One Camper's Fantasy

By Mark Stone

Well, it has finally happened.  I have wanted to do this for 10 years and now I finally get the chance . . . Yes, I’m on my way to Fantasy Camp, more properly known as the Los Angeles Dodgers Adult Baseball Camp. 

As is the case with many native Southern Californians, I have played ball most of my life. Beginning in Little League at age 9 to the Freshman team at UCLA. And when not playing then coaching. And ever since the team moved to Los Angeles in 1958, I've been a Dodgers fan. So it's not so surprising that I have dreamt of going to Camp and now the time has come.

I left Los Angeles at about 1:30 pm (PST) bound for Orlando.  The arrangements were made late and the non-stop flights were either booked or too expensive.  So what’s a couple of stops.  No big deal, at least I don’t have to change planes.  The plane was less than half full; this was going to be OK.  First stop Phoenix.  Oops, there goes the rest of the plane. Not one seat empty and what was worse, kids.  Don’t get me wrong, I have two of my own and I love them dearly, but these were young kids, kicking my seat from behind, jumping up and down in the seat in front, and crying off to the right. (I had a window seat so at least I had only the plane engines to contend with on the left.)  What a way to start my sports fantasy! 

Well, I endured the six and a half hours and arrived in Orlando at about 11 pm (EST).  Bob, from the Dodgertown staff sent to pick me up, met me on my way to the baggage claim.  Bob’s a retiree, transplanted to Vero Beach from Pennsylvania, who works at Dodgertown during Spring Training.  We gathered up my bags and headed for the van where Paul was already waiting.  Just one more camper to pick up and we were off. 

It’s about a 2-hour drive from Orlando to Vero Beach and there’s not much to see at 12:30 am on a foggy, humid night/morning, so we talked, introductions first. Paul is from Albuquerque and he’s been here 4 times.  Bill’s from Reno and it’s his third camp. Then comes my first taste of camp stories. The veterans begin filling in the rookie on what to expect and what goes on.  I heard about the guy who got other campers together two and a half months before camp began to practice.  They practiced for the full time leading up to camp and then ended up on the same team at camp.  It just happened, a coincidence, really! . . .  Yeah, Right, Sure.  Naturally, their team won it all that year.  Then there was the time when this guy showed up late the night before camp started (like us), but instead of getting a good night’s sleep, he went out drinking.  He came in at 3 am, plastered and had to get up in 3 hours.  Wouldn’t you know it; he went 5 for 5 that afternoon.  Wonder what Lasorda or even Alston would have said about that. 

The commute seemed to fly by.  Found out that I should get a lot of playing time.  Seems that there is always a need for a pitcher who can get the ball over the plate.  Hopefully, I’ll be one. 

Got to Dodgertown at about 1:30 and was cheerfully greeted by Chris Perna, in charge of the late night desk.  Checked in and off to my room where everything was laid out for me, a Dodger Spring Training t-shirt; fruit, wine and munchies basket; and the camp information sheets.  Settled in to snack and review the itinerary and the next thing I knew it was 7:30 and time for a new day.

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