List of Boston Red Sox spring training venues explained

The Boston Red Sox have been a member of the American League (AL) of Major League Baseball (MLB) since 1901, and have held spring training prior to each season.

The franchise's first spring training was held in Charlottesville, Virginia, in 1901, when the team was known as the Boston Americans. Since 1993, the city of Fort Myers, Florida, has hosted Boston's spring training, first at City of Palms Park, and since 2012 at JetBlue Park at Fenway South.

List of Boston Red Sox spring training venues

Year(s) City Ballpark Ref.
  [1]
Warren Park [2]
1903–1906 Central City Park [3]
1907–1908 [4] [5]
1909–1910 [6] [7]
  [8]
1912–1918 Hot Springs, Arkansas Majestic Park [9]
[10]
1920–1923 Hot Springs, Arkansas [11]
[12]
1925–1927 [13] [14] [15]
1928–1929 [16]
1930–1931 Legion Field [17]
[18]
1933–1942 [19]
[20]
[21] [22]
Ansley Park [23] [24]
1946–1958 Sarasota, Florida Payne Park [25]
1959–1965 [26]
1966–1992 [27]
1993–2011 [28]
2012–present [29] [30]

Notable events

In 1918, Babe Ruth hit a 573-foot home run during spring training in Hot Springs, Arkansas.[31] [32] [33]

Norman Rockwell's 1957 painting The Rookie is set in the team's spring training locker room, which at the time was located at Payne Park in Sarasota, Florida.[34]

In 1987, unhappy about his contract, pitcher Roger Clemens left spring training in Winter Haven, Florida, which prompted general manager Lou Gorman to quip, "The sun will rise, the sun will set, and I'll have lunch."[35]

In 1988, presidential candidate Michael Dukakis took batting practice in Winter Haven.[36]

In March 2020, due to impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on sports, all MLB spring training was halted and the start of the regular season was delayed.[37] Three months later, team president Sam Kennedy advised that the team would complete its preseason training activities at Fenway Park, upon resumption of preparations for the 2020 MLB season.[38] The Red Sox organization made multiple changes to Fenway Park to accommodate "summer camp", including the use of luxury suites as alternate dressing rooms for players, and adding an additional bullpen area underneath the centerfield bleachers.[39] In 2021, the team returned to JetBlue Park for spring training.[40]

