DUNN TIRE PARK

TEAM ::: BUFFALO BISONS
LOCATION ::: BUFFALO, NEW YORK
MY FIRST GAME ::: JUNE 24, 2004
OPPONENT ::: DURHAM BULLS
LEVEL ::: INTERNATIONAL LEAGUE 'AAA'
FORMERLY KNOWN AS :::
PILOT FIELD & NORTH AMERICARE PARK

RATINGS

BALLFIELD ::: A
SCOREBOARD ::: A+
FOOD ::: A+
FACILITIES ::: A
MASCOT :::: A

MY TAKE ON THE PARK

BACK IN THE EARLY 90'S ALL YOU EVER HEARD ABOUT WAS THAT GREAT BALLPARK UP IN BUFFALO. NOBODY EVER SAW IT BUT THROUGH WORD OF MOUTH THIS WAS THE PLACE TO SEE. WELL, 10 YEARS AND 2 NAME CHANGES LATER I FINALLY MADE IT TO THE FUTURE MAJOR LEAGUE PARK THAT WASN'T.

AS FAR AS PARKS GO, THIS ONE DOES IT RIGHT IN EVERY PLACE EXCEPT FOR ONE. THE SEATS HERE ARE TIGHT .. REAL TIGHT ... WHEN YOU GET USED TO SPREADING OUT IN SOME OF THE OTHER NEW PARKS COME TO BUFFALO AND PREPARE TO HAVE YOUR KNEES IN THE BACK OF THE GUY IN FRONT OF YOU .. THE WAY THE SEATS ARE PUT INTO THE PARK I DON'T THINK THIS CAN BE CORRECTED EITHER. I GUESS THEY NEEDED TO SHOW THEY COULD EXPAND TO 45,000 SEATS BY TAKING AWAY LEG ROOM.

IN EVERY OTHER AREA THIS PLACE IS TOP NOTCH ... PARKING IS PLENTIFUL AROUND THE STADIUM FOR $6 AND IS EASY IN AND OUT.

THIS IS ALSO ONE OF THOSE STADIUMS WHERE IT IS OK TO GO HUNGARY ... BECAUSE THEY HAVE A LOT OF FOOD AND IT IS ALL REAL GOOD. TWO THINGS UNIQUE TO DUNN TIRE PARK ARE THE BEEF ON WECK AND (OF COURSE) THE BUFFALO WINGS
THE HOT BEEF ON WECK IS TASTY ROAST BEEF SANDWICH ON A SALTED ROLL ... IT IS VERY GOOD BUT WHEN YOU ARE DOWNING SODAS AND BEERS THROUGHOUT THE GAME, JUST REMEMBER YOU ATE A SALTED ROLL.
THE BUFFALO WINGS COME IN THE THREE STAGES, MILD, MEDIUM, AND HOT ... THE HOT HAVE A LITTLE KICK AND ARE MEATY BUT ALSO QUITE TASTY. I GUESS IF YOU FIGURE THE PRICE TO THE QUALITY .. IT IS PRETTY REASONABLE HERE. AS FAR AS THE BEER .. LABATT'S IS WHAT THE VENDORS CARRY THROUGH THE AISLES.

WHEN YOU GET TO THE SEAT, OPEN THE SCORECARD AND SEE THAT A PRE-PRINTED LINE UP CARD COMES IN YOUR BOOK ... THERE IS ALSO A HANDOUT GIVEN WHEN YOU WALK IN .. A BINGO CARD AND A SHEET... BASEBALL BINGO, HERE IN BUFALO EVERY TIME THE HOME TEAM BATTER DOES SOMETHING YOU HAVE A BINGO NUMBER ATTATCHED .. THE FIRST 20 WITH BINGO GET A PRIZE ... AND TO SHOW THAT BUFFALO RESPECTS TRADITION, THE DH ISN'T INCLUDED IN THE GAME. LOOK UP INTO CENTER FIELD AND SEE A CRYSTAL CLEAR SCOREBOARD THAT COULD CHALLENGE READING FOR THE BEST IN THE MINOR LEAGUES.

WHY IT TOOK SO LONG TO GET TO BUFFALO?? I DON'T KNOW, BUT I'M GLAD I MADE THE TRIP ... EVEN IF IT WAS JUST TO ENJOY ALL OF THE FOOD IN THE AREA. THERE IS PLENTY OF OTHER FOOD IN THE BUFFALO AREA TO ENJOY, THE ANCHOR BAR AND TED'S FAMOUS HOT DOGS ARE TWO PLACES TO STOP BY.
AS FOR BASEBALL, THIS IS UPSTATE NY ... THE BLUE JAYS, ROCHESTER RED WINGS, AND BATAVIA MUCKDOGS ARE WITHIN A COUPLE OF HOURS AWAY.