Skip to main content

Take Me Out To The Ball Game

While visiting south Florida there's been a superfluity of sporting events in both Fort Lauderdale and nearby Miami. The NHL's Panthers played the Toronto Maple Leafs. One of the early rounds of March Madness, the NCAA basketball tournament, was hosted in Miami as was the world baseball series and so on. But we didn't go for those big ticket items. Oh no. We decided to take in that great American pastime: Spring Training.

Fort Lauderdale Stadium was built in 1962 and up until about 1996 was spring training home to the New York Yankees. Since then, when the Yankees moved on to Legends Field in Tampa, the Baltimore Orioles have played there.
My buddy and I got tickets to the Orioles vs the Tampa Rays but unfortunately the game was rained out. Sure, fly 1500 miles from snow covered Canada in search of fun in the sun and encounter 17 straight hours of rain and flood alerts. We weren't off to a good start. Undaunted we traded our tickets in for a game with the Washington Nationals, which worked out well for a couple of Canucks. The Nats, you see, used to be the Montreal Expos.

Here's the main entrance of Fort Lauderdale Stadium...

Here's a shot of the press box...
Here's the opening pitch. The Nationals beat the Orioles 3-1.

Here's a shot of the Beer Guy
Here's a shot of the photo guy...
And here's a shot of the tourist guys, my snowbird buddy on the left and some other guy.
And a good time was had by the tourist guys for a grand total of $14 each. Geez, that's about half as much as the t-shirt I bought!

So when it comes to the Grapefruit League Spring Training? Been there, done that, got the t-shirt! (C'mon, you musta seen that comin',)

Comments

I am sports ignorant. I don't watch any sports. Did you have fun?
nonamedufus said…
Beer & baseball? Only in America. Well, in Toronto too but we don't like to talk about that.
Me-Me King said…
I grew up a Cardinals fan, but now I'm a Diamondbacks fan. I love going to the games, I'm a true bleacher bum. (Don't tell anyone, I was once ejected.....seriously!)
nonamedufus said…
Me-Me: Been to Blue Jays (Toronto) and Expos (Montreal) and our local Ottawa Lynx used to be the Expos AAA team. All fun to watch!

Only other stadium I've visited is Red Sox. Fenway Park is a fascinating ballpark.
Anonymous said…
I love to rock a spring training game. I'm glad it all worked out for you.
Anonymous said…
Oh yeah, I forgot to add, Go Jays!
nonamedufus said…
FTU: Yeah it's a lot of fun...ya get to see major league ball for $14.
nonamedufus said…
FTU: Yeah it's a lot of fun...ya get to see major league ball for $14.
I am sports ignorant. I don't watch any sports. Did you have fun?
freetheunicorns said…
I love to rock a spring training game. I'm glad it all worked out for you.

Popular posts from this blog

Sunday Funnies

The Polka Dot Door

A long time ago, when I was 22, my first child was born.  That kid grew up on a little Canadian kid's show called Polka Dot Door, produced by the TV Ontario network.  And Dad, more often than not, sat through those shows with his little one. Nine or so years later when a brother, and a year after that when a sister came along number one son was moving on to Knight Rider and The Dukes of Hazzard.  But there was a nice overlap where his siblings picked up where he had left off with Polka Dot Door.  And Dad was right there to welcome them. So you're looking at a Polka Dot Door veteran.  The show began in 1971 and ran to 1993.  I didn't watch the full run but I did get in my fair share.  The formula was pretty simple.  A young male and female host, which seemed to change every week, sang songs, told stories, made crafts and generally did their best stimulate little brains.  The show opened as follows... Imagination Day!  Oh boy!  You know what happens on Imagination D

SuperBowl Ads

Well, the game didn't go my way, but some of the American Super Bowl Ads (found at: http://www.myspace.com/superbowlads ) turned my crank... Diet Pepsi Max Super Bowl Ad: Wake Up People Ginseng & Caffeine Bud Light Wine & Cheese Party Super Bowl Commercial Bridgestone Tire Super Bowl Commercial: Squirrel vs Car Garmin Nuvi Super Bowl Commercial: Napolean Finds His Way w/ GPS Bud Light Super Bowl Ad: Immigrants with Carlos Mencia Planters Nuts Super Bowl Commercial: Woman Attracts Men w/ Nuts Pepsi Stuff Super Bowl Commercial: Justin Timberlake Bud Light Super Bowl Commercial: Cave Man Invents Wheel Coca Cola Super BOwl Commercial: Parade Balloon Victoria's Secret Super Bowl Commercial with Adriana Lima Book: Clapton - The Autobiography by Eric Clapton Music: New Seasons by The Sadies