From Oregon to Ohio: License plates reveal Red Sox fans come from all over

Mark H. Bickel, Fort Myers News-Press
·2 min read
On March 17, the parking lot at JetBlue Park, the home of the Boston Red Sox for spring training, was filled with cars from all over the U.S.
On March 17, the parking lot at JetBlue Park, the home of the Boston Red Sox for spring training, was filled with cars from all over the U.S.

"If you build it, they will come."

When it comes to sports movies, there may not be a more famous line. Or, at least a movie about baseball.

In the 1989 Kevin Costner movie, "Field of Dreams", Costner’s character Ray Kinsella hears a whispered voice in an Iowa cornfield that says, “If you build it, they will come.” The “it” is a baseball diamond in the middle of his cornfield. He builds it, and little by little long dead, baseball players, show up to play the game. As the movie ends, you see a long line of cars coming down the lane to watch the baseball game.

The field is now a tourist attraction in Iowa and the past two seasons, Major League Baseball has held games there.

JetBlue Park in Fort Myers opened in 2012 and is the spring training home of the Boston Red Sox. During a recent game (March 17) you could see cars lined up in both directions on Daniels Parkway. Fans have been coming in droves to the stadium and, as we discovered, they are coming from all over the United States.

With 2023 Spring Training winding down, we decided to check out the license plates in the parking lot before the St. Patrick's Day game and here is a list of all the states represented. How many of these cars were rentals with out of state plates, we are not sure. It was just neat to see the variety of plates in one spot. You might be surprised to see just how close we came to seeing all 50 states:

1-Massachusetts

Massachusetts is known as The Bay State.
Massachusetts is known as The Bay State.

After Florida, The Sunshine State, Massachusetts had the most license plates.

2-Maine

Maine is known as The Pine Tree State
Maine is known as The Pine Tree State

3-New Hampshire

New Hampshire is known as The Granite State.
New Hampshire is known as The Granite State.

4-Rhode Island

Rhode Island is known as The Ocean State.
Rhode Island is known as The Ocean State.

5-Connecticut

Connecticut is known as The Constitution State.
Connecticut is known as The Constitution State.

6-Vermont

Vermont is known as The Green Mouintain State.
Vermont is known as The Green Mouintain State.

7-New York

New York is known as The Empire State.
New York is known as The Empire State.

8-New Jersey

New Jersey is known as The Garden State.
New Jersey is known as The Garden State.

9-Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania is known as The Keystone State.
Pennsylvania is known as The Keystone State.

10-Delaware

Delaware is known as The First State.
Delaware is known as The First State.

11-Maryland

Maryland is known as The Old Line State.
Maryland is known as The Old Line State.

FANATICS: VIDEO: Watch Boston Red Sox spring training stadium fill up in seconds

12-Virginia

Virginia is known as The Old Dominion State.
Virginia is known as The Old Dominion State.

13-West Virginia

West Virginia is known as The Mountain State.
West Virginia is known as The Mountain State.

14-North Carolina

North Carolina is known as The Tar Heel State.
North Carolina is known as The Tar Heel State.

15-South Carolina

South Carolina is known as The Palmetto State.
South Carolina is known as The Palmetto State.

16-Georgia

Georgia is known as The Peach State.
Georgia is known as The Peach State.

17-Alabama

Alabama is known as The Yellowhammer State.
Alabama is known as The Yellowhammer State.

18-Louisiana

Louisiana is known as The Pelican State.
Louisiana is known as The Pelican State.

19-Mississippi

Mississippi is known as The Magnolia State.
Mississippi is known as The Magnolia State.

20-Tennessee

Tennessee is known as The Volunteer State.
Tennessee is known as The Volunteer State.

21-Illinois

Illinois is known as The Prairie State.
Illinois is known as The Prairie State.

22-Ohio

Ohio is known as The Buckeye State.
Ohio is known as The Buckeye State.

23-Michigan

Michigan is known as The Great Lakes State.
Michigan is known as The Great Lakes State.

24-Indiana

Indiana is known as The Hoosier State.
Indiana is known as The Hoosier State.

25-Kentucky

Kentucky is known as The Bluegrass State.
Kentucky is known as The Bluegrass State.

26-Wisconsin

Wisconsin is known as The Badger State.
Wisconsin is known as The Badger State.

27-Minnesota

Minnesota is known as The North Star State.
Minnesota is known as The North Star State.

28-Iowa

Iowa is known as The Hawkeye State.
Iowa is known as The Hawkeye State.

More:Minnesota Twins beat Red Sox 11-0 in night spring training game at Jet Blue

29-Kansas

Kansas is known as The Sunflower State.
Kansas is known as The Sunflower State.

30-Missouri

Missouri is known as The Show Me State.
Missouri is known as The Show Me State.

31-Texas

Texas is known as The Lone Star State.
Texas is known as The Lone Star State.

32-Arizona

Arizona is known as The Grand Canyon State.
Arizona is known as The Grand Canyon State.

33-Colorado

Colorado is known as The Centennial State.
Colorado is known as The Centennial State.

34-Montana

Montana is known as The Treasure State.
Montana is known as The Treasure State.

35-North Dakota

North Dakota is known as The Peace Garden State.
North Dakota is known as The Peace Garden State.

36-South Dakota

South Dakota is known as The Mount Rushmore State.
South Dakota is known as The Mount Rushmore State.

37-Washington

Washington is known as The Evergreen State.
Washington is known as The Evergreen State.

38-Oregon

Oregon is known as The Beaver State.
Oregon is known as The Beaver State.

39-California

California is known as The Golden State.
California is known as The Golden State.

Last, but not least ...

40-The Sunshine State

Florida is known as The Sunshine State
Florida is known as The Sunshine State

Wrapping it up

If you were keeping score at home that's 40 out of 50 states or 80 percent of the United States represented by license plates at the March 17 spring training game. Pretty remarkable!

WHAT STATES WERE MISSING? Hawaii, Alaska, New Mexico, Nevada, Wyoming, Nebraska, Idaho, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Utah. Maybe next time.

NOTE: We also counted three Canadian locations: Quebec, Ontario and New Brunswick

Full gallery of U.S. license plates at Red Sox spring training game

This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Red Sox Spring training in Fort Myers attracts fans from all over US