Chasing outside of North America

I've been thinking about chasing ballparks around the world lately. My reasoning behind this is we'll be moving out of the country in Summer 2013 and I still want to see baseball at least somewhere. So my question is this, "does seeing baseball stadiums outside of North America count towards the total?"

Your thoughts?

Thequesterstoo@youtube.com

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Comment by Kurt Smith on May 13, 2012 at 7:24pm: I say absolutely Thequesters...and the person you need to chat with about that is Meg Minard...she actually toured all of the ballparks in Japan!

Comment by meg minard (30/44/205) on May 12, 2012 at 5:55pm: Thequesters Too - The nice thing about visiting baseball stadiums/parks as a hobby is you get to make the rules/requirements for your specific travels/visits.

It really doesn't matter what criteria is used, IMO. If you're talking with teams in Ireland, Poland, Bulgaria, etc. and get to see a game (even if it's set on a soccer pitch), count it.

Happy travels.

Comment by peter nagel II on May 10, 2012 at 8:35pm: Haha I was gonna say...I don't think there are even that many colleges in America.

Comment by Bob D (MLB 30/48 total 442) on May 10, 2012 at 3:03pm: Sorry typo Hank Aaron field for UW Milwaukee is 1 of my 67 college ballparks

Comment by Bob D (MLB 30/48 total 442) on May 10, 2012 at 2:59pm: I am hoping to go to Japan in a couple of years. It will go on my list as a new column. I keep track by columns on a spreadsheet. Currently I have 6 columns and a total. Major league parks (48) , Minor league (173) , Independant leagues(25), Colleges(67), Summer college leagues(25) , Major league spring training (5) Total Ballparks visited 317.

Hank Aaron field for UW Milwaukee is 1 of my 657 college ballparks. When I see a second type of ball in a ballpark, that column gets updated, but the total (317) stays the same. Example, Citifield is in my major league column(mets) and College column(Georgetown vs St Johns).

In your case I would group by county or level.

Comment by peter nagel II on May 10, 2012 at 6:48am: The stadium counts if you see at least an official ballgame there. If you just visit the stadium or tour it or if the game is postponed after 3 innings, that doesn't count. The times I went to Doubleday Field in Cooperstown and Rickwood Field in Birmingham and just walked around do not count. I don't think it matters where the game is played as long as it's an organized official league. For instance, the UW-Milwaukee college team plays in a county park but it's obviously a legit field and game. But like a bar league softball game at Yankee Stadium or just in some guy's backyard, or like an amateur weekend league like the Home Talent League in Wisconsin, I don't think that counts.

Comment by Thequesters Too on May 9, 2012 at 7:32pm: I've been talking to a some organizers in Ireland, Poland, Switzerland and Bulgaria and some of the teams do have organized fields where it is set-up for baseball. Others for example, like Serbia and Hungary, seem more set on soccer pitches.

So after saying all this is, what counts? In my book it has to be a game of some sort not just a visit. And does the field necessarily need be set-up for another sport? I know we still have the multipurpose stadiums (Oakland being the glaring example) but if the park doubles as something else (like a community park) does it count?

I look at it historically and some of the independent leagues used to play on sites that were minimal to say the least. Sorta like our little league sites now.

Thanks for your input.

Comment by Paula Vaughnn on May 9, 2012 at 1:45pm: We just watched some baseball in Mainz, Germany yesterday. It wasn't a real game, per se, but it was the tryout for the MLB European Baesball Academy, (so it sort of counts). baseball is baseball, no matter where or when.

Comment by peter nagel II on May 9, 2012 at 6:51am: Hell yeah it counts, I mean at a minimum the Mexican minor leagues and DR instructional teams have to count bc they're affiliated. I myself certainly plan on making a trip to Cuba and Serie del Caribe someday. Unfortunately I don't see myself making it to Japan or Australia ever...

Comment by Joseph Donaldson (17) on May 8, 2012 at 4:46pm: I absolutely think this counts, in some way. I am fascinated by the idea of seeing baseball games in Japan. Would also like to see games in places like Mexico, the Dominican, Taiwan, etc. If you go somewhere Thequesters Too I hope you will document your experience. Thanks.