Florida's Newest Spring Park

Like a lot of New Yorkers living in "the sixth borough," my friend Amy Z was excited to have the Yankees visit the east coast of Florida during Spring Training. Monday, they met the Nationals at their brand-spanking-new pre-season home, the Ballpark of The Palm Beaches. (The Nats share the park and campus with the Astros.) She picked a perfect day -- look at that sky; can it be any bluer? Then, those signature palm trees. You won't find those in the Bronx.

All the signature touches you'd expect in a Grapefruit League park, including outfield seating on the grass, instead of bleachers.

For more than 30 years, the Bronx Bombers made Fort Lauderdale their second home. To many, they helped put the town on the map.
Have you ever seen the movie Safe at Home, which co-starred Mickey Mantle and Roger Maris with Hollywood's #1 Yankee fan William Frawley fulfulling his lifelong dream by playing a Yankee coach -- and was partly shot on location at Fort Lauderdale Stadium?
That era ended when the Yanks moved their spring headquarters to George Steinbrenner's homebase of Tampa in 1996. The Orioles took their place through 2009, but they've since switched to Sarasota, ending a nearly five-decade baseball tradition in Lauderdale. These days, none of the teams on the west coast of Florida enjoy taking the long bus ride to visit the remaining clubs on the I-95 corridor. So seeing the Yankees -- below, during batting practice -- is a treat.

A post-game look at the ballpark after the Yanks beat the Nats 9 - 3. At least the New Yorkers are leaving happy.

Thanks again to Amy for the great photos.