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Hall of Fame baseball writer Hal McCoy has retired from the Dayton Daily News after covering the Cincinnati Reds for 37 years. Hal's blog, though, will continue to be a must-read for Reds fans. He'll share his thoughts on the team this season and will file updates from Great American Ball Park. You also can catch Hal in print every Sunday in his popular Ask Hal columnHome > Blogs > The Real McCoy | Cincinnati Reds baseball news > Archives > 2010 > January > 20 > Entry
Give me the quaint old spring ball parks
THE NEW state-of-the-art spring training stadiums mushrooming in Florida and Arizona are nifty, miniaturized versions of their big daddy major-league stadiums with their fancy grandstands, private boxes and big-league prices for hot dogs and beer.
Before they all die, permit me to take you back to the days when spring training was situated in small minor league parks that were quaint and sometimes decrepit and, well, fun places to be.
THE HOUSTON ASTROS used to train in Cocoa Beach, Fla., in a small, dilapidated park of crumbling concrete painted a putrid yellow. The players stayed in old military barracks. During one exhibition game, right in the middle of an inning, Cincinnati Reds center fielder Cesar Cedeno came running full-bore, non-stop from center field to the dugout. We all thought, “Well, maybe he has to go to the bathroom.”
Not so. Cedeno refused to return to the field. Why? “I saw a big snake out there and I am afraid of snakes and I’m not going back out there,” he said. And he didn’t.
Back in the days of The Big Red Machine, the Reds trained in Al Lopez Field in Tampa, where now stands the massive stadium housing the Tampa Bay Bucs. It was a small, dumpy place covered by a corrugated sheet metal roof that thumped loudly when foul balls bounced off it.
The press box was so bad most of us didn’t sit in it. Crowds were small back then and the left field bleachers down the third base line were usually empty. Four beat writers would sit on the wooden seats, take off our shirts, slather on suntan lotion and “work” out there.
Spring training was so casual that sometimes I would sit on the bullpen bench in front of those bleachers, where the relief pitchers sat. And I’d grab a glove between innings and play catch with the left fielder to warm him up. Once, with George Foster in left field, I grabbed a baseball and autographed it for him. After I threw it to him, he looked at my signature, turned and threw the ball far over the left field wall.
AN OLD PLACE in Sarasota was, uh, different. It was called Payne Park in downtown Sarasota and it is now a tennis facility on U.S. 301. The Boston Red Sox trained there and Ted Williams used the place.
The press box was so rickety and so close to 301 that when trucks rumbled by the press box swayed and rocked and those of us who didn’t get seasick thought certain the box would one day tumble onto 301 and we’d be crushed by a Peterbilt.
And old McKechnie Field in Bradenton wasn’t much better. They’ve done a marvelous refurbishing there, but not the press box. It is a meteorlogical miracle. It can be 80 degrees on the field, but up in the pressbox it will be freezing. And it remains that way to this day. Writers who don’t bring jackets or sweaters are shivering by the fourth inning. And they end up typing with numb fingers. How can this be? The windows are open and there is no air conditioning.
OLD CLEARWATER STADIUM in Clearwater was nearly a carbon copy of Al Lopez Field in Tampa, but it was located in a shady neighborhood. After one night game, broadcaster Chris Welsh was walking down a dark street toward his car (the parking lot was small) and he was mugged, robbed of his wallet and watch (at least that’s what he said and he sticks to that story).
But it was fun going to Clearwater because the outfield walls were covered with advertisements, as are most spring training parks. One had a beautiful ad for Hooters and a full length photo of one of the beautiful Hooters waitresses in her white shirt and short orange pants. The girl was Philadelphia catcher Darren Daulton’s wife, and as he looked toward the pitcher, there was his wife staring at him from the center field wall.
Winter Haven hasn’t changed much, either, even after a recent facelift. They always forget the press box, which is invaded every day by large black bugs the size of a finger-nail, crawling all over your laptop and notebooks. Once they captured a large black snake slithering under our feet.
And the visitor’s clubhouse is about the size of a walk-in closet. After players spread their equipment bags in front of their lockers, there is zero floor space in which to walk.
THE KANSAS CITY Royals tried an interesting experiment in central Florida. They not only built a stadium near an I-4 exit, the built an amusement park right next to it and called the entire complex Baseball City. As the Royals played, the ferris wheel turned and there were shouts from carnies on the midway. Nice concept. Never worked. First the amusement park folded, then the Royals moved to Arizona and Baseball City is no more - now an apartment complex.
NOW VERO BEACH was something else. It was home to the Los Angeles Dodgers forever. It was an old military base turned into vacation resort. It has a golf course, tennis courts, military housing remodeled into comfortable apartments for the players, a dining room for executives and the media that was upscale with a chef, a bar, white table cloths and real silverware. All free.
