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Reality starting to set in

Sitting in the press box at Osceola County Stadium (Astros) right now swapping old Vero Beach stories with a veteran out-of-town writer who is a longtime close buddy of mine, and I'm starting to realize that this is all going to be over in less than a week. No more Bobby's. No more Ocean Grill. No more Ay Jalisco. No more Villa Nova. Tonight, when I go back, it will be my last trip ever down the Florida Turnpike, except for that short leg 200 miles south of here that I have to take to get to Dolphin Stadium three days a year. No more Dodgertown. And no more Vero Beach. I'm trying to be sad. I'm trying to feel the way I felt the last few days before I graduated high school, or the last few days before I left Denver and Cincinnati for what at the time were greener pastures. But somehow, I just can't muster it. Somehow, I just can't cry for Dodgertown. And the funny thing is, after being down here for four weeks now, I don't get the impression the good people of Vero Beach are crying for it, either. What I have noticed is a lot more people from Los Angeles coming down to take advantage of their last chance to see the place, and that's a wonderful thing to see. But I also know I'll see a lot MORE of those people in Glendale, and that will be even better.

Comments

What's wrong with name dropping veteran, out-of-town writers Tony? Keep up the good work!

As a die hard Dodger fan my entire life, I have never been able to make it to a spring training game. I've always wanted to visit Dodgertown; one, for the history and just to see this amazing place, but more to just experience spring training. I will be sad when it is gone, but I am WAY more excited to now be able to visit spring training. Already starting to plan my trip for next year!

Reason number one for me to be excited, I am having a house built in Paradise Valley just a short drive from Glendale. Finally, I get to see spring training games without flying cross country and taking my life in my own hands driving from Orlando to Vero.

Who knows Tony, maybe you'll be a Baltimore Orioles beat writer someday! ;)

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TONY JACKSON

Tony Jackson has covered the Dodgers for the Daily News since 2004 and has covered Major League Baseball on a regular basis since 1995. He previously covered the Colorado Rockies and Cincinnati Reds. He is a native of Springdale, Ark., and a graduate of the University of Arkansas.
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