Baseball & Trains

Here is one of my favorite cars - since Lionel dropped the MLB license a year before, I had to make my own Cubs Championship Car.  I also have every Cubs car theme made (MTH and Lionel).

@C&O Allan posted:

Here is one of my favorite cars - since Lionel dropped the MLB license a year before, I had to make my own Cubs Championship Car.  I also have every Cubs car theme made (MTH and Lionel).

Very nice, Allan. Would love to see a game some day at Wrigley Field.

@johnstrains posted:

Mark,

I concur! I'm an avid baseball fan and have been to quite a few major league parks around the country. I used to be in a group of 25-30 that went to a different city every summer for a weekend of ball games.

PNC was one of the best and in fact is probably a solid Top 3 on the list of favorites. Everything about the experience was top notch and thoroughly enjoyed our stay.

Only problem with trying to visit ballparks these days is they build them so fast that it's hard to keep up!

John, Yes indeed it is hard to visit every ballpark.  Our now retired pastor and his son had to settle on visiting a game in every major league city, not every stadium.  I have seen games in 4 stadiums, besides Forbes Field, Three Rivers, and PNC Park, I also saw a game in Baltimore's Memorial Stadium to show how long ago that was.  If you ever go back to PNC Park, get something to eat at Manny Sanguillen's sandwich shop inside the park.  He is often there and you will be greeted with his always friendly grin.  One of the nicest Pirates ever, like Willie Stargell.

One thing I do not like that they changed in PNC Park on my last visit 2 or 3 years ago was that they added the lit panels the whole way around the edge of the upper level like they have in hockey arenas.  The lights flash on and off, back and forth.  I found it really annoying to my eyes.  That's a senor citizen's opinion.  I'm sure younger folk find it exciting!! 

Great pics!

In the summer of 1979 me, my younger brother and some of our friends would take the CNW/Metra commuter train from Glen Ellyn to Northwestern Station in Chicago, walk to the EL, ride it to the Addison Street stop, go watch the Cubs play at Wrigley Field and be back home in time for dinner or in some instances be back in time to play in our own youth league baseball games.  Since there were no lights at Wrigley at that time, the Cubs played all day games at home so sometimes we'd go to 3-4 games a week.  Both me and my brother had paper routes so were able to afford these excursions.. We were 12-14 year old kids and did this with no adult supervision.  We always had a great time, never got into any trouble and saw some good ball players too..Dave Kingman, Johnny Bench and Tom Seaver to name a few.  And it sure helped to know the train schedules too. 

Lionel trains and baseball are a large part of Americana. If it wasn’t for the fact that it would take tons of space and my future layout will be winter and/or fall I would happily put a small stadium on the layout. Now if the commissioner could just stop tinkering with rules we would be alright. Extra innings with a guy on 2nd and instant replay hurt the game.

When I was a boy Nabisco Cereals Rice and Wheat Puffs came with a ball player figure in each box. I believe they were blue and yellow figures.

@Mark Boyce posted:

John, Yes indeed it is hard to visit every ballpark.  Our now retired pastor and his son had to settle on visiting a game in every major league city, not every stadium.  I have seen games in 4 stadiums, besides Forbes Field, Three Rivers, and PNC Park, I also saw a game in Baltimore's Memorial Stadium to show how long ago that was.  If you ever go back to PNC Park, get something to eat at Manny Sanguillen's sandwich shop inside the park.  He is often there and you will be greeted with his always friendly grin.  One of the nicest Pirates ever, like Willie Stargell.

One thing I do not like that they changed in PNC Park on my last visit 2 or 3 years ago was that they added the lit panels the whole way around the edge of the upper level like they have in hockey arenas.  The lights flash on and off, back and forth.  I found it really annoying to my eyes.  That's a senor citizen's opinion.  I'm sure younger folk find it exciting!! 

When I was a young man living in NYC in the 70s, I once decided I wanted to see Wrigley Field. This was before lights, so only day games. I wanted to travel by train like the ball players did in the early days, so I booked a sleeper car out of Grand Central, brought my copy of Ultimate Baseball, and made a pilgrimage to Chicago. The train broke down, it rained all the way, but I made it in time to take a cab from station to Wrigley, bought a box seat on the baseline from a scalper, and as the sun broke out from behind the clouds, saw the Cubbies play a double header that day. Like Ernie Banks would have said, “Let’s play two.” Baseball and trains: magic.

My only baseball experience was a long time ago.  Our Boy Scout troop visited the newly renamed Connie Mack Stadium to see the "A"s play the Boston Red Sox.

Thing was, traveling to and from the game I was more enamored at the abundance of trolley track configurations embedded in the streets.

