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2006
Grapefruit
League Spring Training in Florida
The
Florida Grapefruit League is one
of the biggest events in Florida.
Fans get a chance to get up close
and personal to some of the biggest
names in baseball. Jeter, Schilling,
Pujols, Sosa, and Randy Johnson
are just a few of the players that
fans will get a chance to see in
2006.
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Opened
in 1998, Roger Dean
Stadium is one of the
newer stadiums in the
Grapefruit League. The
St. Louis Cardinals
and Florida Marlins
share the stadium during
the Grapefruit League
spring-training season.
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Spring
training is almost as old as baseball
itself. In 1870, the Cincinnati
Red Stockings and the Chicago White
Stockings held organized baseball
camps in New Orleans, the first
Spring Training camp. The Washington
Capitals of the National League
pioneered Florida spring training
in 1888, holding a four-day camp
in Jacksonville.
By
1900, Spring Training was firmly
established as a baseball ritual,
with most American and National
League teams heading out of town
so players could train and managers
could evaluate. Small Florida and
Arizona communities like St. Petersburg,
Fort Lauderdale, Tucson, Sarasota
and Bradenton were suddenly known
across the nation because of the
allure provided by major-league
baseball.
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Cracker
Jack Stadium, Spring
Training home of the
Atlanta Braves, is the
largest Spring training
site in Florida with
9,500 seats.
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Spring
Training is a time for unsung players
to rise to the occasion, earn a
spot on a Major League roster and
get to "The Show." Unlike
the regular season, it's not unusual
during Spring Training for players
to move about along the same paths
as fans with no fences, ropes, security
guards or other obstacles.
The
fact of the matter is this: Spring
Training is one of the few institutions
that hasn't changed in a world where—change
and speed—rule. It remains the ultimate
fan-friendly adventure that delivers
incredible intimacy and affordability.
For more information on all
your favorite Grapefruit League
teams, visit www.mlb.com.
RVers
planning spring trips can choose
from any of Florida's 17 Spring
Training sites:
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Spring
Training Sites
1-
Toronto Blue Jays -
Knology Park at Grant
Field
2- Philadelphia
Phillies - Bright
House Networks Field,
Clearwater
3-
Tampa Bay Devil Rays
- Progress Energy
Park at Al Lang Field,
St. Petersburg
4-
New York Yankees -
Legends Field, Tampa
5-
Pittsburgh Pirates -
McKechnie Field, Bradenton
6-
Cincinnati Reds -
Ed Smith Stadium, Sarasota
7-
Minnesota Twins -
Hammond Stadium, Fort
Myers
8- Boston
Red Sox - City of
Palms Park, Fort Myers
9-
Detroit Tigers -
Tigertown, Lakeland
10-
Cleveland Indians -
Chain O'Lakes Park,
Winter Haven
11-
Houston Astros - Osceola
County Stadium, Kissimmee
12-
Atlanta Braves - Cracker
Jack Stadium, Kissimmee
13-
Washington Nationals
- Space Coast Stadium,
Viera/ Melbourne
14-
Los Angeles Dodgers
- Dodgertown, Vero
Beach
15- New
York Mets - Tradition
Field, Port St. Lucie
16-
St Louis Cardinals &
Florida Marlins
- Roger Dean Stadium,
Jupiter
17- Baltimore
Orioles - Fort Lauderdale
Stadium
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