Quirky Tropicana Field isn't a pretty ballpark but the Rays love their home

With its unappealing concrete exterior, massive, sloping dome and cavernous indoor atmosphere, Tropicana Field possesses little of the aesthetic beauty and charm associated with baseball’s most celebrated stadiums.But the Tampa Bay Rays love their quirky ballpark, especially after being forced out for a season because of destruction from Hurricane Milton.A sellout crowd of more than 40,000 towel-waving, cowbell-ringing fans will welcome the Rays back for Game 3 of the World Series on Monday night after a pair of gut-wrenching, one-run losses in Milwaukee.The Brewers lead 2-0 and are two wins away from the franchise’s first World Series title. The Rays need to win four of five to secure their first championship in their 29th season.When a powerful storm swept through downtown St. Petersburg on Oct. 9, 2024, shredding the roof and causing extensive damage to the Trop, there were concerns that the Rays would never play again at the only place they had called home since the franchise’s deb