First and last game for me, kind of slow.

I love baseball (especially "live" at a stadium), but don't have a park on my layout. You guys inspire me.  I love baseball despite the White Sox breaking my young heart in 1959. Nevertheless, I got to see so many "greats" at Comiskey in my early years, including Maris and Mantle swinging bats during their Home Run Derby season, maybe 1961? (IIRC).

@Tom Tee posted:

My only baseball experience was a long time ago.  Our Boy Scout troop visited the newly renamed Connie Mack Stadium to see the "A"s play the Boston Red Sox.

Thing was, traveling to and from the game I was more enamored at the abundance of trolley track configurations embedded in the streets.

First and last game for me, kind of slow.

Connie Mack stadium was a trip— right downtown Philly. Real old school urban ballpark, like the kinds I’ve seen on some layouts!

Yeah, some of these inner city stadiums even featured the park's neighbors with mini grand stands on their roofs, like the "Wrigley Roof-tops".

My Last Game in the Bronx, Danny Ainge was playing 3rd base for the Blue Jays wonder what happened to him.

We have taken Amtrak to Baltimore(I love Camden Yards , it being the first of the new breed, also a trip down the street to the B&O museum) and Philadelphia for games, I can see going to Boston and maybe DC via Amtrak for games maybe this year.

@bptBill posted:

My Last Game in the Bronx, Danny Ainge was playing 3rd base for the Blue Jays wonder what happened to him.

We have taken Amtrak to Baltimore(I love Camden Yards , it being the first of the new breed, also a trip down the street to the B&O museum) and Philadelphia for games, I can see going to Boston and maybe DC via Amtrak for games maybe this year.

Camden Yards is great! We have a great stadium and horrible team. Ownership is a joke. B&O museum was really cool and so is the trolley museum. I haven’t been to wither since I was a kid.

@pdxtrains posted:

Connie Mack stadium was a trip— right downtown Philly. Real old school urban ballpark, like the kinds I’ve seen on some layouts!

Shibe Park/Connie Mack stadium really wasn't located in downtown Philly.  It was located at about 21st and Lehigh Avenue in north Philadelphia.  During the 30s and 40s it was a great place to go to a ballgame but by the mid to late 50s the neighborhood deteriorated significantly and wasn't the safest place in the world.  Nevertheless, during the 50s my family and I went to several games at Connie Mack and used the Philly trolley system to get there because parking your car in that area was an iffy proposition at best.  My first games there were a Sunday double header with the New York Giants in 1955 and I had the chance to see the great Willie Mays in action along with Phillies superb center fielder Richie Ashburn.  The Phils were a mediocre team at the time and lost both ends of the twin bill.   Still, great memories.  

@Csxcellent posted:

Camden Yards is great! We have a great stadium and horrible team. Ownership is a joke. B&O museum was really cool and so is the trolley museum. I haven’t been to wither since I was a kid.

Hmmm...I thought you were talking about Pittsburgh.    The rate we are going, we won't live to see either the Pirates or Orioles back in a World Series.  I'm sure Orioles fans would like a rematch for 1971 and 1979.  Oh, those were the days for both teams.  Four 20 game winners.  The Lumber Company.  I guess my baseball world is all nostalgia just like my model trains hobby.

@OKHIKER posted:

Shibe Park/Connie Mack stadium really wasn't located in downtown Philly.  It was located at about 21st and Lehigh Avenue in north Philadelphia.  During the 30s and 40s it was a great place to go to a ballgame but by the mid to late 50s the neighborhood deteriorated significantly and wasn't the safest place in the world.  Nevertheless, during the 50s my family and I went to several games at Connie Mack and used the Philly trolley system to get there because parking your car in that area was an iffy proposition at best.  My first games there were a Sunday double header with the New York Giants in 1955 and I had the chance to see the great Willie Mays in action along with Phillies superb center fielder Richie Ashburn.  The Phils were a mediocre team at the time and lost both ends of the twin bill.   Still, great memories.  

I’m sure you’d right about the location. Perhaps I thought of it as downtown because of the iffy surroundings. My father used to park the car on the street and then he’d buy what he called “insurance.” He’d tip a neighborhood kid a buck to guard the car, haha. It worked! We’d come out after the game and the car was fine,  proving that insurance can be a very good thing!

While we are on the subject, my Lex Express set with the Yankee Stadium stop came today. If it weren’t for this forum I would not have known about it! Thanks, all! Enjoy!