The stadium itself was as quaint as it gets. The seats had no roof and the dugouts had no roof. There were no outfield fences, just high banks of built up grassy knolls in the outfield. The press box was small and roofless and most of us sat on a grassy knoll down the right field line near the foul pole, hoping nobody hit one up the knoll so we’d have to scramble out of the way of the right fielder chasing the ball, spikes flashing.
I miss those places, where you not only could smell the hot dogs being grilled under the press boxes, but feel the heat from the grills, where you could sit in the stands and mix with the fans, where you could sit in the bullpen and mix with the players.
The new facilities are gorgeous, but it doesn’t feel like spring training any more.
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By seo lace
May 2, 2010 12:56 PM | Link to this
I can’t read your blog ni IE 4.8, just thougth I miyht let you know!
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By billiam
January 24, 2010 8:22 PM | Link to this
great work, hal. articles like this make it very, very clear that a book should be in your near future. a career reflection of all things baseball…and best restaurants and tales from the cities you visited each year.
By Me
January 24, 2010 2:29 PM | Link to this
Boardwalk & Baseball is completely gone now…it’s a huge open-air shopping center. Chain of Lakes in Winter Haven is still there. It’s used in the Spring for the RussMatt College Baseball tournament. And then there is Lakeland’s ballpark, which is very nice, and the Tigers still train there.
By gibby
January 24, 2010 5:17 AM | Link to this
See what your letting go ddn? Hal, your the best.
By Jacki
January 23, 2010 6:42 PM | Link to this
These stories are so good that they belong in a book! When is one coming???
By Charlie
January 23, 2010 12:34 PM | Link to this
The Reds need to hire you fulltime as a writer/aide to the p.r. and history depts of the reds…And to let you cover any and all games you want to while paying you good money!
By the real dude
January 23, 2010 9:28 AM | Link to this
Check out the Richmond ind. Roosters. Great time to be had.
By grumpy
January 23, 2010 9:25 AM | Link to this
The only old ballpark that I visited was Crosley Field. Had the pleasure of watching Pete Rose Make his debut in April 1963. Dad parked his car in a fellows front yard for couple of bucks, only car there when we went to the game. When we came back it did not seem possible to get that many car’s into one little yard. The Big Red Machine made the games fun at Riverfront, but it just wasn’t the same after being in the old park.
By Baseball fan
January 22, 2010 11:28 PM | Link to this
If you want to experience some fun baseball on a local level, don’t forget about the Hamilton Joe’s team (named after Nuxy.) Last year was their first year and this year will be even better.
By Jacki
January 22, 2010 7:07 PM | Link to this
This stuff is so good it belongs in a book! When is one coming???
By Barb
January 22, 2010 6:31 PM | Link to this
Thanks for reminding me, Hal. We used to sit in the stands right in front of Marty and Joe at Al Lopez Field, that was the shaded section, and we spent many Springs watching the Reds there. It was a great little ballpark and we could be close to the game and the players. St. Pete had the best singing beer guy, though.
By MAC
January 22, 2010 3:40 PM | Link to this
Good stuff Hal; thanks for the memories. I never made it to Crosley; I’ve always felt like I missed something. Engle Field in Chattanooga (recently purchased by UT Chattanooga) and Rickwood field in Birmingham, AL are two of the oldest fields remaining. Both have historic societies that raise money and try to keep them in decent shape. I believe UTC plans to start a baseball program and use Engle again. Engle is where the Reds’ AA team (Lookouts) use to play and where Jackie Mitchell K’d Ruth & Marris in succession once upon a time. It’s still used on occasion for HS and youth league activities. Rickwood Field holds a throwback type game each spring between AA clubs (Barons & guest) to help raise money for repairs. Teams play in throwback unies & everyone else dresses the part; it’s a good experience if U can get a ticket to the Rickwood Classic.
By MAC
January 22, 2010 3:39 PM | Link to this
Good stuff Hal; thanks for the memories. I never made it to Crosley; I’ve always felt like I missed something. Engle Field in Chattanooga (recently purchased by UT Chattanooga) and Rickwood field in Birmingham, AL are two of the oldest fields remaining. Both have historic societies that raise money and try to keep them in decent shape. I believe UTC plans to start a baseball program and use Engle again. Engle is where the Reds’ AA team (Lookouts) use to play and where Jackie Mitchell K’d Ruth & Marris in succession once upon a time. It’s still used on occasion for HS and youth league activities. Rickwood Field holds a throwback type game each year between AA clubs (Barons & a guest) to help raise money for repairs. Teams play in throwback unies & everyone else dresses the part; it’s a good experience if U can get a ticket to the Rickwood Classic.
By Jack D
January 22, 2010 2:54 PM | Link to this
Hal your just like the old parks you described. A true gem!
