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So, I've arrived at the end of my baseball odyssey. Great American Ballpark, the home of baseball's oldest active franchise in the Cincinnati Reds, was the last stop on my 11-stadium, 3-week baseball road trip. This day had the makings for a rain-out with light drizzles on and off throughout the drive to the stadium from my hotel room, but wound up thinning around the game's scheduled start time. I parked near Heritage Bank Center, which was connected via a pedestrian walkway, and made my way into the final stadium of the tour.

From the first moments I stepped in, I could tell how revered baseball is in Cincinnati. I've heard the stories about how Opening Day may as well be a city-wide holiday and saw the streets around the stadium named after Reds legends, and they were confirmed in my mind as truth as I explored more of the park. The crown jewel of the park is the Reds Hall of Fame, a multiple-story homage to the over 150 years of Cincinnati Reds history. A few teams have a Hall of Fame museum near or within their stadium such as the St. Louis Cardinals, but the Reds have the longevity and memorabilia to be truly unique among the pack. After sightseeing, I grabbed a burger with fries, a hot dog, and peanuts to cap off my three weeks of unhealthy eating as I headed to my seat. The fries were nicely seasoned, and the meal was pleasant overall, but nothing showstopping compared to the food at other stadiums.

The storyline headed into today's game is that Joey Votto, Reds legend and likely Hall of Famer, was returning after a rotator cuff and biceps injury and was making his debut for the season. I did not know this was happening when I bought these tickets, but I was eager to see a player of his pedigree come back from injury to a crowd of loyal fans. There were multiple standing ovations throughout the game for Votto, and his in-game performance did not disappoint. In his second at-bat of the game, Votto launched a solo home run to right field. As the ball went off the bat and started heading towards the wall, the entire stadium stood up in anticipation. Once it cleared the wall, it was relative pandemonium compared to the somewhat sparse attendance -- as Votto rounded the bases, the "Power Stacks" beyond the outfield shot a comical amount of fireworks into the sky and fans rejoiced as the Reds went up 3-1. Cincinnati's baseball hero had returned with a bang. The solo shot wasn't Votto's only offering to the fans, as a two-run single helped the Reds secure the game by turning a one-run lead into the eventual final score of the game, 5-4. And, to cap it off, Joey Votto walked on his last plate appearance -- something that I am glad to witness as Votto is famous for his ability to get on base via walks. In total, this 3 RBI, 6 total base performance put up a 30% win probability added. A staggering figure that tipped the scales in this surprisingly close game versus the Rockies.

I regret not braving the drizzle and walking around the outfield concourse more, as I was spit out onto the upper concourse from the path I took and only saw two things: the Reds Hall of Fame and my seat. I would love to go to opening day in Cincinnati at some point, and this would double up nicely as a revisit to my 20th stadium where I could explore. The stadium itself is nothing terribly memorable: the backdrop is rolling plains and the Kentucky state line, like PNC Park's but without the Pittsburgh skyline, and it's washed with white and red as expected from a team called the Red Stockings. But the history inside the park and its unique quirks like the Power Stacks and the extra song in the 7th inning stretch, "Cincinnati Ohio", keyed me in to the fact that this was a historic place. The fans' ecstatic reactions to Joey Votto's home run added a cherry on top to a great ballpark experience. This would be Joey Votto's last hurrah in MLB, as well -- capping a lovely career with a strong start to his final year.

With this, I drove home to Chicago and ended my baseball odyssey: my favorite stretch of the chase to date. 11 stadiums in three weeks, a true coming of age for my 23-year-old self, and memories that will stick with me until my brain turns to dust. It was a bittersweet end, but one that I knew was inevitably coming, and what better place to cap off an incredible trip than the home of the oldest franchise in the sport? Cincinnati was a great place to swing by, and I know if I'm in town I would love to see another game -- even if it isn't one as meaningful as the Joey Votto return game.