The gamecock. (Columbia, S.C.) 1908-2006, July 22, 1997, Page 7, Image 7
L
>?miiiw
And t
DWAYNE McLEMORE Sports
i ;
The home of the Braves has
a lot more fun to visit.
The door to Tbmer Field, the;
of the major league ballparks, c
this season. Both residents, the /
Braves, and visitors, the fans
received the new home with high
Built first to house the 1996 Si
Olvmric names, the nval-shaned si
held more than 80,000 fans. A
' Braves seized the opportunity tl
facility offered, converting it to a dh
shaped, 50,000-seat ballpark.
Architects were given the di
to design the Olympic facility
baseball in mind. The outsidi
resembles the small, intimate <
of old-time baseball parks, witl
trusses, arches and masonry ad<
the park's style.
More than halfway throuj
season, the Braves are attracting'
' plus for its home games, a mori
20 percent increase from last si
And the team on pace to attrac
million visitors, according to the 1
media relations department.
The Braves shut the door t<
old home, Atlanta-Fulton Ci
Stadium, after the 1996 World 1
The new facility was officially ]
"Turner Field" in December, IS
recognition of Braves owner Tfed 1
And the first regular season hom<
' was held April 4,1997 again
Chicago Cubs.
Braves catcher Javy Lope
Turner Field is the beginning of
era for the team and the fans.
The new field is a new*atma
for the players and the fans," hi
"It's much prettier. The fans are e
and we're all having fun."
Take a stroll around Turner
the "new" home of the Braves, a
a iook at an tne tacinty nas to
* The fans' amenities. Th
facility makes you want to get
early and stay late.
Scouts Alley, one of the more p
fen areas, is a plaza filled with inte
games and exhibits that are ere*
teach about the art of baseball sa
The games range from your t;
arcade games all the way to a
batting cage where fans can faa
favorite Atlanta Braves pitcher.
Atlanta resident Chris McNe
' all smiles after hitting two horn
off Braves pitcher John Smoltz.
"I got him twice," McNeil s,
usually do better off (Greg) Ma<
One of the more interesting a
nf Qnnnfa Allnxr oro fVio 900 enr
ui uvuubijxuivj ux v wxxv iJuu ovt.
reports of past and present major
players. It is unique to see wh
experts originally thought of S(
baseball's greats.
. If video games aren't your
you can head down to the Chop I
one example of the Braves' improv
of concessions choices.
<
k
? *
he (new
i Editor
gotten ^
_ swot
'pened 1. V I I ^
Atlanta
, have
praise. lilHMHMHMHBHl WM8ai
?...
P'BHr :
) their
aunty
aeries " 8IU buy last-second tickets out
narnpfj ty, which features steel trusses,
196, in
[toner. The Chop House sits above rigl
} game field, and offers on-site smoked barbea
st the along with table service. This two-lev
pub can sure beat the usual hot dc
z said and peanuts.
a new Fans can also visit Coca-Col
SkyField above left field, or they ca
3phere head down to the Ivan Allen, Jr.
l D Ayr 1 TT-.il 17
e saiu. oiavea museum aiiu nau 01 r tune,
xcited, only the third of its kind in baseball.
Memorabilia includes Hank Aaron's
Field, 715th home run ball and bat.
nd get hi the final configuration, there
i offer, will be 8,700 parking spaces, which
e new is about 3,400 more than at /
there AFCS. There is also 59 private /
luxury suites, compared to /
opular 33 at the old facility,
ractive And women will /
ited to have access to 75 /
luting, percent more /
yrpical bathroom /
video stalls, a
j their plus for
those who
;il was spend too much
eruns time at the Chop \.
