Baseball spring training games start today. How great is that? When my mother Mary was still alive and living in Stuart, Florida, I would often come down in March to visit and catch a few of those exhibition contests while I was there. At first the stadiums were small and fan friendly, such as Payne Park in Sarasota, where the Chicago White Sox used to train, and Holman Stadium in Vero Beach, where the Los Angeles - and before them, the Brooklyn - Dodgers trained for many years. Back then players and fans entered and left the stadiums the same way, making for a much more intimate baseball experience. It was all about getting ready for the season, and as I recall, ticket prices were cheap. These days, in addition to getting players in shape, spring training is also considered an important revenue source. The teams now train in small versions of major league parks, and tickets cost the same as during the regular season. But I am still happy that spring training games begin today in both Florida and Arizona. It is, after all, a time of optimism for baseball fans everywhere. At this point, every team has a chance to win it all, at least in theory. And in honor of this special day, I am featuring a photograph of my mother that I took in front of Roger Dean Stadium (located in Jupiter, Florida) at one such spring contest back in March of 2002. I can't remember which teams played that day, but who cares? It was spring training.
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