When you're Dutch and you visit the States about once a year you can be happy with the little things. When these little things involve Dodger-stuff you get a fuzzy feeling even when it's next to nothing. I wrote in my
last blog entry I got excited by being at the original Dodgertown in Vero Beach. Even though I was there during the offseason and nothing was going on.
Today we visited Albuquerque and when you're a Dodgers fan, you visit Isotopes Park. Now, I knew the season hadn't started yet, so no disappoitment there. I was just happy to be there. As luck would have it some guys were working on mobile consession stands and they were unloading stuff. So we casually walked through the right field gate and I was happy to see the freshly cut, green grass in the field. A shame those BBQ Nachos weren't there yet! :)
Outside the park there was this sign saying 'Dodgertown route of champions' and it had a map of the US and Dominican Republic with all Dodgers related sites. I loved it! But I was a bit miffed about the fact Vero Beach was not on it. Sure, I know Dodgertown is no more (at least in Florida) but I can't imagine the memories of it slipping away and future generations not knowing of it's existence.
Then I saw the sign saying 'pro shop' and since I wanted a 'Topes cap I was eager to visit it, but no... it was closed. Bummer!
Thank goodness the Lids at the Corona Center Mall had loads of them, so hooray, I got me one! One interesting fact is that although the Dukes moved to Portland and became the Beavers in 2001 Albuquerque seems to love the team a lot. I saw many Dukes caps at Fannz and Lids (and on people's heads). But be it Dukes or Isotopes, it's great to see a Dodgers Minor League team back in Albuquerque.
