Like the rest of you, I am a baseball junkie. I've was blessed with the 'diamond gene' and have spent over 35 years savoring every morsel of the game. After a career in the publishing business as a cartographer and graphic designer, I recently decided to create a bold project around my passion for the game.

The roots of the THIRTY81 Project go back several years, but it wasn't until this last spring — as the wave of stadium construction subsided and the recent realignment balanced both leagues — that I began to seriously investigate some possibilities.

In a nutshell, THRITY81 is an ongoing design study focused on the ballparks of Major League Baseball, highlighting and celebrating the qualities that make each venue unique.

"Unlike other professional sports, baseball is played upon fields that vary in size from park to park. With the exception of the infield diamond, where strict rules regulate the dimensions, no two ballparks are alike. From the geometry of the field to the distance of the outfield fences, the cathedrals of baseball exhibit their own unique characteristics, making each a singular gem among the fields of baseball."

Through Craig's encouragement, and at the risk of seeming self-serving, I am sharing with you the first 'piece' of the project — an 18" x 24" poster that celebrates the diverse geometry of the 30 MLB ballparks. It is a second attempt to 'boot' the project after a much more ambitious 31 poster series failed. However, this 'reKicked' attempt has already reached it's funding goal and I am anxious to spread the word to other fans. The funding period lasts until Oct. 31 — the scheduled seventh game of the World Series.

I hope you will have a look and back the project if you like it.

In the meantime I will be enjoying your 'chaser' stories and sharing my own as I continue my own trek to all 30 parks.

Thanks so much,

Lou Spirito

THIRTY81: A Poster Celebrating the Fields of Baseball