March 26th, Roger Dean Stadium, Jupiter, FL - “Can’t Touch This” cranks through tinny P.A. speakers. I decided at pretty much the last minute to catch the Mets/Expos game up here. Jupiter is closer than any other of the spring training cities, plus this is supposed to be the worst weather day of the week, cloudy and windy. Average age of those in attendance: around 65. There is NOTHING else in the vicinity of this stadium. It’s located within a big planned-community-in-progress off interstate 95 about 50 miles north of Ft. Lauderdale. There’s actually a college here on the grounds, and a movie theater, and lots of unfinished housing. I can see some very garishly-painted homes beyond the right field wall; they don’t look like they’re done yet. The weather is mostly overcast – better baseball weather than beach weather – but i’d be surprised if i stay more than 5 innings, especially since Tim Raines isn’t starting today. Thus a $6 bleacher seat in left field. 45 minutes to game time.
This stadium is called Roger Dean Stadium. Isn’t Roger Dean the guy who designed all of those Yes album covers back in the ‘70s? If so, you’d think this stadium would be much more psychedelic and interplanetary looking. Especially considering it’s in a town named Jupiter. Alas, nothing is notable about this stadium at all, other than its striking resemblance to the facility where the Mariners and Padres train in Glendale, AZ, for those of you that have been there (me and Jason). The first thing i saw when i entered here was the bored look of an old black woman, resting her head in her hands, behind the counter of the “Jupiter Scoopiters” ice cream stand. Priceless.
I’m surprised to see/hear there are quite a few French speakers at the ballpark today.
The hot dogs are fine here. There’s sauerkraut at the condiments bar - always welcome – but there’s also something called “Stadium Sauce.” That sounds like something you’d find at Shea after a hard rain. Recent spins over the P.A.: “Welcome to the Jungle” and “No More Mr. Nice Guy”. I bet the RV-driving crowd is diggin’ those selections.
Picture this: between innings, a man in a salmon colored t-shirt and khaki shorts, flanked by two not-very-smart looking young women, with navy blue golf shirts and their pony tails coming out of the back of their white baseball hats. They are carrying a fairly big, neon-green slingshot.
Stunningly unenthusiastic voice over the P.A.: “Fans, it’s the PBI Party Patrol with the world’s largest slingshot. Look out for t-shirts.”
The trio limply shoots t-shirts into the crowd along the 3rd base line, almost all of them landing within the same 3 rows.
Expos pitcher Brett Reams, with sideburns and a soul patch (ugh) had a perfect game going through 5 innings, so i decided i was going to leave as soon as a Met reached base. This happened in the 6th, when Edgardo Alfonzo singled. There went the intrigue. I stopped by the Expos team shop to look at overpriced souvenirs – deciding on an unremarkable photo postcard of Roger Dean Stadium for 50 cents, amid the $3 Sharpies and $9 foam fingers. I later filled it out in a very stream-of-consciousness manner and sent it to Jesse, who would appreciate more than anyone a postcard from “Roger Dean Stadium.” As i left the stadium, the attendance at the game was announced at roughly 4,200 – about right for an Expos game.
