Huggins-Stengel Field facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Huggins-Stengel Field
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 Location in Florida
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| Location | 1320 5th St. North |
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| Nearest city | St. Petersburg, Florida |
| Built | 1925 |
| NRHP reference No. | 100004348 |
| Added to NRHP | August 27, 2019 |
Huggins-Stengel Field is a historic baseball field in St. Petersburg, Florida. It sits inside Crescent Lake Park. This field was first built in 1925. It became a practice spot for the famous New York Yankees baseball team. Later, other teams like the New York Mets and Baltimore Orioles also used it.
The Yankees played their spring training games here until 1947. Today, the field is still busy. High school and college baseball teams use it for games. In 2019, Huggins-Stengel Field was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This means it is an important historical site.
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A Special Baseball Field
This baseball field has a long and interesting past. It has seen many legendary players. It was first called Crescent Lake Field. Later, it was known as Miller Huggins Field. Now, it is Huggins-Stengel Field.
The Yankees' Early Days
The New York Yankees started using the field in 1925. Their manager was Miller Huggins. They moved their training to St. Petersburg. This was to help their star player, Babe Ruth, focus on the game.
Famous Players and a New Name
After Miller Huggins passed away, the field was renamed. In 1931, it became Miller Huggins Field. Many baseball legends played here. These included Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, and Joe DiMaggio. Imagine seeing them play on this very field!
A Break for World War II
During World War II, travel became difficult. Because of this, the Yankees trained in Atlantic City for a few years. They returned to Crescent Lake in 1946. The war made many things change, even baseball training.
Back to Baseball Glory
After the war, the New York Yankees came back to St. Petersburg, Florida. They continued their spring training at Crescent Lake. From 1947, they played their home spring training games at Al Lang Stadium. Manager Casey Stengel led the team to many championships.
Famous players like Mickey Mantle, Roger Maris, and Yogi Berra played here. The team moved its spring training to Fort Lauderdale after the 1961 season.
The Mets Take Over
In 1962, a brand new team arrived. The New York Mets started training at Crescent Lake. Their manager was also Casey Stengel. In 1963, the field got its current name: Huggins-Stengel Field. Just like the Yankees, the Mets practiced here. They played their main games at Al Lang Stadium.
The Orioles' Short Stay
After a few years without a team, baseball returned. The Baltimore Orioles began using the field in 1992. However, the field was quite old by then. One player, Rick Sutcliffe, said the locker room felt like a high school one. The Orioles only stayed for a short time. They played their last spring training here in 1995. This marked the end of professional Spring Training at Huggins-Stengel Field.
Fun Stories and Legends
This old field has some amazing stories and myths. They make the field even more special.
Alligators on the Field?
There's a famous story from 1925. On the first day of practice, Babe Ruth stopped playing. He refused to chase fly balls. Why? Because alligators were sunbathing near the lake! The lake was part of the outfield. It's easy to see why players wouldn't want to meet an alligator. Today, a fence keeps players safe from the lake.
Amazing Home Runs
Only two players are said to have hit a home run directly into Crescent Lake. These are Babe Ruth and Dave Kingman of the Mets. This is a huge achievement! The lake is over 500 feet from home plate.
Darrell Johnson, who played with Mickey Mantle, said he saw Mickey hit balls into the lake often. These were just during batting practice!
Darryl Strawberry once hit a massive home run. His teammate Lenny Dykstra nicknamed him "Awesome Strawsome." This home run was special because the field was very deep. The fence was also about 15 feet tall.
Spooky Field Myths
Some people say that the field is haunted. They believe the ghosts of old players still roam there.
Another myth says something strange happened after two legends died. People claim a brown patch appeared in center field. This was where Joe DiMaggio and Mickey Mantle used to play.
What Happens There Now?
Huggins-Stengel Field no longer hosts Major League Baseball teams. But it is still a busy place! High school and college teams use it for practices and games. There aren't many seats, just two sets of bleachers. However, the field's history makes visiting it very special.
The old clubhouses are now offices for TASCO. This stands for Teens Arts, Sports, and Cultural Opportunities. It's a local program for young people. You can still see some old things from the clubhouse. These include an old wooden locker and old photographs.
The field has been updated, but its size is still the same. It hasn't been changed like many other renovated fields. It's basically the same ground where baseball legends played for over 90 years.
See also
- Baseball in the Tampa Bay Area
