Miller Park 2015

Recently, I decided to take a day trip to Milwaukee to go to the Milwaukee County Zoo. While on the expressway headed towards the zoo, I noticed the roof was open at Miller Park, home of the Milwaukee Brewers baseball team. I was excited because it's usually closed whenever I'm in Milwaukee, and to see it opened looked pretty cool with the blue sky and puffy white clouds as a backdrop. I continued on to my destination, because I was really here to photograph zoo animals. After spending more than a few hours at the zoo, I leave and head into downtown Milwaukee for more photography. As I'm driving, I noticed the roof was still open at Miller Park. So me being me, I make a quick exit and head over to Miller Park to get some photos. My main goal was to just get some photos of the open roof from the parking lot. But as I got closer to the stadium, I noticed people walking out with bags of popcorn and more people walking towards the stadium. I knew the Brewers weren't in town because I didn't have to pay to park. I later found out from a nice couple that The Greater Milwaukee Foundation were sponsoring a free tour of Miller Park. Once you entered, you were given a voucher for a free bag of popcorn and free drink. It was actually a self-guided tour, but there were stadium employees stationed to guide you and let you know where you could and could not go.

I started my tour by walking into the stadium to see what it actually looked like inside. Once inside, I sat down and checked out the scenery around me...awesome! And to make the fans and visitors really feel the atmosphere, the game between the Milwaukee Brewers and Pittsburgh Pirates was playing live on the huge center field screen. I take a few photos of the field and inside the stand before moving on. I make my way towards a tunnel near the right field corner. I head down the ramp towards the visiting team area where I check out the batting cage and interview room. From there, I head to the visiting team clubhouse, which leads me through and into the visiting team dugout. There were quite a few people taking photos inside the dugout, so I find a small area that wasn't occupied and take a few photos. I then head onto the field and look around and marvel at the spectacular architecture of Miller Park. While I head towards left field, I noticed the Major League Baseball logo in the corner by the foul pole. Walking along the "warning track", I take photos of the Brewers pennant banners marking the teams baseball achievements hanging from the rafters. I stop at the "400" mark at dead center field and get a glimpse of how the center fielder awaits a fly ball on the warning track. Going towards the bullpen and picnic area seating, I take more photos of the spectacular views. At the end of my "on the field" experience, I found a seat in the stands to watch some of the game. Once back outside, I photograph a statue honoring former player and broadcaster Bob Uecker. But before heading back to my car, I stopped at Rotblatt Amrany Studio's "Teamwork" sculpture. This is a great piece of art in appreciation of all Miller Park workers, and in memory of Jeffrey A. Wischer, William R. DeGarve and Jerome W. Starr. They were construction workers who died during construction of Miller Park, and were honored with this sculpture, which depicts them pointing and looking at the stadium they helped build.