Hot Springs Baseball Celebration

[Hot Springs Bathers]

We are continuing our annual Baseball Celebration Weekend in Hot Springs, Arkansas the birthplace of spring training on August 14 &15. This is our third year in a row to celebrate the great game and our city's role in the history of spring training.

This year on Friday the 14th at 6:00 we will hold a ceremonial groundbreaking for our new Majestic Field youth baseball complex. These fields will sit on the footprint of Majestic Field constructed in 1909 by the Boston Red Sox. It was the first field on which Babe Ruth played for Boston in 1915. On the other end of the facility was the original site of Jaycee Park post WWII field of the minor league Hot Springs Bathers and the site of a game in the 1952 Negro League World Series played between the Indianapolis Clowns and the Birmingham Black Barons. In the outfield that evening for the Clowns was a very young Hank Aaron.

Helping us during the ceremony will be Baseball Hall of Fame members Ted Simmons and Lee Smith along with The Mad Hungarian Al Hrabosky.

The next day on the 15th beginning at 10:00 that morning there will be a ribbon cutting at the Hot Springs Convention Center to open the 51 photo Baseball Hall of Fame photo exhibit Picturing America's Pastime.

Also at 10:00 there will be a baseball card show in the main lobby with approx. ten Arkansas dealers including Mike Mowrey and Mike Wallace. in addition setting up will be Steve Grad of Beckett Authentication Services. Also at 10:00 in Room 208 there will a meeting of the Brooks Robinson-George Kell Chapter of the Society for American Baseball Research with everyone invited to hear papers presented.

At 1:00 there will be a panel discussion of Hot Springs baseball history with four noted SABR historians including Tim Reid of Jacksonville, Florida.

At 2:15 attendees can enjoy a discussion with Hall of Famer Lee Smith followed by a visit at 3:30 with new Hall of Fame member Ted Simmons and Al Hrabosky. Steve Carlton had also been scheduled to attend but flight issues have forced him to cancel.

Ar 4:30 attendees will be able to ask questions of all three major league stars. Everyone attending the sessions will receive free autographs of the players. Sadly due to Covid 19 concerns the players will signing photos and posters provided by Visit Springs and not items brought in that day.

A great opportunity to celebrate baseball with all events being free of charge. All safety precautions will be enforced with masks required at all times and social distancing being set up in all seating situations and enforced in the lobby areas.

For any questions please feel free to contact Visit Hot Springs at 501-321-2027 or contact Mike Dugan with a PM. Thanks

[FrankWakefield]

I hope you guys have a great turnout... good lineup of speakers!

Thanks for sharing.

[cubman1941]

Wish I could be there. I would love to meet Lee Smith.

[Leon]

Good luck with everything, Mike. It sounds like a lot of fun.

Originally Posted by Hot Springs Bathers

We are continuing our annual Baseball Celebration Weekend in Hot Springs, Arkansas the birthplace of spring training on August 14 &15. This is our third year in a row to celebrate the great game and our city's role in the history of spring training.

This year on Friday the 14th at 6:00 we will hold a ceremonial groundbreaking for our new Majestic Field youth baseball complex. These fields will sit on the footprint of Majestic Field constructed in 1909 by the Boston Red Sox. It was the first field on which Babe Ruth played for Boston in 1915. On the other end of the facility was the original site of Jaycee Park post WWII field of the minor league Hot Springs Bathers and the site of a game in the 1952 Negro League World Series played between the Indianapolis Clowns and the Birmingham Black Barons. In the outfield that evening for the Clowns was a very young Hank Aaron.

Helping us during the ceremony will be Baseball Hall of Fame members Ted Simmons and Lee Smith along with The Mad Hungarian Al Hrabosky.

The next day on the 15th beginning at 10:00 that morning there will be a ribbon cutting at the Hot Springs Convention Center to open the 51 photo Baseball Hall of Fame photo exhibit Picturing America's Pastime.

Also at 10:00 there will be a baseball card show in the main lobby with approx. ten Arkansas dealers including Mike Mowrey and Mike Wallace. in addition setting up will be Steve Grad of Beckett Authentication Services. Also at 10:00 in Room 208 there will a meeting of the Brooks Robinson-George Kell Chapter of the Society for American Baseball Research with everyone invited to hear papers presented.

At 1:00 there will be a panel discussion of Hot Springs baseball history with four noted SABR historians including Tim Reid of Jacksonville, Florida.

At 2:15 attendees can enjoy a discussion with Hall of Famer Lee Smith followed by a visit at 3:30 with new Hall of Fame member Ted Simmons and Al Hrabosky. Steve Carlton had also been scheduled to attend but flight issues have forced him to cancel.

Ar 4:30 attendees will be able to ask questions of all three major league stars. Everyone attending the sessions will receive free autographs of the players. Sadly due to Covid 19 concerns the players will signing photos and posters provided by Visit Springs and not items brought in that day.

A great opportunity to celebrate baseball with all events being free of charge. All safety precautions will be enforced with masks required at all times and social distancing being set up in all seating situations and enforced in the lobby areas.

For any questions please feel free to contact Visit Hot Springs at 501-321-2027 or contact Mike Dugan with a PM. Thanks

[gabrinus]

Mike you might have to gather up some of those guys so the Cards can have a team this year...Jerry

[Hot Springs Bathers]

Thanks guys, I am anxious to hear their opinions on the current season!