Wouldn’t it be interesting if both of the teams competing in a World Series had never brought a championship to their home fans? Come to think of it, that’s the story of the 2010 Fall Classic!!
The Texas Rangers, who started life as the expansion version of the Washington Senators in 1961, had gone through 50 seasons without so much as a win in a playoff series, much less a World Series championship. Josh Hamilton and company rectified that in 2010 by winning all three road games in the ALDS (the visiting team winning every game in a MLB postseason series had never happened before) and then dispatching the favored Yankees in the ALCS. By the way, coming into that series, the Yanks had won 40 AL pennants. Texas had won exactly zero.
The last time the Giants had won a World Series was when Willie Mays was patrolling center field in the Polo Grounds in New York. The year was 1954. That’s right, there had been no world titles since the Giants had moved across the country in 1958.
Needless to say, both the Rangers and the Giants were feeling like they owed the local citizenry a world championship and a parade. Both of their ballparks are certainly nice enough to be thought of as world-class facilities.
As we’ve been doing since 2003, here is our “tale of the tape” of the two parks in this year’s Fall Classic. As always, some of the items are a little tongue-in-cheek! Note that if you want to see a lot more photos of these two facilities, check out our Touring The Majors photo albums in Facebook (you don’t have to be a member of Facebook to see them). AT&T Park is here and Rangers Ballpark is here.
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AT&T Park |
Rangers Ballpark |
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| In 2000, Pac Bell Park (as it was called then) opened | Year opened | Originally called The Ballpark In Arlington, it opened in 1994 |
| Like Candlestick, on the water, but much closer to downtown | Site | In an entertainment district that now includes Cowboys Stadium |
| Stunning exterior, huge glove and Coke bottle in outfield, batters try for “splash hits” into McCovey Cove | Special features | Scenes from Texas history in bas-relief friezes on exterior, commercial space beyond CF, Home Run Porch |
| HOK, which is now called Populous | Designed by | David K. Schwartz Architectural Services and HKS |
| $357 million | Cost to build | $191 million |
| 339′-404′-399′-421′-309′ The RF wall is 24′ tall, in honor of Willie Mays’ #24. |
Outfield dimensions | 332′-390′-400′-377′-325′ The deepest point is in deep right-center at 407′ |
| 41,915 43,415 including standing room | Seating capacity | 49,170 51,746 including standing-room |
| Natural grass | Playing surface | Natural grass |
| 2002, when the Giants lost to the Angels, was the only one at this park | World Series hosted | This is the first |
| In 1954, when they were the New York Giants playing at the Polo Grounds | Last World Series won by home team | Never |
| 2007, when the American League prevailed 5-4 | All Star Games hosted | 1995, won by the National League 3-2 |
| Immense four-fingered baseball glove | Landmark | Nolan Ryan statue in center field |
| Definitely a pitcher’s park, as 5.8% fewer runs are scored per game than MLB average (ranking 22nd). Ranks 20th in HRs allowed. | Park factors (2010) source: ESPN.com |
Hitter’s paradise. Yields 16% more HRs than MLB average, making it 7th easiest park in which to hit HRs. Ranks 6th in runs scored. |
| Lots of longtime fans hungry for first World Series win since the franchise moved West. | Filled with | Fans who feel a championship for the franchise is way overdue. Hence the slogan “It’s Time.” |
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Inside |  |