The wait is finally over. Baseball is back. Though much of North America is still experiencing cold and stormy weather, Major League Baseball’s 30 teams have hit the field beneath the southern sun. Grapefruit and Cactus League ball provides some of the best scenes in sport — golden sunshine, cloudless skies, palm trees, and cozy little parks. After struggling with the grasp of winter, spring training feels like heaven itself, even if experienced through a lens.
There are two great shots from the SPORT collection that capture the unique qualities of spring baseball, both of which feature St. Louis Cardinals legend Stan Musial. “Sarasota Spring, 1951” sees Musial signing a ball for three swimsuit-clad women on break from the warm waters of Florida. All four are dated by their dress — baggy flannel and stirrups and high-waisted swim trunks, a clear representation of the era — but it’s still a common sight to see lightly-dressed vacationers hunting for autographs before a bright blue sky.
It was a wise move by the league to head south to warm, sunny clime to prepare for the regular season; it turned exhibition games into a hot ticket, another draw for the fans. Obviously MLB could not have foreseen the festival of family-fun that spring training would become, but the decision worked out well. The pre-season in paradise — it only adds to baseball’s mystique.
While “Sarasota Spring” has Musial cozying up with some bathing beauties, “Spring Ritual, 1952,” shown above as the title image, is an action shot. Musial, at the end of his follow through, breaks for first as the catcher and umpire look on. In the background stand two palm trees, a friendly reminder of the locale. It’s a regular event — Musial amassed 3,630 hits over his 22-year career — made unique by the view.
Opening Day will be the main attraction this spring, but, as these two great shots show, the Grapefruit and Cactus Leagues deserve attention as well. Making the trip down south is a special pilgrimage, a chance to see one of the world’s most beautiful games in two of the world’s most beautiful places. And, for those stuck up north, the right image might just be enough to take you away to a warmer place, if only for a moment.
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