by Dave
Wesley
I had the privilege of attending Spring Training for the
first time in 2011. My wife had gifted the trip on Christmas much to my
surprise and we figured out all the logistics and actually went much to my
surprise. The Giants had come off an unlikely yet exciting World Series win
(finally) and Arizona was abuzz as they say with Giants fever. Heaven for a
Giants fan. Heaven for a baseball fan.
We had tickets for six games and saw some wonderful baseball
facilities, including the one that quickly became my favorite: Camelback
Ranch, home of the White Sox and the Dodgers. The training facilities are state
of the art: baseball diamonds everywhere, neatly split by a walkway, Dodgers
on the left, Sox on the right. Why, they even have exact dimensional replicas of
both Dodger Stadium and U.S. Cellular Field to make the practices that much more
realistic. Looks like they thought of everything.
Anyway, we were attending a White Sox game and got to
Camelback early, which is always a good idea for Spring Training. I wandered
down the public path drinking in the sights and sounds of rookies, veterans,
coaches - baseball. At the very end of the path I became intrigued with an
intra-squad practice game on the White Sox half of the facility. I stood by the
right field foul line. As the players came in I noticed the
right fielder had ended up with a ball. Seeing no kids in my vicinity I made
the universal sign for "throw me the ball if you don't mind and won't get in
trouble for it" and much to my surprise, I had my first Spring Training ball.
It turned out to be my only Spring Training ball. I'm double proud of the fact
that, according to the label, it's a very rare (I'm sure) "Minor League Practice
Ball".
Which brings me to Lasorda. Tommy Lasorda. Baseball icon.
Baseball legend. Walking back to the actual ballpark where the game was to be
played I saw a sea of blue. Youngsters mostly, playing catch, hefting
equipment bags, doing what I took to be Spring Training Baseball training
drills. And there, in his golf cart (complete with driver) sat Tommy. Tommy
Lasorda. Giant fan or not you can't pass up a chance to meet the great Tommy
Lasorda, and there he was, busy at the moment, busy with something, but busy.
Sights and sounds of Spring Training are mostly predictable.
But occasionally one gets that unexpected candid insight into the game that
only an overheard conversation between two rookies can provide. Rookie one: "I
just saw Tommy Lasorda. I wonder if he would talk to me; I don't know what I
would say." Rookie two: "I used to feel the same way. But then one day he did
talk to me, and thirty minutes later he was still talking." I settled for a
long-shot photo of Tommy and went my way.
But after regaling my wife with my Minor League Practice Ball
and my description of 80 or 90 Dodgers all practicing together I somehow
convinced her to accompany me to see for herself, and that's where we saw Tommy
again. Driving right past us in his golf cart. (Well, being driven, technically,
but you get the drift.) She has the better camera and I asked if she could get
a better picture. We edged closer, and that's when the driver came out to the
crowd (which consisted of my wife and I) and said, to no one in particular
"Tommy Lasorda is here. He loves meeting fans if anyone wants to talk to him."
I saw my chance, and sauntered up to baseball legend Mr. Lasorda. Summoning up
my best baseball line I said something like, "Hi Tommy". Nothing. "How's the
team look this year?" Grunt. Grasping at straws now for anything, I came up
with, "Sure is hot today." Tommy (looking somewhat disdainfully in my direction:
"It's Spring Training, it's supposed to be hot!"
Figuring the conversation at an end, I ended with, "Mind
posing for a picture with me, Mr. Lasorda?" Tommy: "Sure." The proof of his
photo acquiescence is above., a thrilling moment for a baseball fan at
his very first Spring Training.
Postscript: I notice I had an orange shirt on that day.
Almost looks like Giants orange. Unintentional, I assure you, Tommy, if
you're reading this.
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