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111-484: Each league member is affiliated with a Major League Baseball (MLB) team, and most play in their affiliate's spring training facility. The league originated in 1919 with teams in Bartow , Bradenton , Lakeland , Orlando , Sanford , and Tampa, Florida . The league closed down in 1928 and resumed play in 1936. It has continued uninterrupted, except for a four-year (1942–1945) suspension during World War II . Initially,

222-406: A 15% overcharge to their "ring" in order to do business with the city. By 1853, Tweed was running the seventh ward for Tammany. The board also had six Democrats and six Republicans, but Tweed often just bought off one Republican to sway the board. One such Republican board member was Peter P. Voorhis, a coal dealer by profession who absented himself from a board meeting in exchange for $ 2,500 so that

333-503: A 7-4 Astros victory. Pawol hopes her efforts throughout spring training will lead to the opportunity for her to become the first female umpire to work a regular season game. She credits the women that umpired before her for paving an exciting career path for women such as herself in the future. Minor league players participate in spring training following a telescoped schedule that generally lasts from March 1 to 31. At its conclusion, most players are assigned to farm team rosters to begin

444-681: A base in the Irish Catholic community, he opposed efforts of Protestants to require the reading of the King James Bible in public schools, which was done deliberately to keep out Catholics. He facilitated the founding of the New York Public Library , even though one of its founders, Samuel Tilden, was Tweed's sworn enemy in the Democratic Party. Tweed recognized that the support of his constituency

555-859: A board member of the Brooklyn Bridge Company , and the president of the Guardian Savings Bank. Tweed was elected to the United States House of Representatives in 1852 and the New York County Board of Supervisors in 1858, the year that he became the head of the Tammany Hall political machine. He was also elected to the New York State Senate in 1867. However, Tweed's greatest influence came from being an appointed member of

666-460: A change in style: Tweed began to favor wearing a large diamond in his shirtfront – a habit that Thomas Nast used to great effect in his attacks on Tweed in Harper's Weekly beginning in 1869 – and he bought a brownstone to live in at 41 West 36th Street, then a very fashionable area. He invested his now considerable illegal income in real estate, so that by the late 1860s he ranked among

777-611: A common seaman on a Spanish ship. The U.S. government discovered his whereabouts and arranged for his arrest once he reached the Spanish border, where he was recognized from Nast's political cartoons. He was turned over to an American warship, the USS ; Franklin , which delivered him to authorities in New York City on November 23, 1876, and he was returned to prison. Desperate and broken, Tweed now agreed to testify about

888-538: A judge—Tweed's old friend George Barnard—enjoined the city Comptroller from issuing bonds or spending money. Unpaid workers turned against Tweed, marching to City Hall demanding to be paid. Tweed doled out some funds from his own purse—$ 50,000—but it was not sufficient to end the crisis, and Tammany began to lose its essential base. Shortly thereafter, the Comptroller resigned, appointing Andrew Haswell Green , an associate of Tilden, as his replacement. Green loosened

999-573: A number of boards and commissions, his control over political patronage in New York City through Tammany, and his ability to ensure the loyalty of voters through jobs he could create and dispense on city-related projects. Boss Tweed was convicted for stealing an amount estimated by an aldermen's committee in 1877 at between $ 25 million and $ 45 million from New York City taxpayers from political corruption, but later estimates ranged as high as $ 200 million (equivalent to $ 5 billion in 2023). Unable to make bail, he escaped from jail once but

1110-484: A perfect game in extra innings in 1995 while pitching for the former Montreal Expos , was talking to reporters at the conclusion of the game, rather than watching the final pitches. Reliever Rod Beck , who finished the game, did not realize the nature of his accomplishment until informed by catcher Joe Siddall . Many fans also left before the game's conclusion. Although spring training statistics are unofficial, teams frequently use players' spring training performances as

1221-473: A pitcher throughout spring training, potentially impacting regular season performance. Boss Tweed William Magear "Boss" Tweed (April 3, 1823 – April 12, 1878) was an American politician most notable for being the political boss of Tammany Hall , the Democratic Party 's political machine that played a major role in the politics of 19th-century New York City and State . At

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1332-676: A position with considerable access to city contractors and funding; he bought the New-York Printing Company, which became the city's official printer, and the city's stationery supplier, the Manufacturing Stationers' Company, and had both companies begin to overcharge the city government for their goods and services. Among other legal services he provided, he accepted almost $ 100,000 from the Erie Railroad in return for favors. He also became one of

1443-538: A prison sentence of 12 years; a higher court, however, reduced Tweed's sentence to one year. After his release from The Tombs prison, New York State filed a civil suit against Tweed, attempting to recover $ 6 million in embezzled funds. Unable to put up the $ 3 million bail, Tweed was locked up in the Ludlow Street Jail , although he was allowed home visits. During one of these on December 4, 1875, Tweed escaped and fled to Spain, where he worked as

1554-522: A shift restriction to promote more exciting plays. Although home plate remained unchanged, all other bases within the field of play increased in size. The base sizes increased from 15 inches square to 18 inches square and slightly reduced the distance between bases. Defensive shift limit rules included four infielders staying within the boundary of the infield dirt, two infielders staying on each side of second base, and had no restrictions on outfielders . Although positive feedback had been received about

