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| - Willie Mays said it best.
Back at the grand opening of the Giants ballpark, when everyone was swooning over the the beautiful bay views, Willie proclaimed "we're not talking about a condo here..." He was onto something: A beautiful view from a ballpark seat is an asset but it matters not at all if your team stinks out there on the field.
As a long-suffering A's fan I can attest that even the Oakland Coliseum looks just fine when the A's are playing well.
Hohokam Stadium is the Chicago Cubs former Spring Training ballpark and it's now the A's. The Cubs moved into much nicer digs, the A's did a wee bit of sprucing up, and the stadium is a perfectly fine retro place from which to take in a game. It's very clean, parking ($5) is a cinch, and in a nod to the Bay, there's even an in-house Ike's (likely the best food in the park).
Unlike at the Giants Arizona home, there's nothing nearby to attract you either before or after the game. And unlike the Cubs Arizona home, there's no iconic sign with which to take a selfie. For those who want to document themselves in each ballpark, your most sure bet here is to make your way to the outfield and play around with shots you can get on the wheeled in, bright yellow "Hohokam" sign. Spare no expense, A's.
I would have said that the high point of my visit here was the beautiful warm weather and the free lollipops from Ike's but then a player threw a ball into the stands and it was caught by one in my party. Shortly thereafter, A's left fielder Khris Davis hit a grand slam, something that might've been better saved for the real season but was appreciated nonetheless.
I wouldn't want to spend day after day at Hohokam Stadium but if you do, you can see every home season game here (on the grass) for a pass that runs less than $50. Otherwise, a nice seat near home plate ran a bit past $30 but honestly, nobody checked my ticket and I have a hunch I could've paid a lot less and sat anywhere I desired... not that I'd ever do that (wink, wink).
Hohokam is a perfectly fine place - no more, no less - from which to watch a spring training game.
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