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Baseball fans: Take a quick tour of all 30 major league ballparks

Authors Josh Pahigian and Kevin O’Connell explore America's major league ballparks in "The Ultimate Baseball Road."

2. San Francisco Giants/AT&T Park

Ben Margot/AP

  • By Ross Atkin Staff Writer

Opened: 2000

Capacity: 41,503

What the authors say: “The ballpark is nearly perfect and is truly the culmination of Bay Area fans’ most fantastic and idyllic dreams.”

Learned from the book:

• The authors love the way AT&T Park comes by its wonderful character and idiosyncracies naturally, rather than manufacturing them. Because the land leased by the port commission hems in the park, it also means there are incredible views looking out toward McCovey Cove, the watery landing area for well-struck homers to right field.

• By thoroughly studying the site, the stadium was oriented to minimize the wind coming off the water, making it a much milder environment than that previously found at Candlestick Park,.

• AT&T Park provides a “knothole” viewing experience for fans who want to watch at least part of the game for free from a screened-in outfield promenade. Accepted etiquette calls for giving up your standing spot after three innings if others are waiting for a look.

• There’s a reason why that gigantic, old-fashioned glove on the left field concourse is so realistic looking. It was made using a computer-generated copy of a real glove.

• This is the ideal place to hear Tony Bennett croon “I Left My Heart in San Francisco,” a recording played at the end of every Giants game.

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Mark Sappenfield
Editor

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