I like watching live baseball.

What I don't always like is the trek to see the major leagues. You know what I mean: the long haul into the urban core of a certain nearby tech city, trying to find parking spots and walking twelve blocks to the game in a heatwave.

Which is why I love the Everett AquaSox experience, because it’s so not what I just described.

It’s better.

Let me tell you why Single A baseball in E-Town is my game.

PARKING

Don’t sweat it. Everett Memorial Stadium has lots of parking. I love this.

You can also bus there and/or bike; it’s close to the Everett Transit Center.

VIEW FROM THE BLEACHERS/ KID ACTIVITIES

You can sit in the grandstands and watch a sunset paint the Cascade Mountains. You can buy cheap tickets with a remarkably good view, a seat close enough to hear the ball crack off the bat.

Also, there are great seats with views of the diamond on the slope behind right field (these are also picnic-worthy “cheap seats” and great if you have kids).

The ballpark also caters to children with bouncy houses and other inflatable toys.

PRICE

You know those major league stadiums where buying two beers can break the bank? This isn’t that place. The food ain’t much to write home about (oozy yellow nacho cheese from a pump, Alfy’s ‘za), but the drinks are great and cheap. I usually get an Interurban IPA from Fremont Brewing, a tallboy can, for about five bucks. Beats major league stadium prices by a long shot.

MASCOT

Have you met Webbly? Large slapstick anthropomorphic frog man makes all the fans chuckle. Get a load of this guy:

Too good.

Funny story. Before being sold to the Mariners the AquaSox were the Single A team for the San Francisco Giants. The Everett Giants mascot was Frank, a giant hot dog man with sunglasses. Can you believe this? Like a giant hot dog would be walking around a ballpark and not get eaten? (Sometimes Frank shows up at the park, but he's a rarity these days)

SENSORY PLEASURE

This is maybe the main reason I go to the game. I just like to be outside sometimes, doing something passive — especially on a summer’s evening when I need to chill out. I like the murmur of the crowd punctuated by cheers and the occasional jeer directed at a controversial umpire. I like watching the old light-up scoreboard. I like spitting sunflower seeds into a cup. I like the lazy pace of the pitcher sizing up the batter and the regular intervals of innings, how they mark the onset of twilight.

So, why go an AquaSox game? These are my reasons. Maybe you have a different thing. Maybe you’re a chili dog type of gal, you like to fill out a scorecard as the game progresses, or you’re hoping to win a big screen in a raffle.

And, as always, be sure to root root root for the home team.

LIKE BASEBALL?

Read more about the Timber Leagues of Everett here.

EVERETT MEMORIAL STADIUM

3802 Broadway
Everett, WA 98201
AquaSox Box Office: (425) 258-3673

Richard Porter is a writer for Live in Everett.