A Timeline of Each Region Community’s Entry as Major league Spring Training Host
Tampa – 1913 Chicago Cubs
St. Pete – 1914 St. Louis Browns
Bradenton – 1923 St. Louis Cardinals
Clearwater – 1923 Brooklyn Robins
Lakeland – 1923 Cleveland Indians
Sarasota – 1924 New York Giants
Winter Haven – 1924 Chicago White Sox
Tarpon Springs – 1925 St. Louis Browns
Dunedin – 1977 Toronto Blue Jays
Plant City – 1988 Cincinnati Reds
By 1924, the region has seven communities hosting teams. In 1925, Winter Haven no longer has a squad and are replaced by Tarpon. The Yankees move into St. Pete to join the Braves who came to St. Pete in 1922. Pinellas County (St. Pete, Clearwater, Tarpon Springs & later Dunedin) would play host to four teams per Spring season from ‘25 – ‘27. The Browns moved out after the ’27 season. When Dunedin brought on the Jays in 1977, that started a 10-year run of Pinellas County once again hosting four teams per Spring season.