So I stayed up until 2 AM Florida time playing with my laptop and doing my first blog (http://haldash.blogspot.com). I got up at 7 AM local time and called my roomie Art from NJ to see if he wanted to go out to the Sox complex, check it out and workout.
Art has been sleeping in his RV all week awaiting today and he said, "Let's do it." So I put on my uniform pants, red sox (what did you expect?), cleats and Sox hat and off we went at 8 AM.
15 minutes and about 6 miles later we arrived at the 6 field complex at the end of a road in the middle of nowhere. Ft Myers is strip malls, flat land, outlet stores and the usual collection of t high cholesterol eateries. In other words, I won't retire here and this shtetel won't make the top ten cities in America any time soon.
We park the RV and walk into the complex. Oil Can Boyd (Sox looney hurler in the 80s) was throwing in the batting cages. We go into the main locker room and WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
There were rows and rows of lockers filled with all the stuff we'll use for the week. I walk down the rows and the helpful staffer asks for my name and points to row 4.
I walk down row four and see names above the lockers and halfway down I see the name 'Dash" above the cubicle. An official hat sits above the name and a goodie bag is next to it. Two regulation uniforms (home and road) with "Dash" and 60 on the back. Way cool! Official Sox pants and a windbreaker are also hanging on the hooks.
I just look at it all and imagine those over the years who may have had this cubicle. The great and near great. Maybe Dewey Evans or Yaz or Jim Willoughby or heaven forbid, Bill Buckner!
Former catcher and Fantasy coach Rich Gedman comes in and says "hi." We met at the baggage carousel last nite and he's here to loosen up. I turn around to see who may be nearby and right behind my locker the name "Jim Rice" hits me between the eyes. Red Sox Nation knows about Jim Ed Rice from South Carolina, but for the rest of you he just got into the Baseball Hall of Fame. 16 years with the Sox. A .298 batting average; 382 home runs, 1451 rbis, 2452 hits, MVP in '78. An All Star several times over. I will be giving him hitting lessons starting tomorrow!
After the buzz wears off, Art and I hit field #5 and workout throwing and hitting a bit. The grass is so green; the sky so blue and a nice cool breeze brushes our faces. "Is this heaven? No, it's Ft. Myers (with apologies to "Field of Dreams"). We do a few wind sprints. Get out the oxygen! Feels good actually. Art is a former high school pitcher and I catch him for a bit. Nice slider and decent velocity for a 61 year old dude.
We wander over to Field #1 and guys in uniforms are playing a game. Seems as if last year's campers get to come in early and play a game (for an extra fee) and some of these guys are good. Some are okay and I feel better. Some of the pitchers are throwing pretty fast with some good movement. Thank god, I have been going to the batting cages for the past two months. One of the players is 72; another is 73. Not bad really, but I feel MUCH better!
Two hours is enough and we head back to get ready for our first team meeting and then a Super Bowl party with the whole crew.
Can't wait to see the rest of the campers and size up the talent. Lot of thirty somethings! Crap! Hope they take pity on us old folks!
I need to call Scott Boras to negotiate my contract. $5 million sounds good, eh?
Stay tuned for more from Ft. Myers.
Hal
#60
Sounds fabulous! I am so excited for you. Imagine in 30 years when you're an old man and you read this blog; you won't believe you had this experience. Something tells me a few of your friends (Steve, Fish, Alan, Joel) are going to be quite jealous. Too bad!!!
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