1 Getaways

New Philadelphia Phillies manager Larry Bowa teaches some old-timers new tricks at a past "dream week.'

BaseballFantasy

Weekend warriors step to the

plate during 'dream week'

BY SHAWN DRURY

A s children, we dressed upin adult clothing all thetime. In a game that usu-

ally began with the words, "Let'spretend," we were immediatelytransported to the tantalizinggrown-up world—after all, adultsget to do fun things like be moviestars, professional athletes, life-saving doctors or fearless adven-turers. Sometimes, we pretendedto be "regular people" like teach-ers, firefighters or policemen.

By the time adolescencearrived, we stopped pretending andstarted to dream. We began tobelieve that maybe someday wecould be one of those people wepretended to be when we wereyounger. And, it is those very

dreams that shaped much oilives. Unfortunately, as we gotour dreams—tempered by reabegan to change, o: ever. se-E-rtant. However, they are still ItThey never truly vanish, becadreams, no matter how modegrand, are what sustam us.

It is in this spirit that RHundley, a former professionbaseball player with the CCubs, started what came to 1known as "Fantasy Camp" ("Dream Week." The premise'simple: In the dark of winterJanuary or early February), ]ley gathered several of bis cteammates and other ex-pihost Cubs fans for a week or igames and memories. Fans]

68 • lehigh valley style - january/february 2001

the pilgrimage to Florida or Arizona andplayed against and/or were coached bythe baseball heroes of their youth. Duringthe games, middle-aged men competedas if their lives depended on it. Somewere thrilled just to be on the same fieldas the men they'd looked up to as boys.Others wanted to see if any vestigesremained of the promise they had shownin their youth. After the games wereover, players (civilians and former major-leaguers alike) retired to the hotel orrestaurant to relive momentous gamesand immortal plays that happened 20years before.

The dream's aliveToday, 25 of the 30 major league

baseball teams run or sponsor a fantasycamp or dream week of some kind. Someof the more popular programs are associ-ated with the Major League Baseballteams you might expect: the New YorkYankees, Los Angeles Dodgers, BaltimoreOrioles and St. Louis Cardinals—allteams with a long and flavored history.But, for displaced Boston Red Sox fansliving in California or New York Mets fansin Minnesota, a week of baseball bliss ismore possibility than pipe dream.

Norm Amster and his son, Scott, tookthe fantasy camp concept and ran withit. As founders of Dream Week Inc. inHuntingdon Valley (eastern MontgomeryCounty), the Amsters have been operat-ing the camp for the Philadelphia Philliesand their fans since 1983. "We want totry to duplicate as much as we can whatit would be like to play in the majorleagues" says Scott.

For an attendee of the Phillies DreamWeek, the major-league treatment beginsfrom the moment of check-in at the hotelnear Clearwater, Florida. Once the playersettles into his hotel room, he gets animmediate taste of life as a baseballplayer. Players are given an extremelydetailed schedule for the entire week.The managers (ex-Phillies like John Kruk,Mitch Williams and Dave Cash) and thecommissioner frown upon tardiness.(Last year, the commissioner was formerKansas City Royals player and Philliescoach Clint Hurdle; this year's commis-sioner is a closely guarded secret.) ThePhillies Dream Week staff and playersconvene at the hotel for a complete

rundown—delivered by the commission-er—on the guidelines, rules and activitiesfor the week.

From there, the players go to thewelcoming party, where they meet theex-players and their new teammates. Theatmosphere is meant to give the playersa chance to be at ease and relax beforethe competition begins. "It's amazinghow quickly the players bond," saysAmster. "Any financial, professional orsocial barriers that might have existedbefore are gone."

Dream Week veterans advise rookiesto head back to the rooms early becausethey'll need all the rest they can get.

The next morning, they "play ball."

Getting in the swingPlayers arrive at the Carpenter

Complex, which is the same facility usedby the Phillies during spring training.The complex is named after the Carpen-ter family, long-time owners of thePhillies. Before the players step onto thefield, they make a pit stop at the PaulOwens Clubhouse.

