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Orlando's not a one-mouse town and this is the site that proves it! |
If you can make it to only one Spring Training site in Florida, this is the one you must visit. No other park in Florida captures the feeling of old-time Spring Training as well as Dodgertown’s Holman Stadium in Vero Beach. It is the poster child for Spring Training as it ought to be. Sure, it’s difficult to find because it is hidden away from the main highways. And truth to tell, the seats are not that comfortable. There’s really not a lot of shade, and the parking is scattered throughout the complex. Once the game starts, however, you’re transported back to a place and time where baseball is a game of youth. A place where you are reminded of the days when you and your friends found some sand lot, made bases out of boxes, and started whacking the ball as far as you could send it. No other Spring Training ballpark brings you as close to the players as this one. No other park lets you see as clearly what type of person each player is. And no other park welcomes autograph seekers as warmly. In short, it’s fantastic. Seeing the Los Angeles Dodgers in Vero Beach is an experience you’ll want to give yourself plenty of time to enjoy. Get to the ballpark early. Holman Stadium is one of the few Grapefruit League parks that opens its practice fields to fans before the game. This gives you a wonderful opportunity to see players outside the glare of the game. For instance, at Spring Training 2003, I watched pitcher Kevin Brown rub it in to players in other positions after his ball repeatedly screamed over the fence. A pitcher’s not supposed to be able to hit like that, but Brown did. Watching practice is also a great way to see the difference between the minor league players and the big leaguers. While the minor league players are running wind sprints and doing other exercises, the big leaguers are leisurely warming up. An added benefit of walking the practice fields is that you’re sure to catch a couple of home-run or foul balls to keep as souvenirs. One of the joys of this park is that every player is accessible to the fans on his way from the practice fields to the stadium. To get there, each has to walk (or ride a golf cart) over a bridge and through the parking lot, both of which are open to fans. You can stand on the bridge and walk through the lot with your favorite players. In fact, the players enter the stadium through the same entrance as the fans do. Didn't find what you were looking for? Try a Google search.
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The
Intrepid Traveler |
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