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Ban Johnson Park
Ban Johnson Park was a baseball stadium located in Hot Springs, Arkansas. It was also known as Whittington Park and McKee Park. The ballpark was located within today's Whittington Park Historic District and directly across from the still active Arkansas Alligator Farm and Petting Zoo.
Originally known as Whittington Park, the ballpark was the Spring training site for numerous Major League Baseball teams, hosting spring training games and served as home for Hot Springs minor league teams. Over 130 Major League Baseball Hall of Fame inductees played at Whittington Park. In 1918, Babe Ruth, then a pitcher for the Boston Red Sox, hit a 573-foot home run at the park. The park was also home to the ever first Umpire School. In 1935, Whittington Park, was renamed 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 leagues spring training.
The original playing field was estimated to be between 500–600 feet (150–180 m) to center field. In 1910, the original grandstand was demolished and home plate moved, giving the field shorter dimensions. In 1938, the right field fence was heightened by 15 feet (4.6 m) because right field distance was only 260 feet (79 m).
Over 130 Major League Baseball Hall of Fame players, including Babe Ruth, Cy Young, Cap Anson, Honus Wagner, Ty Cobb, Tris Speaker, Walter Johnson, Rogers Hornsby, Mel Ott, Jimmie Foxx, Stan Musial and Satchel Paige were involved in training or spring training games at Whittington Park. The park was also utilized by the House of David teams, and for baseball schools. The bearded House of David traveling baseball team used Whittington Field and Hot Springs for their training site. Major League teams training at Whittington Park between 1896 and 1926 were the Cleveland Spiders, Chicago Cubs, St. Louis Cardinals, Pittsburgh Pirates, Detroit Tigers, New York Yankees, Brooklyn Dodgers and Boston Red Sox.
Whittington Park was home to the Negro league Hot Springs Arlingtons from 1896 to 1903 and the Hot Springs Blues in 1904.
St. Patrick's Day, 1918, is nicknamed the "Day that changed Baseball Forever". On that day, Babe Ruth hit a long Home Run into the Arkansas Alligator Farm and Petting Zoo. The story goes that on March 17, 1918, Babe Ruth, then an accomplished 23-year-old Boston Red Sox left-handed pitcher, altered the course of baseball history. Red Sox first baseman Dick Hoblitzel was unable to play in the opening exhibition game against Brooklyn at Whittington Park. Ruth (coming off a 24–13 season) was a last minute replacement at first base, his first time at a position other than pitcher.
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Ban Johnson Park
Ban Johnson Park was a baseball stadium located in Hot Springs, Arkansas. It was also known as Whittington Park and McKee Park. The ballpark was located within today's Whittington Park Historic District and directly across from the still active Arkansas Alligator Farm and Petting Zoo.
Originally known as Whittington Park, the ballpark was the Spring training site for numerous Major League Baseball teams, hosting spring training games and served as home for Hot Springs minor league teams. Over 130 Major League Baseball Hall of Fame inductees played at Whittington Park. In 1918, Babe Ruth, then a pitcher for the Boston Red Sox, hit a 573-foot home run at the park. The park was also home to the ever first Umpire School. In 1935, Whittington Park, was renamed 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 leagues spring training.
The original playing field was estimated to be between 500–600 feet (150–180 m) to center field. In 1910, the original grandstand was demolished and home plate moved, giving the field shorter dimensions. In 1938, the right field fence was heightened by 15 feet (4.6 m) because right field distance was only 260 feet (79 m).
Over 130 Major League Baseball Hall of Fame players, including Babe Ruth, Cy Young, Cap Anson, Honus Wagner, Ty Cobb, Tris Speaker, Walter Johnson, Rogers Hornsby, Mel Ott, Jimmie Foxx, Stan Musial and Satchel Paige were involved in training or spring training games at Whittington Park. The park was also utilized by the House of David teams, and for baseball schools. The bearded House of David traveling baseball team used Whittington Field and Hot Springs for their training site. Major League teams training at Whittington Park between 1896 and 1926 were the Cleveland Spiders, Chicago Cubs, St. Louis Cardinals, Pittsburgh Pirates, Detroit Tigers, New York Yankees, Brooklyn Dodgers and Boston Red Sox.
Whittington Park was home to the Negro league Hot Springs Arlingtons from 1896 to 1903 and the Hot Springs Blues in 1904.
St. Patrick's Day, 1918, is nicknamed the "Day that changed Baseball Forever". On that day, Babe Ruth hit a long Home Run into the Arkansas Alligator Farm and Petting Zoo. The story goes that on March 17, 1918, Babe Ruth, then an accomplished 23-year-old Boston Red Sox left-handed pitcher, altered the course of baseball history. Red Sox first baseman Dick Hoblitzel was unable to play in the opening exhibition game against Brooklyn at Whittington Park. Ruth (coming off a 24–13 season) was a last minute replacement at first base, his first time at a position other than pitcher.
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