Spring Training!

I grew up in a baseball loving family.  I've gone to games regularly since I was 4 years old.  I remember taking road trips growing up to go watch the California Angels spring training in Palm Springs, CA.  I remember how much fun it was to meet the players and get their autographs.

I moved to the Phoenix area when I was in college and, at the time, we didn't have Major League Baseball here, but we had Fall Leage and Spring Training. Over the years I went to a few games with friends and had a great time.  Later on the Arizona Diamondbacks moved to town so my chances to go to games increased.

It was in the years after college that I really fell lin love with spring training.  First off, my Angels were now holding their spring training just down the freeway from my house.  Secondly, spring training games are very inexpensive.  Where the Angels train lawn seats were only $4 and parking in the nearby office park was free!  I loved the cheap baseball, the beautiful weather, and the comradarie of hanging out on the lawn! Even when I went to games by myself I always made friends with those around me.  In my first few years out of college I loved spring training so much that I would take my vacation time from work in March just so that I could hang out at the ballpark as much as possible.


The access to the players during spring training is amazing, too. It's very easy for kids to get autographs and to talk to the players.  Last week I decided the kids were old enough that they'd enjoy watching the free workouts and being able to meet the players.  Since my son started Little League last week I also wanted to show him that even the "real" baseball players have to practice before they can play in games.









The kids loved going to the workouts, though they didn't really understand why we were asking the players to sign their baseballs and they didn't know what an autograph was.  My 5 year old, while trying to ask the players, "May I please have your autograph?" was more likely to ask, "Would you like my autograph?".  That got a few chuckles :)  My son also loved telling the players that he was in Little League and is now playing t-ball, which started a few conversations where the players told him about how they played Little League when they were his age. 

All in all it was a great day and the circle is complete because I grew up going to games with my parents, and having them help me collect autographs, and now I get to do the same with my kids.   I can't wait to do this again next year, though I know my son will have to miss out because the work outs will be while he is in school.