Okay, so, I got this idea to make a map of all the Major League Baseball parks. I’m a huge baseball fan, and I thought it would be cool to have a visual of where all the teams play. Plus, maybe it’ll inspire me to take some road trips to catch games at different stadiums.
First, I had to figure out what kind of map I wanted. Did I want a simple, flat map or something more interactive? I messed around with some online map makers, but nothing felt quite right. Then I remembered an old school project where I used push pins on a corkboard map, and I thought, “Why not try that?” It’s simple, tactile, and kinda old-school cool, you know?
I went to the local craft store and grabbed a big corkboard, some push pins, and a detailed map of the United States. Back home, I spent a good chunk of time just figuring out where to put the map on the corkboard. I wanted to make sure I had enough room for all the parks and maybe some notes or pictures later on.
Next, I started looking up the locations of all the MLB stadiums. This part was a bit tedious. I had a list of all the teams, but I had to find the exact address or coordinates of each stadium. You would think it would be easy. Some stadiums had easy-to-find info, but some you would have to get on maps and find the stadium. I got all the locations eventually.
Then came the fun part, actually placing the pins. I used different colored pins for the American League and the National League. I even made a little legend on the side of the corkboard so I wouldn’t get confused. I realized one color was close to another color. So I had to go back to the store and grab a new color.
As I put each pin in, I took a moment to think about each team and their stadium. I’ve been lucky enough to visit a few of them, like Fenway Park and Wrigley Field, and putting those pins in brought back some great memories. For the ones I haven’t visited, I started imagining what it would be like to be there. I found myself googling pictures of each stadium, getting a feel for the atmosphere, and adding them to my ever-growing baseball bucket list.
After I placed all the pins, I stepped back to admire my work. I added some string to connect the pins, kind of like a travel route planner. It made the whole thing look a lot more dynamic. I was so happy when it was all done. It was exactly how I wanted it to be.
- Supplies I Got:
- Large corkboard
- Push pins (various colors)
- Detailed map of the United States
- String
It took a few days of on-and-off work, but I finally finished my baseball parks map. It’s now hanging proudly in my office, and it’s already sparked some fun conversations with friends who’ve come over.
My Thoughts on the Map
This project was way more than just putting pins on a map. It’s been a cool way to connect with my love for baseball and to visualize my dream of visiting every MLB stadium. It also made me realize how spread out these teams are across the country. I might even add a little section for minor league parks in the future. Who knows? The possibilities are endless when you’re having fun with a project like this.
