It’s finally springtime, which means all the baseball-minded people of the world rejoice in the ending of the cold, indoor sport-oriented months of winter. Baseball has officially awakened from its yearly hibernation. High school and college teams across the country are halfway through their seasons, and baseball at the professional level has just begun.
Baseball makes springtime that much more beautiful. It adds culture and excitement to the warm, sunny days of the year when plants and trees re-bloom after the harsh winter. Seeing the flowers in the ground blossom and the trees fill with leaves are pleasant sights. Some regard spring as the artistic work of God, while others regard spring as the earth’s gift to humans. I personally have seen some pretty impressive and mesmerizing works of nature during the springtime in my life. Baseball season is one of them. There are many aspects of baseball that parallel the grandiose and magnificent art that is nature during the spring. Perhaps the most prominent aspect of the game must be the stadiums where the games themselves are played.
Baseball stadiums are some of the most overlooked pieces of art in America. There’s something indescribably special about the crisp air on a gorgeous day, the roar of 50,000 fans cheering their hearts out, the sound of the bat hitting the ball, and the smell of heart-clogging food that can only be found in a baseball stadium. Overall, going to a baseball game can be a positive experience for anyone.
This year, Major League organizations wanted to kick it up a notch and make visiting their work of art an even greater experience. Ball clubs all around the country bolstered their ballpark menus by adding some of the most delicious, yet unhealthy items the mind can conceive.
The most intriguing item is easily the Sweet Potato Waffle Chicken Sandwich. This sandwich, a grilled chicken breast with greek yogurt wrapped in a thick, fluffy sweet potato waffle, can only be found at Minute Maid Park, home of the Houston Astros. It’s definitely worth a try for everyone.
The award for the unhealthiest ballpark addition goes to none other than the Champions Alley Hot Dog, unique to Kauffman Stadium, home of the Kansas City Royals. This deep-fried, foot-long hot dog has been tightly wrapped in bacon and sinfully battered in tempura, all while drowned in coleslaw and ketchup. In case that didn’t take 10 years off your life, it’s also served on a salty pretzel bun.
The most creative work of culinary art that can be found in a major league park is the Hill Meatball Cone. A native of Busch Stadium, home of the St. Louis Cardinals, this dish is exactly what it sounds like. Here, Italian bread is carefully crafted to take the shape of an ice cream cone, and is then stuffed with Italian sauce, parmesan, and hearty meatballs.
The best American dish, and my personal favorite, that can be found at a ballpark is the Burgerizza. This combination of a burger and pizza can be devoured only at Turner Field, home of the Atlanta Braves. The Burgerizza is a scrumptious burger that goes beyond the basics. Stuffed between two eight-inch pepperoni pizzas is not only a 20-ounce patty, but sizzling bacon and cheddar cheese as well. Athletes should probably refrain from consuming this monster.
Although one would think baseball teams focus solely on bolstering their lineup card, many teams this year showed the work they put into bolstering their menus. Even though it may seem like this change is minuscule to the game, these additions make enjoying the atmosphere of a baseball game and appreciating the artwork of a baseball stadium that much more amazing. The new entrees have not only broken the stereotype that baseball fans can only be found with a hot dog, nachos, and cracker jacks, but have added a creative twist that helps make springtime beautiful.
