Opening Day at Huntington Park
A crowd of over 11,000 gathered to welcome the Columbus Clippers to their new home at Huntington Park on Saturday. Many fans were lined up hours before the 4pm opening pitch in hopes of getting one of the 1,500 tickets that were held until game day. Even though the Clippers ultimately lost to the division leading Toledo Mudhens 3-1, the event itself was able to supersede the final score. With clips of AC/DC blasting between innings, fan contests galore a la Columbus Blue Jackets games, and “Whoop There It Is” punctuating strong plays by the Clippers, the atmosphere is enough to keep any fairweather fan amused long enough to make it to the 7th inning stretch.
So we’ve got stimulating audio. Check. All the beer and hot dogs you can handle. Check. And the guy that won’t shut up about anything yelling “jackoff!”, seemingly at both teams (see pictured to the right). Check, check, check. But what about the game? Turns out that the first pitch thrown in the new stadium was smashed into center field for a hit by the Mudhens’ leadoff batter Danny Worth. And then, three batters later, Worth scored the first run ever to cross home plate at Huntington Park on a two run double by Toledo’s Mike Hessmen. Whoops/Ouch/Doh!
But by the end of the second inning the Clippers managed to put up a run of their own on a sacrifice fly by Stepehen Head, scoring Matt LaPorta. Later in the game the Mudhens capitalized on a couple of Clippers’ errors which pushed the score to 3-1 and the Clippers were unable to recover, allowing the Toledo Mudhens to take a 2-1 lead in the four game series (the two teams split their first two games which were played in Toledo). The loss leaves the Clippers with a record of 4-6 and moves the Mudhens to 8-2.
Despite the opening day loss, Huntington Park was a great place to see a game and a Clippers ticket should remain a hot one; especially until the novelty of “new” fades. The stadium, owned by Franklin County, carries the logos of familiar sponsors like Columbus Gas, AEP, Mount Caramel, Nationwide, Huntington (obviously), Wendy’s, The Columbus Dispatch, ad nauseam…and these supporters are sure to make the Clippers inaugural season at Huntington Park as visible as any other sporting event in the city.
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Related Tags: baseball • Columbus Clippers • Events • huntington park • openings • reviews • Sports
April 19th, 2009 at 5:58 pm
Even on a cloudy day (Sunday) the stadium still was shining brilliantly. It is inviting and accessible and on a scale completely appropriate for the city and the location. It drew a great mix of people and gave them all something to enjoy. I could sit in my seat for only a few innings, instead taking in the game from every other vantage point available. Comparison to the old Coop is bound to happen but irrelevant, while it was a great place too the time had come for a new stadium better integrated into the city. Well done to all involved. Please just save me a ticket to every game.
April 19th, 2009 at 7:40 pm
Should Crew stadium build in the AD ? Im thinking something by the river adjacent to Huntington Park .
April 19th, 2009 at 8:10 pm
The Crew have a stadium, why would they build another one?
April 19th, 2009 at 8:57 pm
Arguably the Clippers did too.
April 19th, 2009 at 8:58 pm
great article, dan! image #3 is a beautiful shot.
April 19th, 2009 at 9:10 pm
Nothing to argue, the Clippers did build a new stadium. It does not mean the Crew should, or will.
April 19th, 2009 at 9:17 pm
I think it would be a great. Is it feasible? No.
It would be kind of neat to have the AD as the Columbus sports district. The easy connection, by bike or bus, to OSU athletics would only make it sweeter.
April 19th, 2009 at 10:23 pm
Went to the game today. I like the stadium a lot — very intimate design, very well done. Not a bad seat to be had. Great to have them within walking distance of home!
Only thing that griped me — and I realize it’s silly — was the goofy CGI Clippers animated show after the first inning, showing the Clippers clippership, in its full 18th-century glory, annihilating the opponents’ clippership using wave after wave of perfectly-choreographed, looping, swerving… guided missiles.
April 19th, 2009 at 10:47 pm
I’m excited to see some games this summer.. especially since I think I read City BBQ is in there? I hope the ticket situation isn’t too crazy. I used to live in Dayton and the Dragons games have been sold out every game of every season so far from what I understand.
As far as the crew moving to the AD some time? I’m not so sure.. there can only be so many huge gigantic structures (that only get used a few times a year) before things start to feel a bit vacant. I guess it depends on how much people want the AD to be tilted towards being either a destination or a neighborhood.
Edit: Not to mention the Casino everyone is eagerly awaiting!
April 19th, 2009 at 11:10 pm
Regarding the Clippership logo, and the curious fact that we have such a nautically-themed baseball team-
A buddy of mine saw Bobcat Goldtwaite at the Funny Bone once, and he talked about that, saying something to the effect of:
“So I went to one of your baseball games this afternoon. Um, and your mascot is a seal? You live in the most f-ing land-locked city on earth, and you have seal for your mascot? Like I’m gonna be getting wasted after the show, and my wife’s gonna call, and I’m gonna be like, ‘Honey, I’d love to talk, but I’m in Columbus, and you know how it is here. I’m up to my f-ing ass in seals right now. I’ll call you tomorrow.’”
April 20th, 2009 at 12:08 am
That Bobcat quote is pure gold.
