Hot Springs Baseball Grounds

The Hot Springs Baseball Grounds is recognized as the first site of Major League Baseball Spring Training. Located in Hot Springs, AR, the site was used as a major league spring training site from 1886-1893. The Hot Springs Baseball Grounds were located at the approximate current day site of the Garland County Courthouse on Ouachita Avenue

Baseball in Hot Springs

Often called the "birthplace" of Spring Training baseball, Hot Springs first welcomed Major League Baseball in 1886, when the Chicago White Stockings (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 the 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). Overall, 134 members of the Hall of Fame are documented to have trained or played, in Hot Springs.

Major League Tenants

Teams utilizing the site for spring training were the Chicago White Stockings (1886-1888, 1890, 1892), Pittsburgh Pirates (1889), Cleveland Spiders (1889-1890, 1892) and the Cincinnati Red Stockings (1891).

The site Today

Today, as part of the Hot Springs Baseball Historic Trail, there is a plaque that has been erected at the site. The plaque reads:

You are standing where the tradition of baseball spring training began. In 1886, baseball legends A. G. Spalding and Cap Anson brought the Chicago White Stockings (now the Cubs) to this field to train and play spring games. They were joined by fellow Hall of Famers Mike "King" Kelly and John Clarkson, as well as future evangelist Billy Sunday. On March 28, 1887, Cap Anson hit three home runs here.