Friday, February 15, 2008

Goodbye, Vero Beach

Copyrighted by Sarah D. Morris, 2008

This Friday the Dodgers officially begin their sixtieth and last spring training in Florida. As usual, Dodger fans are excited about the upcoming season. We can't get enough news about the Los Angeles Dodgers.

After last season when the Dodgers collapsed in August and September, they want to redeem themselves. With their new manager Joe Torre, the expectations of a trip to the World Series are high. General manager Ned Colletti didn't acquire many players. Andruw Jones was the most notable acquisition this off-season. Hiroki Kuroda was the illusive starter that the Dodgers wanted. Catcher Gary Bennett replaces Mike Lieberthall who retired.

Though there is the usual excitement surrounding spring training, there is a twinge of sadness, also. The Dodgers are leaving Vero Beach. They have trained there since 1948, and they were the only team to train there.

I know it is logical for the Dodgers to train in Arizona when they play in Los Angeles, but going to Vero Beach has been a tradition. As a Dodger fan, I have enjoyed watching and listening to the games from Vero Beach. For many years the complex of Dodger Town was considered state of the art for baseball training. Many times teams from Asia and Europe came to Dodger Town to observe. Although now the players don't want to stay on the complex anymore, it has many baseball diamonds where they practice and mounds for pitching.

I can't comprehend spring training without seeing an open dugout where the Dodgers play their home games. I know it is unsafe, but without it fans couldn't establish relationships with the Dodgers. This was what made Dodger Town special, and it will be sorely missed.

Next spring training Dodger fans won't see Tommy Lasorda being the mayor of Dodger Town. We probably won't see Manny Mota going around the spring training complex on a bike. During spring training broadcasts, we won't hear glass breaking when a player hits a foul ball. Because the new stadium will be bigger than Holman Stadium, we probably won't hear the fans cheering when the Dodgers do something good or booing when the opposition is winning. Without fans' sounds, the games will be less enjoyable.

We won't hear about a player staying on Vin Scullly Drive. We can't look forward to the next Dodger who gets inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame getting a street named after him.

The memories of Roy Campanella wheeling in his power chair around the complex will be dim because we won't see where he was. I doubt we will hear about Sandy Koufax coming and teaching the young pitchers how to throw a curveball. Because the Dodgers are leaving Florida, probably no old Dodger fan from Brooklyn will come to see his or her favorite team play.

Although the new complex that the Dodgers will share with the Chicago White Sox will be nicer and bigger, it will not be the Dodgers'. It probably will have a golf course, but it won't be the one O'Malley built because his African-American players couldn't use the city's. The Dodgers probably will not be able to use the facilities any time they want because the White Sox need opportunities, also.

I thought I would get to go to Vero Beach someday and see the Dodgers play spring training games. However, I never will. Although the move makes sense for the Dodgers because they won't have to haul equipment from coast to coast, it is sad to see the Dodgers turning their backs on the city of Vero Beach which has treated the Dodgers well over the last sixty years. When I listen to a spring training game this year, I think I will be flooded with memories. Sometimes change is good. Training in Arizona will help the Dodgers, but leaving Florida will be sad for everybody.