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Warner Park (the
"Duck Pond") / Madison Mallards
We tend to get so wrapped up on facilities that we forget about what makes a ballpark great: the fans. The emphasis on the fans can't be ignored at Warner Park, the home of the Madison Mallards of the summer-collegiate Northwoods League. Warner Park has never been much to write home about, even going back to the days of the Madison Muskies (Low Class A; Midwest League) and the chants of "Go Fish!" coming from the rickety stands. Today, the Mallards are one of the most successful franchises in baseball and certainly the most successful team on the summer-collegiate front. It's not because Warner Park is such a great ballpark; it's because of the TLC the Mallards have thrown Warner Park's way -- as well as fans.
One remarkable thing about a Mallards game: you can't go very far in the ballpark without some sort of customer-service rep approaching you. We've been attending baseball games at Warner Park since Todd Van Poppel made his professional debut there, so we know our way around the ballpark, and we were amazed by the number of Mallards game-day employees ensuring we knew where our seats were. (We did.) But that sort of attention to detail is why the fans keep coming back to Warner Park: the Mallards average almost 6.000 fans a game, by far the most in summer-collegiate baseball. The Mallards took the guts of an 80s-era municipal ballpark and turned into something completely different. But a few things have been left unchanged from the days of the Muskies: the main grandstand and bleacher areas. A small grandstand contains the press box, while there are two sets of covered bleachers down each line. The first half of all three areas features seatbacks and arms, while the back half are simple metal bleachers. (The seatbacks are reserved seats; the bleachers are general admission.) There are no drink holders anywhere. Because of the new seating areas throughout the park, there can be a large crowd at the game but not a full house in the grandstand. Be warned the third-base bleachers can be a terrible sunfield for the first half of a night game, so you'll want to avoid them if possible. In fact, you're much better off buying a general-admission ticket and sitting in the back of the first-base bleachers rather than paying for a reserved seat by third base.
There Concessions If you decide not to spring for the Duck Blind, the food offerings at Warner Park are pretty standard -- Red Hot Chicago hot dogs, burgers, brats, pizza, real cotton candy, and pop. There's a wide assortment of beer on tap as well: Bud, Bud Light, John Courage, Pyramid, a few Great Dane beers (including Crop Circle Wheat) and Capital Amber. The concessions are centralized in back of the grandstand, and there can be some serious lines for food at the start of a game. History
For the Kids In fact, kids should be captivated the minute they walk in the ballpark. A large inflatable Maynard Mallard can be seen from the front gate, and the entry path to the ballpark is festooned with duck tracks. A children's playground keeps the younger set occupied, while picnic seating close to the foul lines helps parents hang out with the kids while still watching the game. There's also a separate candy stand in case your kid needs a sugar high.
Where to Stay
Before the
Game If you're there on a weekend, drop by the Dane County Farmers Market, which rings the State Capitol in downtown Madison. It is truly one of the greater farmers markets in the nation, with a great mix of local produce, sweets, cheese, and more. Everything is produced locally. Stop by Marigold Kitchen (118 S. Pinckney) beforehand for a hearty breakfast. After the Farmers' Market, stroll down State Street, Madison's main shopping drag. State Street connects the University of Wisconsin with the State Capitol, and many of the stores here are uniquely Madison, including the Soap Opera and the Community Pharmacy (where you can buy sunblock for the game). The kids will love Ella's Deli (2902 E. Washington Av.), which is a cross between a New York City kosher deli and an amusement park. The theme at Ella's is circus, and the interior at Ella's is filled with mechanical devices, like flying clowns and automated bands. It truly has to be seen to be believed. You can't miss it: it's the only restaurant in Madison with its own carousel. Near the ballpark are two restaurants worth checking out. Smoky Jons No. 1 Barbeque (2310 Packers Av.), just a half mile from Warner Park, wins more than its share of rib competitions. New Orleans Take-Out (1920 Fordem Av., 608/241-6655) has as its rallying cry Eat mo' bettah! Personally, I'm happy with the dirty rice and the sausage-and-rice entrees. Afterwards, have a slice of sweet-potato pecan pie. Madisonians love their suds, and often the sud of choice is a beer from the Capital Brewery (7734 Terrace Av., Middleton). Though the brewery is fairly small, they do offer tours on Fridays at 3:30 p.m. and Saturdays at 1:30 and 3:30 p.m. The brewery also hosts a Bier Garten on Wednesday-Saturday evenings, and there's live music (sometimes with a cover charge) on the weekend.
After the Game Nothing says Wisconsin on Friday night like a fish fry, and good ones can be found at the Avenue Bar (1128 E. Washington Av.; 608/257-6877) and Fyfe's Corner Bistro (1344 Washington Av.; 608/251-8700). Make your reservations early, unless you want to be eating cod at 5 p.m. Being a college town, Madison also features its fair share of nightclubs with live music and DJs. The Cardinal Bar (418 E. Wilson St.) is one of the hotter dance floors in town, featuring house and club dance music most nights of the week. Alt-rockers will want to check out The Annex (1206 Regent St.), where live music and dancehall music reign. Former UW students will want to relive their youths and quaff a brew at the Memorial Union Terrace (800 Langdon St.); they can also catch some live music on weekends as well. Madison is also the home to some good blues bars: Luther's Blues (1401 University Av.) is close to campus, but the Crystal Corner (1302 Williamson St.) has the authentic atmosphere you'd expect from a blues dive. For a full schedule of arts in Madison, pick up a copy of the local alt weekly, Isthmus, or check out its Web site. Older Photos
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