Filed under: baseball, sports, spring training, top-feature
Grapefruit League Fans Shout Play Ball
Florida’s Grapefruit League Spring Training is as much a part of professional baseball as Babe Ruth, Willie Mays and Roberto Clemente. These baseball greats among others have run the baselines at various locations around the sunshine state since the first spring training began in February 1913.
In the spring of 1913 there were two teams getting into shape in the warmth of Florida, the Chicago Cubs and the Cleveland Indians. By 1914 there were four teams participating in training. With the appealing winter weather, improvements to train and automobile travel making the state of Florida more accessible, combined with the enticing offers made by Florida business leaders, baseball executives began to recognize the appeal and the Grapefruit League was soon established.
Spring conditioning and training has been held in Florida ever since, with the exception of the years during WW II when teams were prohibited from traveling south of the Potomac and Ohio Rivers or West of the Mississippi since trains were needed to transport troops. This rule applied for three years until 1946 when the so called ”Potomac Line” was erased and spring training resumed.
At the start of the 2011 spring training season, 15 teams form the Grapefruit League and will be hosted by 13 Florida cities. Since spring training games are held at smaller venues, fans have the opportunity to get closer to their favorite baseball superstars, enjoy smaller more intimate crowds and reap the added bonus of lower ticket prices.
Tickets are available for pre-season practices that begin as pitchers and catchers report first to training camp, followed by other player positions, and the first full-squad workouts taking place shortly thereafter. Once league games begin, fans must have a game day ticket to observe practice.
Spring Training games begin February 24 through March 30 leading up to opening day at the Major League fields. Whether you are in Florida for an extended period of time or visiting for a short vacation, several of the host cities are within close distance of each other, making it possible to attend the games of several professional teams.
The following is a list of the Grapefruit League teams and their host stadiums :
Atlanta Braves – Champion Stadium – ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex, Lake Buena Vista (map) – As part of the Walt Disney World Resort this stadium is one of the largest with 9,500 seats including double decked seating, luxury boxes and lawn seats. For an extra special touch during spring training games, a four-piece brass band plays music while standing atop the Braves dugout, and for extra fan fun a roving emcee poses trivia questions to audience members for prizes.
Houston Astros – Osceola County Stadium – Kissimmee (map)- Player accessibility is the name of the game at this 5,300 seat stadium, the smallest of the Grapefruit League sites. Have your cameras and autograph books ready, as team clubhouses are not connected to dugouts, forcing players to walk among their fans. Renovated in 2002, the stadium has the look of Camden Yards and with a fenced in playground this stadium is totally family-friendly.
Detroit Tigers – Joker Marchant Stadium – Lakeland (map) -As the Tigers roll into town they will celebrate their 75th year of reporting to Lakeland, Florida for spring training, the longest standing relationship between a major league team and a host city. Marchant Stadium underwent a total renovation in 2002 increasing the Tiger blue and orange seats to hold 8,500 fans. After a day at the park, check out the thrills of nearby Gatorland.
Washington Nationals – Space Coast Stadium – Viera – With homage paid to the nearby Kennedy Space Center (map), fans are greeted by a model of the US Space Shuttle. Recent improvements have been made to the park for fans enjoyment including enhanced scoreboard and sound system, as well as a tiki bar and picnic area in left field, begging the question who wouldn’t want to be out in left field?!
New York Mets – Digital Domain Park – Port St. Lucie (map) – Know to have a problem with flying bats, and I am not talking about the ones flying out of the players hands, St. Lucie Bat House has been constructed on site to give home to 10,000 to 15,000 resident bats. Still a little squeamish, baseball caps along with other Mets wear are available from the team store which is accessible from outside the park for non-ticketed fans.
Florida Marlins and St. Louis Cardinals – Roger Dean Stadium – Jupiter (map) – Designed specifically to host two major league teams, this stadium holds up to 7,000 fans and is the newest and most state-of-the-art facility to hold spring training. Fans wanting autographs should head to the first and third baselines where relief pitchers warm-up and are so close you can literally touch them. Make it a full day by including a trip to beach and nearby Loggerhead Marinelife Center at Juno Beach.
Boston Red Sox – City of Palms Park – Ft. Myers (map) – A special treat for Red Sox’s fans is the traditional singing of the National Anthem, Boston style, a kosher dog and copies of the Boston Herald and Boston Globe available outside the stadium. For the budget minded, admission to all workouts are open and free of charge. Sox fans attending the away games against the Braves or Astros should schedule a stop in Celebration or more specifically Celebration Town Tavern to feel right at home.
Minnesota Twins – Hammond Stadium at Lee County Sports Complex – Ft. Myers (map) – This stadium is so picturesque it doesn’t even look like a stadium, in fact, many think it reminds them of Churchill Downs. Boasting the largest fan base of any of the other host cities, this stadium offers a Beer Garden, open before, during and after the game, and the covered Bullpen Picnic Pavilion that is so close to the action, you can snag a few autographs from here.
Tampa Blue Rays – Charlotte Sports Park – Port Charlotte (map) – With 5,000 fix seats, this stadium offers a unique 360-degree walkway ringing the park. Considered to be very family friendly this stadium offers a Kids Clubhouse Zone with play areas for toddlers and youth and a special concession stand just for kids.
Baltimore Orioles – Ed Smith Stadium – Sarasota (map) Currently under renovation, the stadium is said to be on schedule for opening later this month. Improvements will include the addition of more shaded areas and the new 7,100 seats may seem a little familiar to Orioles fans as they have been recycled from Camden Yards.
Pittsburgh Pirates – McKechnie Field – Bradenton (map) – built in 1922, the Spanish Mission Style, McKechnie stadium is the oldest within the Grapefruit League and with new lights added in 2008, hosted its first night game ever. Located in downtown Bradenton within the famed Arts district, fans can mix a little culture with their sports.
New York Yankees – Steinbrenner Field – Tampa (map) -Despite being the largest ballpark in the Grapefruit League with seating capacity of 11,076, tickets to Yankees spring training games remain the most difficult to come by. Fans can still get a glimpse of their favorite Yankee players during the free and open to the public, workout sessions prior to February 26 and while you are there, honor the greats as you walk through the plaques of retired numbers or shop at the largest Yankees store in the Southeast.
Philadelphia Phillies - Bright House Networks Field – Clearwater (map) – Phillies fans may come for the action, but I am betting a lot come for the concessions as well, that includes, you guessed it, Cheese Steaks. Since most of the concessions are along the third base line, patrons can get their fill while continuing to feast their eyes on the game. Though the angle of the seats guarantees an excellent view, another popular viewing spot is the 50 foot long Tiki Bar.
Toronto Blue Jays – Florida Auto Exchange Stadium – Dunedin (map) – Located just two minutes from the shoreline, this stadium is nestled into a quiet neighborhood right next door to an elementary school and with a total capacity of 5,500 attendees. A giant scoreboard allows fans to see the day’s starting line up and a special treat is the singing of the national anthems of both Canada and the United States.
I am not sure if it is that we love baseball so much, or the fact that the promise of summer has arrived, or perhaps that these Grapefruit League stadiums offer so much fun, but I for one am thankful for Spring Training.
Photo Selections: flickr: slide, Osceola County, autographs, Bullpen
