Ft. Lauderdale FL Grapefruit League Spring Training

Today we visited Ft. Lauderdale where the Baltimore Orioles have their Spring Training facility. We drove down from Winter Haven, taking about 4 hours. We got off of the turnpike in Jupiter and switched over to I-95. We should have stayed on the turnpike because there is constant construction on I-95. We stayed in SW Pompano Beach only about 2 miles from the Orioles ballfield. While we were waiting in line to purchase tickets a man offered to sell us 2 box seat tickets that he said were great. They were, we were in the first row right by the Orioles on deck circle. We were in the sun except when it went behind a cloud, so it was hot as well as very humid. Before the game one of the long time regular local Orioles fans threw out the first pitch. He is getting an autograph in one of the pictures. Also, before the game started the adult bat "boy" asked a young man sitting behind us if he wanted to assist him as a batboy. The answer, of course, was "Yes". Grant did a great job and is pictured below as well. The Orioles were playing the Florida Marlins. The Marlins took the lead in the first inning and led until the bottom of the seventh. Then the Orioles got to the Marlins pitcher and took the lead to win the game 4-2. The box score was Marlins R-2, H-7, E-1, Orioles R-4, H-9, E-0. Ft. Lauderdale Stadium was built in 1962. The roof covers the upper half of the stadium. There are grandstand seats down both the first and third base lines and in right field. Seating capacity is 8,340, with today's attendance I would estimate in the low 3,000 range. Dimensions are RF-320', CF-401', and LF-332' Again there are limited concession selections.