WHITING | As odysseys go, this one ranks right up there with the Clark Griswold family vacations and Jason and the Argonauts, minus a few dragons and warlocks.

Joe and Diane Stahura of Whiting are such over-the-top baseball fans, they've attended games in 20 of the 30 current major league parks since 2002.

In 2003, they visited 14 parks and have taken enough photos to make Kodak stock jump off the page.

Joe Stahura has been mayor of Whiting since 2004. Diane, his wife of 30 years, owns the popular Cheap Seats Sports Memorabilia on 119th St.

And only Ernie Banks loves the Cubs more than these two. When Joe turned 50 last May, Diane rented a bus and invited 50 of his closest friends to a game at Wrigley Field. She even hired a Harry Caray impersonator.

Their odyssey will continue this summer in Colorado, Arizona, San Diego, Los Angeles and Anaheim.

"I'm pretty fortunate. My wife likes to do what I like to do," Joe said.

The Stahuras buy game tickets on the Internet and drive to the closer ballparks, making a weekend out of it.

"We're gonna see eight national parks along with five stadiums and seven games this time," Joe said.

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With each new city, there are new adventures and a harrowing experience or two.

While the Stahuras were at a game in Houston, Joe was caught on TV, wearing his Cubbie stuff while seated by some fan in a huge sombrero. That clip was later shown on several networks, including WGN in Chicago.

"I left my cell phone at the hotel and when I got back, there were 70 some messages on it," Joe said. "I'm thinking: 'Oh, man. The refinery blew up.'

"The first guy is Mayor (Tom) McDermott from Hammond, saying: 'Hey, I caught ya on TV. You're busted!' I told him they knew I was here. It's not like I told 'em I was going to a conference in Indianapolis."

Joe and Diane also attended games at Candlestick Park, County Stadium, Veterans Stadium, Comiskey Park and old Busch Stadium -- all later victims of the wrecking ball. That meant having to go back to the new parks.

So far, they've found the most obnoxious fans at Fenway (they've yet to visit Yankee Stadium); the best food at U.S. Cellular and Pittsburgh's PNC; the worst food and parking at RFK; the most loyal fans at St. Louis; the strangest setup at Kansas City; the most convenient access at Toronto; the highest seats at Shea; and the most expensive ticket also at Fenway ($75 each for second-tier boxes).

"The guys sitting next to us (at Fenway) were so drunk, they were stealing cotton candy from the vendors, people were dumping beers on everybody and kids were jumping on mustard packs (and) squirting 'em all over the place," Joe said. "It was a zoo. And the seats were so tight.

"It was not a comfortable place to watch a game but, oh, what a feeling being in Boston."

In driving to the ballparks out east, saying a rosary is recommended.

"New York, man, you're driving on the expressway and you're (going) 85 miles an hour, bumper to bumper -- with semis in the outside lanes -- and there's no shoulders," Joe said. "You get outta the car and you're sweating.

"Kansas City's a great setup. They have a hotel right across from the expressway from Kauffman Field and Arrowhead Stadium -- but there's no way to get to the stadium if you're staying at the hotel. It's a half a block but you've got to cross the expressway.

"Once you get across, there's a drive-in lane for cars to come into the parking lot. But there's no walkways, no sidewalks, just a steep slope. So we're like rollin' down a hill to get into the stadium. And then we had to walk back up when leaving."

And then there was the time ...

"The funniest story was in Houston, where an old-timer was working the concession stand as a volunteer and he saw Diane's Cubs jacket and my Cubs shirt," Joe said. "He asked where we were from and I told him near Chicago. He goes: 'Well, where?' I told him a little city in Indiana called Whiting.

"He goes: 'No kidding? What street did you live on?'"

The man was Emil Geffert, who once lived on the same street as Diane's cousin.