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The minor-league park was more than just a weekend event for some workers and fans. A part of it is embedded in their lives.
By BOB PUTNAM
© St. Petersburg Times, published July 23, 2000
ST. PETERSBURG -- Barbara Phillips has had it rough -- breast cancer, heart surgery and carpal tunnel syndrome, the death of her husband, Donald, to cancer of the esophagus in October.
Through it all, though, Phillips always had one companion: minor league baseball at Al Lang Stadium.
A concession worker there since 1983, Phillips, 60, rarely misses a game.
When she underwent chemotherapy she still showed for work.
Nothing seemed to stop her. Not even her youngest daughter's wedding.
A few years ago Debra Smith, 29, was going to get married on the Fourth of July. Phillips knew she couldn't miss work on a major holiday, so she did the next best thing. Her daughter was married on the field.
Phillips has a remarkable relationship with many customers. During her extended stays in hospitals, they visited her or sent cards.
"It's so much of a family affair here," Phillips said. "I've known these people for so many years. I've seen people come in with babies years ago. Now those babies are in high school. It just feels like home here. It makes you feel really good. You weren't just a worker here, you were part of the place. I really hated to miss it. Being around baseball and working here has helped me get through a lot of things."
After this season, it will be gone.
On Monday, the Devil Rays said their Class-A Florida State League franchise will shut down after this season. The Rays are being compensated for ceasing operations and most likely will relocate in Lexington, Ky., or Wilmington, N.C., in the Class-A South Atlantic League. The move was made to create balance between regular and advanced Class-A teams.
The Rays' Class A team has been at Al Lang, now called Florida Power Park, since 1997. But the relationship between minor league baseball and the city goes back much further.
The St. Petersburg Saints played here from 1920 to 1965 in a wooden stadium where the parking lot sits now. The St. Petersburg Cardinals played from 1966 to 1996.
Future major-league managers such as Sparky Anderson, Terry Kennedy and Jim Riggleman got their start here. Past players include Garry Templeton, Andy Van Slyke, Tommy Herr, Ken Oberkfell, Scott Boras (later a well-known agent), Keith Hernandez and Mike DiFelice.
The stadium brings back memories for Oberkfell. He was a member of the St. Petersburg Cardinals in 1975 before going on to a 14-year major-league career. Oberkfell, now a first-year manager with the Clearwater Phillies, had not been to Al Lang since he stopped playing for the Cardinals in 1984. He went back earlier this year when his team played the Devil Rays.
"I stepped off the bus, took a look around and said, "Man, this place brings back some memories, good memories,' " Oberkfell said. "To me, it's sad because this is a great facility. But it's got to be even more disappointing for the fans. I always remember the fans being real loyal."
One of those fans is Arthur Everett, 65, who says he has been attending minor-league games since he was 5. He used to ride his bike from Roser Park, wait in line for tickets by the railroad tracks where First Avenue S is now and sit in the outfield eating boiled peanuts.
Everett doesn't remember many of the players. But he does recall one name: Fred Bell, an outfielder for the Saints back in the '40s. Everett said he saw Bell catch a ball at the warning track and throw to home on the fly.
"You don't forget things like that," he said.
Everett and his wife, Wanda, 65, still attend games. They have season tickets for the Devil Rays major- and minor-league teams. Their ties are stronger with the minor-league club.
"This is a friendly park," Everett said. "You can talk to the players. You don't have that kind of rapport with players in the major leagues."
A member of the booster club for 14 years, Everett has a tight bond with the minor-leaguers. Each season, Everett adopts a player and acts as a second family for him. He shows the player around town. He talks to the player's family when he's on the road. And, most importantly, he feeds the player.
"The players don't make a lot of money, so when you give them food, it's gone," Everett said.
Every booster club member adopts a player or two. They all get treated the same. The players respond by flocking toward the fans.
Bruce Richardson, 53, the president of the booster club, said he has numerous e-mails from players and their families. Denis Pujals, who played here in 1997, called to wish him a Happy Father's Day. Richardson attended Pujals' wedding.
There are other examples. On Thursday, Jack Joffrion, a second baseman who is on injured reserve, sat in the stands talking with the boosters. Other players waved and joked with fans as they headed to the dugout.
"Don't believe anything she says," catcher Ryan Ballard said of booster Holly Oswald.
