Clearwater Athletic Field Earns Historic Designation

CLEARWATER, FL — The plot of land that put Clearwater on the map as one of Major League Baseball’s favorite Spring Training Homes will earn historic site status later this week.

Clearwater Athletic Field was constructed more than 90 years ago, helping the city earn its place in MLB history. The grounds are being honored as a Florida Heritage Site this Friday and the location will be officially added to the state’s heritage map, the city announced in a media release Tuesday.

A ribbon-cutting ceremony to unveil the historic marker is set for March 19 at 10 a.m. on the northeast corner of Seminole Street and Pennsylvania Avenue. Mayor George Cretekos and other city leaders plan to attend the unveiling of the city’s first sports-related historic marker.

Clearwater Athletic Fields were constructed for the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1922 after the team told the city it would move its spring training here if there was a baseball field suitable for play. After $25,000 in bonds were issued, the field with a 2,000-seat wooden grandstand was built. The groundbreaking took place in December 1922. The first Dodgers game was played on the field March 15, 1923, against the Boston Braves. That team trained in St. Petersburg at the time.

Back in the field’s heyday, home plate was located near the intersection of Pennsylvania and Seminole. Left field ran roughly parallel to Palmetto Street and right field parallel to North Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue.

“Players dressed in a wooden clubhouse on the third-base side of the field and stayed downtown at the new Fort Harrison Hotel, walking to and from practice,” the city’s announcement said.

Clearwater Athletic Field served as the spring training home to the Brooklyn Dodgers (1923-1932, 1936-1941), Clearwater Pelicans (1924), Newark Bears (1933-1935), Cleveland Indians (1942 and 1946), Clearwater Bombers professional softball (1945-1954), Philadelphia Phillies (1947-1954) and the Negro League Clearwater Black Sox (1952).

The old grandstand burned to the ground on April 12, 1956, but the field was maintained and was later used for team practice and as a parking lot for Jack Russell Stadium.

Clearwater’s ties to MLB baseball continue today courtesy of the Philadelphia Phillies. To find out more about ongoing Spring Training play for that team, visit the Phillies’ online.

Photo courtesy of the City of Clearwater

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