Baseball Parks/Marlins Park

[jerseygary]

I was the graphic designer who did all the environmental graphics for Camden Yards - the scoreboard, weather vanes, logo, usher uniforms - all the things that made it unique looking other than the architectural shell. It was one of my first jobs as a designer and as a life long baseball fan, a dream job. Because no one had ever done a new stadium like that it was a carefree type of project - there was no yard-stick to measure against. Instead of looking at recently done stadiums I studied the old ballparks such as Crosley Field, Wrigley, Ebbets, Polo Grounds, etc and soaked in the feel of what the original ballparks and their graphics and signage looked like. Chicago had done new Comiskey and Toronto just opened theirs the year before but they were not designed to be a place that would encompass baseball nostalgia like Baltimore wanted to. The O's VP Janet Marie Smith was the true guiding force behind the look and feel of the park because she wanted it to be a tribute to the game's past and not another round dounut. She fought tooth and nail with the architects, HOK who wanted to make another Toronto stadium with no soul and through her unbending vision we got Camden Yards.

The stadiums that followed Camden Yards kind of went over-board with the "olde-tyme" stuff which frankly I chalk up to designers who were not baseball fans at heart. I haven't been to the New Yankee Stadium but I have seen the blueprints and sketches for it and I like the modern feel to it combined with the classic touches. It suits the team and the times.

It's been 20 years now since I sat at my desk and hand-drew the graphics and although I haven't been to the park in 17 years I still get a nice feeling when it gets ranked as one of the best stadiums in the majors.

[19cbb]

Originally Posted by jerseygary

I was the graphic designer who did all the environmental graphics for Camden Yards - the scoreboard, weather vanes, logo, usher uniforms - all the things that made it unique looking other than the architectural shell. It was one of my first jobs as a designer and as a life long baseball fan, a dream job...

...It's been 20 years now since I sat at my desk and hand-drew the graphics and although I haven't been to the park in 17 years I still get a nice feeling when it gets ranked as one of the best stadiums in the majors.

Camden's a beautiful place. You did one heck of a job!

Having said that, already bought tickets to visit Marlins park on labor day. Marlins vs Brewers so hopefully I'll get to see a Josh Johnson vs Greinke match-up but they'll probably be both on the DL come September.

[steve B]

Grerat thread, especially as I'm reading a book about the building of Camden Yards right now. Fascinating stuff, especially seeing the earlier ideas that didn't happen.
I also just happen to be at the section that describes the stuff Gary mentioned.

I've only been to a few parks, I've been wanting to go to Baltimore, but the trip hasn't come together yet.

But I've been in Fenway plenty, plus old Comiskey, and Shea.
The Sox are doing a nice job with Fenway, the laundry building is now part of the park, and has the largest restrooms I've ever seen. Like 3 aisles of stalls, 60-70? maybe more.
I do miss the "waterfall" though. Closed for decades, and I think totally removed now. One very unique bit of plumbing.

Old comiskey was also nice, I liked the picnic areas under the outfield stands with screens looking out onto the field. Just like watching the game from the warning track.

Shea was odd, I had great seats and lousy seats. The tickets my cousin got from saving milk cartons were far enough away we needed a sherpa or two. If it wasn't for the corrupt ushers we wouldn't have seen much. (Go a deck closer for $1 each, two decks closer for $5 each.)
The good seats were the coca-cola corporate box, totally different treatment. Led to the seats, seats wiped off, vendors summoned if we didn't want to wait......But still farther away than most seats in Fenway.

Veterans in Philly wasn't bad, but I was there for football, so it may have been different.

I think a great idea for luxury boxes would be what I'd call "remote dugout seating" Setup a camera or two with wide angle in or near the dugout, and send a live feed to a wall size screen installed in an office at a company. Done right it could look pretty close to being there. After it was up and running you could even sell the feed to the home theatre market.

Steve B