August 2004

When you're a baseball fan, one of the best things that you can do during your summer vacation is to see your favorite team play on the road. It gives you the opportunity to see familiar faces in an unfamiliar setting, as well as the chance to discuss baseball with fans whose perspective is different from those back home.

This year's Inside Pitch Road Trip was to Kansas City in June to attend the Mets' first visit in team history to Kauffman Stadium. Kansas City is known as the City of Fountains, and there are reportedly more fountains in Kansas City than there are in an other city in the world except for Rome. When one visits Kauffman Stadium and leaves the causeway to enter the seating area, one cannot help but notice the 322-foot wide water display beyond the outfield. Unlike many of the bells and whistles that are on display at some of the newer Major League stadiums, these fountains are able to beautify the stadium without detracting attention from the game itself. It's a wonderful design that celebrates Kansas City's cultural heritage while enhancing the ballpark atmosphere for the fans.

At Kauffman Stadium, there was no shortage of fans clad in Mets attire in Kansas City during this series. Charles Cox and his 6-year-old son, Arie traveled from McCook Lake, South Dakota to see the Mets. Charles "became a Mets fan around 1985, watching the Mets on WWOR." While traveling to New York would be difficult, the Cox family makes a concerted effort to see the Mets at least once a year when they come to the Midwest. Similarly, Damon and Melanie Rusche from Omaha, Nebraska are "big Mets fans [who] see them every year wherever they are closest. We don't get to see them too often in person, so any time we get to see them is great."

Many displaced New Yorkers came to Kauffman Stadium as well. Pete Scarnati, who currently lives in Monroe, Iowa, says that, "This is the first time I've seen them on the road, but I've seen them at Shea hundreds of times." Queens natives Karen and Rich Davis were living in Kansas in June while Rich was stationed at Fort Leavenworth. They brought their three youngsters to see the Mets because, in Karen's words, "It reminds me of home. It brings New York to me since I can't get to New York right now." Tim O'Keefe of Colfax, Wisconsin is another Queens native -- he and his family drove 8 1/2 hours to Kansas City because, "the Mets are in my blood."

Other fans made the trip to see the Mets in order to celebrate special occasions. Cheryl Williams from Normal, Illinois has followed the Mets since 1985, and came to Kansas City to see them on her birthday. This was only the second time that she has seen the team in person, and the experience was a moving one for her. "Words cannot explain when you walk out and see them on the field. It's unreal to be able to see them in person."

Nicole Neubauer, originally from Jamestown, New York, whose husband Jon is stationed at the Whiteman Air Force Base, was also celebrating her birthday at the game. This was more of a gift for Jon than Nicole, though. Jon, a longtime Mets fan, doesn't see them very often and was thrilled to be at the game. Nicole, who is apparently a very good sport, appeared happy to be spending her birthday in a way that brought Jon such obvious joy.

J.D. and Julie Dudley traveled form Fayetteville, Arkansas in order to spend their 10th anniversary watching the Mets. Although J.D. hadn't seen them in person in 21 years and this was Julie's first Mets game ever, the couple makes it a point to follow every game. "It's something that we enjoy doing together."

Not only are the new locales interesting for the fans, but the players enjoy the change of scenery as well. Joe McEwing tells Inside Pitch that he likes Interleague play because, "it breaks things up over the course of the year, where the season becomes a big grind." McEwing was impressed with Kauffman Stadium. "They did a tremendous job with it. It's gorgeous now -- the clubhouse is outstanding, the cages are great; it's just a beautiful ballpark."

While visiting other cities, it's always enlightening to check out the local baseball shrines and exhibits. The Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in Kansas City is a must-see destination for any baseball fan. For older fans, it's a reminder of the not-so-good old days of segregation. For younger fans, it teaches them about a type of racial discrimination that thankfully they have never experienced in their lifetime. While it is virtually impossible to satisfactorily explain to a child why African-Americans were not allowed to play Major League Baseball prior to 1947, it is important for them to understand that such discrimination did occur in our country. The Negro Leagues Baseball Museum documents the struggles of African-American ballplayers as well as their triumphs.

One visitor to the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in June was Mike Cameron. Cameron has visited the museum in the past, but this time he was accompanied by a film crew from This Week in Baseball in order to inform baseball fans about this jewel of a museum. For more information about the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum, visit http://www.nlbm.com/.

As in past years, the Inside Pitch summer road trip was a great success. Seeing fellow Mets fans on the road is a unique thrill that never gets old, and taking in another city's baseball treasures serves to enhance the overall fan experience. Whether you're a displaced New Yorker, a New York area resident looking for an interesting vacation destination, or simply a Mets fan who wants to see your favorite team in person, planning to see a Mets road series is something you should definitely work into your vacation plans.