Subway Series

OK here is a topic that combines my 2 favorite subjects - rail transit and baseball. With the playoffs in progress and the World Series coming up I was trying to think of how many places today you could have "subway series" or at least a series where fans could go between the NL and AL ballpark via rail transit.

Obviously there is New York where Shea Stadium and Yankee stadium (and their replacements) are linked by the subway (#7 to Grand Central then #4, or to 5th Ave then B or D). Of course there is a long history of subway series in New York going back to when the Dodgers and Giants were in NY and it seemed 2 of the 3 teams were in it every year in the 1940's and 1950's. We had this most recently in 2000.

There is also Chicago, I'm not familiar enough with CTA but I'm sure there is an L / Subway routing between Wrigley and the Cell. Unfortunately for fans in the Windy City, looks like there probably won't be an L series this year the way things are going.

I thought the real possibility of a Dodgers - Angels series in LA (although the Angels now down 0-2 will need a major miracle to make it) might be a candidate. I believe Amtrak's surfline and Metrolink stops within walking distance of the Anaheim stadium, and from Union Station there is a shuttle that runs to Dodger Stadium, so we have a "Metrolink series". I guess technically the shuttle means it isn't a totally rail connection. I noticed the Dodgers advertize the shuttle on their website - show how much things have changed in Southern CA.

Can't think of any others at the moment. Unfortunately since the Braves, Athletics, and Brows moved, there haven't been 2 teams in Boston, Philly, or St. Louis for quite a while. In Boston you could have had a "Green Line" series if the Braves were still there, as they played at what is now Nicholson Field on the B line which also serves Fenway Park.

Mayeb soemone else can think of one that I missed.

Go Red Sox!
Jon

The San Francisco Bay Area.

The Oakland Coliseum in Oakland, home of the Oakland Athletics or A's.
Served by BART and the Amtrak Capitols.

AT&T Park in San Francisco, home of the San Francisco Giants.
Served by San Francisco's Muni Metro and Caltrain.

Those two teams have played each other several times over the years, even having a World Series together. One of their games was to be on October 17, 1989, but it was delayed 10 days because of the Loma Prieta earthquake that day, which occurred minutes before the first pitch was to be.

Back then, they were playing in the Giants' earlier San Francisco venue, Candlestick Park in southeastern San Francisco, now Monster Park.

So one can go:
Oakland Coliseum - BART - a SF Market St. station - Muni Metro - AT&T Park

Candlestick Park itself isn't quite as transit-friendly, being several blocks from Caltrain's Bayshore station and Muni Metro's recently-built 3rd-Street line.

Probably the most famous combination was Yankee Stadium and Ebbets Field. Subways could get you to both of them.

Yankee Stadium and Polo Grounds were directly across the river and connected by a IRT "Polo Grounds Shuttle".

You could also do San Diego Padres and LA Angels via Metrolink/Coaster (or Amtrak), and SD Trolley.

Wash Nationals and Balt Orioles via MARC/Amtrak and DC Metrorail.

Getting slightly off-topic, but you could do an "Amtrak series" for any pair of teams along the Northeast Corridor. All 6 of those teams (Red Sox, Yankees, Mets, Phillies, Orioles, Nationals) are connected via heavy or light rail systems between their city's Amtrak station(s) and their ballpark.

Checking on major league baseball, I've found some more Amtrak-corridor-train World Series:

Wolverine: Chicago Cubs vs. Detroit Tigers
Cubs - Wrigley Field - CTA "L"

Hiawatha: Chicago White Sox vs. Milwaukee Brewers
White Sox - Cellular Field - CTA "L"

Missouri Mule: St. Louis Cardinals vs. Kansas City Royals
Cardinals - Busch Stadium - St. Louis Metrolink

Lincoln: Chicago White Sox vs. St. Louis Cardinals

There are some other pairings that would make good "Amtrak world series" sets if their home states decided to set up appropriate regional trains:

Florida Marlins - Tampa Bay Rays
Cleveland Indians - Cincinnati Reds
Texas Rangers - Houston Astros

The 1985 World Series was dubbed the I-70 Series. And the 1983 World Series was the I-95 World Series. Unless the MTA and WMATA ever fill the gap (and I can't see that they would in my lifetime), you won't see the O's and Nats have a "subway" series.

As to the Polo Grounds and Yankee Stadium, you could easily walk between them (Sidewalk Series?) Although, I don't think they ever met in the Series. Sam

Of course they did! The Yanks faced the Dodgers in the Subway Series more often, but on four occasions, 1923, 1936, 1937, and 1951, the Yanks and NY baseball Giants met in the World Series. They also met in 1921 and 1922, but they shared the Polo Grounds back then.

Thanks for that, Mr. cpontani. I stand corrected, and thank you for the info! Sam