Paul Owens was a general manager,manager and scout for the Phillies.Revered and nicknamed "the Pope,"Owens was an integral part of PhilliesWorld Series appearances in 1980, 1983and 1993. Dream Week participantsprobably aren't thinking about Owens,however, when they walk into theclubhouse that bears his name. That'sbecause in every locker hangs a uniformfor each player—with his name printedacross the back. That impressedDoylestown's Mike Ventresca, a partici-pant in Dream Week 2000.

"That was one of the things thatmade it realistic," Ventresca says. "It'ssomething to see your name on a Philliesjersey. Plus, they do everything for you[including laundry]. All that's really askedof you is to play baseball."

The players then try on the uniforms(which they will keep) to make sureeverything fits. The only pieces of equip-ment the players are required to bring

are a glove and a pair of cleats. Next,they meet with the rest of the staff andthe training team.

At long last, it's time to take the fieldfor stretching and warm-ups. From there,players go to their favorite position andmanagerial evaluation begins. Players areencouraged to try other positions in caseof a glut at a particular spot. After abreak for lunch, there's a batting clinic,batting practice and a game. It's the lastchance to impress the managers; teamsare drafted that evening. Typically, 10 to12 players comprise each team.

Amster says it's important for playersnot to take things too seriously. "Thepros can spot guys who are trying toprove a point or trying too hard toimpress the staff," he says, then adds,laughing, "They'll usually have themstraightened out pretty quickly."

That wasn't a problem for Nazarethresident and Dream Week 2000 playerDennis Mead. "I went down there,"explains Mead, "with the intention ofhaving fun."

That was Ventresca's approach also."I just wanted to not be a husband, aboss or a father for a week," he says.

When players arrive at the OwensClubhouse the following morning, they'llknow what team they're on and whotheir manager is. Players are briefed inthe clubhouse on the day's schedule, getsome practice at their respective posi-tions and take batting practice. Then it'snothing but baseball.

Sore losers-and winnersOver the next two days, players play

four games—interrupted only by lunchesor practice sessions. On the last day ofthe camp, all the teams get a chance totake on a team comprising the managers.Before heading back to the real worldwith a lifetime of memories, the playersand pros attend an awards ceremony.

It all amounts to a lot of baseball in ashort period of time. For a player whohasn't been on the field for a while, it canbe a shock to the system.

"It's something to see your name on a Phillies jersey.Plus, they do everything for you [including laundry]. All that's really

asked of you is to play baseball."

januaiy/february 2001 - lehigh valley style . 69

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• Getaways

That wasn't a problem for Mead, who

pitches in an over-40 league. Just getting

to Dream Week was an accomplishment

for Mead—who broke his pitching arm a

few years ago and managed to come

back, according to him, better than ever.

He won his trip to Dream Week at a golf

tournament. "I hit it closest to the pin on

a par-3," Mead says. "I didn't find out the

prize until after the tournament."

A week sweating it out on a baseball

diamond under the hot Florida sun may

not sound like much of a vacation. It's

not supposed to be. "If you're looking for

a relaxed vacation, this really isn't for

you," says Amster.

"I didn't mind [the structure] at all,"says Mead. "It allowed us to get the

most out of the day." ES

Shawn Drury is a free-lance writer in Emmaus.

pay to play

Depending on which team's camp you want to

attend, the price can range from $3,000-$4,OOO.The

Phillies are on the low end while the New York

Yankees, Los Angeles Dodgers, Cleveland Indians,

Baltimore Orioles and San Francisco Giants populate

the high end.

A variety of factors affect the price of a fantasy

camp. Most camps provide a full uniform, hotel

room, personal photos/videos and meals with the

exception of dinner. Virtually all of the camps are held

before Major League Baseball spring training begins

in late January or early February. One exception is the

Dodgers camp, which stages two dream weeks: one in

early November and another in mid-February.

One other variable that may affect the price is

an appearance by all of the Dream Week players on

the field before a real game by the professional dub.

The Phillies introduce all the players and put every

player's name on the Scoreboard. The Toronto Blue

Jays probably do the best job of all the teams in this

regard: They let the players re-live Dream Week by

playing a game on the Toronto Skydome field before

a regular-season Blue Jays game.

For more information on the Phillies Dream

Week, call Dream Week Inc. in Huntingdon Valley

at 800-888-4376 or e-mail Scott Amster at

scott@dreamweek.com.

I

70 . lehigh valley style - january/february 2001