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| Although it looks more like an orange, it's the Grapefruit League! |
Last week Beth, Ben and I enjoyed something that has become a ritual in recent years. We took in several spring training games. With the exception of 2018, when we went to Arizona for a few games in the Cactus League, our annual tours have been to Grapefruit League games in Florida. Calling it a "tour" may be a bit of an exaggeration, but it makes for a nice title.
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| Before hitting the ballparks we enjoyed an afternoon on AMI with some very special friends, Steve and Melissa Liverani. |
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| While showing Steve and Melissa around AMI we ran across the Oscar Meyer Weinermobile! Not something you see on the island everyday. |
This year our "spring training tour" consisted of four games in four days at three different ballparks. All three ballparks are not only spring training homes to major league teams, they also are homes to minor league teams that play in the Florida State League.
Our first two games were in Tampa at Steinbrenner Field which is the spring training home of the New York Yankees. Steinbrenner Field is huge when compared to other spring training stadiums. Without question, it is the Taj Mahal of these things. Why? Because they can. After all, they are the New York Yankees and they have 27 World Series Championships (the team with the second most titles is St. Louis with 11).
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| Day 1-Steinbrenner Field, Tampa |
Game one was the Yankees and the defending world series champions, Washington Nationals. The weather wasn't exactly "spring training" weather. The temperature was in the high fifties. It was overcast, windy and a little rainy. We didn't have all the family, but it was "family time" and it was baseball. It would have been perfect if the Martin's could have joined us.
Game two had us back at Steinbrenner Field to see the Yankees against Ben's favorite team, the Tampa Bay Rays. The Rays are a really good team and compete well with the Yankees, even though their payroll is a fraction of that of the Bronx Bombers. The rain was gone, but the cool, windy weather was still with us. Again, no worries, it was family time and baseball.
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| Day 2-Steinbrenner Field |
Game three was at LECOM Park (formerly known as McKechnie Field) in Bradenton. LECOM Park is the home of the Pittsburgh Pirates. They are a team with a great past. They just aren't very good at the present time. They were playing the Baltimore Orioles, also a team with a nice past that's struggling at the present time. This ballpark has been around a while. It opened in 1923 and the price tag for the original park construction was a whopping two thousand dollars! The park is loaded with charm and character and is often referred to as "the Fenway Park of the minor leagues". The Pirates have called Bradenton and LECOM Park home since 1969. Prior to that, the A's, Braves, Red Sox, Phillies and Cardinals held their spring training here at various times. In addition to baseball, from 1941 to 1945 (World War II), the field was converted into a US Military training base, known first as Camp Bradenton and then Camp Weatherford. Without question, it's my favorite spring training facility. For this game the weather had improved dramatically, the temperature was in the low 70's and there was not a cloud in the sky...….the reason Florida is so popular at this time of year.
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| All smiles on a perfect spring day at LECOM Park, Bradenton |
We finished up the baseball extravaganza with a night game between the Rays and Braves at Charlotte Sports Park (formerly known as Charlotte County Stadium) in Port Charlotte. Thanks to the close proximity of the stadium to Beth's sister Debbie's house, and her awesome grilling skills, we had a great meal with her prior to the game. The Rays moved their spring training headquarters here in 2009. Prior to the Rays, the Texas Rangers held their spring training here from 1987 until 2002.
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| Baseball at sunset-Charlotte Sports Park |
Going to Charlotte Sports Park is always special for us because we have so many great memories of attending games here back when we lived in Port Charlotte from 1985 until 1992. We attended many Texas Rangers spring games as well as numerous minor league games of the Charlotte Rangers. We had the opportunity to see many future major league stars as they were starting their career. I haven't been able to put my hands on it yet, but somewhere out there is a picture of me and Beth holding this tiny 2-3 month old baby who was attending his first baseball game.
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| In just about these same seats we have a picture from 1988. Beth and I haven't aged a bit. Ben's gotten a little bigger and grown a beard! |
As a family we've made so many memories attending games. We added some great memories on our 2020 Spring Training Tour. Proving once again, it's hard to have a bad day at the ballpark!
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| Great ad in the urinal at LECOM Park! |
