Hartford, the Yard Goats, and UBA

charlieoscar

Member
Sep 28, 2014
1,339
UBA is from Universal Baseball Weekend, the Robert Cover novel, and is the name adapted by a small groupp of people who met through SABR's national conventions. For many of us the SABR convention was a social gathering until we began getting involved in running the organization. In 1991 we had our first UBA weekend in Louisville and have continued meeting yearly for long weekends in towns around the country with minor league clubs.

The reason I am writing about this is that we are planning this year's trip to Hartford, May 17-20 (Thu-Sun) and will see four games vs. Akron. We will be staying at a Hilton downtown and are looking for a bar/restaurant to hold our yearly meeting during an afternoon. So, if there are any members here who are familiar with Hartford and have suggestions about that or other things to do during the day, let me know. We've already got Mark Twain's house on the list.

If you live in the area and want to join us for a game, we'll be getting seats behind home plate for all the games (need to know before Feb 9th, when tickets ($15) go on sale. We're an eclectic group including some women, on the older side,...for example: a retired priest, the President of the PCL Historical Society, a retired math teacher, a CPA, a former body to the stars, a college professor and music critic, to name a few. Anyway, thanks for reading.
 

Snodgrass'Muff

oppresses WARmongers
SoSH Member
Mar 11, 2008
27,644
Roanoke, VA
How many people are going to the meeting. I know someone who has opened a number of bars downtown who may be able to accommodate you, or point you in the right direction at least.
 

Traut

lost his degree
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SoSH Member
Jul 20, 2005
12,750
My Desk
Things to do in Hartford in early May? It’s a pretty time of year here. And Dunkin Donuts Stadium is an outstanding place to watch a game.

For stuff to do during the day:

-Head to West Hartford Center. It is walkable. Filled with great restaurants. And shops.
-If your people are into history or architecture - visit the State Capitol and State Library right across the street. The reading room in the library is one of my favorite places in the city.
-It is believed the pitcher’s mound was invented in Hartford. Head over to Colt Park - home of Hartford’s MLB team the Dark Blues.

The Second First Season Podcast about the Yard Goats is amazing. Check it out:
wnpr.org/programs/second-first-season

Hartford itself lacks for daytime entertainment options. It is basically an office park surrounded by neighborhoods. There are plenty of things to do within 30 minutes of Hartford. If the weather is nice, I would consider heading down to the shore.

Let me know what your interests are and I’ll happily suggest some activities.

For restaurants in the City:

Max Downtown is still the gold standard. The secret is to go to their bar. And get great quality food on their tavern menu.
Chango Rosa is a lot of fun for Mexican food.
Bears BBQ on front street is great.
As is its sister restaurant around the corner - Blind Pig Pizza.
Republic is my favorite bar in the city.
Lots of people love Salut on the park.
I think Trumbull Kitchen is just alright.
A little bit out of downtown - First and Last Tavern is great.

West Hartford restaurants could be a whole different thread. I think the dining there - per square mile - rivals any place that I have been.
 

Snodgrass'Muff

oppresses WARmongers
SoSH Member
Mar 11, 2008
27,644
Roanoke, VA
I don't know if you have a full inbox or have PMs disabled or something, but I can't send you one. So when you can get a PM to me, I'll respond with the email address he gave me. He said he'd be happy to try and help you out.
 

Traut

lost his degree
Lifetime Member
SoSH Member
Jul 20, 2005
12,750
My Desk
There was a great b'fast place we went to a few years back, I think it was on Asylum street, and almost definitely Polish, but can't quite find it on the google machine
Ashley’s on Main.

If you like Polish food go to the Polish National Home.
 

Lose Remerswaal

Experiencing Furry Panic
Lifetime Member
SoSH Member
Ashley's looks great, but that's not the place we went. It had been written up in the Globe, and it wasn't far from downtown and pretty sure it was near Asylum. Booths and counters and pancakes and kielbasa is what we remember. street parking.
 

charlieoscar

Member
Sep 28, 2014
1,339
Thanks for the info, people. It will be passed on to the people organizing this year's get together. If anyone thinks of anything else, they can post it here or click on my icon to find my email address or PM me. I just figured out that I must stay logged in for that all to work. I guess that it has been about 35 years since I spent any time in Hartford.
 

Plantiers Wart

Member
SoSH Member
Oct 16, 2002
4,092
west hartford
If you are looking for a more "pub" like atmosphere for the meeting, close to the park and hotel, there is Arch Street Tavern, McKinnon's Irish Pub, or City Steam Brew Pub, all pretty close. Or Agave if Mexican is preferred.......Finally, Black Eyed Sally's is an awesome southern/bbq spot that has great music on occasion.
 

charlieoscar

Member
Sep 28, 2014
1,339
If you are looking for a more "pub" like atmosphere for the meeting, close to the park and hotel, there is Arch Street Tavern, McKinnon's Irish Pub, or City Steam Brew Pub, all pretty close. Or Agave if Mexican is preferred.......Finally, Black Eyed Sally's is an awesome southern/bbq spot that has great music on occasion.
Thanks. I've forwarded all this info to the planners.
 

charlieoscar

Member
Sep 28, 2014
1,339
UBA28 at Hartford...eleven people attended (for couples and three singles--NH/MA/RI/IL/KY/TX). Some of our usual group were unable to attend. We stayed at the Hilton Homewood Suites, which is about a 15 minute walk from the ballpark. We got a great group rate, with taxes and parking it came to about $500 for four nights. Our room was a three-room suite with full kitchen, plus free breakfast in the lobby and free evening snacks and drinks. Other than the four games versus the Akron Rubber Ducks, we toured Mark Twain's house, went to the Wadsworth Anthenum Museum of Art, and had our annual luncheon at City Steam Brew Pub. There were some other places at which we ate and some places others visited. All-in-all, a good time.

A couple of photos I took at the park: the first was my primary subject and the second, a reaction to the crowd noise (I spun 90 degrees, held my camera out and snapped...Norman Rockwell might have liked it).
http://ottoc.zenfolio.com/uba28 (click on the thumbnail)

Thanks all.