1665-534: A special four-page supplement on July 29 headlined "Gigantic Frauds of the Ring Exposed". In August, Tweed began to transfer ownership in his real-estate empire and other investments to his family members. The exposé provoked an international crisis of confidence in New York City's finances, and, in particular, in its ability to repay its debts. European investors were heavily positioned in the city's bonds and were already nervous about its management – only

1776-454: A way of assigning starting roles and roster spots on the club. Spring training is the time of MLB's calendar year to make improvements to the game of baseball. These changes to the traditional game of baseball allow for MLB to adapt to the modern day of playing and set up teams throughout the league for success. The league also experiments with on-field personnel to determine the best umpire crews, home plate umpires, and field umpires. In 2023,

1887-814: Is Sloan Park , the spring training home for the Chicago Cubs in Mesa, Arizona , which opened in February 2014. The oldest stadium in Cactus League spring training is Tempe Diablo Stadium, built in 1969. According to the Arizona Republic , the Cactus League generates more than $ 300 million a year in economic impact to the greater Phoenix metropolitan area economy. The Arizona Republic newspaper reports that more than $ 500 million has been spent on "building eight new stadiums and renovating two others for

1998-708: Is a 2015 documentary about Hot Springs Spring Training. The film was narrated by actor Billy Bob Thornton , an area native, and produced by filmmaker Larry Foley. The documentary began airing nationally on the MLB Network in February 2016. Early training sites include the St. Louis Cardinals in Hot Springs and Tulsa, Oklahoma ; the New York Yankees in New Orleans and later Phoenix, Arizona , when

2109-856: Is not limited to North America; the Japanese professional baseball leagues' teams adopted spring training and preseason game sites across East Asia such as South Korea , the Philippines , and Taiwan ; on the Pacific Islands (most notably in Hawaii); and in two cities in the United States: Salinas, California and Yuma, Arizona on the Mexican border. In 2015, 2016 and 2019, MLB has hosted spring training games in Mexico. In 2015,

2220-486: Is promoted to an appropriate-level farm club. When short-season leagues ( Rookie league , or previously Class A Short Season ) begin play in late June, extended spring training players are assigned to those rosters, placed on the injured list , or released. Every four years, the World Baseball Classic creates a significant impact on how traditional spring training occurs. The tournament runs throughout

2331-970: The Arizona Diamondbacks played against the Colorado Rockies at Estadio Sonora , Hermosillo. A year later, the San Diego Padres hosted the Houston Astros at Estadio Fray Nano in Mexico City. Finally, in 2019, the Diamondbacks played once again the Rockies but, this time, at Estadio de Béisbol Monterrey in Monterrey. In 2020, MLB hosted a spring training game between the Minnesota Twins and

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2442-605: The Black Horse Cavalry , thirty state legislators whose votes were up for sale. In the Senate he helped financiers Jay Gould and Big Jim Fisk to take control of the Erie Railroad from Cornelius Vanderbilt by arranging for legislation that legitimized fake Erie stock certificates that Gould and Fisk had issued. In return, Tweed received a large block of stock and was made a director of the company. After

2553-477: The Brooklyn Bridge project would go forward, State Senator Henry Cruse Murphy approached Tweed to find out whether New York's aldermen would approve the proposal. Tweed's response was that $ 60,000 for the aldermen would close the deal, and contractor William C. Kingsley put up the cash, which was delivered in a carpet bag . Tweed and two others from Tammany also received over half the private stock of

2664-702: The Dominican Republic in 1948. The New York Yankees also trained in the early 1950s in Cuba and the Dominican Republic. Spring training camps and games were also held in Hawaii, Puerto Rico , and various cities of northern Mexico , sometimes by visiting major league teams in the 1950s and 1960s. Before and shortly after big league baseball reached the West Coast, a number of teams trained in

2775-653: The Grapefruit League . Except for a couple of years during World War II , when travel restrictions prevented teams from training south of the Potomac and Ohio Rivers , Florida hosted more than half of the spring training teams through 2009. Since 2010, major league teams have been equally divided between Arizona and Florida during spring training, with 15 teams in Florida and 15 teams in Arizona. All but six of

2886-471: The Washington Nationals became the first club to hold spring training in Florida. The practice was not universally adopted, however. Critics including Cap Anson argued that players would be more prone to sore muscles and colds after returning to their colder home climates. Spring training by major league teams in sites other than their regular season game sites first became popular in

2997-423: The pitch clock was implemented. The timer was developed to create a quicker pace of play and allow for more fans to actively watch games. Timers of 30 seconds between batters, 15 seconds between pitches, and 20 seconds between pitches with runners on base have drastically reduced playing times. Pitchers were also limited to two disengagements from the mound per plate appearance . Any time a pitcher disengages with

3108-477: The "Big Six", as a volunteer fire company , which took as its symbol a snarling red Bengal tiger from a French lithograph, a symbol which remained associated with Tweed and Tammany Hall for many years. At the time, volunteer fire companies competed vigorously with each other; some were connected with street gangs and had strong ethnic ties to various immigrant communities. The competition could become so fierce, that burning buildings would sometimes be ignored as

3219-564: The $ 2,500 to buy off the Republican Voorhis on the Board of Supervisors, was found to have stolen $ 150,000 in post office receipts, the responsibility for Fowler's arrest was given to Isaiah Rynders , another Tammany operative who was serving as a United States marshal at the time. Rynders made enough ruckus upon entering the hotel where Fowler was staying that Fowler was able to escape to Mexico. With his new position and wealth came