@jay jay posted:

I love baseball (especially "live" at a stadium), but don't have a park on my layout. You guys inspire me.  I love baseball despite the White Sox breaking my young heart in 1959. Nevertheless, I got to see so many "greats" at Comiskey in my early years, including Maris and Mantle swinging bats during their Home Run Derby season, maybe 1961? (IIRC).

As an 8 year old obsessed with the Yankees, the White Sox (Luis Apariccio, Nelly Fox, Billy Pierce, etc.) broke my heart in 1959 by winning the American League Pennant!

Building a baseball field on your layout is so easy. All you need is Woodland Scenics Iron Ore Fine Ballast (reddish brown dirt for the base paths) and Blended Turf or Fine Turf for the infield and outfield grass. Then, little pieces of white cardboard for home plate, the bases and the pitching rubber, and glued together Popsicle Sticks painted blue, green or brown for the bleachers or stands for the fans. Also chicken wire or similar material to make the fences and painted cardboard with numbers for the scoreboard.

Now, the next thing you need is O Scale players. I believe Scenis Express has some nice plastic ones, but the best, IMO, were made by Kramer Products (they are made of metal and beautifully painted). I got my Kramer Products players in the mid-1990s from The Choo Choo Barn (a phenomenol model train store in the York or Strasburg, PA area, and another Kramer Priducts team of players from TRAINZ 2 years ago.

Lionel Billboards are also nice to have in your ball park. Arnold

Don't forget the light towers so you can have night g as mes. LOL

The Yankees have done well lately, especially with their 6 foot 7 inch right fielder, Aaron Judge. With his height, he can snare drives heading for the right field stands.

So, I have a great idea. What if the Yankees had even taller outfielders?

Take a look at this short video:

Extra, extra read all about it: the NY Yankees are collaborating with the Bronx Zoo to teach the giraffes how to catch fly balls in their mouths.

@Arnold D. Cribari posted:

Very nice, Allan. Would love to see a game some day at Wrigley Field.

Arnold,

Your baseball fields on your layout look great.

MDR

@Malcolm Reid posted:

It's a great place to go for a game, especially if you take the red line to the game (Addison stop)

@Malcolm Reid posted:

Arnold,

Your baseball fields on your layout look great.

MDR

Delighted, Malcolm, to see your Jackie Robinson Stadium here on the Forum.  Arnold

.

What a terrific topic thread this has been ... thanks, everybody!

@Mark Boyce posted:

I also saw a game in Baltimore's Memorial Stadium to show how long ago that was. 

I saw a Baltimore Colts game there ...  with the baseball dirt infield and pitcher's mound right in the middle of the football field. Dust from the dirt rising up during play. lol

@Arnold D. Cribari posted:

As an 8 year old obsessed with the Yankees, ...

I see the USPS will be issuing a commemorative Yogi Berra stamp next month. Very cool.

EBT Jim, when you mentioned the Baltimore Colts, I think of 2 things: the 1958 Championship Game (before my time, I was only 7 years old) when Johnny Unitas led the Colts to victory over the NY Giants; and the 1969 Superbowl when, somehow, the NY Jets, led by a brash Joe Namath, defeated the powerhouse Colts.

Yogi Berra, IMO, was, and always will be, a national treasure. What a great clutch hitter, what a great ballplayer and what a great man in his personal life.

When I think of Yogi, I also think of him jumping into Don Larson's arms immediately after his 1956 World Series perfect game, and Yogi believing he tagged out Jackie Robinson when he stole home in the earlier World Series game, and Yogi getting into a big argument with the umpire who called Jackie safe.

Such iconic moments in our sports history.

Arnold

@CNJ Jim posted:

.

What a terrific topic thread this has been ... thanks, everybody!

I saw a Baltimore Colts game there ...  with the baseball dirt infield and pitcher's mound right in the middle of the football field. Dust from the dirt rising up during play. lol

I see the USPS will be issuing a commemorative Yogi Berra stamp next month. Very cool.

At Three Rivers stadium, they jacked up the mound and slid it off for football.  The multi sports field didn’t work for pro sports.  Our high school parked cars on the infield for football game, and my brother said they  would finally get the infield fixed by the end of the summer baseball season

Yogi deserves a stamp.  My favorite player, Roberto, got one

@Mark Boyce posted:

Johnny U was another Western Pennsylvania product.  The Steelers had a chance at him, but prior to the early’70s they would have wasted his talents.  Roy Jefferson was their only decent receiver at that time.  At Three Rivers stadium, they jacked up the mound and slid it off for football.  The multi sports field didn’t work for pro sports.  Our high school parked cars on the infield for football game, and my brother said they  would finally get the infield fixed by the end of the summer baseball season

Yogi deserves a stamp.  My favorite player, Roberto, got one

It is high, it is far, it is. -  gone!

