Florida Marlins

Future Home of the Marlins

Florida Marlins baseball is another baseball venue for Florida baseball fans in the Englewood area. While the Tampa Bay Rays play in the American League, the Marlins play National League baseball which to some baseball purists is “real” baseball. They base this claim on the fact that there is no designated hitter in the National League.

Billy the Marlin photo "Billy" the Marlin

The Marlins have experienced a more successful stint as a Major League baseball franchise in south Florida than most expansion sports franchises. But their arrival on the south Florida baseball map was not an easy trek.

It all started essentially in 1985 when Major League Baseball’s new agreement allowed for the National League to expand by two teams. It took more than five years of investigations and studies just to get to the point where a short list of cities was created. One of regions on that short list was south Florida. group headed by H. Wayne Huizenga.

Ultimately, on June 10, 1991 Denver and South Florida are chosen as the successful locations for baseball expansion. The south Florida group was headed by H. Wayne Huizenga. Less than two years later, on April 5, 1993, before a sellout crowd at Joe Robbie Stadium, veteran knuckleballer Charlie Hough threw the pitch in Marlins history.

Marlin Fans photo Marlin Fans

In what must be the shortest time between a franchise’s inaugural season and its first championship season, the Marlins captured their first World Series on October 26, 1997. The series was a “nail biter” right until the end when the Marlins became World Series champions after a two-out single in the 11th inning of the seventh game.

In 2003 the Marlins repeated as World Series champion defeating the New York Yankees.

In 2012, the Florida (aka Miami) Marlins begin play in their brand new stadium, appropriately called Marlins Park.

I have provided directions to the new baseball stadium from the Marlins website.

The stadium is less than two miles from downtown Miami, only three-quarters of a mile from the westbound SR 836 exit at 12th Avenue, and 0.4 miles from the eastbound exit at 17th Avenue. Via Interstate 95, the site is 1.25 miles from the NW 8th Street exit.

Directions to Ballpark

From The North East (Ft Lauderdale/North Miami)

Interstate 95 South to Florida State Road 836 West.
Exit NW 12th Avenue and turn Left at light.
Cross over 12th Avenue Bridge and turn Right at first light (NW 7th Street).
Continue on NW 7th Street and turn Left on NW 14th Avenue.
Turn Right into Employee Parking Lot.

From The North West (Weston/Sunrise)

Interstate 75 South and exit towards Florida State Road 826 South, Continue on FSR 826 South and then exit towards Florida State Road 836 East (left ramp, same as airport).
Continue on FSR-836 East and Exit on NW 17th Avenue (right ramp).
Turn left from NW 17th Avenue onto NW 7th Street.
Continue on NW 7th Street and then turn Right onto NW 14th Avenue.
Turn Right into Employee Parking Lot.

From the West (Doral)