Spring training memories

[GwinnettNole]

My first spring training game was in 1985– we were visiting my grandparents while they lived in Hollywood. We went to the NY Yankees game at Ft. Lauderdale stadium. We later moved to south FL ourselves in 1987 and spring training became a ritual for us— going to many Yankees games in and even a few Braves games up in Palm Beach.

The most epic moment I can recall was after the Yankees played my dad and I stuck around the stadium and saw George Steinbrenner and Lou Pinella walking down the concourse and they gave us their autographs. If we were still living in NJ there was no way we would ever get an encounter like that in the Bronx.

Does spring training still have the same feel in Florida? Are there any teams left in south FL? I remember the Orioles were in Miami, NYY in Lauderdale and the Braves/expos in WPB.

We moved out of south Florida in 1993 and I still wonder does spring training bring that special feel or no? I think a lot of it had to do with me being a kid but I’d also think the addition of the rays and marlins may have changed it some?

One other note— I went to the first baseball game at Joe Robbie Stadium in 1988 I believe. Spring training- orioles vs Dodgers I believe. Who would of thought ol’ Joe Robbie was auditioning for a pro team down there?!!

Go Braves (and still Yankees to a lesser degree, always will have a place...)

 

[Formerly Rockymtnole]

Got autographs and photos with a bunch of Dodgers at Dogertown the spring after their 81 Series win. Back then the players were very approachable - they walked all around around the complex, you could find balls behind the fences and they'd happily sign for you and take pictures. Lasorda, Garvey, Ron Cey, Bill Russell, Dusty Baker, Bob Welch, Mike Scioscia, Davey Lopes and many others- all very cool and gracious to us kids.

 

[Nole Daddy]

We still have teams all over South Florida. I grew up a huge Braves fan because they were in West Palm Beach, where I am from. And those teams were awful, but it was always fun to go watch them, especially Dale Murphy.

 

[RunRonnieRun]

I grew up in Vero Beach and spent my high school years working at the Dodgers' golf courses (Dodgertown and Dodger Pines). I had an incredible amount of access.

I remember always having to pull cart #2 out of our fleet for Lasorda, even well after he'd retired from managing.

The players would come play on their off days or in the afternoons. I especially remember Darren Dreifort's wife -- absolute smoke.

Sandy Koufax was always hanging around. I believe he still has a place in Vero. I got to play golf with him several times as a high schooler. Even at my young, dumb age it wasn't lost on me how cool that was.

We were able to take carts from the course and drive into the bullpen to watch games. Everything at Holman Stadium was wide open and it was really neat to be sitting right next to the players as they got ready for the season.

I forget if it was Hideo Nomo or Chan Ho Park, but one of their first years with the team the Asian press corps was out in full force, and they also spent a LOT of time at the golf course. Their golf technology was always like a year ahead of ours and we ogled those Biggest Big Berthas like they were never going to make it into our bags.

As a younger kid, it was an absolute rite of passage for your parents to check you out of school once or twice per year for a spring training game.

My dad was a cop, and any time he worked one of the spring training games I got to hang around in the stadium during the time between batting practice and when they opened the gates to the public. Got to see some fun behind the scenes stuff -- players hanging out in the stands, playing pepper, taking extra BP. One time Kal Daniels got really pissy with me over being in the "closed" stadium and called the cops over -- my dad still holds a grudge against him.

 

[seminoleed]

Being born in Atlanta, I was always a Braves fan from the day they moved there. Would always catch them at Al Lopez Field in Tampa when they came to town. Saw Hank Aaron hit a homer one day, and got his autograph through the bus window afterwards.

I know, CSB.

 

[SeaPA]

I have two vivid spring training memories, both from Joker Marchant in Lakeland in the early 80s.

1. Jim Rice very nearly killed me and/or the two guys I was with (my brother and a buddy). We were seated in the bleachers down the 3rd base line, depth-wise in shallow left field. Rice turned early on an off-speed pitch and smashed a foul ball that whizzed by right in front of us. It was past us before any of us had a chance to react.
2. Went down to a late spring training game (last weekend of the spring); back then the crowds were smaller and things were done on more of a friendly basis. Went to the game with my wife & another couple; got to the ticket booth to get tickets, and the lady says "if you don't mind splitting up, I have two pretty good seats and two great seats. The "pretty good" seats were right by the Tigers dugout; the great seats were first row, behind home plate, at just enough of an angle that you were looking over the umpire's right shoulder as pitches came in. They were available because, back then, the prime seats were held by snowbirds from Michigan who were here for the winter. When they'd head home, they'd drop off the tickets for the remaining games, the team would sell them on game day, and credit the proceeds against next year's renewal for the season ticket holders.

