Texas Rangers

Globe Life Ballpark

They say things are bigger in Texas, and they ain’t lying. Globe Life Park (yes, they changed the name from The Ballpark at Arlington...sigh) is home of the ginormous boomstick, a 24 inch, 2 pound hot dog that has a two-foot frank, bbq meat and a whole bunch of other heartburn-inducing toppings. I saw, I was frightened, and I opted for the regular dog. They also sell the Choomongous asian flavored beef monstrosity that is also 24 inches long. Ay caramba!

In case you haven’t  been to a big league game lately, they are expensive. I am hitting all 30 parks so just tix alone would equal the GDP of a third-world nation. That is why I always opt to ask for the least expensive (read cheapest) seat in the ballpark. Plus, that is where “the folks” sit and I want a dog with the folks. The lady at the ticket window in Arlington asked if I was by myself. When I replied in the affirmative she gave me a sweet ticket 9 rows up from the field on the third base side. She said to thank the man in the seat next to me.

The Boomstick

That is when I met the three gentleman from Anchor Power Services. Business has been good for APS lately and that afforded them the opportunity to have a few season ticket seats at the Rangers games. Since they were a trio they left the unused ticket at the window for someone to use...that would be me. Apparently generosity is also bigger in Texas. Super nice guys that love baseball, a good time, hard work and making people’s day. Ken Paul, Jonathan Stewart and Ivan Garcia….thanks again for a great game.

Ivan, Jonathan, Ken...Anchor Power Services

I had to wolf down my dog, it seems old man winter didn’t get the news spring has arrived. Temps were in the 40s for the game and a strong wind made for a chilly night. If one wanted a hot dog that was still hot, you had to eat quickly.

The dog:

Bun-slightly stale

Taste-I love Nolan Ryan, who supplies the beef franks, and his dogs rank among some of the good ones.

Toppings-a good selection that included the standards plus BBQ and hot sauce.

Price-$5 is a little pricey for an average dog, but the MLB keeps getting pricier.

Portability-the dog is served in a foil sleeve that makes getting back to the seat with minimal topping loss a breeze.

It Factor-off the scale at Arlington. If I awarded extra points the Rangers would get them for this category. It is pure Texas-sized gluttony at this park. Come hungry.

Ballpark:

Location-it isn’t downtown, but it is between both Dallas and Fort Worth making it convenient for both and near other major attractions and close to several highways.

Access-Public transport seemed to be in short supply but one can park for free if you want to hoof it for about 10-15 minutes. Trolley and shuttle from hotels are also available.

Cleanliness-Neat as a pin.

Ambiance-it was built as one of the first retro-parks and they did a bang-up job. Has a great old-timey feel.

GA ticket price-my ticket was free, but the cheapest was $14. Not something I would want to pay 30 times in a year.

Fans-despite taking a thrashing the fans stayed loyal and were very courteous and friendly. Fun too.

Dog		Ballpark		Total Dog/Game
Bun	4	Location	5
Taste	3	Access	4
Toppings	5	Cleanliness	5
Price	4	Ambiance	5
Portability	5	GA Ticket Price	3
It Factor	5	Fans	5
	26		27	53

The Seattle Mariners trounced the Rangers 7-1 including my first ever game that had a video review by an umpire. Plus, Rangers manager Gene Washington was tossed out for challenging the call on the video replay. Other than being cold the entire time, an overall score of 53 means it was a fabtab game.

Boomsticks on the Grill