The history of spring training

Spring training almost started at the same time as baseball. The first record-breaking spring training event occurred in 1870 when the Cincinnati Red Sox and Chicago White Sox held camps in New Orleans. However, some believe the first spring training wasn’t until the Washington Capitals held a four-day training camp in Jacksonville in 1888.

Either way, by 1900, spring training was established as a ritual in baseball. During this time, most National League and United States teams go out of town for players to train and eat to evaluate players. There are three distinct eras for spring training.

The first of these eras are the early years between 1901 and 1942. Before spring training began, many teams trained locally or while on the road. This was because in the early years, many baseball players had to work other jobs to support their families and were unable to travel out of town to train. In 1910, when spring training became an institution, most of the teams went east of the Mississippi River. It was then that the Grapefruit League was founded.

A second era is the war years between 1943 and 1945. When World War II broke out, many began to reduce the use of various items. Therefore, baseball has become a luxury. Baseball was allowed to continue because President Roosevelt felt it was important to the moral country. However, traveling to the training grounds became difficult. That’s when the MLB commissioner developed a cap that required teams to train close to home. Therefore, the Yankees held spring training in Asbury Park, New Jersey.

The third and final era runs from 1946 to the present day. Before World War II, many teams held spring training in California and Arizona. However, it wasn’t until 1947, when the New York Giants and Cleveland Indians began spring training in Phoenix and Tucson, that the Cactus League was formed. It was at this time that spring training became a lucrative institution that has grown into the wild popularity we see today.