3330-758: The 15 teams in the Valley." Attendance set a new record at 2011 Cactus League games with 1.59 million attending games at the various stadiums in the Phoenix metro area. Much of the attendance surge is attributed to the Salt River Fields at Talking Stick venue that accounted for 22 percent of the Cactus League attendance. Following is the list of spring training locations by team in the Cactus League in Arizona: Statistics are recorded during spring training games, but they are not combined with

3441-485: The 1890s and by 1910 was in wide use. Hot Springs, Arkansas , has been called the original "birthplace" of spring training baseball. The location of Hot Springs and the concept of getting the players ready for the upcoming season was the brainchild of Chicago White Stockings (today's Chicago Cubs ) team President Albert Spalding and Cap Anson . In 1886, the White Stockings traveled to Hot Springs to prepare for

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3552-411: The 2004 playoffs were canceled due to the threat of Hurricane Ivan . Years later, the 2017 FSL Championship finals were canceled on September 5, due to the threat of Hurricane Irma . The winners of the division series playoff games were named co-champions. This marked the third time since 2000 that the championship series game was canceled. In 2019, the end of the season and playoffs were cancelled due to

3663-528: The 2025 season to allow for both effective performance and appeal. In a predominately male job, the 2024 spring training season saw the first woman umpire since Ria Cortesio in 2007. On February 24, Jen Pawol was a field umpire for the Astros and Nationals game. She began the game with three innings umpiring third base followed by an additional three innings at both second and first as well. Cacti park hosted 3,655 people to witness history as Pawol umpired

3774-487: The Bridge Company, the charter of which specified that only private stockholders had voting rights, so that even though the cities of Brooklyn and Manhattan put up most of the money, they essentially had no control over the project. Tweed bought a mansion on Fifth Avenue and 43rd Street , and stabled his horses, carriages and sleighs on 40th Street . By 1871, he was a member of the board of directors of not only

3885-547: The Department of Public Parks  – providing what became known as the Tweed Ring with even firmer control of the New York City government and enabling them to defraud the taxpayers of many more millions of dollars. In the words of Albert Bigelow Paine , "their methods were curiously simple and primitive. There were no skilful manipulations of figures, making detection difficult ... Connolly, as Controller, had charge of

3996-738: The Detroit Tigers at Estadio Quisqueya in Santo Domingo. In 2024, the Rays and Red Sox played the inaugural Dominican Republic series in Santo Domingo. The series resulted in a split, 1-1, and showcased Dominican talent while honoring players that have been developed through Dominican Republic Academies. Generally, teams train in either Florida or Arizona based on their geographic location in North America, with eastern teams playing in Florida and western teams training in Arizona;

4107-873: The Erie Railroad and the Brooklyn Bridge Company, but also the Third Avenue Railway Company and the Harlem Gas Light Company. He was president of the Guardian Savings Banks and he and his confederates set up the Tenth National Bank to better control their fortunes. Tweed's downfall began in 1871. James Watson, who was a county auditor in Comptroller Dick Connolly 's office and who also held and recorded

4218-559: The FSL was classified as a Class D circuit, roughly equivalent to a Rookie-level league today. It was elevated to Class C from 1921 to 1924, roughly equivalent to an Advanced Rookie league in the pre-2021 classification system and a Rookie-level league today. It reverted to Class D from 1925 to 1928. The league went dormant from 1929 to 1935, but was revived as a Class D circuit from 1936 to 1941. After another period of inactivity from 1942 to 1945, it continued at Class D from 1946 to 1962. When

4329-615: The Grapefruit League, teams in the Cactus League often share stadiums; of the 15 teams who train in Arizona, only the Cubs, Angels, Brewers, Giants, and Athletics have their own home stadiums. The Cactus League teams are all within the Phoenix metropolitan area (as of 2014 when the Diamondbacks and Rockies left Tucson for their new shared facility, Salt River Fields at Talking Stick ). The newest stadium built for MLB spring training

4440-792: The Indians in Tucson and convinced the New York Giants to give Phoenix a try. Thus the Cactus League was born. In 1947, Veeck signed Larry Doby to the Indians. Doby was the second African-American to play MLB in the 20th century, and the first in the American League. Arizona had eight teams in the Cactus League in 1989 , with the other eighteen in Florida. By 2018 , the split was even, with 15 teams training in each location. While Florida and Arizona now host all Major League Baseball teams for spring training, this has not always been

4551-705: The Salt River in 1929. The Philadelphia Phillies were the first of the current major-league teams to train in Florida, when they spent two weeks in Jacksonville, Florida in 1889. Spring training in Florida began in earnest in 1913, when the Chicago Cubs trained in Tampa and the Cleveland Indians in Pensacola . One year later, two other teams moved to Florida for spring training, the real start of

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4662-471: The White Stockings to Hot Springs. Whittington Field/ Ban Johnson Park (1894), Majestic Park (1909), and Fogel Field (1912) were all built in Hot Springs to host Major League teams. Famously, on St. Patrick's Day , 1918, a successful young pitcher for the Red Sox named Babe Ruth was forced to play an emergency game at first base in a spring training game against Pittsburgh. This game possibly changed

