Ban Johnson Park
| Whittington Park, "McKee Park" (1921-23) | |
Ban Johnson HOF plaque
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| Former names | Whittington Park (1894–1935) |
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| Location | 870 Whittington Ave Hot Springs, Arkansas United States |
| Coordinates | N 34° 30.952 W 093° 04.458 |
| Owner | Weyerhauser Company (current) |
| Capacity | 1,400 (1913), 2,000 (1939) |
| Field size | 260 RF; 400 CF; 340 LF |
| Surface | Grass |
| Construction | |
| Broke ground | 1894 |
| Opened | 1894 |
| Renovated | 1910, 1930, 1936, 1938 |
| Expanded | 1910, 1930, 1938 |
| Closed | 1947 |
| Demolished | c. 1947 |
| Tenants | |
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Spring training Cleveland Spiders (NL) (1896,1898–1899) Chicago Cubs (NL) (1896) St. Louis Cardinals (NL) (1900) Pittsburgh Pirates (NL) (1896, 1901–1916, 1926) Detroit Tigers (AL) (1908) New York Yankees (AL) (1908) Brooklyn Dodgers (NL) (1910-12, 1917–1918) Boston Red Sox (AL) (1920–1923) Minor League Baseball Hot Springs Vapors (1906) Hot Springs Vaporites (1908-09) Hot Springs Bathers (CSL) (1938-41) 'Baseball Schools Ray Doan Baseball School (1933–1938) George Barr Umpire School (1935–1938) |
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Ban Johnson Park was a baseball stadium located in Hot Springs, Arkansas, within the Whittington Park Historic District, a "tree-shaded greenway" that is located along Whittington Creek, which runs down the center island of Whittington Avenue. The location of the ballpark was across from the still active Arkansas Alligator Farm and Petting Zoo (built 1902).
Originally known as Whittington Park, the field served as a training site for many Major League Baseball teams, by hosting spring training games and serving as home for minor league teams. In 1918, Babe Ruth hit a 573-foot home run at the park, while a pitcher for the Boston Red Sox. The park was also home to the ever first Umpire School. In 1935, Ray Doan, the operator of a youth instructional camp at Whittington Park, renamed the park after Hall of Fame baseball pioneer Ban Johnson, founder of the American League.
Beginning with the spring of 1886, when the Chicago White Stockings' (today's Chicago Cubs) President Albert Spalding, the founder of A.G Spalding, and player/manager Cap Anson brought their players to Hot Springs, Arkansas. The concept was for the players to have training and fitness before the start of the regular season. This move gave credit to Hot Springs being called the "birthplace of spring training baseball". Both Spalding and Anson, liked the city and the natural springs for their players. They first played in an area behind what is now the Garland County Courthouse on Ouachita Avenue and was called the Hot Springs Baseball Grounds. Many other teams followed and began training in Hot Springs Springs
In 1894 Whittington Park opened as a replacement for the Hot Springs Baseball Grounds. Along with Majestic Park, built in 1909, and nearby Fogel Field, built in 1912, Hot Springs developed training venues to meet the demand for Major League teams. Later, another venue, Sam Guinn Field was built in 1933 at 497 Crescent Avenue to host Negro League spring training.
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