Major League Baseball at Kaplan – Part 1: East Coast and Midwest
Studying with Kaplan isn’t just about taking classes. It’s a cultural adventure where you can experience new things and learn the language through exploring your new home destination. One of the best ways to get the true flavor of a city is to see one of its famous sports teams in action.
If you go to the US, there plenty to choose from, so we thought we’d try and offer some suggestions to get you inspired. This time we’re focusing on East Coast and Midwest Major League Baseball (MLB) teams. You can also find out more about MLB teams on the West Coast.
New York
We have three Kaplan English schools in New York (Empire State Building, Midtown, and SoHo), but New York only has two MLB teams: the New York Mets and the New York Yankees. Yankee Stadium is located in the Bronx and is just a short ride on the D train from our schools. The Yankees are the most successful baseball team in history, having won 18 division titles, 40 AL pennants, and 27 World Series championships. The new stadium was built in 2009 and holds around 50,000 people. Tickets start at $17, so there’s no excuse to miss out.
If you fancy a journey to the east of New York, you can head towards Queens and visit Citi Field, home of the Mets. They’re far less successful than their NY neighbors, but have been improving in the last couple of years. Tickets start at $15.
Chicago
As with New York, there are two MLB teams in Chicago. The Chicago Cubs play in the Lake View area, north of the city center. Legend has it that there was a curse put on the team back in 1945. The owner of the Billy Goat Tavern was asked to leave a game because his goat was bothering the other fans. The cubs haven’t won a National League pennant or World Series ever since. On the plus side, it’s only a 25 minute journey on the red line train from our Chicago English school, and tickets start at $25.
If you choose to study at our Chicago IIT school, you’re perfectly placed to catch a Chicago White Sox game. Their ground, the U.S. Cellular Field, is just a short walk from the school campus. Tickets can be as cheap as $5 so it’s a great way to pass the time with 40,000 other baseball fans.
Boston
The Boston Red Sox are one of the most famous teams in baseball. Their fans are often regarded as the most knowledgeable in the game, and the team has a rich history, maintaining a strong connection with the local community. They won the World Series in 2013, making them the only team to have won three World Series trophies in the 21st century. Our Boston Fenway school is just a five minute walk from Fenway Park, the Red Sox’s home since 1912. Some games have tickets as cheap as $10, so this is a must-see if you’re learning English in Boston.
Toronto
It’s not just the USA that have teams in the MLB – Canada is the proud home of the Toronto Blue Jays. The team won back to back World Series championships in 1992 and 1993, but have not made the playoffs since. This is the longest playoff drought in Major League Baseball. But with tickets from around $15 Canadian and just a ten minute walk to the stadium from our Kaplan Toronto school, it’s a great opportunity to see elite American sport without actually stepping over the border.
There are also MLB teams in our other East coast destinations. If you’re in Philadelphia you can check out the Philadelphia Phillies; if you’re studying in Washington D.C. you can see the Washington Nationals; and if you’re in Miami, make sure you catch a Miami Marlins game.
If you’re a student at one of our schools, be sure to talk to your activity coordinator. They will be able to give you the best advice for going to a game and may be able to get you discounted tickets.