Oswald, 40, has followed minor-league baseball since the Cardinals were in town and has been a member of the booster club since 1997.
"I used to take my daughter (Brandy) to games, let her run around the stadium until she was too tired to run," Oswald said. "And the players have always been great. I remember a lot of them used to come over to the house and play Nintendo with my daughter. How often do you see that in the major leagues? At that level, you can't get near a player unless you knew him in the minor leagues."
Oswald is the unofficial team mom for the Devil Rays. Injured players rehabilitate by lounging on her couch. Oswald, who works for Keller Williams Realtor, also helps players find jobs in real estate if they want to stayduring the off-season.
For Oswald, going to Al Lang isn't enough. She also attends away games and recently got back from a trip to Orlando, Charleston, S.C., and Durham, N.C., to reunite with some of the players who have been promoted.
It's the type of interaction that draws baseball fans to minor-league teams.
"Major League Baseball just doesn't cut it for me," said Marilyn Jones, 57. "They can't duplicate what you get here. This is the prettiest park and you know the players personally."
After the announcement that the team was leaving, Jones said she received a letter from Vince Naimoli thanking her for supporting the minor-league teams. She said Naimoli offered a 20 percent discount on season tickets. Jones said no thanks. She'll stay with minor-league baseball, even if it means going to Clearwater.
Part of the reason for Jones' loyalty is the cost. The average cost for a family of four to attend a Devil Rays at Tropicana Field is $115.65, according to Team Marketing Report, a Chicago sports business newsletter. Conversely, on Sundays at Al Lang, a family can pick up a coupon and get four box seats, four sodas and four hot dogs for $4.
With Jones' senior citizen discount, she pays $65 for her season ticket. The package also has a perk. You can attend away games for free.
"Try doing that in the major leagues," she said.
Jarrod Wronski, 22, the manager for media and public relations with the St. Petersburg Devil Rays, said he knows the game has to be affordable in order to attract fans. The major- and minor-league teams usually alternate home games so there isn't a conflict. Wronski also tries to keep fans active by offering contests such as baseline bowling, dizzy-bat race and ball-through-the-board.
Still, it doesn't attract crowds. The St. Petersburg Rays have averaged about 250 fans for home games. The ones that stay are the diehards. Those are the ones that Wronski is going to miss.
"I love working here. I love the people," Wronski said. "It's a lot of fun. I didn't think it would be so easy to get attached to the place, but I did. It's going to be hard to leave, but I'll have to if I want to stay in baseball."
There are 18 home games left this season. Already fans have started exchanging phone numbers, deciding what they'll do next.
Phillips has a plan.
"Hopefully I win the lottery," Phillips said. "That way I can form my own team and keep coming here."
St. Petersburg Saints
1920 Florida State League (Class D)
1921-23 Florida State League (Class C)
Disbanded with league during 1924 season.
1925-27 Florida State League (Class D)
Disbanded with league after 1927 season.
1928 Florida State League (Class D)
Disbanded after 1928 season.
1947-48 Florida International League (Class C)
1949-54 Florida International League (Class B)
1955-62 Florida State League (Class D)
1963-65 Florida State League (Class A)
1966-96 Florida State League (Class A)
1997-00 Florida State League (Class A)
Personalities who played minor-league baseball at Al Lang Stadium
Scott Boras
1975 City Cards
Agent known for holding out players (see J.D. Drew)
Doug Creek
1992 City Cards
Currently a Devil Rays relief pitcher
Mike DeFelice
1992-93 City Cards
Currently a catcher with Devil Rays
Tommy Herr
1976-77 City Cards
Longtime Cards second baseman in DP combination with Ozzie Smith
Eli Marrero
1995 City Cards
Currently a catcher with Cardinals
Ken Oberkfell
1975 City Cards
Third baseman in strong St. Louis infields of early '80s
Garry Templeton
1974-75 City Cards
All-Star shortstop with Cardinals
Andy Van Slyke
1981 City Cards
Longtime Gold Glove centerfielder with Cardinals and Pirates
Well-known managers who coached minor league baseball at Al Lang
Sparky Anderson
1966 City Cards
Hall of Fame manager with Reds and Tigers
Terry Kennedy
1993 City Cards
Former all-star catcher with the Padres
Jim Riggleman
1982-84 City Cards
Former Cubs manager; currently a coach with the Indians