Like any ballpark, it’s possible to get players on each team to sign around the dugouts before the game. This practice holds true for Classic Park, although there’s an easier way to get autographs from guys on the home and visiting squads.
When you enter Classic Park, take note of how many players are out on the field. The gates open after the end of batting practice, but you should see some players throwing and stretching. The rest of the players are in the clubhouse, which works to your advantage.
Classic Park is set up so both teams’ clubhouses are in the same location — beyond the right field corner. The Captains aren’t the only team in the Cleveland system to use this setup; the Mahoning Valley Scrappers, who play at Eastwood Field, also employ a conjoined clubhouse strategy.
All this means that every player who enters the field walks from the same direction, making this park an autograph collector’s heaven. You’ll likely see other autograph collectors lined up along a metal railing, but if not, find a spot in this area and keep your eye on the clubhouse doors to your right. Soon, they’ll open and players will begin walking toward you. The walkway is long enough that you should be able to get your items ready for whatever player you hope to have sign. Not all players will sign, but most are friendly and will stop if they have time.
If you miss someone in this area, try your luck at field level. The Captains dugout is on the first base side. The bullpens aren’t conducive to autographs, as each bullpen sits several yards below the concourse above it. After the game, some fans still try for autographs next to the dugouts and along the walkway leading to the clubhouses.
If you attend a Captains game on Sunday, look for the team’s autograph booth in the concourse. Each home game on Sunday, the team has one player sign before first pitch.
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