There is plenty of activity on the St. Petersburg side of our bay recently on a move for a new, dandy baseball stadium downtown there in the vicinity of the landmark Al Lang Field, that neat ballpark who gave Florida the idea of being home to spring training.

The talk is led by the aggressive, progressive owners of those hot Rays now leading their division, bigtime, who are young and aggressive and during a recent series win over the alltime champion New York Yankees, the Boss Jr. was compelled to say he wished the Yanks would play “that way.’’ High compliment for a team whose “way’’ was once one of losing… and losing… and losing. The Rays ownership is wisely grabbing this exciting time to push for a new home on the sparkling St. Pete waterfront. Plenty are for it. Plenty are not. Don’t know the numbers. This newspaper editorially wrote that the financing plan of ownership is sound. 

The key will be if the people of that city want it there. For those in baseball, and who love the sport, it sure is a fine idea, a splendid location.

Don’t know about the people of St. Pete overall. Only a referendum will tell us that. Had to have one over here to get Raymond James Stadium built and money too for roads and schools, all under the name of the Community Investment Tax. It carried handily years ago, long after an original push for a stadium in Tampa began in this space. And, it was certainly worth it, for all deeds done, including the centerpiece stadium that got the Buccaneers in the NFL, Super Bowls, a home for the University of South Florida football, the Outback Bowl, the old American Bowl, Gator games, an FSU game, and so much more. 

And, remember this, the Tampa Stadium (later Raymond James) location was a surprise and the good, original thought and work of then state legislators Terrell Sessums, Paul Danahy and Lee Moffitt.  They flat got the then public land leased to a Tampa Sports Authority they created at the state level.  It was great and vital thinking and a key move.

The Rays ownership say they can handle the financing, and at no public cost. The idea also calls for the sale of Tropicana Park, now the Rays home, for $61 or $65 million, and developing that site into something new and exciting. They are an aggressive and exciting crowd, those owners, and could not be coming at a better time. The Rays are winning, and the development does not look like a fluke. The team is fun, fast and furious, aside from winning. It is also young and the wise ownership is locking up their best for years. The future is bright, providing there are no crippling injuries, as have decimated the Yankees. Manager Joe Maddon is for real. He has been remarkable in judgment, so far long and short range.  Indeed, right now, this team is solid.

The Yankee series of four games at the Trop did not draw as well as hoped. Right now, the Yankees and Boston Red Sox are the big draws, league-wide. Boston is the hottest, but some Yankee studnicks have been ailing. And, some of the others, like Jason Giambi and Johnny Damon aren’t on top of their games. 

When the Rays beat the Yankees 5-2 at a 4 p. m. game, the Rays were virtually flawless, offensively and defensively. They hit in the clutch, fielded perfectly, made no defensive blunders and their pitching was sound, starting and in relief.

And, they hustled. The fans responded, too. The Trop was not full, but probably should have been except for the 4 p.m. starting time.

After the game, son-in-law Richard Grammig drove us around Downtown St. Pete, along the sparkling waterfront, past the stunning Yacht Club, and the new buildings going up. There are more than I thought. Dandy place. I can imagine how a baseball park would go there. I can also imagine why plenty wouldn’t like it. I used to work and live there.

We then went by the grand Vinoy, the Pier, basin, then around Southeast St. in St. Pete, onto Snell Island, around the old Sunset course where Babe Zaharias and Patty Berg used to play in an LPGA tournament, then all over the beautiful Snell and Shore Acres area.

Easy to see why so many residences had those red signs opposing a ball park on their nearby waterfront.  Have to expect that.  Hard to explain how a park and its traffic would help them. But, it’s not like it is a first time issue. In such cases, experience here has been, the best way is to let the affected decide. And, I bet they will have their chance. We did on this side of the bay.

Remember, big league baseball, thanks to Al Lang, started right there in the neighborhood. And, the New York Yankees, in their Babe Ruth time, trained there and stayed at the Sereno Hotel.

St. Pete will make the right decision.