Web posted
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
New van, more ballparks for McKowns
By DAVID WOLMAN
Traveler Sports Editor
Charles McKown's 1992 Oldsmobile Silhouette is not durable enough for family vacations any more.
It's still drivable, but primarily used locally.
With 267,000 miles on his Silhouette, it's not the same van that once travelled in every state, except Hawaii.
It has driven him to every current Major League Baseball ballpark, except for RFK Stadium (temporary home of Washington Nationals until new stadium opens in 2009).
Starting June 28, McKown and his son, Will, hope to get nearly the amount of miles in their new van (2000 Dodge Grand Caravan) that they did in the Silhouette.
The McKowns begin an 11-day, eight-city trek that has them taking in games at nine ballparks.
The Grand Caravan has approximately 3,000 miles on it.
By the end of the McKowns trek that lasts through July 8, they will have more than doubled that mileage.
"'It just has to get broke in," Charles said.
The McKowns' voyage takes them to Chicago (Cubs), Detroit, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Washington D.C., Cincinatti, back to Chicago (White Sox), St. Louis and Kansas City.
Total mileage for the trip: 3,231 miles.
Will came up with the idea approximately one month ago and Charles immediately jumped on. Since MLB.com lets you view teams' schedules side-by-side, it didn't take very long to plan the trip.
The timing worked out perfectly for Charles, with Cowley College closed on Friday and July 4.
''I knew I wanted to go because of July 4," Charles said.
The McKowns will take in Milwaukee vs. Pittsburgh on July 3 at Pittsburgh's PNC Park and Chicago Cubs vs. Nationals the following afternoon in the nation's capital.
The advantage of travelling to the east coast is that nearly all of the cities are within a three to five-hour drive of each other.
Charles has friends living in three of those cities: Washington D.C., Cleveland and Cincinnati.
He and Will are going to have time to spend with the friends, but know the focus of this trip is to attend Major League Baseball games.
After this trip is completed, Will, 17, will have taken in a game at all but three major league ballparks -- Chase Field (Arizona Diamondbacks), Rangers Ballpark in Arlington (Texas Rangers) and Shea Stadium (New York Mets).
He and Charles plan to incorporate Charles' five-year old grandson, Skyler, into their ballpark trips in the next few years.
"(Will) will be a senior (at Arkansas City High School) this year," Charles said, "so we have to bring in a new travelling companion."
For Charles, baseball is a sport you have to see in person.
"In baseball, there is so much else going on in the ballpark that television won't capture," he said.
Charles has been attending Major League Baseball games since he was seven. Now at 47, he said that taking in games at different ballparks is something he has never gotten tired of.
"Someone always asks you what you want to do when you retire," he said. "I will say, 'this is it.'"
He plans to continue to work as Cowley's Dean of Research and Technology for the foreseeable future, in addition to attending Major League Baseball games.
|
