Category: Spring Training
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Dr. J. L. Moorefield and Moorefield Ballpark, 1920
Doc Moorefield became St. Pete’s Mr. Baseball for 1920 Part 3 The Nationals were set to visit on March 17. Moorefield somehow extracted a promise from Clark Griffith, the Nationals owner and manager, that Walter Johnson would pitch here. Not only was it St. Patrick’s Day, now it was Walter Johnson Day in St. Pete.…
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Brooklyn Attempts to Depart Clearwater
Homosassa Springs Comes Courting Charles Ebbets one of the owners and president of the Brooklyn Dodgers/Robins/Superbas, after coming to Florida for many years to hopefully improve his health decides to make camp in Clearwater. In 1922 he convinces the Clearwater doers to secure a lot, pass a referendum for funding and build a $25,000 facility…
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Dr. J. L. Moorefield and Moorefield Ballpark, 1920
Doc Moorefield became St. Pete’s Mr. Baseball for 1920 Part 2 Around the same time, Moorefield gets word from his winter league counterpart in Tampa that the Yankees are looking to relocate from Jacksonville for spring training. Moorefield immediately wires the Yankees business manager, W. H. Sparrow, about coming to St. Pete. Sparrow telegrams back…
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March Madness
Cardinal Style I got this anecdote from Bob Gibson in a book titled Baseball Under Siege: The Yankees, the Cardinals, and a Doctor’s Battle to Integrate Spring Training by Adam Henig, 2016. This occurred in spring training in St. Petersburg, Fl., either in 1959 or ’60. The negro players were segregated from their white Cardinal teammates…
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Dr. J. L. Moorefield and Moorefield Ballpark, 1920
Doc Moorefield became St. Pete’s Mr. Baseball for 1920 Part 1 Who is Dr. J. L. Moorefield? Is he a scoundrel? A philanthropist? A businessman trying to make it anyway he can? The man who perhaps saved St. Petersburg, Fla’s., aspirations to be a home for spring training baseball? I’ll leave those judgements up to…
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Did You Know?
During the 1916 – 17 training camp at Coffee Pot park, the Phillies had a young outfielder named Bud Weiser. * * * When the Braves came to play the Cardinals at Al Lang Field in 1952, their leadoff man was named Jack Daniels. * * * Also in 1952, March 9, combative…
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Coffee Pot Ballpark, Part 17
1919: Now what? Although no official release says that Phillies manager Pat Moran was released, the December 15, 1918, edition of The St. Petersburg Times indicates that Moran quit. The Times also reports the rumor that William Baker was looking to sell the team. Baker repeatedly denied and in fact, died in 1930 while still…
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Coffee Pot Ballpark, Part 16
1918: Where Did Everybody Go? The Phillies training in St. Pete finally came together. In December, owner William Baker originally decided not to come to St. Pete. An exchange of telegrams between Al Lang and Baker finally came to a resolution and the Phillies would come to train after all. The season would start later…
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March Madness in Clearwater
The Phillies seemed to have a particular affinity for basketball players. While today’s game likes to feature very tall pitchers, the Phillies looked for tall guys early on. The starting five, a sixth man, and a coach for the squad are presented here. Center: Neil Johnston 6’8”. Pitcher in Clearwater, 1949-51 Johnston is the most…
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Coffee Pot Ballpark, Part 15
1917: Another Season in the Sun The Phillies return despite not having any major league teams to play. The Cubs have left Tampa, the A’s are still mad and refuse to schedule, and the Braves are deemed too far down in Miami. The squad will play two games against Southern College and otherwise play games…