The Top 10 Places to ?Play Ball’

By Dayn Perry, FOX Sports

RISMEDIA, April 13, 2007-Baseball is a sport that is about the total fan experience, especially when attending a game in the flesh. These top ten stadiums offer something for everyone-from new stadiums to classics, tailgating or stadium dogs, prime weather and scenic views.

1. Wrigley Field, Chicago
A close call, but Wrigley, unlike Fenway, isn't nestled close to an expressway and isn't gummed up with too much advertising. The ivy, the bricks, the neighborhood taverns, the Old Style, the day games – it's hard to beat three hours at Wrigley.

2. Fenway Park, Boston
Obstructed views, tiny seats, overpriced tickets. But, as with Wrigley, seeing a game there is a transporting experience. Modern creature comforts are nice and all, but the Wrigley/Fenway experience is baseball as it should be.

3. PNC Park, Pittsburgh
The best of the new "retro" parks is in Pittsburgh. Great sightlines, terrific view of downtown, comfy without sacrificing ambience. If only the team was half as good as the venue.

4. Camden Yards, Baltimore
The park that started the craze remains a gem. Incorporating the Baltimore & Ohio Warehouse into the construction was a masterstroke. Although Camden opened in 1992, only 12 Major League parks currently in use are older.

5. Yankee Stadium, New York
Yankee hasn't really been "The House that Ruth Built" since its wide-scale refurbishment back in 1973. Still, it remains a classic venue. That the mighty Yankees call it home adds to the park's appeal, as the do the monuments in the outfield, the awnings and the urban backdrop.

6. Dodger Stadium, L.A.
Dodger Dogs, nifty view of the San Gabriel Mountains, Orwellian reminder to "Think Blue" – Dodger Stadium doesn't have the cachet that Wrigley or Fenway has, but it's a treasure all its own.

7. AT&T Park, San Francisco
The splash hits, the view of the Bay, the closeness to the field of play, the wide concourses, the fact that there's not a bad seat in the house. Yep, AT&T is one of the best of the new breed of yards.

8. Petco Park, San Diego
Lots of things make Petco a great place to catch a game. For instance, the Western Metals building in left, the park beyond the centerfield fence, great sightlines and, of course, the weather.

9. Busch Stadium, St. Louis
The new Busch doesn't necessarily stand out among newer parks (although the from-the-street views of the outfield are cool), but the sea of red in the stands and the energy of Cardinal Nation make it an experience.

10. Miller Park, Milwaukee
The park itself is nice enough, but what makes Miller is the tailgating, the sausage races, the beer selection, and the Bernie Brewer slide.

Dayn Perry is a frequent contributor to FOXSports.com and author of the new book, "Winners: How Good Baseball Teams Become Great Ones" (Available now at Amazon.com).

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