While baseball may be America’s favorite pastime, there’s no need to have swung a bat in your life to recognize iconic baseball parks across the U.S. Baseball became a national sport in the 1850s but the turn of the 20th century brought construction to what many Americans deem the most important baseball stadiums in history – including the Red Sox stomping grounds and the most expensive stadium ever built: Yankee Stadium. Whether you opt for the peanuts or Cracker Jack, there’s no doubt you will enjoy the game at one of these famous baseball parks in America.
Wrigley Field, Chicago, Illinois | Fans flooded through the gates when Wrigley Field – then called Weeghman Park – opened in 1914. The oldest National League baseball stadium standing, this Chicago park is also one of the smallest. The famous red, art deco marquee outside the main entrance of the stadium is a fan photo favorite, as are the ivy-covered outfield walls – a distinguishing characteristic of Wrigley Field. Built using the jewel box design popularized in the early 1900s, the ballpark has served as home to the Chicago Cubs for nearly a century. The Chicago Bears played at Wrigley for almost 50 years before relocating to the city’s Soldier Field.
Fenway Park, Boston, Massachusetts | Boston’s Fenway Park holds many similarities to its counterpart to the West. Like Wrigley Field, Fenway Park was built in the early 1900s and is one of the last ballparks to operate a hand-turned scoreboard. There are no ivy-covered outfield walls at this Kenmore Square field, however. Instead, the Green Monster (a 37-foot-high wall) looms in the left field and serves as a recognizable (and slightly peculiar) element of the Boston Red Sox home park. Fenway was just added to the National Register of Historic Places and rightly so – it is the oldest Major League Baseball stadium still in use.
Yankee Stadium, Bronx, New York | Although New York’s Yankee Stadium is young compared to the other mentioned iconic ballparks, its legacy started in 1923. Sitting across the street from the original Yankee Stadium location, this legendary ballpark offers visitors a look at the past, as it incorporates several structural and design elements from the first stadium as a tribute to its rich American history. MLB buffs and even the occasional baseball fan know Yankee Stadium as, “The House that Ruth Built.” “Sultan of Swat” Babe Ruth helped the Yankees win four of the World Series titles before retiring in 1935. Today, illustrious players like Derek Jeter and C.C. Sabathia have replaced Joe DiMaggio and other greats on the bench.
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