A Tuesday Baseball Visit To Flamingo Park Baseball Stadium, Skip Bertman Field

Tuesday late morning/early afternoon, I took the beautiful drive from my hotel in the Doral section of Miami over to Miami Beach. Through my research on Google Maps, I found a baseball field nestled in the beaches and nightlife and glitz and glamour of Miami Beach called Flamingo Park Baseball Stadium. The drive was better than I expected – bridges spanning beautiful waters, scenic downtown view of high rises and resorts, and boats upon yachts upon boats on both sides of the bridges. Driving through the busy streets of Miami Beach, it reminded me of my trip in the Spring to Naples, Florida with Rachel. The streets leading up to Flamingo Park were lined with high end shopping centers, car dealerships, and folks jogging, biking, and just enjoying the South Florida sunshine. After a mile or two of navigating through Miami Beach, I found parking next to Skip Bertman Field, Flamingo Park Baseball Stadium.

Flamingo Park Baseball Stadium, Skip Bertman Field

After parking and surveying whether or not I had to pay for parking, I was satisfied I had found a safe spot to land. I walked up to the front of Flamingo Park Baseball Stadium and took in the opening gate area. The sun was positioned just low enough in the South Florida sky to make taking photos a little more challenging. But I was up for the challenge. As I walked toward the side of the front gate, I noticed a street sign commemorating the field’s name – Stanly “Skip” Bertman Field.

Who is Skip Bertman and why is this field dedicated in his honor? Take a look at this press release from earlier this year which should clear up both of those questions:

As I walked down the left field/3rd base side of the outside of Flamingo Park, I noticed a gate was open and I walked into the baseball field area. There was a man working on the field and I made my way over to him to say hello. I mentioned that I was there to take a photo of the field and he waved “ok” to me. So, I set out inside Skip Bertman Field to see what I could see. And to check the concession stand area, dugouts, and front entrance for any signage, tributes, and historical information about the field.

As with any baseball field I visit, I always love to get photos of the field from behind home plate and different fan angles in the stands. At Skip Bertman Field, that was only possible from the field, not the bleachers. There was caution tape on both sides of the bleacher section stairs, so respectfully I did not go into the bleachers. I also noticed a set of stairs going up to a press box high above the bleachers. And like the bleachers, I did not venture up into the press box. To be honest, those press box stairs looked a little treacherous and I don’t know if I would have made it up to the top without a ton of anxiety. So, I simply walked onto the field, stood behind home plate, walked over to one of the dugouts, and got my baseball photos.

After experiencing what I could on site at Skip Bertman Field, Flamingo Park Baseball Stadium, I headed back to my rental car to plot my way back to my hotel. I took a rather scenic route back, hoping that the Miami Beach Public Library was accessible but sort of struck out with the street parking situation. I had a number of questions about Flamingo Park and its place in Miami baseball history, but those would have to wait until I got back to my computer. From an article I found online, Flamingo Park has a long tradition of baseball in Miami with some serious gaps in the times baseball was played there. For example, from the online source, the baseball field was used as a Spring Training location for the New York Giants (NL), Pittsburgh Pirates, and the Philadelphia Phillies in the 1930s and 1940s. There were minor league organizations that called Flamingo Park home in the 1940s and 1950s named the Tigers and the Flamingos. From what I could see, the baseball field looked to be in good, playable condition with the bleachers in the reconstructive phase. I was excited to visit the park and get a glimpse of baseball history in Miami Beach. Overall it was an awesome Miami Beach baseball experience touring Skip Bertman Field at Flamingo Park Baseball Stadium, Miami Beach, Florida, USA.