August 4, 2008 [LINK / comment]
Based upon my visit there on Saturday, I have made some minor corrections to the Nationals Park diagram. For one thing, I learned that the upper deck ("Terrace Level") in the right field corner in fact does in fact align vertically with the third deck of the main grandstand. I also learned that the reason some parts of the upper two decks seem to "fuse" into one is that there are quite a few metal "risers" with three rows of seats in that small gap in back of the third deck. One of the many interesting details not suitable for inclusion on the diagram is that the sections of the Terrace Level closest and furthest from the diamond are accessed directly by stairs from the middle concourse level, whereas the other sections are accessed via catwalks leading to an elevator in the rear. That is because there is a flat, wide area at the front of that deck to make it easier for handicapped people to access. Another such detail is that there is a row of plants in front of the outfield sections in left field, like at Citizens Bank Park, and this creates a small (two-foot) jog in the fence at the left side of the visitors' bullpen. After the game, I measured the standard depth of the rows and determined it to be 34 inches, slightly more than I thought. Furthermore, I added another photo to that page.
And speaking of photos, I also added a new one that I took just after the thundershower ended to the RFK Stadium page. (Getting such a photo was part of the reason I used the RFK parking option.) It's from the north side of the stadium, showing the old D.C. Armory.
Long-time Braves TV announcer Skip Caray died yesterday at the age of 68. He was the son of beloved Cubs announcer Harry "Holy Cow" Caray, and the father of another top-notch Braves announcer, Chip Caray, as well as a younger announcer-son, Josh. Skip Caray and Pete Van Wieren joined to become the regular announcers for Braves games in 1976, and continued that partnership for over 30 years. Skip had a flat Midwestern accent but his intelligent analysis earned him the respect and admiration of fans and players alike. He had had a series of health problems recently, but his passing came as a big shock nonetheless. See MLB.com.