4773-566: The autobiography of former Cleveland Indians owner Bill Veeck , the avoidance of racism was one reason the Cactus League was established. In 1947, Veeck was the owner of the minor league Milwaukee Brewers and the team trained in Ocala, Florida . Veeck inadvertently sat in the Black section of the segregated stands and engaged in conversation with a couple of fans. According to Veeck's book,

4884-427: The biggest landowners in New York City. Tweed became involved in the operation of the New York Mutuals , an early professional baseball club, in the 1860s. He brought in thousands of dollars per home game by dramatically increasing the cost of admission and gambling on the team. He has been credited with originating the practice of spring training in 1869 by sending the club south to New Orleans to prepare for

4995-415: The board could appoint city inspectors. Henry Smith was another Republican that was a part of the Tweed ring. Although he was not trained as a lawyer, Tweed's friend, Judge George G. Barnard , certified him as an attorney, and Tweed opened a law office on Duane Street. He ran for sheriff in 1861 and was defeated, but became the chairman of the Democratic General Committee shortly after the election, and

5106-460: The books had been "faithfully kept", letting the air out of the effort to dethrone Tweed. The response to the Orange riot changed everything, and only days afterwards the Times /Nast campaign began to garner popular support. More important, the Times started to receive inside information from County Sheriff James O'Brien, whose support for Tweed had fluctuated during Tammany's reign. O'Brien had tried to blackmail Tammany by threatening to expose

5217-417: The books, and declined to show them. With his fellows, he also 'controlled' the courts and most of the bar." Crucially, the new city charter allowed the Board of Audit to issue bonds for debt in order to finance opportunistic capital expenditures the city otherwise could not afford. This ability to float debt was enabled by Tweed's guidance and passage of the Adjusted Claims Act in 1868. Contractors working for

5328-407: The case. Especially in the early 20th century, baseball clubs did not build facilities dedicated to spring training and would use local facilities in various cities, sometimes changing spring training sites on an annual basis. The Cleveland Indians, for example, held spring trainings in seven different cities – including New Orleans, Dallas , and Macon, Georgia  – between 1902 and 1922. This

5439-535: The city – "Ring favorites, most of them – were told to multiply the amount of each bill by five, or ten, or a hundred, after which, with Mayor Hall's 'O. K.' and Connolly's endorsement, it was paid ... through a go-between, who cashed the check, settled the original bill and divided the remainder ... between Tweed, Sweeny, Connolly and Hall". For example, the construction cost of the New York County Courthouse , begun in 1861, grew to nearly $ 13 million—about $ 350 million in 2023 dollars, and nearly twice

5550-435: The city's government was passed in 1870, four commissioners for the construction of the New York County Courthouse were appointed. The commission never held a meeting, though each commissioner received a 20% kickback from the bills for the supplies. Tweed and his friends also garnered huge profits from the development of the Upper East Side, especially Yorkville and Harlem . They would buy up undeveloped property, then use

5661-442: The corruption of Tweed and Tammany Hall, they did accomplish the development of upper Manhattan, though at the cost of tripling the city's bond debt to almost $ 90 million. During the Tweed era, the proposal to build a suspension bridge between New York and Brooklyn , then an independent city, was floated by Brooklyn-boosters, who saw the ferry connections as a bottleneck to Brooklyn's further development. In order to ensure that

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5772-587: The corruption of the law by the upholders of that law, of a venal irresponsible press and a citizenry delighting in the exorcism of witchery. In depictions of Tweed and the Tammany Hall organization, most historians have emphasized the thievery and conspiratorial nature of Boss Tweed, along with lining his own pockets and those of his friends and allies. The theme is that the sins of corruption so violated American standards of political rectitude that they far overshadow Tweed's positive contributions to New York City. Although he held numerous important public offices and

5883-424: The cost of the Alaska Purchase in 1867. "A carpenter was paid $ 360,751 (roughly $ 9.6 million in 2023) for one month's labor in a building with very little woodwork ... a plasterer got $ 133,187 ($ 3.5 million) for two days' work". Tweed bought a marble quarry in Sheffield, Massachusetts , to provide much of the marble for the courthouse at great profit to himself. After the Tweed Charter to reorganize

5994-671: The course of baseball history, as it was the first time Ruth had ever played any position other than pitcher. Ruth responded by hitting two home runs that day in Hot Springs, with the second being a 573-foot shot that landed across the street from Whittington Park in a pond of the Arkansas Alligator Farm and Petting Zoo . The Red Sox took notice and soon Ruth was playing the field more often. Over 130 Major League Baseball Hall of Famers, including Ruth, Anson, Cy Young , Honus Wagner , Ty Cobb , Tris Speaker , Walter Johnson , Rogers Hornsby , Mel Ott , Dizzy Dean , Jimmie Foxx , and Stan Musial , trained in Hot Springs. The First Boys of Spring

6105-490: The election of 1869, Tweed took control of the New York City government. His protégé, John T. Hoffman , the former mayor of the city, won election as governor, and Tweed garnered the support of good-government reformers like Peter Cooper and the Union League Club , by proposing a new city charter which returned power to City Hall at the expense of the Republican-inspired state commissions. The new charter passed, thanks in part to $ 600,000 in bribes Tweed paid to Republicans, and

