There's Only One Octubre

Tired of cold weather baseball? Ready to throw in with the folks who want to chuck tradition and shake up our tied old game? How's about checking out some Mexican AAA ball down Cancun way?

There are leggy cheerleaders in short shorts, air horns, a scoreboard in English and a striped, bawdy, motorcycle-riding tiger mascot. The recorded sound track plays snippets of Queen's We Will Rock You, Gary Glitter's Rock and Roll, Stayin' Alive, If You're Happy and You Know It and, yes, The Mexican Hat Dance (numerous times).

There are differences. Tennis courts adjoin the park, and play continues during the baseball games. No one stands for the seventh inning stretch, nor do they sing along when Take Me Out to the Ballgame plays. The refreshments sold in the stands - out of coolers and large baskets- have a handmade, homemade flavor. There are cups of corn pudding advertised with stripped cobs, plates of flan and soft tacos with green and red sauce. Chorizo sizzles on grills under the stands. Vendors sell mixed alcoholic drinks from a cart in the aisle behind home plate. Not surprisingly, at one of the games an amiably inebriated fan had to be carried from the park by ushers, to applause from the crowd.

Sounds kinda fun, actually.