
Metrodome
Partial credit for Oakland Coliseum because it should have been replaced, but it is still hanging in there. Fenway and Wrigley can claim to have charm, but the Coliseum has to settle for a dive bar comparison.
 
Just the Metrodome for me. Born into a Twins family in Southern MN, then moved not very far to North IA, so the number of games I went to there is probably in the 3 dozen range. First college I attended was about 5 blocks away too, so I'd walk to a lot of games and buy nose bleed seats for $5 the day of.
 
Donqluione said:
Not many former, but in addition to the Metropolitan, Metrodome and Sec Taylor, went to a stadium nobody else has mentioned, the Skydome in Seattle.

That was one UGLY and cheaply done park, had to be the worst of all of the domes. Lots of the seating was metal benches without backs, like one might find in the average small town high school ball park. Astroturf field, completely worn out. Entry/exit was via open spiral ramps, which had large capacity vs escalators or elevators, and safer than stairs, but took forever.

Attended Wrigley pre-rennovation and urban renewal of the neighborhood, very attractive now but had tons character before, that's been lost. Had a Mike Grace foul ball in my hands until swarmed by everyone around, ball got knocked into my seat and my hand got caught in the seat by the crush. Guy behind me ended up with the ball since I was temporarily trapped.
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Did you mean the Kingdome in Seattle?
 
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I don’t have a lot to add - I’ve only been to the previous Busch and the Metrodome (and Sec Taylor during the 1980 MLB strike: Sparky Anderson was sitting two rows behind me) - but it’s the Internet, why not bring in my anecdotes?

- The Metrodome was terrible for baseball. I sat in the upper deck behind home plate a couple of times, which wasn’t too bad, but lower-level seats along the right-field line were horrific. The seats were oriented for football, facing directly out to the playing surface, which made it a pain to twist around to see home plate. I did get to see Cardinals legend Chris Richard, replacing an injured Mark McGwire, homer in his first major league at-bat (he went on to slug another 33 HRs in his five-year MLB career after playing an epic six career games for St. Louis … truly Cooperstown numbers). Those 1987 and 1991 World Series in the Metrodome remain memorable, nonetheless.

- (pushing my glasses up on my nose nerdily) The multi-purpose Busch Stadium that was replaced by the current Busch in 2006 is actually referred to as “Busch II.” The old Sportsman’s Park was renamed Busch Stadium in 1953 (after Commissioner Ford Frick denied August Busch’s request to call it Budweiser Stadium), and that name transferred to the downtown stadium that opened in 1966. While it was another cookie-cutter multi-use facility like Three Rivers/Riverfront/Veterans/Shea, my only experiences there were after the football team had left and the turf was replaced with grass. I was always pleasantly surprised at the experience - I thought the sight lines were good, the amenities were nice, IMO it wasn’t a bad place to watch baseball at all. New Busch is fantastic, of course, but you’re paying for it.

I‘ve also been to Royals/Kauffman Stadium several times pre-renovation, the first time a beastly hot late-70s afternoon game against Oakland and the last time a game against the about-to-be-moved Montreal Expos. The fountains undisturbed by seats/signage/advertising and the giant scoreboard creating visuals out of light bulbs had a certain charm to it. Several stories about that place, too - almost forgot where I parked once, my brother and some family friends nearly passed out in the parking lot from carbon monoxide in the motor home my dad rented one year, saw Clint Hurdle (of Sports Illustrated cover rookie-phenom fame) hit an inside-the-park home run …
 
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Clonefan32 said:
I went to Wrigley before the Ricketts completely desecrated it and the surrounding area. Does that count?
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If you haven't blacked out eaten 3-5 tacos at Wrigley taco bell rallied and went to a game a you haven't been to Wrigley imo
 
County Stadium - Milwaukee (best tailgating atmosphere for baseball I've ever been to
Old Busch - St Louis
Arlington Stadium
Globe Life Park - Arlington (arguably the best functioning stadium in US history to be replaced so soon)
Met Stadium - Bloomington MN (the worst NFL stadium I've been to)

and two bonus venues:
Metrodome - Minneapolis for 1986 NCAAs (which I am sure sucked for baseball)
Fulton Co Stadium - Atlanta (for 1977 Peach Bowl that ISU played in)

And one existing MLB stadium that needs to be demolished ASAP:
Tropicana Field (worst MLB baseball venue I've ever been to)
 
Crosley Field, Cincinnati
Riverfront, Cincinnati
Tiger Stadium, Detroit
The old Busch Stadium
Baltimore Memorial Stadium
Metrodome, Minneapolis
 
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