6216-429: The exceptions being the Cleveland Guardians, Cincinnati Reds, Milwaukee Brewers, and the two Chicago-based teams all training in Arizona; and the Houston Astros, Minnesota Twins and St. Louis Cardinals training in Florida. The last West Coast team to train in Florida was the Los Angeles Dodgers, who moved to Arizona in 2009. Spring training teams can play colleges, minor league baseball clubs, intra-squad games (members of

6327-401: The family business in 1852. On September 29, 1844, he married Mary Jane C. Skaden and lived with her family on Madison Street for two years. Tweed became a member of the Odd Fellows and the Masons , and joined a volunteer fire company, Engine No. 12. In 1848, at the invitation of state assemblyman John J. Reilly, he and some friends organized the Americus Fire Company No. 6, also known as

6438-460: The fire companies fought each other. Tweed became known for his ax-wielding violence, and was soon elected the Big Six foreman. Pressure from Alfred Carlson, the chief engineer, got him thrown out of the crew. However, fire companies were also recruiting grounds for political parties at the time, thus Tweed's exploits came to the attention of the Democratic politicians who ran the Seventh Ward. The Seventh Ward put him up for Alderman in 1850, when Tweed

6549-476: The first baseball team to hold a spring training outside of their home when, in 1869, Boss Tweed sent the Mutuals south to New Orleans to prepare for the season. In the 1870s, several clubs began following the example set by the Mutuals by training in warmer climates. New Orleans was a popular location for spring training in the 19th century but teams also trained in Washington, D.C. , Savannah, Georgia and Cape May, New Jersey among other locations. In 1888,

6660-505: The flag at City Hall to be flown at half staff . According to Tweed biographer Kenneth D. Ackerman: It's hard not to admire the skill behind Tweed's system ... The Tweed ring at its height was an engineering marvel, strong and solid, strategically deployed to control key power points: the courts, the legislature, the treasury and the ballot box. Its frauds had a grandeur of scale and an elegance of structure: money-laundering, profit sharing and organization. A minority view that Tweed

6771-413: The height of his influence, Tweed was the third-largest landowner in New York City, a director of the Erie Railroad , a director of the Tenth National Bank , a director of the New-York Printing Company, the proprietor of the Metropolitan Hotel , a significant stockholder in iron mines and gas companies, a board member of the Harlem Gas Light Company , a board member of the Third Avenue Railway Company ,

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6882-420: The inner workings of the Tweed Ring to a special committee set up by the Board of Aldermen in return for his release. However, after he did so, Tilden, now governor of New York, refused to abide by the agreement, and Tweed remained incarcerated. He died in the Ludlow Street Jail on April 12, 1878, from severe pneumonia , and was buried in Brooklyn 's Green-Wood Cemetery . Mayor Smith Ely Jr. would not allow

6993-494: The largest owners of real estate in the city. He also started to form what became known as the "Tweed Ring", by having his friends elected to office: George G. Barnard was elected Recorder of New York City ; Peter B. Sweeny was elected New York County District Attorney ; and Richard B. Connolly was elected City Comptroller. Other judicial members of the Tweed ring included Albert Cardozo , John McCunn , and John K. Hackett . When Grand Sachem Isaac Fowler , who had produced

7104-503: The listed statistics for regular season games, and unusual performances which would have broken records if accomplished during the regular season are considered to be unofficial. For example, on March 14, 2000, the Red Sox used six pitchers to achieve a 5–0 perfect game victory over the Toronto Blue Jays . A perfect game is considered a crowning accomplishment during the regular season or postseason, but in spring training it attracts little notice. Starting pitcher Pedro Martínez , who lost

7215-495: The local law enforcement told Veeck he could not sit in that section, and then called the Ocala mayor when Veeck argued back. The mayor finally backed down when Veeck threatened to take his team elsewhere for spring training and promised to let the country know why. Veeck sold the Brewers in 1945 and temporarily retired to a ranch in Tucson, Arizona , but purchased the Cleveland Indians in 1946. Intending to introduce African-American players, Veeck decided to buck tradition and train

7326-407: The major league teams have gone to spring training in Florida at one time or another (Anaheim Angels, Milwaukee Brewers, Seattle Mariners, San Diego Padres, Colorado Rockies and Arizona Diamondbacks). Many of the most famous players in baseball history (Ruth, Gehrig , Musial, Cobb, Mays , DiMaggio , Berra , Mantle , and many more) have called Florida home for 4–6 weeks every spring. According to

7437-414: The minor league season. However, those players deemed unready for a full-season campaign—through inexperience or injury—are assigned to "extended spring training", a structured program of workouts, rehabilitation sessions, simulated games, and exhibition games based in the major league parent team's minor league training complex. If a player is later deemed ready to participate in full-season league action, he

7548-424: The minor leagues were reconfigured in 1963, the FSL was reclassified as a Class A league, placing it three steps below the majors. There it continued until the next reorganization in 1990 when it was elevated to Class A-Advanced , remaining at the third rung on the minor league ladder. The championship series' first cancellation was in 2001, when playoffs were canceled after the September 11 attacks . Afterwards,

7659-441: The month of March with the opportunity for players to represent their countries and play for the national teams. This impacts spring training as many star players opt to represent their country rather than prepare for the upcoming MLB season with their respective teams. This leaves teams in tough situations as they are forced to build their lineups, sell tickets, and play games without their star players. However, players opt to play in