House. N.
aid. "I The players' A
Idux." amenities. What / /
ispects would a new home ^
luting be like if the Hie new fie
league residents weren't much pn
at the happy?
ime of Of course, the
new home is nicer
taste, for the players as
iouse, well. The
ement clubhouse and
luxury end of it for the players is mut
SPORTS
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vi ^ ^
ROBERT 1
side the Atlanta Braves' new home Turner Field. T
arches and masonry, giving it the feel and look of
it better, according to Braves clubhouse i
le shortstop Jeff Blauser. The clu
el "The weight room is bigger, the lockers arra
>g training room is bigger and the several teh
watch as th
a TUa onr
a A 1UC 9CC
n XX seat in the 1
/ \. fans are
they wen
Forexai
first and
45 feet i
v Spectah
\. abov
\ tt
Id Is a new atmosphere for the players and the fans. I
ettier. The fans are excited, and we're all having fan.
Javy Lopez
Atlanta Braves catcher
W
h V same choice
the Bra
with natural gn
Blauser sai<
new field took n
y t 'The playing i
!U4 1 . l| 5 j identical to the
I ^ ; grass and a hare
The center i
f | away from hom
wall is 380 feet a1
concerns was wh
said. "And I've t
pitching here."
TI10 food* (
cheap. But have;
park where it is!
options on where
of concession stan
Here is a sai
(OGERS Special to The Gamecock ^ield prices:
he outside of the facUi- 12-ounce be
' an old-time ballpark. #LarSe soda,
Jumbo hot i
PeDDeroni i
s cozier," he said. Boiled pear
bhouse also features 44 you buy them ft
nged in a circle, along with The histor
jvisions for the players to while to reach th
Ley prepare for games. surrounds AFCS
its. There isn't really a bad home of the Bra
louse at Turner Field. And Some of that
closer to the games than such as Dave Ji
j at AFCS. Game Six of the 1
nple, the distance between propelled the Bra
third bases to the dugouts Championship s
was 100 feet. Fans are only Most notabl;
away at the new park. Babe Ruth's hom
)rs are also only eight inches knocking a 1-0 pi
e the playing field, rather April 8,1974 for
lan eight feet at AFCS. Aaron's last afc-bi
Augusta resident was a homer,
s. Keith Ballard said he Demolition ol
N. has been to at least this fall, and an
20 games this field will be marl
\ season, and he provide a per
\ 1 "
X h Memorial pi;
V/ i& i the pavement w
/ at as well as in are
/ the game. AFCShistory, si
/. 1 sat Aaron's 715th h<
/ just about Braves first t
/ everywhere possible saidpartofhim
?tTuT?TFl6ld; "Fulton Coue
he said. leant McGriffsaid.'I
complain about the XDissiiA]siml
Its views. The verdict
Tickets Braves is a hit, v
range in pnee from and the visitors.
$30 (dugout level) "They did a
to $1 (skyline). designing the sfc
| ^ The fans closer to the
field. The Braves "It seems like e
stayed with the come see us plaj
: of carpet as in AFCS, going fun for us as we'
ives
iSS.
i getting used to the
o time at all.
surface itself is basically
old place, with short **
I, fast infield," he said.
Held wall is 401 feet
e plate. The left field
way, and the right field
ie is pleased with the
g schemes of the field,
field because of the
opez said. "For me, I
better."
dne, one of the biggest
at the pitcher's mound
1 is perfect," Glavine^
>een real comfortable
)K, so the food isn't
you ever been to a ball
?
1 does give you many
! to spend your money,
)p House and a variety
ds around every comer,
mple of some Turner
>er, $4.50
, $3.50
dog, $4.25
rizza, $4.50
tuts, $3.25 (only $1 if
om the kids outside)
j. It's going to take a
ie level of history that ~
i, which had been the
ves since April, 1966.
Vtist/vrv isn't nlri at nil
ustice's home run in
L995 World Series that
ves to their first World
ince 1957.
y, Hank Aaron broke
e run record at AFCS,
itch out of the park on
No. 715. And fittingly,
it as a Brave at AFCS
f AFCS will take place^
outline of the playing
ked on the parking lot
manent monument...
aques will be set into
here the bases were,
as of key moments in
uch as the location of
jmer.
>aseman Fred McGriff
is still at AFCS.
ity Stadium was nice,"
am sure the players
do."
. The new home of the
nth both the residentsgreat
job in terms of
idium and getting the
! action," Glavine said,
veryone is excited to
/, and if s been a lot of
11."