Author: Ken Clawson
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Ballplayer Becomes a Quiet Civil Rights Pioneer
Archie Wade took the new-school way into baseball. He completed college first. He was a 1962 graduate of Stillman College in Tuscaloosa, Al, playing both basketball and baseball. He joined the Stillman faculty after graduation and assisted his old coach in football and basketball as well. You may remember from history (or at least from…
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Coffee Pot Ballpark, Part 9
Huggins v. Rickey As mentioned earlier Miller Huggins and Branch Rickey likely met in 1904. Huggins had a successful rookie year. Rickey was called to the majors for the first time late in the season. Rickey, as he was known for, refused to play on Sundays even then. The manager, Joe Kelley, refused to play…
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Hall of Famers That Trained in the Region
Part 2 1919 – 24 Boston Red Sox: 1919 Tampa – Plant Field Washington Nationals: 1920 – 24 Tampa – Plant Field Boston Braves: 1922 – 24 St. Petersburg – Waterfront Park Cleveland Indians: 1923, 24 Lakeland – Henley Field St. Louis Cardinals: 1923, 24 Bradenton – City Park Chicago White Sox: 1924 Winter Haven…
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Coffee Pot Ballpark, Part 8
Food & Entertainment The lodging atthe brand-new 5th Ave. Hotel built for baseball got old in a hurry, and so did the food. As I mentioned with the Hotel, the smell from underneath as well as the food was so bad that the Phillies pulled out mid-training in 1916. Even earlier, the Browns owner had…
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Hall of Famers That Trained in the Region
Part 1 1913 – 18 Chicago Cubs: 1913 – 16 Tampa – Plant Field St. Louis Browns: 1914 St. Petersburg – Coffee Pot (Sunshine) Ballpark 1925 – 27 Tarpon Springs – Sisler Field Philadelphia Phillies: 1915 – 18 St. Petersburg – Coffee Pot (Sunshine) Ballpark
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Coffee Pot Ballpark, Part 7
Lodging Besides a suitable ball field, St. Petersburg lacked one other item for hosting a major league team for spring training: lodging. St. Pete’s winter tourism already taxed the existing lodging options, and none would provide a reduced rate to house a full team and give up full price bookings. Real estate was very reasonable…
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1946 Florida State Negro Baseball League
A missing season? Baseball Wiki is the only place I’ve found that has attempted to provide the teams in the league from 1945 through 1954. Wiki states that it is unknown if the league played this year. So, here you go… Standings through 9/29/46 Team Won Lost Pct. Tampa 21 6 .778 Lakeland 16 9…
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Coffee Pot Ballpark, Part 6
Rickey Builds a Modern Field As a playing field was constructed that would match any being used for spring training, it is the rest of the complex that helps St. Pete’s facility shine. To the north of the field (third base/left field line) was the teaching facility. Rickey will have installed four handball courts, three…
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Two I Coached
I was a head high school baseball coach in Pinellas County with three different schools for ten seasons. At my first two stops I had the pleasure of coaching future major leaguers. I got a first-hand view of what some of these guys look like when they are younger. Although both are big and strong…
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Coffee Pot Ballpark, Part 5
Rickey Builds a Modern Field The Snell and Hamlett Company fulfills their obligations for the property in short order. The trees and stumps are removed, holes filled and the property is leveled. Rickey draws up his ideal design and sends the St. Louis ballparks head groundskeeper, Sam Barnes, to handle the development of the playing…