About the Author
Purpose of This Report
My target audience is baseball fans (or those on the edge) who are planning
a trip to Puerto Rico (or are on the edge). My goal, apart from experimenting
with web pages as an art form and preparing a memento of my own visits,
is to give you enough additional confidence (and wariness, when warranted)
that you will take the plunge and have vacations as successful as mine have
been.
The information has no warranty and you use it at your own risk. It is
necessarily a snapshot of a business in constant flux, and I revise it only
once a year. Although I have spent 2 weeks in Puerto Rico each of the last
three years, that is a small sample size, and this report may also err in
describing infrequent events as though they were commonplace. Much of the
stadium operation, such as the use of sound effects, depends on who shows up
to work.
If you click on the link below, I will be happy to answer additional
questions, correct errors of fact, and even acknowledge differences of
opinion. But I'm not trying to make any money with this exercise, nor am I
interested in enabling anyone else to make money off my work, nor do I
tolerate misuse of that e-mail link, such as any unsolicited commercial
offers.
Why Puerto Rico?
Actually, I had picked the Dominican winter league for its Red Sox connections
and because I watch NFL football at the home of a Dominican with his own
connections. Researching a trip there on the Internet, I encountered a
message from Jonathan Friedman, a famous fan of the former Arecibo Lobos (now
Bayamón Cowboys) that they played in Puerto Rico too. Investigation
revealed a ton of familiar names from the nearby Atlantic League. The
deciding factor was that PR is "inside" the United States, renting a car is
simple and most US insurance specifically covers it.
Other Ventures into Latin Baseball
In fact, years ago I spent a week in San José, Costa Rica, accompanying
my travel agent on a professional familiarization tour. She got tours of
museums and I snuck away and saw some organized baseball. Luckily, I didn't
care who played or about scoring the game.
In February, 2001, I was in Las Vegas, Caguas had just won the Puerto
Rico league and was headed for the international championship in
Culiacán, México, a couple hours south. I remembered sparsely
attended Latin baseball games and flew down without reservations.
I can heartily endorse the Tres Ríos hotel next to the Wal-Mart ($60
for your own cabin) but I paid $150 and the next night the rate was going to
be infinity, as ESPN had rented the whole place. I went to the ballpark,
stood in line for 4 hours and traded suggestions with the locals, then decided
it was going to be a media extravaganza and a week of rip-offs, and spent the
week driving across the Rocky Mountains and back, enjoying one game of the 12
from a hotel room well to the north. A return trip during the regular season
is on my mind and might some day be documented here.
About the Author
Your author is a self-employed technical writer and works at home or on
short trips that mostly adapt to the schedule of the independent
Atlantic League or other teams in the Merrimack Valley. My only
distinctions are to score the games unofficially and have the loudest
yell not enhanced by an orange construction cone (that's Cone Man, in
the next seat).
Apology in Advance
This site notes a bunch of imperfections and I hope it doesn't
sound too critical. The unexpected in the stands, at the scorer's
table, and in the front office are just as entertaining as the
unexpected on the playing field. If you wanted to see everything unfold
as planned, you would attend theater. The league and each team is fun
and a great bargain. Baseball (like Chuck Norris action movies, until
recently) virtually always delivers what it promises. The only true
fault is that they can't put more fannies in the stands. But that state
of affairs has advantages for the die-hard as well...while it lasts.
A
dog named Spike
Copyright © 2001, 2002
Spike, Brentwood, N.H.
All rights reserved.
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