In 2000, McGarry, who was by then affiliated with Sports Travel and Tours, thought it would be really neat to launch a junket to all 30 big-league ballparks. In 32 days.
Nine ballpark lovers signed up for a gambit that would cost $10,000 a head, meals not included. They started in Denver's Coors Field, where their circumnavigation of the baseball world was greeted with a bench-clearing brawl.
By the time they reached Veterans Stadium, stop No. 28, they had become national celebrities.
"The treatment we got in Philly was amazing," Red said yesterday from his Florida digs. "They had us on the dugout roof in the seventh inning dancing with the Phanatic to 'YMCA.' "
In 2000, Sports Travel released its first Best Ballpark poll, as voted on by the people who love to love baseball's palaces. The winner was Houston's spanking, new Minute Maid Park. The grungy old Vet finished deep in the bowels of the poll, dancing Phanatic notwithstanding.
This season, ST&T ran 21 ballpark tours that were attended by 1,200 people. Each customer is asked to fill out a form rating the venues they visit in 19 categories, ranging from Access to Ballpark down to Ambience. Excellent is the top grade, down to Poor.
Last night, Phillies fans overflowed Citizens Bank Park once again, creating the 100th consecutive sellout. I go back to a time when Connie Mack Stadium sellouts were as rare as parking places along Lehigh Avenue, to when Veterans Stadium sellouts were limited to fireworks nights and postseason games.
Well, there are reasons for this unprecedented run on the Bank other than the dynamite ballclub that plays there.
And the patrons of Sports Travel and Tours - 1,200 responded to this year's poll - have planted a big, wet kiss of approval on the brilliant South Philly Smash Palace.
