At this point, the Ultimate Sports Road Trip is all about visiting and experiencing new frontiers and venues where we have never been to, and even though our count is now well over 110 separate and distinct baseball stadiums, there are still a number of teams and leagues that we have yet to touch.
Frederick, Maryland, is the home of the Frederick Keys, an “A” level team playing in the Carolina League. (And just for reference, the only other team we have experienced in this league is the Wilmington Blue Rocks, leaving six teams on the plate.) Their venue, Harry Grove Stadium, sits tucked away between the I-70, suburban style shopping centers, and a cemetery. Yes a cemetery right across the street from the ballpark, but this is no ordinary cemetery. It is the burial ground of Francis Scott Key, the author of The Star Spangled Banner. Thus the team nickname and the omnipresent historical reference towards Key throughout this bedroom community.
That being said, the team does wayyyyyyy too little to take advantage of the Key connection as part of their game day presentation. Yeah there’s some between inning promo where fans are invited to jingle their keys. You would think there would be a marker and a path right from the front door of the ballpark, across to the cemetery and direct to Key’s grave, but instead only a massively long, unbreachable fence greets visitors. (We tried but could not even find an entrance.)
The ballpark is a very austere late 80s style venue. The main entrance lacks any sort of identifying marquee. The architectural design is bland and soulless. Memorabilia and sports historical exhibits are nowhere to be found. The team has put in some renovations, mostly infrastructure type of things, and we were told that the video board and scoreboard are somewhat new. The pressbox is behind home plate on the main level with the second level devoted to suites only. Off in the right field corner is a children’s play area, dominated by a carousel and it seemed to be a popular family amenity.
The one thing this ballpark does have is the FOOD. Great selection… Angus burgers and fresh grilled brats, a Crab Shack offering Maryland crab cake sandwiches, Philly cheese steaks. A brew pub stand with great selection. They also sell beer here by the PITCHER ($26), with refills offered at a discounted rate. Very nice if you got the drinking posse in tow!
Day 1 is in the books! Saturday it is a sightseeing day in the District, and we have booked tickets to visit The Newseum, probably a must visit for cool media types like us. Then it’s dinner with the legendary Mark Byrnes, our good friend and WNYMedia partner, and Mark will be joining us at Nationals Park and Day 2 as the Nats take on the St. Louis Cardinals.
Oh, and we hear Glenn Beck is in town, rousing some rabble? Darn! Gonna have to pass on that one!
