Derek Semmler dot com - money, motorcycles and cars (with a little bit of everything else)

Have you ever dreamed of taking a vacation centered around a sports theme?

I know that I am not the only one that has dreamed of traveling the country to visit every Major League Baseball stadium to see a game.

Once my kids get a little bit older, I would like to share that dream with them and start checking off stadiums around the country as the three of us hit the road together. There are a few stadiums that I never made it to and regret that I missed the chance, such as Tiger Stadium or the Kingdome.

But as much as I think that would be a fantastic trip, today I came across what might just be the ultimate sports themed vacation or journey. Jim Caple from ESPN wrote an article on 101 things all sports fans must experience before they die.

While it would be nearly impossible to pull this off as a vacation, there are some experiences listed here that sound like they would be really exciting. Of course there are others that I am not quite so sure about but might surprise me.

Wishlist
As I read through the list, some of the events jumped out at me as something I need to start planning to share with my kids. Here are a few of the events that I think I would enjoy the most:

• NCAA subregional
• College World Series
• A game at Rucker Park
• Canadiens-Leafs game
• Town ball in Minnesota
• Ultimate Fighting Championship bout

Been There, Done That
I have already experienced a few of the events on the list, although only two of them with my kids. Here are the events that I have already experienced:

• Hall of Fame induction
• Cubs game in the Wrigley bleachers (even though I am a Sox fan)
• MLB Opening Day
• Little League game

Back in 2000, I made a trip to the Hall of Fame induction ceremonies to witness Carlton Fisk be inducted into the Hall of Fame. This was a trip with a handful of guys from work as we are all White Sox fans and were able to catch a White Sox vs. Red Sox game at Fenway Park and then make the trip out to the induction.

This was one of the best trips I have taken. Fenway Park was amazing and the game was exciting, at least from what I remember as the beer was flowing freely that night. Before the game I had a funny experience as I had walked down near the White Sox dugout to get a better picture of the Green Monster.

As I was standing there, Jon Garland came up out of the dugout and everyone was yelling for an autograph. Being a Sox fan, I knew he had just pitched a great game against Milwaukee a few days earlier so I yelled out “Hey Jon, great game the other night against Milwaukee”. He walked over to me, said thanks and asked me if I wanted him to sign anything. Being unprepared all I had was my ticket stub so he signed that and let me grab a picture. Very cool experience.

As a fan of the White Sox, it pains me to admit it but I have experienced a handful of games in the bleachers at Wrigley Field. Continuing the baseball theme, I have been to numerous MLB games on Opening Day. It is an exciting day to skip out of work to catch the ballgame but depending on where you live you may have to pack the winter coat.

Last but not least, I have experienced many Little League games. Right now my son is playing PONY baseball and it is exciting to see each one of his games and witness how his skills are continuing to improve. In addition to my son’s games, we have taken a few random Little League games in the past. There’s nothing quite like driving through a small town and seeing a Little League game in progress, pulling off the road and wasting an hour or two watching these kids live their dream.

Your Favorites
If you are a sports fan, whether casual or fanatic, I think that most of the events on this list would be pretty exciting. The thing that I find the most appealing are the events that are less well-known, as this is where you usually find the athletes that might not be the best but they have an undeniable passion for their game.

Have you experienced any of these events? I’d love to hear your thoughts on which events you have experienced or which you think would be the most exciting.