 

[PoopandBoogers]

The Nationals just left Viera a yr ago and it sucks not having it around. It is a rite of passage and tradition for cfl kids to get out of school early and chase foul balls like crazed maniacs.

I saw a big ol hair pie in the outfield grass at dodgertown. She was sitting right behind and above us on the hill and was letting it all hang out the side of her jogging shorts.

I threw a paper airplane from up in the bleachers at boardwalk and baseball during an astros vs royals game. It flew all the way into the dugout and glenn davis comes walking out the side holding it and looking like what the hell up into the stands. Twas awesome for a 10yr old.

Have tons of memories. Wish we had a closer team. I think the closest to me know might be the braves at disney or the.mets and teaabag down in st. lucie.

 

[Nole Daddy]

In Palm Beach County we have the Cardinals( the big draw) and the Marlins in Jupiter, and we have the Astros and Nationals in West Palm Beach.

 

[LesClaypool]

Once went to a Rush concert w/a ton of Blue Jays back in the 90's during Spring Training. I could've told you who all the players were back then, but now I forget.

 

[JohnnieHolmesNole]

I think it has changed a lot since so many teams have moved to Arizona. In the old days, it was a bigger deal when all of the teams were packed within a 3 hour drive of each other (and many of them were only 30 minutes apart). Still a tremendous way for young kids to get some pretty close access to their idols.

 

[GwinnettNole]

In Palm Beach County we have the Cardinals( the big draw) and the Marlins in Jupiter, and we have the Astros and Nationals in West Palm Beach.

So nothing south of WPB, huh?

 

[Nole Daddy]

So nothing south of WPB, huh?

https://www.mlb.com/spring-training/grapefruit-league/map

 

[Semiologist]

I remember vividly seeing the Braves play with Ron Gant at 3B. The people in the seats behind 1st base learned real fast that when Gant was throwing on a ground ball to look out. He had an awesome arm but no control of where the ball would go. Balls whizzing into the crowd, which is why he became an outfielder.

 

[RunRonnieRun]

The proximity to the field was definitely scary in those older Grapefruit League parks.

I was at a Dodgers / Red Sox game in 1990ish when Ellis Burks hit a rope of a foul line drive, which cracked the old lady directly in front of me in the forehead. I remember a lot of blood and paramedics.

 

[DFSNOLE]

I think it has changed a lot since so many teams have moved to Arizona. In the old days, it was a bigger deal when all of the teams were packed within a 3 hour drive of each other (and many of them were only 30 minutes apart). Still a tremendous way for young kids to get some pretty close access to their idols.

MLB teams were never all in Florida. The Cactus League can trace its origins to the early 1900's. It has always been divided geographically with the obvious exception of the Dodgers.

 

[GwinnettNole]

Speaking of the Orioles in Miami did anyone ever get the privilege of going here:
https://www.google.com/amp/amp.miamiherald.com/sports/mlb/article189339964.html

I remember the stadium and the pics are images are reminiscent of little Havana, we never went to a game there though.

 

[SeaPA]

The park where the Red Sox played for decades was really nice - Chain of Lakes, right by the lake in Winter Haven.

 

[DFSNOLE]

As a kid growing up in West Palm Beach in the '60's, we were regulars at the Braves spring training. A good friend of my father would work for the team every year which gave us access others didn't have. I remember one time we were there for batting practice and Hank Aaron broke his bat and gave it to me. Instead of keeping it as some sort of memorabilia, I brought it home and glued, screwed and taped it up so I could use it in our pick up games. Didn't matter to me at all that it was way too big. It was Aaron's bat.