Yes, City BBQ is there. I think the Velvet ice cream people are too (no Jeni’s — sob!) And… if you count Bob Evans as local, that’s about what I saw for local concessions.
April 20th, 2009 at 12:42 am
Did anyone try the beers? I heard they were serving some Elevator brews, and I’m guessing they would have the standard macros, too. Anything else there?
April 20th, 2009 at 9:19 am
The list of local food concessions at Huntington Park includes:
1) Donatos Pizza down the left field line
2) Bob Evans in the first floor of the “warehouse” in left field
3) Roosters Chicken Wings on the 3rd floor of the “warehouse
4) Elevator Brewing
5) City Barbecue down the right field line
6) Velvet Ice Cream
PLUS all the usual suspects of “Dippin Dots”, pop-corn, peanuts, hamburgers, hot dogs and even fajitas.
I LOVE THIS BALL PARK!!!
April 20th, 2009 at 9:52 am
Velvet? What about Jeni’s? THE local ice cream brand. I say we start a chant, right after the wave, but before the seventh inning stretch. Sal-ty; Car-mel. Sal-ty; Car-mel.
April 20th, 2009 at 10:21 am
great article, great photos. thanks, dan!
April 20th, 2009 at 11:35 am
Events Give Downtown Businesses A Shot In The Arm
Sunday, April 19, 2009 8:16 PM
The downtown economy likely received a shot in the arm this weekend. Despite an ongoing recession, businesses in the city’s Arena District have made out recently, thanks to the Blue Jackets’ playoff run and the unveiling of Huntington Park.
Even though the Blue Jackets played in Detroit this weekend, fans packed downtown bars and restaurants to watch the game on television.
READ MORE
April 20th, 2009 at 12:11 pm
omg, walker you’re letting dan wilburn write articles, what happened to the journalistic integrity of cu? j/k! ;)
good first article dan!
April 20th, 2009 at 2:05 pm
YAY: Leinenkugel, even though it’s way the hell out in the opposite corner from my seats and the line was a mile long.
BOO: No wraparound concourse. I hope those club seats are worth the interruption.
YAY: Easy parking. The garages really were only $3 to park - excellent - and quick to get back to High Street without the usual CBJ traffic controls.
BOO: Scoreboard troubles. Were there no dry runs or practices so they’d know how to correctly handle “Last At Bat” or that the Clips will always have a DH, not two RFs? And what was with the B/S/O failure in the 7th and 8th? Players are expected to be ready by opening day - same should go for game operations.
YAY: Big rectangular concession counters, rather than the usual hole-in-the-wall things. I just hope they don’t become impenetrable blocks of humanity if and when it rains and people seek shelter.
BOO: People in the front row behind the 3B dugout who decided they can walk on the dugout instead of having people in their row stand up to let them in/out. That’s got to stop.
YAY: Pretzel bun upgrades.
BOO: No jalapenos at the condiment bar.
YAY: Grizzled old deputies yelling at jaywalkers at Neil and Nationwide.
BOO: The people who seemed to think their ticket entitled them to more than a seat at a baseball game. Yes, it was a tough ticket to get. No, having one does not make you a VIP of some kind. Wait in line with everyone else.
April 20th, 2009 at 5:16 pm
I was also really impressed with the stadium. I think the developers largely succeeded in meeting their goals, especially this aspect -
(from Clippers president and general manager Ken Schnacke in a Dispatch article) “We wanted a smattering of everything,” he said. “We want people to come many times, and there are many different experiences for them here. Maybe one time you’re going to sit in the bleachers and one time sit in the grass and one time you want to stand on the home-run terrace and sit on a barstool.”
I loved the freedom to move around and just hang out, and that experience would be the reason that I might go back more frequently.
That and the chopped onion shooters. Are those common? They’re new to me.
April 20th, 2009 at 5:57 pm
Kinda cold and rainy tonight, but it’s the first dime-a-dog night in the new stadium! Anyone going? :D
April 20th, 2009 at 7:28 pm
Agree with XLD. I don’t know if I was a little figity/giddy yesterday but I could hardly stay in one place, wanting to check out the view from every possible location!
Kudos also on the omnipresent counters that pretty much line the entire pavilion up both baselines. Great for leaning up against, drinking a beer, hanging out for instances when the action on the field isn’t necessarily priority #1.
April 20th, 2009 at 8:32 pm
I’d be interested in the attendance tonight given the rain. I’m dying to get to a game, but I’m going to hold off for some sun on Thursday. My love of baseball < my hatred for cold rain.
April 20th, 2009 at 11:30 pm
Went to the game tonight and dime a dog night was as good as ever. Dogs were still available late. Endured a rain delay, but bonus was the rainbow visible in right field. The new park is great, despite the fact that it has seemed to attract some people who think they are really important that would have not been caught dead in the Coop.
April 21st, 2009 at 9:07 pm
From the Dispatch: (click to enlarge)
May 13th, 2009 at 11:35 pm
Great photo from a recent Dispatch story about watching for free: http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/life/stories/2009/05/12/1_CHEAP_SEATS_–_live_turnar.AR0_ART_05-12-09_D2_E8DR32Q.html?sid=101