interesting trivia about spring training

[Brownieand45sfan]

In 1902, the St. Louis Browns held spring training in West Baden, Indiana at the West Baden Springs Hotel. And although it is a few minutes south of downtown St. Louis, (38°34′2″N v. 38°37′38″N) It is interesting that finding the sunniest clime was not foremost on the mind of Jimmy McAleer, the manager that year. It seems that there was a spring there, and a salt lick, both of which combined to endow it with curative properties in the mind of that era. The site of this hotel is sometimes attributed as being in the sister city of French Lick Indiana (birthplace of Larry Bird).

From page 4 of The Sporting News for Saturday, April 5, 1902: “McAleer went to West Baden on Monday to meet with his men and put them to work. He will not have them do much playing, but will insist on each taking a course of the water, internal and external. He writes [Browns] Sec’y [Bob] Hedges that … the treatment they are undergoing will put them in tip-top condition.”

There might be something in those minerals, after all. The 1902 Browns finished in second place and lost the fewest games in Browns history. The year the Cardinals trained in French Lick, 1911, they pulled themselves over .500 for the first time since the American League roster raid of 1901. The year of the Chicago Cubs last pennant, 1945 , they trained at West Baden Springs Hotel. The next year, the Cubs moved their spring training site to California and have never been back to Indiana since (maybe they should try it again!).

miami marlins are the only team who travels north to get to spring training.

[Zito75]

Not true. San Diego Padres train in Peoria, AZ.

Both the Angels and Cubs have to travel North from Tempe and Mesa (respectively) to play any other teams in Arizona...

[GiambiJuice]

miami marlins are the only team who travels north to get to spring training.

Not true. San Diego Padres train in Peoria, AZ.

[statman]

miami marlins are the only team who travels north to get to spring training.