Majestic Park (baseball)
| Dean Field (1935-1947) Jaycee Park (1947-Present) |
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| Former names | Majestic Park; Dean Field |
|---|---|
| Location | Belding Street and Carson Street 200 W. Belding Street Hot Springs, AR 71901  United States
|
| Coordinates | 34°29.7274′N 93°3.0985′W / 34.4954567°N 93.0516417°W |
| Owner | Hot Springs Boys and Girls Club |
| Operator | Hot Springs Boys and Girls Club |
| Capacity | 1,500 |
| Surface | Grass |
| Construction | |
| Broke ground | 1908 |
| Opened | 1908 |
| Renovated | 1909, 1919, 1947, |
| Expanded | 1909, 1947 |
| Closed | 1918 |
| Demolished | 1918, 1947 |
| Tenants | |
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Major League Spring Training Detroit Tigers (1908) Boston Red Sox (1909-1910, 1912-18) Cincinnati Reds (1910-1911) Brooklyn Dodgers (1910) St. Louis Browns (1911) Baseball Schools Ray Doan Baseball School Rogers Hornsby Baseball College George Barr Umpire School Minor League Hot Springs Bathers (CSL) (1947-55) Chicago White Sox-Minor League Camp (1948-51) |
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One of the first spring training facilities, Majestic Park (1908–18) was the original baseball facility, on a parcel at the corner of Belding Street and Carson Street in Hot Springs, Arkansas. The original Majestic Park was the spring training site of the Boston Red Sox (and their star pitcher Babe Ruth), (1909-1910, 1912–18), Cincinnati Reds (1910-1911), Brooklyn Dodgers (1910) and St. Louis Browns (1911). The location later became the site of Dean Field (1935-1947) and Jaycee Park (1947-Present). Dean Field served as home to the Rogers Hornsby Baseball College. The Hot Springs Bathers minor league team and the Chicago White Sox (1948–51) minor league Spring Training were held at Jaycee Park, which also hosted the 1952 Negro League World Series and a 1953 exhibition game featuring Jackie Robinson. The site hosted many Major League Spring Training Games and can claim both Home Run record holders, Babe Ruth and Hank Aaron as among those who have played at the site. In 1914, Babe Ruth was just beginning his career (as a dominant left-handed pitcher) for the Red Sox, while a young Aaron performed there in 1952.
There are four historical plaques at the site today, as part of the Hot Springs Historic Baseball Trail as Majestic Field itself, Rogers Hornsby, Jackie Robinson and Hank Aaron each have historical plaques on the site.
Often called the "birthplace" of Spring Training baseball, Hot Springs first welcomed Major League Baseball in 1886, when the (now the Chicago Cubs), brought their coaches and players to the city in preparation for the upcoming season. Team President Albert Spalding (owner of Spalding Sporting Goods) and the team's player/manager Cap Anson, thought the city was an ideal training site for the players. The first baseball location was Hot Springs Baseball Grounds. Many other Major League teams followed and began training in Hot Springs. Needing venues for teams to use, Whittington Park was built in 1894, followed by Majestic Park (1908) and Fogel Field (1912). 134 members of the Baseball Hall of Fame are documented to have trained or played, in Hot Springs.
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Wikipedia