Site Inspection: Baltimore

Site InSpection: Baltimore Sports traditions run deep in Baltimore, a city easily reached from many East Coast communities. The metropolitan area abounds with top-notch fields and indoor facilities for visiting teams. During free time, groups can take advantage of tourist attractions like Fort McHenry, which inspired the “Star-Spangled Banner,” and Babe Ruth Birthplace & Museum/Sports Legends Museum. Other options: tours of Oriole Park at Camden Yards and M&T Bank Stadium.

Baltimore has a rich history of athletics. From Babe Ruth to Johnny Unitas and everywhere in between, this central Maryland city has been a sports staple for decades. Today, Baltimore remains a great place for sports and is a particularly special destination for athletic groups. The downtown area provides a city feel, and there is no shortage of things to do. But the city’s large parks and recreational facilities allow teams ample space to play and practice. For a wide variety of indoor and outdoor sports, as well as great choices for post-game food and fun, Baltimore is an excellent destination for any traveling sports group.

Contact Visit Baltimore (877) 225-8466 www.baltimore.org Baltimore City Department of Recreation and Parks, (410) 396-7900 www.ci.baltimore.md.us/government/recnparks/

Places to Play Extra Innings Baseball & Softball Training

P ONTIAC ILLINOIS :

Center: Extra Innings provides year-round indoor batting cages, multi-use tunnels, and a training area for team or individual use. The pro shop offers a wide selection of baseball and softball brands and equipment.

Fun Facts

John B. Schuerholz Baseball Complex: This natural grass baseball field is part of Towson University’s athletic facilities. It was renovated in 2001 to include permanent seating, a press box, a concessions area and restrooms. The ballpark, home of the Towson Tigers, is just 20 minutes from downtown Baltimore.

Reisterstown Sportsplex: Ice hockey, figure skating, and indoor soccer and lacrosse are available at Reisterstown Sportsplex, located about 30 minutes from downtown Baltimore. The Sportsplex offers hourly private rental of the ice as well as public figure skating and pick-up hockey games.

Leon Day Park: This park honors Leon Day, west Baltimorean and player in the Negro League elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame. The park boasts two baseball fields, tennis courts, a large field area and some indoor facilities, not to mention the surrounding Gwynns Falls Trail, a Baltimore natural treasure.

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Baltimore is home to the first post office system in the United States (1774).

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Within the city limits of Baltimore lie nine distinct neighborhoods, each with their own culture and claim to fame.

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Baltimore is the birthplace of the StarSpangled Banner, written

by Francis Scott Key at Fort McHenry in 1814.

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Home to historic swinging bridges in Chautauqua Park.

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Thank Baltimore for the first gas station with pumps enabling a driver to see the amount of fuel being pumped!

Carroll Park: Home of the Carroll Park Little League and Baltimore’s annual German festival, this 117-acre park has an assortment of athletic fields including numerous baseball fields, a 9-hole golf course and an outdoor skateboard/BMX park. Carroll Park is open to the public and is located in southwest Baltimore.

Patterson Park: Known as “The best backyard in Baltimore,” this park boasts a wide variety of athletic amenities. An ice rink is available for public or private skating, while Utz Stadium provides a venue for outdoor football and soccer tournaments. Numerous ballparks and tennis courts are also available.

SoccerDome II: Located in Harmans, about 20 minutes southwest of downtown Baltimore, this indoor arena features large and small fields for soccer. The fields can be reserved in advance by the hour.

Fan Friendly Pimlico Race Course: Pimlico, which opened its doors for the first time in 1870, is home to the prestigious Preakness Stakes, the middle jewel of the Triple Crown. Live racing takes place mid-April through mid-June, with year-round simulcasting. Catered group packages are available at this nationally renowned track.

Oriole Park at Camden Yards: Public and private group tours are available daily during the regular baseball season at this stadium, home of the Baltimore Orioles since 1992. Tours visit the Orioles dugout, the press level, the control room of the scoreboard and JumboTron, and the exclusive suite level. Visitors are also treated to a historical perspective of the Camden Yards area, including Babe Ruth, the B & O Railroad and Baltimore’s Inner Harbor.

