Take Me Out to the Ballgame - Take Me Out to the Blatt

Hello Friends,
As you probably know, this summer will mark the end of an era.  Rosenblatt Stadium - home to the College World Series since 1950 and the Omaha Royals since 1967 - will be coming down at the end of the season.  New stadiums are already being built to replace it, but many long-time fans are making the most of their final summer at the "Blatt." 

I got a chance to visit last Friday night when the Royals took on the Nashville Sounds.  As the temperature cooled and the rain clouds skirted around us, it was a great night for baseball.  Our home team came through, defeating the Sounds by a score of 5-0.

Lincoln native Alex Gordon must feel pretty at home on this field.  Gordon attended the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and played at Rosenblatt with the Huskers during the 2005 College World Series.  He was a first-round draft pick in 2005 and has spent most of the last few seasons with the Kansas City Royals.  But after several injuries, he is spending this summer in Omaha with the AAA Royals and moving from third base to left field.  Fans may want to catch him while they can.  He'll probably be back in the majors soon, assuming all goes well with his recovery.

Of course, watching the game is only one reason to visit Rosenblatt Stadium.  Equally important is the wonderful excuse it provides to eat ball park food.  My sister and I skipped the peanuts and cracker jacks, but we enjoyed cold sodas and a hot funnel cake loaded with powdered sugar. 

If you have kids, they'll have a blast in the inflatable play area located in front of the stadium.  (And maybe they'll get some of that sugar out of their systems!)

If you're into video screens - the one located over left field is the largest in minor league baseball.  Wonder if they'll move it to the new stadium?

Down the right field line is a smaller, more traditional scoreboard - and a nice view of another Omaha icon.  The Henry Doorly Zoo is just east of the stadium.

There's always something to keep you entertained between innings, too.  One contestant got to roll giant dice from the press box down to the field for a shot at $100.  The dice bounced over spectators' heads on a net and tumbled onto the field, but Lady Luck must have been in the restrooms.  It was close - but no cigar.

The Bucket Boys, on the other hand, were winners every time.  Using 5-gallon buckets as drums, they entertained the crowd with fun rhythms and fancy stick-twirling.  (Think Drum Line without the marching.)

The part I was looking forward to the most, though, was the fireworks.  There is a display complete with music after every Friday home game. 

This was my first time taking pictures of fireworks with my new camera, and I made an interesting discovery.  The "Fireworks" setting does a nice job, but it's hard to use without a tripod.  (Notice how blurry the Rosenblatt sign is in the background.)  The "Action" setting worked out a little better.

I thought traffic would be horrible when we left, but it wasn't bad at all.  We had parked in one of the first lots by the stadium, but for those who parked further away - there were police officers on hand directing traffic and serving as crossing guards. 

A few details to keep in mind if you decide to take in a game this summer...  The stadium is located on 13th Street just off of Interstate 80.  Several lots with free parking are located on the west side of the stadium along 13th.  There are lots of different promotions and special events throughout the season, so check the website or the official Facebook page to see what's coming up.  Tickets run from $7 to $13.

The College World Series kicks off this weekend.  Reserved tickets are sold out, but general admission seats are still available. The CWS website has information about tickets, schedules, parking, and shuttle services.