Columnists
The old ball game
Michael Murray with one of two baseballs he scooped up during batting practice.
About a week ago, I received a phone call from Michael Murray, a Picton resident and recent transplant from Ottawa. He wondered whether I would like to accompany him to a Spring training game in Fort Myers. He did not have to ask twice. We had met at a Florida Everblades game and discovered we had a common interest— sports.
Murray has been involved in sports all 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. And 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, starting with my first game in 1954 at Yankee Stadium. Never have I caught a ball in the stands, nor have I sat beside anyone who managed to snag a ball. That changed at the game I attended with Murray. 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.
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.
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 a number of leagues below that level. The Twins maintain a facility in Fort Myers that is used throughout the year. They have a minor league team—the Miracle—that plays at Hammond Stadium. The stadium has undergone significant changes this past 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.
The Red Sox play near the airport, and my recommendation is to head out there early 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 wet 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 scooped up two additional balls along the first base line during batting practice. I asked him where he was stationed, precisely. He gave me that look you’d get if you asked a fisherman about his secret locations.
On this particular occasion, someone asked to “take me out to the ball game”. For me, that is simply a rhetorical question.
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