ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — The St. Petersburg Museum of History is marking 100 years of spring training in the region.
The Tampa Tribune reports that Mayor Rick Kriseman, Tampa Bay Rays senior adviser Dick Crippen and former Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Jesse Litsch joined the crowd at the museum Thursday for a celebration.
The Tampa Bay area has been the spring training home for numerous Major League Baseball teams since the Chicago Cubs defeated the St. Louis Browns at Coffee Pot Park on Feb. 27, 1914. The Toronto Blue Jays, Philadelphia Phillies and New York Yankees currently train in the area.
The St. Petersburg Museum of History is exhibiting the world’s largest private collection of autographed baseballs. They’re on loan from Dennis Schrader of Oldsmar as part of the historic celebration.
Source: Associated Press