By Ren
January 22, 2010 2:01 PM | Link to this
Love the article. I can’t stop laughing at Darrin Daulton’s wife being a Hooters girl and “staring” at him from center field or George Foster throwing your autographed ball over the left field fence.
By StuttgartTim
January 21, 2010 10:15 PM | Link to this
Great comments and stories Hal. I couldn’t agree more. I had definitely reached the point where I enjoyed a game more in an old “comfortable” park in ST than at GABP. I guess I’m with Bob. I’ll enjoy my retirement in a few years watching “other” teams. I’ll miss my Reds, but I guess it was more important for them to have a new place.
By Cunnythumber
January 21, 2010 4:03 PM | Link to this
Hal, Great story. One of the things I regret is not getting to experience some of the old parks, and this includes the minors and spring training parks. I did, however, get to experience Baseball City in a unique way. My high-school team went to Florida on a spring baseball trip in the early 90s (92 I think) and played a Christian school from Miami at Boardwalk and Baseball. What a great experience. We used the Royals club house and a few of the Royals actually came in and sat in our dugout while the game went on. The field was unique. It had grass on the infield and turf in the outfield, or vice-versa. We were run ruled in both games of a double header, but what a wonderful experience. Thanks again, for all you do, Hal.
By Dan Hearlihy
January 21, 2010 2:10 PM | Link to this
Hal, Speaking of old Ballparks, I want to “Thank You” for taking the time to sign an autograph at good ol’ Ed Smith Stadium last year. In the Reds 2nd to their last game in that Park last year I went running after you while you were on your way to the Reds Clubhouse, in about the middle of the game. You responded by promptly turning around and greeting me with a smile and you seemed genuinely flattered that I would ask. I asked you to sign your autograph on my ticket for my son Casey. I explained that Casey and I always enjoyed reading your column in the Springfield News Sun. You seemed delighted to do so and Thanked me for asking. Casey really enjoyed adding your autograph to his collection, that includes Rose, Foster, Feller and others, but he enjoyed even more hearing about our encounter and realizing that you are the wonderful person that we always thought you were. Thank You, Sir, for being the Great American that you are.
By mike
January 21, 2010 12:52 PM | Link to this
I love your baseball stories, Hal.
By Tom
January 21, 2010 12:24 PM | Link to this
A quaint old wooden ball park with lights was Armco Field in Middletown. Memories of class D minor league ball. I believe it was the Ohio/Ind./Ky. league. Nothing quite like it.
By Steve
January 21, 2010 11:49 AM | Link to this
I went to Boardwalk and Baseball roughly 20 years ago with my wife, whose parents lived in Orlando. It was a quaint amusement park that had baseball skill games: batting cage, fielding cage that kept a “score” of your ability. They also had a baseball museum there that contained articles on loan from the HOF as well as video/audio exhibits. I loved every minute of it!
By Rick
January 21, 2010 11:06 AM | Link to this
When Mark on 980 Sportstalk asked yesterday afternoon, “If there were a charity auction and you could buy dinner with a Dayton Celebrity who would you choose?”— without hesitation I thought Hal McCoy.
By Gary Maloy Jr.
January 21, 2010 10:33 AM | Link to this
…and your book just gets thicker and thicker. :D
By Paul
January 21, 2010 7:51 AM | Link to this
Keep’em coming Hal, you’re the best! This is the best part of winter - spring training stories from keepers of the flame.
By Bob
January 21, 2010 7:45 AM | Link to this
I like Siesta Key Beach. I’ll just watch Baltimore at Ed Smith Field and the Pirates just up north.
By Rick Smith
January 21, 2010 6:41 AM | Link to this
Hal: On a family vacation MANY years ago we spent a day at what was then called Boardwalk and Baseball, at the Royals’ Baseball City. I agree with your take…neat concept! Old fashioned amusement park combined with ongoing semi-pro baseball, punctuated by the “Baseball City” Royals in the Florida State League. My son still has a baseball he snagged when it landed foul by the bullpen! In fact, my son (who’s now an adult) and I enjoy smaller parks so much that we went on a mini-minor-league tour last summer, visiting small parks in Bowling Green, KY; Jackson, TN; and Nashville, TN. Lots of fun!
By Mike
January 21, 2010 3:00 AM | Link to this
I always loved Dodgertown in Vero Beach. It’s just as Hal described it. A few times on evenings after days games many past Dodgers could be seen there mingling, giving lessons, etc.. Great place to get autographs. Unlike today’s new spring training parks where it has almost become as bad as major league parks by insulating players from the fans. That used to be a big part of the charm of spring training, being close to the players and actually talking to them. Oh well.
By david
January 20, 2010 6:09 PM | Link to this
Love the stories