August 09, 2003
BASEBALL, THE WAY IT WAS MEANT TO BE
My friend Al at Hudsonian sends along this postcard picture from Holman Stadium at Dodgertown in Vero Beach, Fla., spring home of the Los Angeles Dodgers and the summer hangout of the Vero Beach Dodgers.
During the game, Al wandered around and saw a bronze plaque erected at the stadium following the then-Brooklyn Dodgers's visit to Hiroshima, Japan during a goodwill trip.
The plaque, which is bolted on the side of the concession stand behind home plate, reads:
WE DEDICATE THIS VISIT IN MEMORY OF THOSE BASEBALL FANS AND OTHERS WHO HERE DIED BY ATOMIC ACTION ON AUG. 6 1945. MAY THEIR SOULS REST IN PEACE AND WITH GOD'S HELP AND MAN'S RESOLUTION PEACE WILL PREVAIL FOREVER, AMEN.
Al wrote, "Notice the atomic reference. Neither 'bomb' nor 'war' is mentioned, but 'action.'"
His other observations:
It's still the best place to watch baseball.
They were playing Springsteen's "Glory Days" after the hometown Dodgers emerged victorious, 4-3, over the Fort Myers Miracle in 10 innings. A pair of beers and Dodger dogs to match made it a successful evening. After the game, the Miracle catcher was using a lot of obscene language with his friends to explain how the winning run scored against his club.
The Miracle is owned by a New Jersey guy named Marv Goldklang, who along with characters Mike Veeck and Bill Muray, own four other minor league clubs. Here's the funny connection to the Hudson Valley -- Goldklang traded general managers this summer between his Fort Myers and Hudson Valley (N.Y.) clubs!! I think both guys (general managers) wanted the move -- but the "trade" of general managers made for some fun AP copy and national national headlines last month.
I got in the car for the 35-mile drive back to Melbourne. And what's queued up on my casette player in my car? "Glory Days" on my Springsteen's best-of casette.
So with the symmetry in place, I rode off -- another Vero game in the books.