COMISKEY PARK

COMISKY PARK - UNCLE BOB'S BALLPARKS

TEAM::: CHICAGO WHITE SOX
LOCATION :: CHICAGO, ILLINOIS
MY FIRST GAME ::: AUGUST 9, 1989
OPPONENT ::: OAKLAND A'S

SOX TARP - COMISKY PARK

RATINGS

BALLFIELD ::: C+
SCOREBOARD ::: A++
FOOD ::: A+
FACILITIES :: B
MLB STADIUM RANK :: 2 OF 40

From the Outfield - Comisky Park

MY TAKE ON THE PARK

From the Exterior, Comisky Park appreared small

I STILL REMEMBER MY FIRST TRIP TO "OLD" COMISKY. I WAS SITTING IN TRAFFIC ON THE DAN RYAN EXPRESSWAY AND HEARD ON THE RADIO TO ONLY PARK IN OFFICIAL WHITE SOX PARKING, THE WHITE SOX WERE NOT RESPONSIBLE IF YOU PARKED ANYWHERE ELSE. IT DIDN'T GIVE ME THE MOST COMFORTABLE FEELING. SURE ENOUGH, AS I EXITED THE EXPRESSWAY, I COULD SEE PEOPLE TRYING TO LURE ME INTO ABANDONED LOTS WITH NOTHING ELSE IN THEM BUT STRIPPED CARS. HMMM, WHERE'S THAT OFFICIAL WHITE SOX PARKING, I THOUGHT.
AS I APPROACHED THE STADIUM I COULD NOT BELIEVE THAT THIS WAS A MAJOR LEAGUE PARK ... I WAS USED TO SHEA OR YANKEE, BOTH OF WHICH TOWER TO THE SKY. "OLD" COMISKY WAS ONLY 4 STORIES HIGH, OR SO IT SEEMED. I WAS AMAZED AT HOW SHORT THIS BALLPARK ACTUALLY WAS.

The Outfield Wall - Comisky Park

The Sears Tower seems to act as a Foul Pole

AS I LOOKED AROUND, THE STADIUM AS WELL AS THE TICKET BOOTHS WERE COVERED IN ABOUT 8 LAYERS OF WHITE PAINT.THEN, THE ANNOUNCEMENT " LADIES AND GENTLEMAN, BOYS AND GIRLS THE GATES TO COMISKY PARK ARE NOW OPEN". WITH THAT, THE GARAGE DOOR STYLE DOORS LIFTED AND INTO THE PALACE OF BASEBALL I ENTERED.

The Narrow Corridors, Comisky Park

ONCE INSIDE, THE NARROW ALLEY WAYS WERE DARK AND OLD. LOOKING OUT ON THE FIELD, THE FIELD WAS ACTUALLY ABOVE THE FIRST FEW ROWS OF SEATS, SITTING IN THE FRONT ROW, YOU WERE EYE LEVEL TO THE PLAYING FIELD. AROUND THE PARK WERE A SEA OF GREEN SEATS WITH BRIGHT YELLOW BARS DIVIDING THE BOX SEATS. IN THE UPPER DECK IN LEFT, THERE ACTUALLY WERE SEATS THAT FACED THE SEATS IN FRONT OF THEM, YOU WOULD HAVE TO TUR YOUR HEAD ALL THE WAY TO THE RIGHT TO SEE HOME PLATE.

Behind Home Plate - Comisky Park

Nancy Faust - Comisky Park

FOR MY FIRST GAME I SAT RIGHT IN FRONT OF NANCY FAUST, THE COMISKY PARK ORGANIST. SHE WAS LOCATED WITH THE FANS IN THE UPPER DECK ON THE THIRD BASE SIDE. SHE WOULD TAKE REQUESTS AND HAD A SONG FOR EVERY SOX PLAYER WHEN THEY CAME TO BAT. I REMEMBER WHEN STEVE LYONS CAME TO BAT AND THE THEME FROM "PSYCO" PLAYED. I SPOKE WITH HER DURING THE GAME AND TOLD HER OF MY INTENTION TO SEE WRIGLEY THE NEXT DAY. SHE TOLD ME THAT WRIGLEY WAS NICE, BUT COMISKY WAS BETTER. YOU KNOW WHAT, SHE WAS RIGHT.

From the Bull Pen in the LF wall - Comisky Park

ANOTHER UNIQUE VIEW HERE WAS THE LEFT FIELD "BULLPEN CAFE". HERE, THE LEFT FIELD WALL WAS OPEN AND BEHND IT WERE PICNINC TABLES WHERE YOU COULD SIT AND HECKLE THE OPPOSING LEFT FIELDER. THE FOOD HERE WAS GREAT, I ORDERED A SAUSAGE SANDWICH WITH HOT PEPPERS, THE PEPPERS WERE HOT!! HOT HOT PEPPERS IN A MAJOR LEAGUE PARK WERE UNHEARD OF UNTIL NOW. THE FOOD HERE WAS SECOND ONLY TO MILWAUKEE.

THE ALTERNATIVE TO THE BULLPEN CAFE IN THE OUTFIELD WERE THE BLEACHERS. I THINK THESE WOODEN PLANKS WERE HERE BACK IN 1919! NOT THE MOST COMFORTABLE PLACE IN THE HOUSE, FOR SURE.

The bleachers - Comisky Park

Home plate area - Comisky Park

OF THE 40 MAJOR LEAGUE PARKS I HAVE VISITED, I RATE COMISKY PARK SECOND.
A VISIT TO KANSAS CITY KNOCKED THIS PLACE OFF THE TOP SPOT, KC IS JUST THAT GOOD. I RATE IT AHEAD OF A DAY GAME AT WRIGLEY. THIS PARK CERTAINLY DIDN'T HAVE THE MODERN AMENITIES, BUT IT WAS LOADED WITH CHARM AND SOME REAL GOOD PEOPLE.

LINE UPS

OAKLAND MANAGER :: 10 Tony La Russa

CHICAGO MANAGER :: 10 Jeff Torborg

OAKLAND A'S

24 Rickey Henderson lf

4 Carney Lansford 3b

42 Dave Henderson cf

39 Dave Parker dh

36 Terry Steinbach c

25 Mark McGwire 1b

6 Felix Jose rf

2 Tony Phillips 2b

7 Walt Weiss ss

29 Curt Young p

41 Jim Corsi LP

Carlton Fisk at the plate - Comisky Park

CHICAGO WHITE SOX

17 Dave Gallagher cf

7 Scott Fletcher 2b

22 Ivan Calderon rf

72 Carlton Fisk dh

24 Carlos Martinez 3b

26 Russ Morman 1b

8 Daryl Boston lf

20 Ron Karkovice c

13 Ozzie Guillen ss

34 Richard Dotson p

49 Tom McCarthy WP

The Scoreboard @ Comisky Park