Dodgers Blue Heaven: Hideo Nomo Makes Triumphant Return to Historic Dodgertown

Monday, March 10, 2014

Hideo Nomo Makes Triumphant Return to Historic Dodgertown

After being elected, on the the first ballot, to the Japan Baseball Hall of Fame, Hideo Nomo returned to Vero Beach, Florida to check out Historic Dodgertown this past weekend. As you may know, he joined former teammate Chan Ho Park and former Dodger owners Peter O'Malley and Terry O'Malley Seidler as Founding Partners of this new sports facility that was once home to the Dodgers during Spring Training.

From a recent press release:

When asked about Historic Dodgertown’s influence on his career, Nomo said,” This was the very first place that I was exposed to the Major Leagues upon joining the Dodgers. Baseball was my life, it was everything to me at that time and I was so inspired to perform well because I felt the history and the atmosphere. Historic Dodgertown was very important because much of my career was with the Dodgers, and with people like Peter O’Malley and Tommy Lasorda. “

Nomo was touring the facility as several high school and college Baseball athletes, along with a Junior College Women's Softball tournament, was in town at Historic Dodgertown.

“I wish for this to be a place where people can come back to see both what it was and also what it is now. To preserve the history of a place that was home to people Jackie Robinson and Sandy Koufax is special, and I hope kids can feel the nostalgia while also creating new memories for themselves”, said Nomo.

I think it's great that these former Dodgers have decided to keep the place alive. I fondly remember my trips to Dodgertown some 10 years ago, and miss it a great deal. Dodgertown in Vero Beach had such homey feel to it. It was like visiting a little league ballfield, and it had all of the quaint charm and nostalgia you would expect.

The best thing of all is that they still have the street signs at the facility, as evidenced by the photo below. Hideo Nomo stands at Sand Koufax Lane. Go here to learn more about Historic Dodgertown.