John Sterling

@Arnold D. Cribari posted:

It is high, it is far, it is. -  gone!

John Sterling

👍🏻   As long-time Pirates broadcaster, Bob Prince, would say, “You can kiss it goodbye!”

It must have been great to ride the subway to Yankee stadium, the polo grounds and Ebbets field. Arnold, you need to print this out and hang it on your wall -

https://transitmap.net/1923-ne...ll/#jp-carousel-3348

I’ve never been to New York, but that’s really neat, Straphanger!

This post is for the diehard Ysnkee fan train nuts out there, like me.

My Popsicle Stick Yankee Stadium (bleachers and grandstands are made of Popsicle Sticks) is reminiscent of Yankee Stadium in the 1950s and  early 1960s, when I was obsessed with baseball as a kid.

In that era, the field dimensions were 301 feet down left field line, 457 feet in left center, 461 feet in center field, 407 feeti in right center and 296 feet down right field line. Of course, I made those signs for the ball park on my layout as shown in one of the photos below.

I did some research. The 1927 Yankee Stadium field dimensions were 281 feet down the left field line, 490 feet to left center, 487 feet to center, 429 feet to right center and 295 feet down the right field line.

I think my ball park is shaped more like the 1927 Stadium than the 1950s/early 1960s stadium. Mine is more extreme like the stadium 1927, very short down the lines, and very deep  in the middle.. See panoramic shots showing the extreme dimensions.

Mine is more like 200 feet down the lines and 1,000 feet in center field. LOL.

Mark, I believe the old Forbes Field of the Pirates also had a very deep center field.

Arnold, nice information on Yankee Stadium and your field.  You are correct, without looking it up, I think the deepest dimension was 457 feet at Forbes Field.

@Mark Boyce posted:

Arnold, nice information on Yankee Stadium and your field.  You are correct, without looking it up, I think the deepest dimension was 457 feet at Forbes Field.

Bill Mazeroski's walk off in the 7th game of the 1960 World Series was the most devastating event of my childhood (I had a blessed childhood), but now I can honestly say I'm glad he did it, if for no other reason than I know how happy that moment made you, Mark.

Although it's not about the Pirates, you might like the book Wait Till Next Year by presidential historian, Doris Kearns Goodwin.  It is a delightful book about the Brooklyn Dodgers. Ebbetts Field and growing up in the 1940s and 1950s in Carle Place, Long Isand, NY.  The book transcends baseball, but it also captures the euphoria Dodger fans felt when they finally beat the Yankees in the World Series in 1955.

Speaking of the Pirates. Roberto Clemente was one great complete ball player, both at bat, in the field and on the bases. I might pick him as my #1 all time right fielder.

Arnold, there is the story that DiMaggio, disparaging of left handed hitters (read Mantle, who as you know could switch hit) used to call home runs down that short right field line, "p*ss home runs." :-)

Arnold, I think moments like Maz’s home run and players like Roberto mean more now that we have gone through almost 30 years of “rebuilding.”  My most devastating day was Jan 1, 1973, when we heard on the radio that Roberto’s plane had gone down the day before.  I was a high school junior.  He was my all time favorite player of any sport.

I will look up the book.  All those years the Dodgers just missed out to the Yankees and Giants, then 3 years after triumph, they moved 3000 miles away.  Devastating for Dodger and Giant fans.

My maternal grandfather played in the St. Louis Browns (now Baltimore Oriole) organization. My paternal grandfather was an engineer for the NKP (NKP #587).  His father-in-law was also a NKP engineer. My boys both play(ed) travel baseball, and the oldest now plays in college. The youngest will, too. Because of baseball, our layout goes dormant from March until August. I love both baseball and trains, and they mesh together beautifully.

This is a great thread, I love following it and seeing the baseball related items. I have taken the subway to see the White Sox, and yes even that team on the north side.

I own several CTA sets, but the one below is probably my favorite.

@Rider Sandman posted:

My maternal grandfather played in the St. Louis Browns (now Baltimore Oriole) organization. My paternal grandfather was an engineer for the NKP (NKP #587).  His father-in-law was also a NKP engineer. My boys both play(ed) travel baseball, and the oldest now plays in college. The youngest will, too. Because of baseball, our layout goes dormant from March until August. I love both baseball and trains, and they mesh together beautifully.

Rider Sandman, I recommend, if you have not already done so, that you put a ball park on your train layout. It is very easy to do.

It's 1949 and this New Haven passenger train is taking Joe DiMaggio and the rest of the NY Yankees to Fenway Park to play Ted Williams and the rest of the Boston Red Sox: