Alessia Korvessis | The Chronicle
For some, baseball is a seasonal pastime of stadium hot dogs and living room scorecards, but for Mason High School teacher Anna Holt, the “diamond” has become a lifelong roadmap. What began as a simple series of date nights at Great American Ball Park to cheer on the Cincinnati Reds has evolved into a decades-long family odyssey that spans the entire map of American sports culture.
That initial spark of hometown fandom eventually turned into an ambitious mission: visiting every single Major League Baseball stadium in the United States. Today, the Holts have officially touched base at all 30 MLB parks, transforming a casual outing into a cherished family tradition that has defined their travels and strengthened their bond one inning at a time.
“I grew up playing softball, but I wouldn’t say I was super interested in [baseball] until I started dating my husband,” Holt said. “In the summer, [we] just went to Reds games.”
Holt said these games were not only entertainment, but also a bonding experience. What started as an occasional outing for Holt and her husband turned into a vacation ritual.
“When my husband and I started dating, that’s when we started going together,” Holt said. “We know we have three hours together and we’re there, we’re able to have conversations while also focusing on the game.”
After getting married, Holt and her husband’s passion for baseball grew beyond just going to local games. Weekend games turned into road trips, and road trips turned into carefully planned goals to hit every park.
“As we got married and started going on trips, we planned all of our vacations around these ballparks,” Holt said. “Eventually, it became a goal to visit all of them.”
Holt completed her goal in July 2024, but she decided to start over, this time with her daughter Jordan. At just one and a half years old, Jordan has already visited four MLB ballparks, with many to come in the future.
“We took her to Dallas a few weeks ago, and she likes watching the games,” Holt said. “When there are leading claps, she likes to clap along. She doesn’t really know what’s going on since she’s so young, but she just enjoys hanging out and watching the scoreboard.”
Beyond family bonding, one of the highlights of these trips for Holt is not just visiting the ballparks, but exploring the cities they visit. Over time, their travels took them far beyond Ohio and provided them with travel experiences. The family has visited national parks, beaches and monuments alongside ballparks.
“We love seeing the other parts of the country,” Holt said. “So, getting out there and seeing all these different cities that I probably wouldn’t have typically gone to without the baseball games.”
Holt said she and her husband also enjoy observing the technical aspect of baseball games on their trips, which add an extra layer of entertainment to every game they attend. Tracking their statistics allows them to follow the game while also creating a record of their travels. Throughout the years, the couple witnessed changes made in baseball rules and gameplay.
“My husband and I love to keep score at every game for each new ballpark that we go to,” Holt said. “It’s fun to see how the game has changed, like when they implemented the pitch clock, so games got quicker.”
Although their travel experiences have been successful overall, Holt and her family have experienced challenges when trying to complete their visits due to their daughters’ young age. Holt has learned to be flexible in order to deal with whatever challenges may arise, like nap schedules and weather forecasts.
“Adjusting to the weather is always a huge factor,” Holt said. “We went to Tampa last summer with her, and it was super hot, so trying to keep her in the shade and cool was a big challenge.
Holt and her husband plan to continue their journey with their daughter over the years. Their final goal: for their daughter to visit all 30 ballparks, too.
“I don’t know how long it will take us,” Holt said. “We’ve joked [it would take] about 10 years since it took us five years. We don’t have a set time, but hopefully by the time she graduates high school, we will be at all 30 ballparks again.”
