Sunday, February 24, 2008 |
Notes On The Dodgers' Spring Training Move To Arizona
"It's sad to see them go," said Koufax, the former Brooklyn and Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher. "I have friends (in Vero Beach), but most of them are not there any more either. ... It's just the way it works."(Make sure to turn on Adblock before you read that one ... lots of interstitials.)
The Press-Telegram has some reminiscences of their sports columnist Doug Krikorian from his years there:
There are a few events that still stand out for me from that spring training, one of which was a voluble confrontation I had with Sutton after I had written a column about how he had become a clubhouse nuisance.One trip to the Dominican to play an exhibition series yielded some rather racy side effects:I don't recall its specifics 31 years later, but I do know it angered Sutton, who let me know in no uncertain terms know he didn't appreciate such a negative article.
"Sometimes the truth can be painful," I remember telling Sutton, which, of course, made him even angrier.
I'll also never forget going into a sleazy Santa Domingo saloon with several other writers, including the late Bud Tucker, who was then the clown prince of Southern California sportswriters.Ouch.The place was swarming with women of all ages and shapes, and Mr. Tucker, a curious sort especially after a few belts, asked one what the price was for her services.
I'm not sure what she said in Spanish, but I do remember Bud, who restrained his activities that evening strictly to drinking, uttering this deathless response: "Honey, I just want to rent you, not buy you."
The Auto Club's January/February issue of Westways magazine (which I got in the mail Saturday) has a nice article in the print edition including people's remembrances of Vero, but it won't be online for a month or two.
Labels: dodgers, spring training
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