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The vicious cycle of being a Marlins fan
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Dolphin Stadium, 2008 (photo: Mario Alejandro)
I guess it was fate. It must have been. On the date of my 10th birthday, while I was celebrating at home bustin' a pack of baseball cards, Wayne Huizenga was purchasing 50% of Joe Robbie Stadium, now known as Dolphin Stadium, the temporary home of the Florida Marlins.
It took a while for a kid who grew up on MTV Superstar Jose Canseco to warm up to guys like Charlie Hough and a complete unknown named Orestes Destrade. Don't get me wrong, I love all kinds of baseball and today would rather drive 100 miles north to Jupiter, Florida, home of the Hammerheads, a minor league affiliate of the Marlins, for a good time instead of making my way through the traffic and overpriced beer that Dolphin Stadium offers; but as a kid there was just not much to like about the Marlins.
That of course changed in 1997 when the Marlins acquired players like Bobby Bonilla, Gary Sheffield, and Kevin Brown. Suddenly, the Marlins had a legion of fans, including a 17-year old Mario Alejandro. We were seduced by the organization and led to believe that we were no longer going to suffer.
In a way, they kept their promise and the Marlins won the 1997 World Series. What followed was the most traumatic experience that a baseball fan could go through. The entire team was dismantled. By the end of the 1998 season we had given up over 250 runs more than we managed to score and ended the season with 104 losses.
Needless to say, I was disappointed. For the next decade I spent my time working, getting married, and raising my son. Baseball and most importantly, the Marlins, were out my life for good. Or so I thought. In late 2007 my family attended a game and by 2008 we were going to every single home game our income could afford.
In 2009 I'm gunning for a position as a sports photographer with the Marlins organization. Obviously, it is going to take a lot of work (not to mention luck) but I believe anything is possible if you believe. Stay tuned for commentaries on the Marlins, Hammerheads, and everything related to South Florida baseball.
Mark your calendars for February 5, as I will be covering the Florida Marlins Golf Classic and four days later as I will be attending the Marlins Fan Fest at Dolphin Stadium.
Questions/Comments? Marlins.Examiner@gmail.com
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