So you weren’t able snag tickets to this summer’s All-Star Game, huh? Welcome to the club! Lucky for you, the city has no shortage of baseball-related activities taking place over the next few months. We know you’ll be taking in games at Yankee Stadium and Shea Stadium before they close for good at the end of the season, but here are some other ways to chill your baseball fever this summer:
- Yankee Stadium Tours
Get a behind-the-scenes look at The House That Ruth Built before the Yankees move across the street next season. The one-hour tour ($20 for adults; $15 for children and senior citizens) includes visits to the field, dugout, press box, clubhouse, and Monument Park. Tours are held every day, except when the Yankees play at home on weekends or prior to any day game Click here for more information or to book a tour. And in case you were wondering, the Mets don’t offer stadium tours, so you’ll have to catch some live game action to say your goodbyes to Shea.
Location: Yankee Stadium (880 River Ave, The Bronx). - Minor League Baseball
Although the Bronx is home to the New York Yankees and Queens is home to the New York Mets, their minor league affiliates attract a dedicated fan base in the city’s other outer boroughs. The Staten Island Yankees play a few steps from the borough’s ferry terminal – closer to downtown Manhattan than any professional sports team. The Brooklyn Cyclones have made a name for themselves in Coney Island, where they’ve won four division titles in seven seasons.
Location: Staten Island Yankees -- Richmond County Bank Ballpark, 75 Richmond Terrace at Wall Street. Brooklyn Cyclones -- KeySpan Park, 1904 Surf Avenue. - The Perfect Game
Take yourself out to the movies! The Perfect Game chronicles the ups and downs of a rag-tag team of boys from Mexico who defy odds to become the first foreign club to win the Little League World Series. The film, based on a true story, hits theaters on August 8th. You can find out more about the movie here.
Location: A theater near you. - Batting Cages
Check out The Field House at Chelsea Piers which features four batting cages with your choice of fast pitch, medium pitch, and slow pitch softball and baseball. They even offer classes which cover hitting, throwing, catching and pitching fundamentals, while introducing age appropriate game strategy. Click here for more information or to sign up.
Location: 23rd Street at the Hudson River. - Recreational Leagues
Take a stroll through Central Park one weekend and you’re bound to come across dozens of New Yorkers facing off with friends and co-workers in surprisingly competitive summer softball leagues. Check out one of the eight fields on the Great Lawn or twelve up at North Meadow. Feel your competitive juices starting to flow? Sign up to play through one of the city’s many leagues. You can learn more about some of them here.
Location: Central Park -- Between 59th Street and 110th Street, between 5th Avenue and 8th Ave. - Mickey Mantle’s Restaurant
One of the city’s greatest athletes lends his name to this Central Park South restaurant. Memorabilia adorns the walls and with 28 flat screen televisions located throughout the place, you can be sure to catch every baseball game – no matter who you’re rooting for. The restaurant also hosts a number of live radio talk shows each week in addition to memorabilia auctions. Check out the menu here.
Location: 42 Central Park South (between 5th and 6th Avenue).
