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More California League action on Wednesday as I watched the Giants, not THOSE Giants, the San Jose Giants, take on the Modesto Nuts. San Jose has an older gem of a ballpark. And I love the name...San Jose Municipal Stadium. It looks and feels like a baseball park and reeks of baseball ambiance. That is something that has been lacking on my trip as of late.
More California League action on Wednesday as I watched the Giants, not THOSE Giants, the San Jose Giants, take on the Modesto Nuts. San Jose has an older gem of a ballpark. And I love the name...San Jose Municipal Stadium. It looks and feels like a baseball park and reeks of baseball ambiance. That is something that has been lacking on my trip as of late.
It has a standard semi-circular design with a small, tight concourse. It is also a small capacity ballpark which makes every seat a great one. And as a breath of fresh air, the facility was part of a government stimulus program that actually worked. It was erected in 1942 as part of a WPA project. Washington take note. AND it is still standing, in use, and in pretty good shape.
What is hard to explain is the price of a seat. At $12 for a general admission ticket it is pretty pricey. Remember this is Single A baseball. The night before I paid $15 for a GA ticket at a Major League game….and it included a hot dog. It might just be a San Jose thing. I went to a county park to hang out yesterday afternoon and they wanted $6 for entry...into a park. For that I expect not only entry but foot massage as well. Oh...it costs $10 to park at Municipal Stadium.. Again way too pricey for a minor league venue. I parked a 15 minute walk away for free. Hard to justify those prices. Did I mention I live on a fixed income?
Dog:
Bun-fresh and steamed.
Taste-the Hebrew National frank was damn good.Toppings-I had a foodgasm….PUMP BROWN MUSTARD. The holy grail of hot dog toppings. Also a good selection of additional toppings. They had me at PUMP BROWN MUSTARD.
Price-$4.50. OK. I guess I am paying for that PUMP BROWN MUSTARD. I bit much for the dog.
Portability-nice sized foil sleeve.
It Factor-not much in the way of selection of other dogs. Meh.
Ballpark:
Location-close to downtown, but still too far away. Near a park and college ballpark.
Access-I am sure there is bus service, but mostly a drive-to park.
Cleanliness-for an ancient park they do a nice job. But getting an old park really spotless is like getting a log cabin really spotless.
GA Ticket-Nice military discount, but even with a good seat $12 for general admission is way too much.
Fans-a really nice crowd for a Wednesday night and they were really rooting for their team.Ambiance-a super baseball vibe that cannot be bought or manufactured. Top score.
| Dog | Ballpark | Total Dog/Game | ||
| Bun | 5 | Location | 4 | |
| Taste | 5 | Access | 3 | |
| Toppings | 5 | Cleanliness | 4 | |
| Price | 3 | Ambiance | 5 | |
| Portability | 5 | GA Ticket Price | 3 | |
| It Factor | 3 | Fans | 5 | |
| 26 | 24 | 50 |
For an older venue in a Single A league a score of 50 is something to be proud of. If the Giants could manage to bring their prices of admission, parking and dog down they would be a top contender. Regardless, if you have the cash, a game a Municipal Stadium is not to be missed.
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| Me and Gigante |