Good Morning America on quest to find most memorable ballpark food
It’s no secret that every MLB ballpark is different. From Fenway Park’s Green Monster to Bernie’s Slide at American Family Field, each stadium is home to a unique feature that reflects the soul of Major League Baseball.
At some parks, that idea is visible throughout the concourse in the form of one-of-a-kind food offerings. This week, “Good Morning America” unveiled its plan to help bring those offerings into the limelight via its new segment “7th Inning Snacks,” which focuses on touring ballparks around the country to find the most distinctive food.
“The summertime ballpark experience has been part of the zeitgeist of American culture for generations,” said Simone Swink, who is an executive producer of “Good Morning America.” “This new series was a fun, fresh chance to spotlight hometown pride, small business vendors and fan-favorite foods that have become integral to unifying each local community across the U.S.”
The segment got rolling on Monday when ABC News chief meteorologist Ginger Zee visited Progressive Field to try some of the stadium’s food offerings, ranging from funky hot dogs from Happy Dog -- a local spot -- to pizza and grilled cheese from other area establishments that have a presence in the ballpark. Zee, who was decked out in a custom Guardians jersey, was flanked by Cleveland mascot Slider and members of B-Buzz Baseball, a Little League team based in Cleveland.
On Tuesday, Zee continued her tour of MLB ballparks with a visit to the Rays’ Tropicana Field. There, she spoke with area chef Kevin Riley and former Ray Denard Span, who works on the team’s pregame show. While in St. Petersburg, Zee tried Tropicana Field staples like Daddies Dounts, Pacific Counter (which offers poke bowls and sushi burritos) and Kahwa Coffee.
Up next is Minnesota’s Target Field, which ABC News’ Gio Benitez will visit on Wednesday. On Thursday, ABC News’ Will Reeve head to Globe Life Field in Arlington, Tex., followed by Coors Field in Denver on Friday. The series wraps at Citi Field on Saturday.