7770-448: The mound after the first two disengagements have been used, the pitcher is charged with a balk . These factors have contributed to the increased pace of play and allows for games to move quicker. After the pitch clock's success throughout spring training, it was ultimately placed into effect for the 2023 MLB season . Along with the experimentation of the pitch clock, spring training also tested out larger bases to protect player's safety and

7881-403: The name "Grapefruit League" has several explanations. One popular myth was that Casey Stengel threw a grapefruit at Brooklyn Dodgers manager Wilbert Robinson . The accepted version is that aviator Ruth Law threw the grapefruit. In 1915, Law had been throwing golf balls from her airplane to advertise a golf course. Someone suggested throwing a baseball from her airplane. Robinson, whose team

7992-577: The newspapers and the Protestant elite of the city, Tammany reversed course, and the march was allowed to proceed, with protection from city policemen and state militia . The result was an even larger riot in which over 60 people were killed and more than 150 injured. Although Tammany's electoral power base was largely centered in the Irish immigrant population, it also needed both the city's general population and elite to acquiesce in its rule, and this

8103-627: The others located on the same coast, rarely traveling to the other side of Florida for spring training games. The Astros, Cardinals, Marlins, Mets, and Nationals—all of whom play on the Atlantic Coast—play the majority of their games against each other, only playing three or four games against opponents located on the Gulf Coast. Following is the list of spring training locations by team in the Grapefruit League in Florida: Unlike

8214-464: The papers say about me. My constituents don't know how to read, but they can't help seeing them damned pictures!" – but their campaign had only limited success in gaining traction. They were able to force an examination of the city's books, but the blue-ribbon commission of six businessmen appointed by Mayor A. Oakey Hall , a Tammany man, which included John Jacob Astor III , banker Moses Taylor and others who benefited from Tammany's actions, found that

8325-414: The purse strings again, allowing city departments not under Tammany control to borrow money to operate. Green and Tilden had the city's records closely examined, and discovered money that went directly from city contractors into Tweed's pocket. The following day, they had Tweed arrested. Tweed was released on $ 1 million bail, and Tammany set to work to recover its position through the ballot box. Tweed

8436-573: The purses of the Tweed Ring. Hershkowitz blames the implications of Thomas Nast in Harper's Weekly and the editors of The New York Times , which both had ties to the Republican party. In part, the campaign against Tweed diverted public attention from Republican scandals such as the Whiskey Ring . Tweed himself wanted no particular recognition of his achievements, such as they were. When it

8547-512: The repercussions of his fall from power. Tweed's first trial before Judge Noah Davis , in January 1873, ended when the jury was unable to deliver a verdict . Tweed's defense counsel included David Dudley Field II and Elihu Root . His retrial, again before Judge Noah Davis in November resulted in convictions on 204 of 220 counts, a fine of $ 12,750 (the equivalent of $ 320,000 today) and

8658-577: The reputations of the underwriters were preventing a run on the city's securities. New York's financial and business community knew that if the city's credit were to collapse, it could potentially bring down every bank in the city with it. Thus, the city's elite met at Cooper Union in September to discuss political reform: but for the first time, the conversation included not only the usual reformers, but also Democratic bigwigs such as Samuel J. Tilden , who had been thrust aside by Tammany. The consensus

8769-545: The resources of the city to improve the area – for instance by installing pipes to bring in water from the Croton Aqueduct  – thus increasing the value of the land, after which they sold and took their profits. The focus on the east side also slowed down the development of the west side, the topography of which made it more expensive to improve. The ring also took their usual percentage of padded contracts, as well as raking off money from property taxes. Despite

8880-577: The respective states. Spring training typically starts in early February and continues until just before Opening Day of the regular season, which falls in the last week of March or the first week of April. In some years, teams not scheduled to play on Opening Day will play spring training games that day. Pitchers and catchers report to spring training first because pitchers benefit from a longer training period. A few days later, position players arrive and team practice begins. Exhibition games usually begin in late February. The New York Mutuals became perhaps

8991-832: The rights to the names of the historical minor leagues, the Low-A Southeast was renamed the Florida State League effective with the 2022 season. The Florida State League Hall of Fame began in 2009. Spring training Spring training is the preseason in Major League Baseball (MLB), a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season . Spring training allows new players to try out for roster and position spots, and gives established players practice time prior to competitive play. Spring training has always attracted fan attention, drawing crowds who travel to

9102-506: The ring's embezzlement to the press, and when this failed he provided the evidence he had collected to the Times . Shortly afterward, county auditor Matthew J. O'Rourke supplied additional details to the Times , which was reportedly offered $ 5 million to not publish the evidence. The Times also obtained the accounts of the recently deceased James Watson, who was the Tweed Ring's bookkeeper, and these were published daily, culminating in

9213-412: The ring's books, died a week after his head was smashed by a horse in a sleigh accident on January 24, 1871. Although Tweed guarded Watson's estate in the week prior to Watson's death, and although another ring member attempted to destroy Watson's records, a replacement auditor, Matthew O'Rourke, associated with former sheriff James O'Brien , provided city accounts to O'Brien. The Orange riot of 1871 in

