The Wandering Disciple

Sarasota, Florida:  Sunshine, rain showers and baseball all came together at Ed Smith Stadium as the Orioles hosted the Rays in the Fall Instructional League.  In typical Florida fashion it was hot and sunny yet rainy at the same time while the teams went head to head on the field. We are nearing the end of the three week Fall Instructional League where top prospects through-out baseball get extra work in front of the organization coaching staff. Today's game was the final meeting of the fall between the Rays and Orioles. Click on the photo to view my Rays/Orioles photo gallery .

Venice, Florida: It was a battle of west coast versus east coast on Friday night at the Venice Indians hosted the Coral Reef Barracudas. The explosive attack of the Indians stunned the Barracudas as they had to take the long drive back to Miami after suffering a 68-0 loss. The Indians dominated both sides of the ball, putting on a big performance for the homecoming crowd. By the half, the Indians were sitting on a 61 point lead while holding Coral Reef to just one trip into the Red Zone all night. The Venice offensive attack was led by running back Matthew Laroche who had a big night, rushing for 190 yards and 4 touchdowns. In the air it was junior quarterback Bryce Carpenter who was 7 for 12 for 71 yards with the longest pass of the night being a 26 yard strike to tight end Aaron Hackett. Carpenter also chipped in with an additional 36 yards on the ground. While the offense was lighting up the scoreboard and sounding the canon, the defense was doing everything in their po...

St Petersburg, Florida: The holocaust means different things for different people, for some its the darkest time in humanity, for others is a time when people came together and rose above the social injustices.  But no matter how the holocaust affected you, you can follow the story at the Florida Holocaust Museum in downtown St Petersburg. The museum opens up to given the visitor insight into the Jewish lifestyle.  Then the exhibit takes a turn toward Nazi Germany and Adolf Hitler's rise to power.  From there you enter through the persecution of the Jews and eventually to the ghettos and concentration camps.  Along the way you will also hear stories of the heroes of the Holocaust, those who risked their live to liberate the Jews.  The journey is personalized through many personal effects on display including an original box car used to transport the prisoners to the camps. An audio tour provided with admission helps to bring the exhibits...

Sarasota, Florida: While the major league rosters have expanded and the playoff push is in full gear, a group of up and coming prospects gather in Florida and Arizona for the Fall Instructional League.  The three week program allows young players to hone their skills in front of the player development staff. During the camp, a series of exhibition scrimmages take place.  The informal games are focused on player development rather than winning and losing.  The first game kicked on Monday at the Orioles hosted the Rays at Ed Smith Stadium. Click on the photo above to view my Rays/Orioles photo gallery .

Florida was one of the first states to secede from the Union and as a result, one of the first southern states to have their own currency.  This Civil War era $2 bill is on display at the Gamble Plantation in Ellenton.  The Gamble Plantation was one of the largest sugar plantations of the south during the Civil War and saw its place in history as the hiding place of Judah P Benjamin, a member of Confederate President Jefferson Davis's cabinet.  (Photo: August 7, 2009)

Following the horrific events of September 11th, thousands of American found a way to express themselves on a chainlink fence near St Vincent's Hospital in Greenwich Village.  They shared their feelings on ceramic tiles attached to the fence, a way to help ensure that we will never forget those who lost their lives on that fateful day.  Today, the legacy of these personal memoirs can be seen on display at Jefferson Market Library.  (Photo: August 27, 2005)

Tampa Bay's favorite sea dog Raymond runs through the outfield at Tropicana Field to rally the Rays fans prior to the start of a Major League Baseball game.  Raymond is the lovable mascot of the Tampa Bay Rays and can be found making fans smile throughout the Trop.  (Photo: September 4, 2016)

A baby orangutan takes a nap on his mother's back at Lowry Park Zoo in Tampa, Florida. The zoo is home to two orangutan toddlers that were born at the park less than a year ago. (Photo: September 4, 2016)

Planetary Court is one of several historic buildings remaining from the Koreshan Unity. Facing religious persecution, Koreshan founder Cyrus Teed relocated his followers to a remote spot along the banks of the Estero River. Here he and his supporters created a utopia to peruse their beliefs. As time went on, the followers began to fade and eventually the property was deeded to the State of Florida and turned into a park. Today, visitors can take a walk through history and see the Koreshan way of life or just admire the natural beauty in which the park encompasses. (Photo: July 29, 2009)

A meerkat peers out to visitors at Lowry Park Zoo in downtown Tampa. The meerkats are one of over 1,200 animals that call the zoo their home. (Photo: June 28, 2009)

The Gulf of Mexico is churned up as Hurricane Hermine passes offshore of Manasota Beach. Hurricane Hermine is reached hurricane strength this afternoon and is expected to make landfall late tonight or early Friday morning along the Florida Panhandle. It will be the first hurricane landfall in Florida in eleven years. (Photo: September 1, 2016)