 

[seminoledq]

My wife and I were talking about Spring Training this past weekend. I can't wait to be living down there next year and hit up various stadiums. Even though we are pretty close to AZ, and it would be great to see the hometown Rockies, it is stupid expensive to fly to and stay in Phoenix this time of year. I can get a RT flight for $98 for 11 months out of the year but in March it's near $400. Our place in Florida is within an hour of the Pirates, Blue Jays, Phillies and Yankees parks. Really looking forward to that.

 

[JohnnieHolmesNole]

MLB teams were never all in Florida. The Cactus League can trace its origins to the early 1900's. It has always been divided geographically with the obvious exception of the Dodgers.

No MLB team had its Spring Training facility in Arizona until 1947.

 

[BOwens21]

My dad used to take me to a spring training game every year growing up. One that sticks out in my mind was in the early 90's, seeing Tom Selleck playing for the Tigers. I think he was preparing for the movie Mr. Baseball.

 

[Formerly Rockymtnole]

Speaking of the Orioles in Miami did anyone ever get the privilege of going here:
https://www.google.com/amp/amp.miamiherald.com/sports/mlb/article189339964.html

I remember the stadium and the pics are images are reminiscent of little Havana, we never went to a game there though.

I did as a kid into the 70s and 80s. Both the Orioles spring training and the old Miami Marlins minor league team. It wasn't the greatest area but a cool stadium.

 

[SatBchNole]

Grew up going to see the Dodgers in VB in late 70’s/early 80’s. Couple things that I will always remember: the dugouts had no roofs so the players seemed more approachable, no fence in the outfield, had a berm where you could sit and watch the game. The berm was in play so it made for some funny moments when the ball would be hit there and the outfielder had to run up the berm for the ball.

 

[goldmom]

We took our kids to see the Reds at the old stadium that used to be next door to Tampa Stadium AKA the Sombrero. This was the 80's, so we saw Johnny Bench and Pete Rose, among others.

In 1987 we went to Arizona for Spring Break and went to the park in Scottsdale to see the Giants. Walking up to the field there was an older gentleman in Giants gear walking our way, and he went out of his way to say hello to the kids and welcome us. My husband got real quiet and almost tongue tied, so when the guy walked away, I asked him if everything was OK. He said "Do you know who that was? That was Willie Mays and I cannot believe I just shook his hand."

The only other time I saw him get star struck was when our neighbors had Alan Ameche (Baltimore Colts) come to their Christmas party.

 

[Fijimn]

Growing up in central California and a Dodgers fan - Vero Beach always sounded so exotic. But I have never actually been to a spring training game in FL or AZ. The Astros' new facility is WPB is pretty nice from what I have read.

 

[mcgrawfsu]

When I was a kid my grandfather would take me to a ton of Cards and Phils games. The moment that stands out the most was Andy Van Slyke losing his s*** and trying to fight a bunch of Cards players. It was a year or two after he joined the Pirates and I thought it was odd since he played with them. Come to find out a lot of the guys on the Cards didn't like him.

 

[nolejam99]

Was at game 6 in 1995 and saw the Braves win the World Series thanks to Tom Glavine pitching 8 innings of one hit ball. Next year went to West Palm for spring training and was able to get Glavine to sign my ticket stub from game 6

 

[DFSNOLE]

No MLB team had its Spring Training facility in Arizona until 1947.

True but they were never all in Florida. Spring Training actually began in Arkansas.

 

[GwinnettNole]

True but they were never all in Florida. Spring Training actually began in Arkansas.

As a lifelong baseball fan I did not know this... learn something new everyday

 

[DFSNOLE]

As a lifelong baseball fan I did not know this... learn something new everyday

Spring training by major league teams in sites other than their regular season game sites first became popular in the 1890s and by 1910 was in wide use. Hot Springs, Arkansas has been called the original "birthplace" of Spring Training baseball. The location of Hot Springs and the concept of getting the players ready for the upcoming season was the brainchild of Chicago White Stockings (today's Chicago Cubs) team President Albert Spalding and Cap Anson. In 1886, the White Stockings traveled to Hot Springs to prepare for the upcoming season.[1][2]Practicing at the Hot Springs Baseball Grounds, the White Stockings had a successful season and other teams took notice and began holding spring training in Hot Springs.[2] The Cleveland Spiders, Detroit Tigers, Pittsburgh Pirates, Cincinnati Reds, Brooklyn Dodgers and Boston Red Sox followed the White Stockings to Hot Springs. Whittington Park/Ban Johnson Park (1894), Majestic Park (1909) and Fogel Field (1912) were all built in Hot Springs to host Major League teams.[3][4]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spring_training

