In terms of baseball fandom, Fred Gaines hit a grand-slam home run this season. The partner at law firm Gaines & Stacey in Encino has spent years pursuing a personal goal to visit all 30 stadiums for Major League Baseball teams. After a few extended trips this summer, he reached the magic number at a Seattle Mariners game. Unexpectedly, the friend who accompanied him to the game had arranged for a video tribute to Gaines presented on the giant screens inside T-Mobile Park. “Having it up on the scoreboard was a surprise and a lot of fun,” Gaines told Valley Insider. When asked about his favorite ball-watching places, he singled out Dodger Stadium and Yankee Stadium as the biggest “baseball palaces” with more than 50,000 seats. Fenway Park in Boston and Wrigley Field in Chicago stand out as the oldest venues, providing a sort of time-travel experience for fans. “I love Dodger Stadium – the pure, simple lines, great views and not a lot of gimmicks, although next year they plan to add some gimmicks,” he said. Gaines, a former mayor and current city councilman in Calabasas, noted that most newer stadiums – Camden Yards in Baltimore, Comerica Park in Detroit and Petco Park in San Diego – are located in the central downtown of cities and stimulate the economy as a magnet for foot traffic. … Where do baby boomers live in California? A new study from apartment search website RentCafe lists the top 20 ZIP codes in the state for the post-World War II generation, with Simi Valley’s 93065 ranking No. 5 and Lancaster’s 93536 finishing at No. 12. San Francisco’s 94112 near Balboa Park ranked as the most boomer-heavy code in the state. Publisher Charles Crumpley contributed to Valley Insider, which is compiled by Editor Joel Russell. Send submissions to [email protected].
