From poetry to prose, popular music to pop culture, nothing defines Americana as much as baseball. From “Casey at the Bat” to countless songs and even blockbuster Hollywood productions, baseball beats deep in the American heart. For those visiting Orlando in springtime from the United Kingdom, accessing America’s Pastime through one of its classic teams is just minutes away in Polk County.
A Cherished Team From a Cherished City
Much like the Chelsea Football Club, the Detroit Tigers of Major League Baseball are an organization with a long history in the United States’ first unique sport. With the highest level of baseball split into two organizations, the Tigers are one of the eight charter franchises in the American League and that league’s oldest continuous one name, one city franchise.
Additionally, the city of Detroit holds a place near and dear in the hearts of the nation. It earned the nickname of the Motor City in the early 1900s when the American automobile industry was centered there. At the same time, migration from America’s Deep South spurred the city’s burgeoning music scene. Best known from this era were classic female blues singers such as Mamie Smith and “The Mother of the Blues,” Ma Rainey. That music fused with Jazz and Gospel to form the sound that defined America in the 1960s, Motown, and perhaps Detroit’s best-known musical artist, Aretha Franklin.
America’s pastime has also defined the city. Ty Cobb, who spent 22 years with the Tigers, predated Babe Ruth by 10 years and is considered the first celebrity sports superstar. Years later, during the riots of 1967, Detroit native and Tiger’s first baseman Willie Horton, still in his sweaty uniform from that night’s game, climbed on top of a car and pleaded for calm. More recently, Jack Morris and the 1984 Tigers won over the sporting world when the team finished 15 wins ahead of its next rival and went on to win the World Series against the National League San Diego Padres. Today, the team is known as a scrappy up-and-comer with a roster full of future superstars.
The Tradition Continues
Just about the same time Major League Baseball formed, so did the tradition of baseball teams heading to Florida to knock off the rust from their winter layoff. Now considered a rite of passage for true baseball fans, Spring Training takes place in both Arizona and Florida, utilizing the fields lower-level teams use during their regular season. These fields are smaller and more intimate, allowing fans to get so close to the players many not only get an autograph but a handshake – and perhaps even a conversation – with the best baseball players
For more than 80 years, the Detroit Tigers have called Publix Field at Joker Marchant Stadium in Lakeland their Spring Training home. Less than an hour from most Orlando attractions, the recently renovated Joker Marchant is a state-of-the-art facility. The six covered sections nearly doubled the amount of shaded seating, and the addition of the 34 Club, featuring an indoor bar, buffet, and seating, now gives the facility more than 200 air-conditioned seats. Other upgrades include plenty of concession stands and offerings, the Berm Bar that sits under the new scoreboard in leftfield featuring waitress service and picnic tables, and the kid’s playground area complete with a bounce house, Wiffleball field, and more. Tickets are available at the stadium or online at www.mlb.com/tigers/tickets/spring-training.
But don’t feel bad if you can’t make a game during Spring Training – Lakeland is also home to the Detroit-affiliated Lakeland Flying Tigers. Named after the pilots who trained in Lakeland and fought over China during World War II, the Flying Tigers play 58 home games a year as part of the Low-A Southeast League, giving fans and visitors ample opportunities to catch a game during the summer. Tickets are available by calling (863) 686-8075 or by visiting LakelandFlyingTigers.com.
By the way, if you are planning a tour of Spring Training locations, Lakeland is a great place to start. Fabled teams including the New York Yankees and Philadelphia Phillies are both less than an hour away.
More Than Baseball
But there is plenty to do around town other than sit in the stands and watch America’s pastime. Lakeland, the largest city between Tampa and Orlando, features a plethora of entertainment, dining, and shopping options. Home to the RP Funding Center, the largest convention and entertainment complex in the area, visitors can catch an NBA G-League basketball game or a Florida Tropics SC professional indoor soccer game. But if you’d rather clap for a stirring vocal, other options at the RP Funding Center include Broadway shows, musical performances, and even the occasional professional wrestling event.
Just blocks away are the tree-lined streets of downtown Lakeland with its variety of shopping and dining options. Harry’s Seafood Bar and Grille bring a taste of New Orleans to your table featuring everything from jambalaya or red beans and rice to catfish and crab cakes. Just around the corner from the Polk Museum of Art at Florida Southern College is Red Door Lakeland, a wine bar featuring plates to pass or even heavier fare. Downtown Lakeland is also ringed with boutique retailers including 5Th and Hall, My Cottage Garden, and Scout & Tag.
If you would rather try a twist on the signature dish of the Deep South, barbecue, head over to Peebles in nearby Auburndale. Since 1947, this family-owned and operated restaurant has served exceptional barbecue, thanks in part to their huge smoke pit. The one catch is that Peebles closes during July and August.
Other shopping and dining areas include Lakeside Village, an open-air mall featuring plenty of shopping, both casual and sit-down dining, a movie theater, a bookstore, and more. Featuring the unique flavors, art and culture of Mexico is Abuelos’ Mexican Embassy, a local favorite. Nearby, Burger 21 features chef-inspired variations of the standard American hamburger, including meat-free, chicken, and ahi tuna while Saigon Bistro offers a taste of Vietnam.
If America’s pastime isn’t for you, there isn’t a shortage of cultural experiences in Lakeland, either. Where else can you see breathtaking architecture and enjoy a safari on the same day? The city is home to the largest single-site collection of Frank Lloyd Wright architecture in the nation at the campus of Florida Southern College. Known as the “Child of the Sun” collection, the 13 completed structures of the famed architect’s work is also the most southern example of his work in the United States. For a taste of Africa, Safari Wilderness Ranch, just minutes from Publix Field at Joker Marchant Stadium, offers visitors the opportunity to be amongst a variety of Asian and Africa wildlife roaming free. The cageless zoo can be experienced by canopied bus, self-drive tour, or, for a more up-close experience, by kayak, camel, or llama.
With so much to see and do, go to www.VisitCentralFlorida.org or call 1-800-828-7655 to plan your holiday to enjoy America’s pastime in Central Florida’s Polk County.