Lynnfield Villager sportswriter, Steve Martellucci, visits KC sports scene

 

 

By STEPHEN MARTELLUCCI

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Earlier this month, I made my first trip ever to Kansas City to see the Red Sox take on the Royals in a three-game series and play some golf.

For Red Sox fans looking to see them on the road, I would recommend the three-hour flight it takes to get out there.

I got there on Sunday and came back home on Thursday as the three games took place Monday through Wednesday night.

My hotel was right across the street from the Truman Sports Complex where the Royals home (Kauffman Stadium) and the NFL Chiefs stadium (Arrowhead) are right next to each other surrounded by a huge parking lot.

The stadiums are located in the southeast part of the city on the Missouri side, about 30 miles from the Kansas City International Airport which is located in North Kansas City.

Kauffman Stadium opened back in 1973 and its current capacity is 37,903. The stadium features three levels with the second and third levels located between the foul poles.

I ended up sitting in the top deck in the second or third row just to the left of home plate all three games The ticket price was only $24 and you get a great overview of the field without being too far away.

Despite the age of the park, it is still in very good shape due to renovations over the years. However, it is concrete and you can see some cracks on the floor in the concourse area.

The team is looking to build a new park either downtown or over the border on the Kansas side since the city is in two states.

Kauffman, which is the sixth oldest park in Major League Baseball, is known for two features, the giant scoreboard in center field that is the shape of the team’s logo and the waterfalls over the fence in left and right field.

Also, behind the left field fence, just to the left of the waterfall, is the team’s Hall of Fame that is free with your ticket to visit when the gates open. It is 7,000 square feet and has two floors.

The food at the park is your standard ballpark fare with a couple of unique items like the Taste of the K Taco that is a charred hot dog wrapped in a cheeseburger quesadilla and topped with barbecue brisket, French fries, shredded romaine, pickled red onion, Sriracha Cracker Jacks and sauce. Every Tuesday game is dollar hot dog day.

You can also buy a soda in a souvenir cup and get free refills, not only for that game, but you can bring the cup with you for future games and still use it.

Parking is $20, but since my hotel was across the street I just walked.

The Red Sox won the first two games of the series while the Royals won the third game.

Kauffman also features stadium tours on non-game days.

 

 

When it came to golfing I decided I wanted to play one day in Missouri and the other day in Kansas.

On my first full day, I played at Shoal Creek which is 17 miles from my hotel in northeast Kansas City.

The course was in great shape and it was only $49 for 18 holes and a cart. The course is run by the Kansas City Park and Recreation Department.

It is 6,982 yards and is a par 71. and was build in 2001. Shoal Creek features several elevation changes and the outside staff couldn’t have been friendlier.

The only problem was that the temperature reached 97 degrees that day.

On day two, I traveled to Falcon Lakes just outside Kansas City in Basehor, Kansas. That course is surrounded by a housing complex and was $55 with a cart.

The layout was very good and, even though they had some issues in some of the fairways due to a tough winter they had last year, was in good shape overall, especially the greens.

It also helped that it was cloudy and temperatures were in the 70’s as I played much better than the day before.

This course was built in 2002 and is a par 72 and there are five different tees to choose from.

On day three on Wednesday, I took at tour of Arrowhead Stadium. (GEHA Field at Arrowhead is the official name).

 

 

Arrowhead was opened one year before Kauffman in 1972 and has seen several renovations over the years. It’s seating capacity is 76,416. The tour costs $65 and includes a Chiefs hat.

We went to a couple of suites, the Chiefs locker room, and stood by the field entrance (there was a concert a few days before so there was just sand where the field normally is). We also saw the team’s Hall of Fame. Overall, the tour lasted 90 minutes and didn’t disappoint.

 After that, I went downtown to check out the Negro League Baseball Museum. The museum is in a building that also has the American Jazz Museum on the other side.

Admission for the baseball museum is $10 and it is self-guided. It is a great take from any sports fan to learn the history of the Negro Leagues, which lasted until the late 1950’s.

One of the things Kansas City is known for is its barbecue and there are several great BBQ restaurants to choose from.

My first day there when I arrived, I went to Gates BBQ, which had several locations around the city. I had the ribs that night and they were outstanding and it was under $20 with fries.

The other place I went to was Joe’s Kansas City BBQ, and like Gates, they also have several locations around the city.

I had the burnt ends which are the cut ends of the brisket that was smoked for several hours and they tasted great. That meal also came with fries (you can also get other sides) and was around $25. They also had their own BBQ sauce for dipping.

Like many cities, Kansas City does have its issues with a high crime rate compared to similar cities, especially in the downtown area and there are certain areas to avoid like any other big city.

Other attractions include the World War I museum, the Kansas City Zoo and Aquarium, the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, and Union Station, a historic train station with exhibits, a planetarium and a science center. They also have casinos with the two biggest being Ameristar and Bally’s.