Photo credit: Jim McCue/ Maryland Jockey Club Patterson Park: Friends of Patterson Park

Contact Visit Baltimore (877) 225-8466 www.baltimore.org Baltimore City Department of Recreation and Parks, (410) 396-7900 www.ci.baltimore.md.us/government/recnparks/

Fan Friendly Cont...

Geppi’s Entertainment Museum: Celebrate over 200 years of pop culture in nine permanent exhibits at Geppi’s Entertainment Museum (GEM). In 2008, GEM was awarded the local ParentsConnect.com Parents’ Picks award for Best Teen Museum.

Group tours are available throughout the year by reservation.

Babe Ruth Birthplace & Museum/Sports Legends Museum: Baltimore shows its hometown pride in baseball legend George Herman “Babe” Ruth with this museum, as well as the histories of Baltimore’s teams in the nearby Sports Legends Museum at Camden Yards. Group tours and prices are available for one or both of the museums and private rental of one or both facilities can be arranged.

Fort McHenry: It was the bombardment of Fort McHenry that inspired Francis Scott Key to pen “The Star-Spangled Banner.”

Group visits to this historic fort may include programs such as the daily flag change and artillery presentations. Other presentations include explorations of the uses of the fort throughout history and the Battle of Baltimore.

Maryland Zoo: The Maryland Zoo in Baltimore can accommodate groups of all shapes and sizes, featuring “Behind the Scenes” guided group tours like the “Polar Bear Watch,” “African Safari,” “Preda-Tour” and “Birds.” Groups can also make their own way through the zoo, enjoying the white rhino, cheetah, chimpanzee and more.

USS Constellation: Visitors to the USS Constellation are treated to a museum that showcases artifacts from the ship’s Civil War days. On the ship itself, visitors get a taste of what life was like on board through a complimentary audio tour and the Powder Monkey Tour. Guided tours are available for groups for an extra fee.

M&T Bank Stadium: Football fans will have a great time at the home of the Baltimore Ravens. Stadium tours are available at reasonable prices for groups of 20 or more. Sights include a bronze statue of football great Johnny Unitas, adjacent to the stadium, and tours include visits to the suite level, club level, locker rooms and field.

Hippodrome Theatre at the France-Merrick Performing Arts Center: A variety of performances take place at Baltimore’s Hippodrome Theatre – Broadway musicals, concerts, comedy shows, and more grace this historic stage. Group rates are available, and group seating is given priority reservation before seats are offered to the general public.

R OAD T RIP

Located in central Maryland, Baltimore is easily accessible by Interstates 83, 70, 95 and 895. For those who wish to travel by train, an Amtrak station sits just outside downtown Baltimore. Two airports are in the vicinity.

Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport is about 20 minutes away from the heart of Baltimore, with nearly 40 hotels nearby.

Most of the hotels offer free shuttle service to and from the airport, and access to light rail transit is available.

Martin State Airport, also located just 20 minutes away from downtown Baltimore, services smaller aircraft. A courtesy van is available for hotels and restaurants in a 9-mile radius from Martin State Airport.

Americana Weekend Trip: Philadelphia, Baltimore, Washington D.C. and Arlington, Va., are all home to some of America’s greatest historical landmarks. Make a patriotic weekend trip out of these closely situated cities. Starting from the northeast, Philadelphia to Baltimore is just a two-hour drive. After experiencing all Baltimore has to offer, head down to Washington, D.C. – only an hour away by car. Then, while in Washington, make the 10-minute trip to Arlington, Va. Approximate mile distances between Baltimore and popular cities: Boston - 400 Cincinnati - 550 Cleveland – 380 Hartford - 300 Nashville - 700 New York City - 200 Norfolk – 235 Philadelphia – 100 Pittsburgh - 250 Washington, D.C. – 40

Contact Visit Baltimore (877) 225-8466 www.baltimore.org Baltimore City Department of Recreation and Parks, (410) 396-7900 www.ci.baltimore.md.us/government/recnparks/