Spring Training in Tiger Town

Like a number of major league baseball teams,looks. With a host of palm trees greeting your
the Detroit Tigers head to Florida every year forarrival, the ticket booth is the nicest of its kind,
spring training. And if you want to see the Tigerswith the word "Tickets" emblazoned in big orange
play any preseason games, you might have toletters arched overhead. On either side of the
hitch a limo or luxury sedan to the airport and flyticket booth, the Tigers pay homage to their
down Lakeland, FLA, for a seat in the stadium.history with large banners containing artist's
Tiger Town is the Spring Training headquartersrenditions of Tiger greats Lou Whitaker, Alan
for the Detroit Tigers and the regular seasonTrammell, Norm Cash, and Al Kaline.
home of its minor league farm team in the ClassThe first thing you notice when you enter Joker
A Florida State League, The Lakeland Tigers. It'sMarchant are the 698 bright orange box seats
owned and operated by the City of Lakeland. Thethat comprise the first rows of seating below the
City of Lakeland's Parks and Recreationmain aisle in the grandstand that extends from
Department is responsible for maintaining thefirst base to third base. The majority of the seats
facilities.are above the main concourse and are aluminum
Named in honor of the late Joker Marchant,bleachers with blue seat backs.
Lakeland's former parks and recreation director,Perhaps the most striking feature of the stadium
Joker Marchant Stadium was used by the Detroitis the large grandstand section down the left field
Tigers for Spring Training for the first time infoul line, which was built in 1988 and increased
1966 at which time it contained seating for 4,900Joker Marchant's original seating capacity of 4,900
spectators. Expansion projects undertaken in theto 7,027.
early 1970's and the addition of new grandstandsThe metal bleacher section is one of a kind due
along the left field foul line in 1988 brought theto its height and structure. Built in concrete, it's
stadium capacity to its current capacity of 7,100the only bleacher section in Florida that can't be
seats. But just because the stadium is older thanremoved once Spring Training is over. The section
most in Florida, you can't start calling Jokeralso towers high above the field. Sitting at the top
Marchant "The Joke."and even with the outfield fence in left field, the
The Detroit Tigers began coming to Lakeland forvantage point is as far away from the field as
Spring Training in 1934 and have been comingyou can get, and is the Grapefruit League's
back each year ever since. The 70-yearpremiere nosebleed seat.
relationship between the Detroit Tigers and theIt's from up here that you realize just how
City of Lakeland is the longest lasting relationshipspacious the outfield is. At 420 feet to center and
between a major League baseball team and a340 down the lines, Joker Marchant has the most
spring training host city.outfield territory of any ballpark in the state of
The most impressive aspect of attending a SpringFlorida. If center field were just a little bit deeper,
Training game in Lakeland is the fact that thethe outfield dimensions would actually form a
Tigers have trained in this city for so long. Withsquare.
the exception of the World War II yearsChanges are on the horizon in Lakeland, with $10
(1943-45), Detroit has trained in Lakeland sincemillion in renovations scheduled to be completed in
1934, the longest relationship between a franchisetime for the 2003 spring schedule. Enhanced
and host city in spring baseball history. The nextseating, including the creation of a berm in left
closest isn't even that close: the Phillies infield, will increase Joker Marchant's capacity to
Clearwater since 1947. For an even more amazing9,000.
fact, consider that 18 of the 30 MLB teamsWhile the team continues to plan changes to Tiger
changed or established new spring homes in theTown there's always the one constant that fans
'90's alone.can count on -- the Tigers in Lakeland. And the
The ballpark has aged rather well. When you driveteam recently extended its lease with the city
into the main entrance of Tigertown you'll bethrough 2016.
surprised at how new the outer façade