9324-400: The rules changes during the 2023 season, the 2024 spring training season sparked controversy. Nike , MLB's uniform provider, conducted a redesign of player jerseys and pants to allow for better athletic performance. Player's last names and numbers decreased in size making the uniforms look unappealing to both players and fans. As a result of the backlash, MLB and Nike redesigned the jerseys for

9435-441: The same team play against each other), split-squad games (games when one team is scheduled for two games in one day, so the team splits into two squads and each squad plays in one of the games), and B Games (unofficial spring training games where statistics and standings are not counted). The players union will sometimes operate its own training facility if many free agents are unsigned by the start of spring training. The origin of

9546-701: The season. Tweed was a member of the New York State Senate (4th D.) from 1868 to 1873, sitting in the 91st , 92nd , 93rd , and 94th New York State Legislatures , but not taking his seat in the 95th and 96th New York State Legislatures . While serving in the State Senate, he split his time between Albany, New York and New York City. While in Albany, he stayed in a suite of seven rooms in Delevan House. Accompanying him in his rooms were his favorite canaries. Guests are presumed to have included members of

9657-800: The state of California or along the state line. The Chicago Cubs trained on Catalina Island in the 1920s, '30s, and '40s. For example, early in their history, the then- California Angels held spring training in Palm Springs, California from 1961 to 1993, the San Diego Padres in Yuma, Arizona from 1969 to 1993, the Oakland Athletics in Las Vegas , Nevada in the 1970s, and various major league teams had trained in El Centro , Riverside , and San Bernardino . The concept of spring training

9768-542: The state of New York spent more on charities than for the entire time period from 1852 to 1868 combined. During Tweed's regime, the main business thoroughfare Broadway was widened between 34th Street and 59th Street , land was secured for the Metropolitan Museum of Art , and the Upper East Side and Upper West Side were developed and provided the necessary infrastructure – all to the benefit of

9879-504: The summer of that year did not help the ring's popularity. The riot was prompted after Tammany Hall banned a parade of Irish Protestants celebrating a historical victory against Catholicism, namely the Battle of the Boyne . The parade was banned because of a riot the previous year in which eight people died when a crowd of Irish Catholic laborers attacked the paraders. Under strong pressure from

9990-899: The team was owned by Del Webb ; the Chicago Cubs in Los Angeles when owned by William Wrigley Jr. ; the St. Louis Browns and later the Kansas City Athletics in San Diego and then in West Palm Beach, Florida ; the Pittsburgh Pirates in Dawson Springs, Kentucky around 1915 and Honolulu , while other teams joined in by the early 1940s. The Detroit Tigers are credited with being the first team to conduct spring training camp in Arizona. They trained in Phoenix at Riverside Park at Central Avenue and

10101-464: The threat of Hurricane Dorian . The start of the 2020 season was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic before ultimately being cancelled on June 30. As part of Major League Baseball's 2021 reorganization of the minor leagues, the Florida State League was demoted to Single-A, four rungs below the majors, and temporarily renamed the "Low-A Southeast" for the 2021 season. Following MLB's acquisition of

10212-402: The time of his funeral The New York Times , quoting a family friend, reported that his parents had been Quakers and "members of the old Rose Street Meeting house". At the age of 11, he left school to learn his father's trade, and then became an apprentice to a saddler. He also studied to be a bookkeeper and worked as a brushmaker for a company he had invested in, before eventually joining in

10323-770: The tournament's games due to the intense competitive atmosphere. Since these games take place so early into the baseball year, this leads to an increased risk of injury among players as well as conflicting development within MLB organizations. As recent as 2023, Mets pitcher Edwin Diaz suffered a torn patellar tendon after a game, leaving him out for the entire upcoming season. Diaz's injury has left teams concerned with letting their star players play under another team's supervision. Pitchers have to follow tight restrictions to comply with proper throwing progressions to ensure health and safety. This can impact how an MLB team planned on building up

10434-533: The upcoming season. After holding spring training at the Hot Springs Baseball Grounds, the White Stockings went on to have a successful season and other teams took notice. In subsequent years other teams joined Chicago and began holding spring training in Hot Springs, leading to the first spring training games. The Cleveland Spiders , Detroit Tigers , Pittsburgh Pirates , Cincinnati Reds , Brooklyn Dodgers , and Boston Red Sox followed

10545-924: The war, 1943's Spring Training was limited to an area east of the Mississippi River and north of the Ohio River . The Chicago White Sox held camp in French Lick, Indiana ; the Washington Senators in College Park, Maryland ; and the New York Yankees in Asbury Park, New Jersey . After World War II, some teams trained outside of the United States. The Brooklyn Dodgers trained in Havana, Cuba in 1947 and 1949, and in

10656-441: The warm climates of Arizona and Florida to enjoy the weather and watch their favorite teams play. In modern training, teams that train in Florida will play other Florida-training teams in their exhibition games, regardless of regular-season league affiliations. Likewise, Arizona-training teams will play other Arizona teams. These have been nicknamed the Grapefruit League and Cactus League , respectively, after plants typical of

10767-499: Was 26. He lost that election to the Whig candidate Morgan Morgans , but ran again the next year and won, garnering his first political position. Tweed then became associated with the "Forty Thieves" , the group of aldermen and assistant aldermen who, up to that point, were known as some of the most corrupt politicians in the city's history. Tweed was elected to the United States House of Representatives in 1852, but his two-year term

