Dodgertown

Posted at 11:38 am on Tuesday, November 14, 2006, in Uncategorized, and tagged baseball.

Have you ever been to Dodgertown? I have.

Image: moreron.com

With the possible news of the Los Angeles Dodgers logically moving their spring training headquarters from Vero Beach, Florida, to Glendale, Arizona, I would like to briefly reflect on my time in Dodgertown, which Vero Beach has come to be known. (Actually, Dodgertown is a neighborhood within Vero Beach. I know, the details matter.)

My father grew up a Brooklyn Dodgers fan. (Growing up in Buffalo, it could have been much worse; my father could have been a Yankees fan.) And who could hot have rooted for the lovable losers. Incidentally, after two of the three New York City teams bolted to the west coast following the 1958 season (the Giants and Trolleydodgers), my father eventually became a Yankee fan, for which I will never forgive him. (Note: My older brother is also a Yankee fan; in fact, I am the lone holdout in the family, and it feels so good.)

The Dodgers decided to keep their training camp in Florida all these years, however, and when our family took our annual spring trip to Florida, my father somehow managed to schedule a stop in Dodgertown. We went to a couple of spring training games. We got a bunch of rookies to sign our baseballs (and I wonder if any of them turned out any good); I managed to get a signature from Brett Butler (who in his prime, was pretty good). (Are any of these things worth any money?)

We stopped at Duke Snider’s restaurant for breakfast (which doesn’t exist anymore; the restaurant, not breakfast — don’t worry, breakfast still exists; I know, I had Honey Bunches of Oats with Almonds this morning). Duke Snider was my father’s favorite player, and his restaurant was filled with all sorts of memorabilia, and was attached to a hotel, a Day’s Inn, I believe. (I truly believe the Duke could have held out for a Marriott if he had tried.)

I’ve never asked my father why Duke Snider was his favorite player; mine would have been Gil Hodges (assuming we liked the same team). What a cool name — Gil Hodges. What position did he play?

Oh yea, in case you didn’t know, the “Boys of Summer” refer to the Brooklyn Dodgers…

Image: Cooperstown and Brooklyn Dodgers Gift Mall

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