Spring Training
by admin
I saw in the news this morning that my favorite baseball team, the San Francisco Giants, won their first exhibition game of the preseason, 8-7 over the Seattle Mariners in 10 innings. One of the sure signs of spring is when major league baseball cranks up its preseason.
I love Spring Training. It is a time when one of America’s most relaxed sports is even more relaxed than usual. Players laugh and joke with fans and play pepper with each other, throwing balls over their shoulders, between their legs, or any other way to fool the batter. Grown men playing a kids game and loving it. Other players can be seen running in the outfield, even as the game proceeds. After a long winter, Spring Training is sunny, warm and fun.
One of the best memories I have of growing up was when my father took my brother Dave and me to Giants Spring Training in Casa Grande, Arizona. We were able to pal around with the ballplayers, who were all bigger than life to us. Players like Hal Lanier, Jim Ray Hart, Juan Marichal, Willie McCovey, Willie Mays and others. Future Hall of Famer Gaylord Perry bought me a Coke during a card game on the condition that I agree to stand next to another ballplayer he was playing against. Perry told me I was bad luck after he lost a hand as I stood next to him. He decided that I needed to bring that bad luck to the other guy. A Coke was the payoff.
Future Cy Young Award winner and current broadcaster Steve Stone was in his first spring with the Giants, and he spent extra time with my brother and me. Very classy guy.
Of course, we had our gloves with us wherever we went, and were able to play catch with some of the ballplayers. Even the swimming pool for the Giants hotel was shaped like a large baseball bat.
Great trip. Great memories. Go Giants!
Thanks Dad.