Spring Training Paradise
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When you live in Florida, baseball takes on a whole new meaning. There are more teams that have their spring training stadiums in the state than you can shake a stick at – not that I have ever shaken a real stick at them. We have the Phillies stadium right down the road, literally. The Yankees play over in Tampa for spring training. There are other teams all around the Bay area.
I enjoy watching the games in the spring much more than I do during official season. The crowds are different and the vibe altogether more relaxed. It is usually the hardcore fans and the locals that fill the seats. I take advantage of Spring Training more than you’ll ever know. It’s a great time to travel around to other parts of the state and stay with friends who are also baseball fans, going to see games being played by my favorite teams. I really enjoy the Boston Red Sox and I’m fortunate that my great-aunt lives in Fort Myers. It’s not a very long drive, but if I choose to stay over night, I have a comfy guestroom waiting for me.
My favorite times were actually when my step-dads was still alive. He played for the Pirates back in the days of wool uniforms and pay so low that everyone had to hold down two and three jobs just to afford to play the game they loved. He loved to travel around with me during spring training season and see as many games as we had time for, or the energy. I had a good handle on the Boston Red Sox Spring Training Schedule and we took a week to drive down for a visit and a game. He and my mom and I drove down and talked my aunt and her husband into coming along as well. We did not have the best seats at the game, but there is something about having been there with family and with an “old-timer” ball player that makes the memory stand out for me more than most. My step-dad spent a lot of the game commenting on how different the sport is these days. Poor guy. I wish he had been able to play in a time when he could have made a living off of it.
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