Illustration: Pete Gamlen
Between the Knicks’ playoff run and the World Cup, there’s been a game to watch practically every day of the week this summer. Now it’s time to see some baseball. Writer James McClellan spoke to die-hard fans and ballpark regulars about the snacks to get before the first pitch, the minor-league games with skyline views, and the hidden patio for pregame drinks near Yankee Stadium.
Metro-North runs Yankee Clipper trains from Grand Central to Yankee Stadium for all weeknight and weekend games for about $5 to $8 each way. Similarly, the Long Island Rail Road offers direct service to the Mets’ Citi Field on its Port Washington branch. Plus this season the Mets are offering a $5 LIRR voucher with every ticket.
“Park on the street across the Macombs Dam Bridge and just walk the ten minutes back to the stadium,” says Lucas Ortega, an associate producer at MLB Network and Yankees fan. “It’s way cheaper, and getting out is ten times faster.”
Illustration: Pete Gamlen
“The line is almost always shorter than everywhere else because people assume it’s only for the restaurant,” Ortega says. You don’t have to eat there, and you can pass right through to your seats. “They also have really nice bathrooms, so I always use those on my way into the stadium,” he adds.
It’s a bit further from the 7-train and commuter stops, but the lines are shorter. Once inside, you get a great field-level view into the bullpen area, where you can see players warming up.
“You can bring food in as long as it’s wrapped or sealed,” says Jack Zurier, a construction-project manager and die-hard Yankees fan who prefers an Italian combo from Bullpen Deli (66 E. 161st St.). Another go-to near Yankee Stadium is La Bodega (848 Gerard Ave.), where you can load up on snacks or go all in with a chopped cheese; if you have some time to kill before the game, grab a beer from the fridge and head toward a door at the rear that opens onto a hidden patio where you can enjoy a drink and a bite surrounded by Yankees murals and knowledgeable ball fans.
Illustration: Pete Gamlen
Beer, soda, hot dogs, pretzels, and more are all just five bucks each.
At the Mets’ 1986 World Series reunion on August 1 or the Yankees’ annual Old-Timers’ Day on August 8.
Donovan’s Pub (57-24 Roosevelt Ave., Woodside), a couple of blocks from the 61st-Woodside 7 stop, is a classic Irish pub where you can have a nightcap on the way home from Citi Field. Established in 1966, it’s full of old-school charm — Tudor-style exposed wood beams, a working fireplace — and the staff pours a great pint of Guinness.
According to Sam Catalano, a Brooklyn-based video producer who frequently goes to Cyclones games at Maimonides Park on the Coney Island boardwalk. The Staten Island FerryHawks play just a few blocks from the ferry terminal at Staten Island University Hospital Community Park with the lowerManhattan skyline in the distance. (Sitting along the third-base side offers the best views.) Founded in the late 1950s, the Latino-centric and free-to-watch Zorrilla League in East New York is known for its festive atmosphere and features many former pros. And head to a Pancho Coimbre game in Central Park — the amateur league has also been around since the 1950s — where legendary players often stop by. Robinson Canó, for instance, has sponsored a team in recent years.
