Monday, March 16, 2015
The Old Ball Game-Spring Training
The Old Ball
Game-Spring Training
Michael Murray and James Hurst
About a week ago, I
received a phone call from Michael Murray, a Picton resident, and a recent
transplant from Ottawa. He wondered whether or not I would like to accompany
him to a Spring Training game in Fort Myers. I told him that he did not have to
ask twice. We had met at a Florida Everblades game, and discovered we had a
common interest-sports.
He has been involved
in sports all of his life, from the national level down to the minor leagues.
He worked for Hockey Canada, and knew a lot of the folks around the Quinte
Sports Centre. The national junior hockey team used the Olympic ice surface on
occasion to prepare for international competitions. He spent time with the
Canadian Football League, in administration. He was a strong supporter of the
Ottawa Lynx, during their baseball days in Ottawa.
I have attended
thousands of baseball games over the years, from the first game in 1954 at
Yankee Stadium. Never have I ever caught a ball in the stands, nor sat beside
anyone who managed to snag a ball. That changed at the game I attended with
Michael. A foul ball soared over our heads, hit the wall behind the seats,
ricocheted off a couple of fans and landed cleanly in his palm. For a moment I
experienced a pang of jealousy. But just for a moment.
Always surprise at Spring Training Games: Nice Clouds!
Spring Training is in
full swing here in South West Florida. Pitchers and catchers always arrive a
little early, and the other players follow suit about two weeks later. I spent
a chilly morning at the Twins complex in late February. I watched Mark
Hamburger as he threw hard for about 15 minutes, then headed out to field
ground balls. I asked him about being there in chilly conditions. “Sir,” he
told me, “If I was unhappy with these conditions, I’d be a fool. It is great to
be here, and great to be able to play this game.” Hamburger has been around for
some time, and has worn a few different hats. He is hoping to catch on with the
Twins this year.
Mark Hamburger, at the Twins facility
Hamburger is a local guy for the Twins, He was born in St. Paul, and signed with the Twins in 2007. He was with the Rangers last year, and hopes to catch on with Minnesota this year. Thus far, he has logged three innings in relief, chalking up four strikeouts and has two saves.
But that is what
Spring Training is all about. There are thousands of athletes at these camps,
working to find a spot on a major league roster. Those that are close will
start the season in “AAA” ball, and there is a variety of leagues below that
level. The Twins maintain a facility in Fort Myers that is used throughout the
year, and they have a minor league team that plays at Hammond Stadium, the
Miracle. The stadium has undergone significant changes this last year, and is a
beautiful place to idle away a warm spring day enjoying the great game of
baseball. Former Blue Jay Paul Molitor is at the helm. He was inducted into the
Baseball Hall of Fame in 2004, and has been involved in the game forever.
Peanuts, naturally.
The Red Sox play near
the airport, and my recommendation is to head out there at 10:00am for the
game. It will likely take you an hour to get situated, because of the traffic.
But once inside Jet Blue Park, you are in for a treat. The scoreboard and the
Green Monster were positioned here after renovations at Fenway. There are
plenty of places to whet your whistle, or to grab a ballpark snack. Naturally,
the food choices are somewhat typical of the south, with crab shack delicacies,
and lobster rolls-to suit the Maine palate.
Murray even had two
additional balls that he had scooped up with his glove along the first base
line during batting practice. I asked him where he was stationed, precisely. He
gave me that look that you’d get if you asked a fisherman about his secret
locations.
On this particular
occasion, I was asked by someone to “take me out to the ball game”. For me, that is simply a rhetorical question.
James Hurst
March 16, 2015
# posted by James Hurst @ 7:32 AM 