10878-555: Was a modernizer who prefigured certain elements of the Progressive Era in terms of more efficient city management. Much of the money he siphoned off from the city treasury went to needy constituents who appreciated the free food at Christmas time and remembered it at the next election, and to precinct workers who provided the muscle of his machine. As a legislator he worked to expand and strengthen welfare programs, especially those by private charities, schools, and hospitals. With

10989-405: Was conditional on the machine's ability to control the actions of its people. The July riot showed that this capability was not nearly as strong as had been supposed. Tweed had for months been under attack from The New York Times and Thomas Nast , the cartoonist from Harper's Weekly  – regarding Nast's cartoons, Tweed reportedly said, "Stop them damned pictures. I don't care so much what

11100-464: Was in the Daytona Beach area for spring training, agreed to try to catch the baseball. Flying 525 feet (160 m) above Robinson, Law realized she had forgotten her baseball and threw a grapefruit that she had. When Robinson tried to catch it, the grapefruit exploded in his face, at first leading him to believe he had been seriously injured. Grapefruit League teams primarily play against

11211-409: Was mostly innocent is presented in a scholarly biography by history professor Leo Hershkowitz. He states: Except for Tweed's own very questionable "confession," there really was no evidence of a "Tweed Ring," no direct evidence of Tweed's thievery, no evidence, excepting the testimony of the informer contractors, of "wholesale" plunder by Tweed....[Instead there was] a conspiracy of self-justification of

11322-501: Was necessary for him to remain in power, and as a consequence he used the machinery of the city's government to provide numerous social services, including building more orphanages, almshouses and public baths. Tweed also fought for the New York State Legislature to donate to private charities of all religious denominations, and subsidize Catholic schools and hospitals. From 1869 to 1871, under Tweed's influence,

11433-564: Was not uncommon at the time. The New York Giants likely built the first "permanent" spring training facility in Marlin, Texas . The Giants trained in Marlin from 1908 to 1918 and built Emerson Park and adjacent parks for spring training activities. The city of Marlin deeded the land to the ballclub. During World War II, most teams held an abbreviated spring training within easy reach of their cities. In order to conserve rail transport during

11544-458: Was one of a handful of senior leaders of Tammany Hall, as well as the state legislature and the state Democratic Party, Tweed was never the sole "boss" of New York City. He shared control of the city with numerous less famous people, such as the villains depicted in Nast's famous circle of guilt cartoon shown above. Seymour J. Mandelbaum has argued that, apart from the corruption he engaged in, Tweed

11655-539: Was proposed, in March 1871, when he was at the height of his power, that a statue be erected in his honor, he declared: "Statues are not erected to living men ... I claim to be a live man, and hope (Divine Providence permitting) to survive in all my vigor, politically and physically, some years to come." One of Tweed's unwanted legacies is that he has become "the archetype of the bloated, rapacious, corrupt city boss". Tweed never signed his middle name with anything other than

11766-446: Was re-elected to the state senate in November 1871, due to his personal popularity and largesse in his district, but in general Tammany did not do well, and the members of the Tweed Ring began to flee the jurisdiction, many going overseas. Tweed was re-arrested, forced to resign his city positions, and was replaced as Tammany's leader. Once again, he was released on bail—$ 8 million this time—but Tweed's supporters, such as Jay Gould , felt

11877-542: Was returned to custody. He died in the Ludlow Street Jail . Tweed was born April 3, 1823, at 1 Cherry Street, on the Lower East Side of Manhattan . The son of a third-generation Scottish chair-maker, Tweed grew up on Cherry Street . His grandfather arrived in the United States from a town near the River Tweed close to Edinburgh . Tweed's religious affiliation was not widely known in his lifetime, but at

11988-517: Was signed into law by Hoffman in 1870. Mandated new elections allowed Tammany to take over the city's Common Council when they won all fifteen aldermanic contests. The new charter put control of the city's finances in the hands of a Board of Audit, which consisted of Tweed, who was Commissioner of Public Works, Mayor A. Oakey Hall and Comptroller Richard "Slippery Dick" Connolly , both Tammany men. Hall also appointed other Tweed associates to high offices – such as Peter B. Sweeny , who took over

12099-531: Was that the "wisest and best citizens" should take over the governance of the city and attempt to restore investor confidence. The result was the formation of the Executive Committee of Citizens and Taxpayers for Financial Reform of the city (also known as "the Committee of Seventy "), which attacked Tammany by cutting off the city's funding. Property owners refused to pay their municipal taxes, and

12210-520: Was then chosen to be the head of Tammany's general committee in January 1863. Several months later, in April, he became "Grand Sachem", and began to be referred to as "Boss", especially after he tightened his hold on power by creating a small executive committee to run the club. Tweed then took steps to increase his income: he used his law firm to extort money, which was then disguised as legal services; he had himself appointed deputy street commissioner –

12321-660: Was undistinguished. In an attempt by Republican reformers in Albany , the state capital, to control the Democratic-dominated New York City government, the power of the New York County Board of Supervisors was beefed up. The board had 12 members, six appointed by the mayor and six elected, and in 1858 Tweed was appointed to the board, which became his first vehicle for large-scale graft ; Tweed and other supervisors forced vendors to pay

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