Aerial Photo: Chase Field

The roof is usually open at Chase Field in downtown Phoenix except when they are getting ready for or playing a game during the summer heat.

Today is Sunday, so we have new photos posted on our Viva la Voyage travel photo site.  This week we are featuring the people of Guatemala.

Photo: Chase Field Open Roof and Panels

The roof on Chase Field is retractable.  When it is cool enough, they play baseball with the roof and outfield panels open, as shown in this photo.  There is a touch of sunset in the distant clouds.

Most games are placed with the roof closed in the comfort of air conditioning.  Sometimes they start the game with the roof closed, then open it after the sun goes down.

It takes 4 miles (6 km) of cables to operate the roof.  They play special music that is timed for the same duration that it takes to open the roof.

This week we have photos from our cruise in Mexico's Sea of Cortez posted on our Viva la Voyage travel photo site.

Photo: Chase Field Swimming Pool

The most famous feature of Chase Field is the swimming pool in the middle of the right field stands.  Groups can rent the swimming pool area to watch the games.

Some people actually swear swim suits and go in the pool.  Backyard swimming pools are popular in Phoenix, of course, so this feature does capture part of our local culture.

There was a bit of a controversy at the end of last season when the Los Angeles Dodgers clinched the pennant in a game in Phoenix.  The LA players' celebration included running out to the pool and jumping in.  Some people thought that was bad manners.   I think the answer is for the Diamondbacks to beat LA on the field, which is something that is not happening very often this season.

This week we have photos from our cruise in Mexico's Sea of Cortez posted on our Viva la Voyage travel photo site.

Photo: Chase Field Cameramen

The skill of TV cameramen in being able to follow a ball in flight is indeed impressive, especially for still photographers like me.

The cameraman on the right has a crib sheet with pictures of faces, which I assume are some of the players.  He must be new.

This week we have photos from our cruise in Mexico's Sea of Cortez posted on our Viva la Voyage travel photo site.

Photo: Chase Field Scoreboard

This is a look up at the scoreboard in Chase Field.  My husband tells me that when he was young he used to buy a scorecard when he went to St. Louis Cardinals games so he could keep track of what every player had done during every at bat in the games.  

Today, lots of information is presented right on the scoreboard.  This is much different from the hand signs manually placed on the scoreboard in old stadiums like Wrigley Field.

 This reminds me of one of the lyrics to the old Sonny & Cher song "The Beat Goes On."  "And men keep marching off to war.   Electrically the keep the baseball score."  Sadly, the first half of those lyrics is still true.

This week we have photos from our cruise in Mexico's Sea of Cortez posted on our Viva la Voyage travel photo site.

Photo: Inside Chase Field

Chase Field is the home of the Arizona Diamondbacks Major League Baseball team.

It used to the called Bank One Ballpark, of  BOB. I liked the old name better, but changing names for stadiums is something that happens with corporate sponsorships for the name of the stadium.  Bank One became Chase Bank, so the stadium changed names.

Similarly, the Phoenix Suns play in what used to be America West Arena but is now US Airways Arena.  With the merger of US Airways and American Airlines, I assume it will change its name again, but there are already basketball arenas named for American Airlines in Miami and Dallas.

This week we have photos from our cruise in Mexico's Sea of Cortez posted on our Viva la Voyage travel photo site.