Further reading

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Collins' Men Take It Easy . . 7 . April 11, 1901 . November 4, 2018 . newspapers.com.
  2. Web site: Captain Collins Developing a Team of Heavy Hitters . . 8 . April 7, 1902 . November 4, 2018 . newspapers.com.
  3. News: Americans at Macon . . 5 . March 16, 1903 . November 4, 2018 . newspapers.com.
  4. News: Practice Games Monday . The Arkansas Democrat . . 6 . March 10, 1907 . November 5, 2018 . newspapers.com.
  5. News: Pilgrims Come Tomorrow . . . 8 . March 2, 1908 . November 5, 2018 . newspapers.com.
  6. News: Red Sox at Hot Springs . . 9 . . February 28, 1909 . November 5, 2018 . newspapers.com.
  7. News: Red Sox Have Practice . . 10 . April 2, 1910 . November 5, 2018 . newspapers.com.
  8. News: Red Sox Spring Trip in Detail . . 7 . February 9, 1911 . November 5, 2018 . newspapers.com.
  9. News: Hot Springs Leading Spot . . . 12 . January 7, 1912 . July 4, 2020 . newspapers.com.
  10. News: Red Sox Get Down to Work . The Tampa Daily Times . . 9 . March 24, 1919 . November 5, 2018 . newspapers.com.
  11. News: Red Sox To Train At Hot Springs, Ark. . The Fresno Morning Republican . . 20 . January 1, 1920 . July 4, 2020 . newspapers.com.
  12. News: Ehmke Arrives at the Sox Camp . . 11 . February 27, 1924 . November 4, 2018 . newspapers.com.
  13. News: Hot Competition For Wamby's Job . . 24 . March 18, 1925 . November 5, 2018 . newspapers.com.
  14. News: First Workout for Sox Squad . . 9 . February 22, 1926 . November 5, 2018 . newspapers.com.
  15. News: Carrigan Outlines Views to Players . . 20 . March 22, 1927 . November 5, 2018 . newspapers.com.
  16. News: Red Sox Due at Bradenton Today . Melville E. . Webb Jr. . 10 . . February 22, 1928 . November 4, 2018 . newspapers.com.
  17. News: Red Sox Start Their Grind at Pensacola . 20 . . February 26, 1930 . November 4, 2018 . newspapers.com.
  18. News: Red Sox Workout Under Warm Sun . 23 . . March 2, 1932 . November 4, 2018 . newspapers.com.
  19. News: Red Sox Land in Sarasota . . . 4 . March 3, 1933 . July 4, 2020 . newspapers.com.
  20. News: Red Sox Are In Top Shape . . 12 . . . April 1, 1943 . November 4, 2018 . newspapers.com.
  21. News: Ball Clubs Change Only Three Camps . . . 19 . January 23, 1944 . November 9, 2018 . newspapers.com.
  22. News: Red Sox Arrive Today For Oriole Park Drill . . . 20 . March 26, 1944 . November 9, 2018 . newspapers.com.
  23. News: Atlantic City Has Plenty of Baseball . . 18 . March 18, 1945 . November 4, 2018 . newspapers.com.
  24. News: War games: When the Yankees, Red Sox trained in AC, Pleasantville . Bill . Leconey . . March 23, 2017 . November 4, 2018.
  25. News: Williams Hits First Pitch Out of Park . Jack . Hand . . 13 . February 27, 1946 . July 4, 2020 . newspapers.com.
  26. News: Sox to Return To Scottsdale . Bob . Holbrook . . 15 . March 16, 1959 . July 4, 2020 . newspapers.com.
  27. News: Red Sox Off For Sun Land . Roger . Birtwell . . 35 . February 24, 1966 . July 4, 2020 . newspapers.com.
  28. News: 1993 Red Sox are a team in transition . . . . 14 . February 20, 1993 . July 4, 2020 . newspapers.com.
  29. News: Red Sox get new digs in Florida . . . D-8 . January 22, 2012 . July 4, 2020 . newspapers.com.
  30. Web site: Browne . Ian . Sox Spring Training FAQs, important dates . MLB . 22 February 2021.
  31. Web site: Home Run That Changed Baseball . roadsideamerica.com . November 4, 2018.
  32. Web site: 100 years ago, Babe Ruth became Babe Ruth with a 500-foot homer into an Alligator Farm . Matt . Monagan . . March 16, 2018 . November 4, 2018.
  33. Web site: The Official Hot Springs Baseball Historic Trail . Bill . Jenkinson . 2011 . November 4, 2018.
  34. Web site: Chris . Anderson . Who was the rookie in Norman Rockwell's painting? . . May 21, 2014 . December 22, 2016.
  35. News: Former Red Sox GM Lou Gorman dies . Chad . Finn . . April 1, 2011.
  36. News: Around this time of year, great stories spring to mind . Dan . Shaughnessy . . February 22, 2009 . November 4, 2018 . archive.boston.com.
  37. Web site: Opening Day delayed at least 2 weeks; Spring Training games cancelled . Mark Feinsand . March 12, 2020 . MLB.com . Major League Baseball . March 14, 2020.
  38. News: Red Sox plan to hold spring training at Fenway Park . Peter . Abraham . . limited . June 20, 2020 . June 21, 2020.
  39. Web site: 'It was just a jigsaw puzzle.' How the Red Sox reconfigured Fenway Park for summer camp . Alex . Speier . . limited . July 14, 2020 . July 17, 2020.
  40. Web site: Browne . Ian . Sox Spring Training FAQs, important dates . MLB . 22 February 2021.