That was a SHORT off season!

Posted on February 25, 2011

Exterior scenic view of Scottsdale Stadium before the spring training game between the Arizona Diamondbacks and San Francisco Giants in Scottsdale, AZ on February 25, 2011. (Photo by Brad Mangin)

 

Baseball is back with the World Champion San Francisco Giants kicking off the Cactus League season with a game against the visiting Arizona Diamondbacks at beautiful Scottsdale Stadium this afternoon. It seems like only a few weeks ago I was in Arlington, TX shooting the Giants celebrating their first World Series title in 56 years both on the field and in the clubhouse. I have shot the World Series or the past 11 years so I am used to working til around November 1st, but this off season was different. I was so busy working with Brian Murphy on Worth The Wait that this year’s spring training came faster than ever.

I arrived in town yesterday afternoon and will not start working on my assignment down here til Sunday, so I have a few days to goof around, visit friends, and relax. Since the Giants were playing today I went over to the ballpark down the street to shoot a few features of the ballpark for my archive. The place was packed and the crowd was buzzing. It was so weird seeing the World Series Champions logo painted on the field behind home plate (see above). I am STILL having a hard time believing they won it all just a few short months ago.

My trip down here got off to a great start with a fun dinner at Frashers with a bunch of writer friends, followed up by a post-game drink at the newly remodeled Pink Pony in Old Town Scottsdale. The Pony is a legendary spring training gathering spot. Dating back to the days when Ted Williams and the Boston Red Sox trained at old Scottsdale Stadium, the Pony is where all the baseball people went to eat and drink. And drink some more. Ty Cobb hung out there. So did Billy Martin. I visited the Pony during my first assignment down here for The National Sports Daily 20 years ago in 1991. It was still packed, but in the following years the old girl lost some of her luster and the place started to go down hill. Good friend Eric Risberg and I would always make at least one appearance at the Pony each year, but time was running out.

The place was shut down last year, and let me tell you it sure was sad walking through Old Town last year and seeing the Pony all boarded up. Luckily some new owners who understood the history of the place stepped up and rescued The Pony, opening up the new place just a few weeks ago. Last night was like seeing an old friend. The Pink Pony is back and I can’t wait to take Risberg there when he arrives for his spring training assignment next week.