 

[Semiologist]

Spring training by major league teams in sites other than their regular season game sites first became popular in the 1890s and by 1910 was in wide use. Hot Springs, Arkansas has been called the original "birthplace" of Spring Training baseball. The location of Hot Springs and the concept of getting the players ready for the upcoming season was the brainchild of Chicago White Stockings (today's Chicago Cubs) team President Albert Spalding and Cap Anson. In 1886, the White Stockings traveled to Hot Springs to prepare for the upcoming season.[1][2]Practicing at the Hot Springs Baseball Grounds, the White Stockings had a successful season and other teams took notice and began holding spring training in Hot Springs.[2] The Cleveland Spiders, Detroit Tigers, Pittsburgh Pirates, Cincinnati Reds, Brooklyn Dodgers and Boston Red Sox followed the White Stockings to Hot Springs. Whittington Park/Ban Johnson Park (1894), Majestic Park (1909) and Fogel Field (1912) were all built in Hot Springs to host Major League teams.[3][4]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spring_training

 

[DFSNOLE]

Remember, I'm old.

 

[Semiologist]

Remember, I'm old.

We have one of those too. It's where we keep the silverfish.

 

[JohnnieHolmesNole]

True but they were never all in Florida. Spring Training actually began in Arkansas.

You are correct about that. Thanks.

 

[Manch.]

I share a birthday with my son in March, and we always mentioned hitting a Sox game on that day. Now that I'm in Florida, I might trying hitting some games next year.

I did attend an event at the Ted Williams Hitters Hall if Fame back in the 90's when it was in Inverness, where I met several Hall of Famers, who were awesome. Frank Robinson was easily the nicest and Bob Feller dropped about 100 F bombs when telling stories. The current players who were there, Mo Vaughn and Mike Piazza ignored all the kids whonwere there and couldn't relate to the older Hall of Famers, I hate those 2 former players.

I don't have any spring training stories, but I could write a book on the 150 times or so that I visited Heaven, at 4 Yawkey Way in Boston, a lot of those games were in the spring, does that count?

 

[FSUTD1]

I grew up at Fort Lauderdale Yankee Stadium and the Braves/ Expos facility off Palm Beach Lakes. I was a huge Dale Murphy and Braves fan at the time.

I used to catch batting practice home run balls by the dozens This one particular time, the Reds were playing the Braves and I was in my usual spot behind the left center field wall well before the game started. I was literally the only kid back there and I saw Dave Parker and Pete Rose walking around in the back. I remember running up to them and asking them for an autograph. They both looked at each other and Dave said, “ do you hear anything Pete?” Pete Rose said “Nope.” And they kept walking. At the time, I was pretty pissed but looking back on it now, it was actually funny.

 

[PoopandBoogers]

Pete Rose was a jerk, but an awesome jerk. @321Nole and I were at Chris Collinsworth's celebrity golf tournament when we were kids and tried to get his autograph. He saw us approaching and tried to walk around a tree to avoid us, but we cut him off and he had the biggest po'd scowl on his face when he signed his baseball card that he crumpled when giving it back to him. We got a huge kick outta that.

A lot of the guys were trashed. Jim Kelly was riding around with 2 blondes crushing beers. Sam Wyche was barely understandable. Al Mcguire was so hammered that he came up to us and gave us a long, awkward speech about being good young men and flipped his putter up in the air and tried to catch it, but it hit the ground and bounced up hitting him in the balls, but he kept on talking as we were giggling.

Downtown Eddie Brown was awesome and threw a football back and forth to us with a big smile on his face and almost broke my hands.

 

[Manch.]

Pete Rose hated signing anything that he didn't make a buck off of.

On a side note. Larry Bird would recognize autograph seekers that went from city to city seeking autographs that they could profit from, so he would sign for them, but sign "Pete Rose".

 

[QuaZ2002]

I still try and make it to a game every spring. I love the Phillies stadium in Clearwater and the renovations at Steinbrenner field are really nice as well.

 

[cfbfan23]

I went to quite a few Braves and Expos games in WPB in the 80's.