Charlotte Native Starts His 1st MLB Game For Chicago Cubs

Charlotte native (and East Mecklenburg High School grad) and more important, Chicago Cub, Luke Little gave his friends and family a huge thrill against the Oakland Athletics last night as he was the starting pitcher in a major league game for the very first time.  I never think the athlete has any idea how big a deal this is for the people who know him/her.

I've had multiple friends and former teammates who I have gotten to live vicariously through as they made their professional sports journeys.  Each time I got to watch brought as huge sense of pride.  Shoot, I have one friend (former Michigan DT Chris Hutchinson) whose son (Aiden) is now a huge star in his own right in the NFL.  Doubly exciting for me to see him play.  So, I know how cool it was for Luke Little's posse yesterday.

Luke Little line last night?  One inning pitched. He gave up zero runs and zero hits while throwing one strikeout.  I know, you're going, "Wait, that's great.  Why did he just pitch one inning?"  Well, Luke Little is by trade a relief pitcher.  Starting games isn't his move.  However, the Cubs have been dealing with early season injuries to their starting pitching rotation and opted to have a "bullpen game."  This is a game started by relief pitchers who only throw a very limited number of innings before handing off duties to the next.

It's been a busy couple of days in Luke Little's young career.  He appeared in the ninth inning of Chicago's 12-2 win over Colorado on Tuesday night as well.  He gave up one walk but allowed no hits and no runs.  This was his second relief appearance in the newly begun 2024 season for the Cubs.

I mentioned earlier that Luke Little isn't a starting pitcher.  That's not altogether true.  At just 23 years old (and in his first full season in the major leagues), his career has only just begun.  And although he's been pitching in relief for the Cubs, he started half of his games in the minor leagues, so the book on him is far from written.  However, it got off to quite a start last night.

Major League Baseball has a deep respect for their game's rich history. Attending a ballgame can be a great experience that allows fans to marvel at baseball culture. Furthermore, most MLB parks have designed stadium attractions that make them unique amongst the 30 venues in the league.

From museums to bodies of water to fan-zone fun, the MLB stadiums across the country each have something that is representative of their character. Often you will find baseball enthusiasts track how many ballparks they have been to. In addition, it is common for fans to build trips to other cities to have a new MLB park experience.

MLB is the only professional sport in the country where each team has its own dedicated stadium. For example, in the NFL, the Jets and Giants share Metlife Stadium. Many NBA team share their home arena with the NHL team in their city. In professional baseball, each of the 30 teams has their own home field that is theirs alone. This enables the organization to build more character specific to the club.

The interior of an MLB ballpark is all about the players. Though there is a mysterious aura about the clubhouse, given that they are underground. The common thread in modern-day construction is centered around the ballclub. The intent is to make each clubhouse comfortable, hi-tech, and private for the players and coaches. The rest of the stadium is all about the fan experience.

Here, we will look at some of the most unique MLB stadium attractions. Each is representative of their city and team history. They provide character to the ballpark. In many cases, these features make the park a landmark in their home state.

If you want to take in an MLB game in a ballpark you have not visited yet, here are some attractions to consider.

Behind the outfield wall at Chase Field, there's a pool area. From here, you can see the entire game. At the home of the Arizona Diamondbacks, you can take in a National League West game while going for a swim. The area accommodates 35 people.

You surely know all about the infamous Green Monster left field wall at Fenway Park, but did you know you can sit on top of it? There are 269 seats available for Red Sox ticket purchase. This area is a common spot for lucky fans to catch a home run ball.

Hundreds of signed baseballs by Yankee greats, plagues, and statues are just some of the incredible monuments in the museum at Yankee Stadium. Some of the exhibits rotate, but "Yankees by the numbers" jerseys, World Series rings, and trophies are always on display.

If you want to kayak up against the outfield wall of a picturesque stadium, McCovey Cove in San Francisco is your spot. While its common to see boats overshadowing right field, this is also a common spot for those looking to catch a memorable home run ball.

"There's magic in the ivy and the old scoreboard," Eddie Vedder sings in his Cubs tribute song "All The Way." The legendary ivy covering the outfield walls at Wrigley might arguably be the most iconic ballpark look of all.

Technically it's called Gallagher Square, but the Park at Petco Park is located outside the outfield walls but inside the gates of the stadium. You need a ticket on gameday to access this space, which has mini fields and a statue of the late Padres great Tony Gwynn.

A tank containing real live stingrays rests within the outfield of the stadium. This is a 35 foot, 10,000 gallon exhibit that is in partnership with the Florida Aquarium.

15-foot-high and 56-foot-long replica of an 1862 steam locomotive goes for a ride each time the Astros hit a home run. Sitting 90 feet above the field, you will hear this train go for a 40 second ride back and forth. This area of the park used to be Union Station, which is why the train was brought in as an attraction in 2000. It is driven by Bobby Dynamite.

Along the main concourse in center field, there's the Bobblehead Museum at loanDepot Park in Miami. This is the home of over 500 bobbleheads that are enclosed behind glass. While many of these are MLB and minor league players, a section includes entertainers and special giveaways the Marlins have done.

When the Brewers hit a home run, their mascot Bernie slides down a giant yellow slide out of his outfield treehouse. Fans can take a ride down as well. Tickets are available for purchase for some pre-game fun ($150-$175).

The city fountains are well represented at the home of the Royals. The fountains in outfield are 322 feet wide. They can change colors and offer a magnificent display. Select 200 level seats near the fountains can be purchased. There are eight programmed fountain shows, where 600 nozzles can launch into 150 combinations of effects.

You can sit high above centerfield in Colorado. The Rockpile offers $4 select tickets. It's a bleacher style seating, giving you a true Rocky Mountain feel.