Rick Vaughn’s book "Tampa Spring Training Tales," brings the past to life & opens up a wealth of enjoyable stories including the Chicago Cubs, Tampa Smokers, Reds, White Sox & Red Sox @ historic Plant & Al Lopez Fields
Ted Williams, Wade Boggs, Pete Rose and Al Lopez are just a few of the people we discuss this week on Florida BaseballBiz with Rick.

• “Chubby” Cubs owner is enamored with Tampa
• 100th years of Spring Training
• Tampa Mayor McKay was also Publisher
• Wrigley moves Cubs from Tampa to out West
• 1952 – Yankees celebrated their 50th anniversary at Columbia restaurant
• 1955 World Series winners receive their awards in Tampa
• Reds extraordinary long-lasting relationship with Tampa Bay
• Big Red Machine first gathers in Tampa
• Al Lopez Field tore down as interest in Major League team rises
• Yankees Core Four
• Wade Boggs discovers he is going to the show from Johnny Bench
• 100 Major Leaguers came through Plant Field & Al Lopez Field
• 1940 All-Star game in Tampa for Finnish Relief Fund with Joe DiMaggio, Ted Williams, Jimmy Foxx, Hank Greenberg and Bob Feller
• Segregation of players by color – they could not stay at the same hotels
• Cardinals bought Outrigger motel in St. Pete so they could house all players at 1 location
• Tampa Bay Hotel proximity to Plant Field
• Babe Ruth’s longest Home Run, 587 feet, hit at Plant Field on April 4, 1919
• Ted Williams spits at fans first in Tampa
• Tim Kurkjian of ESPN – good friend and sounding board
• Frank Howard & Ted Willams story
• Tampa Smokers, St. Pete Saints and a bull fight
• Baseball as a unifier amongst the many cultures in Ybor / Tampa
• 1963 – Pete Rose – Rookie Year – Charlie Hustle emerges
• JFK at Al Lopez Field
• Charitable work with Metropolitan Mission, Clearwater Youth & the Homeless Empowerment Program.
• Rick also keeps score for Florida Complex League

Special Thanks to Williams Ross Chernoff's Nomads for the music Makie Elkino
Notes generated in part by DeScript

Florida Baseball State Champs Tampa Jesuit Coach Miguel Menendez

• Grew up in Key West.
• First introduction to baseball through his grandfather and father.
• Grandfather coached Little League and had the first batting cage and pitching machine on the island.
• Playing and Coaching Career in Key West
• Played on successful high school teams, winning a state championship in his senior year.
• Attended University of Tampa to play baseball
• Key West to start coaching & teaching, eventually becoming head coach.
• Transition to Tampa Jesuit
• Tampa Jesuit provided a perfect fit for his faith life, family, and baseball aspirations.
• Emphasis on Jesuit's support and facilities.
• Success at Tampa Jesuit
• Played in five state championships in nine years.
• 2020 season impacted by COVID-19, it was their best team.
• Coaching Philosophy and Challenges
• Emphasis on holistic development of player
• focusing on producing good citizens and human beings.
• Open door policy for communication with parent
• Importance of building lifelong relationships with players.
• Faith plays a crucial role in his coaching career and personal life.
• Decision to move to Tampa Jesuit was also to benefit his family.
• Communication with Parents
  • Advocates for over-communication to avoid confusion and build trust.\
  • Understands parents' perspective as a father of 3 children involved in sports.
• Long-term Impact
  • Cherishes ongoing relationships with former players who reach out for guidance.
  • Highlights the importance of lifelong connections beyond high school.
• Player Development and Success
  • Mentions former players succeeding at the collegiate and professional levels.
  • Pride in seeing former players succeed both on and off the field.
• Community and Legacy
  • Reflects on the legacy of Al Lopez and his contributions to baseball and the Hispanic community.
  • Personal connection to the local baseball history and its impact on his coaching career.

· Importance of Jesuit Values

• Emphasis on students at Jesuit developing success in sports and beyond
• Sports as a tool for social interaction and teamwork
• Lifelong lessons from sports
• Back-to-back Tony Saladino tournament championships

· Notable Alumni & Role Models F

• Camden Minacci in the Angels organization
• Progression from freshman team to potential major league pitcher
• Testimony to work ethic and personal growth
• Bennett Lee’s influence and contributions
• Introduction of book club to foster team culture
• Alumni involvement in current team’s development
  Financial Accessibility
• Jesuit’s need-based financial aid and the step-up program
• Value of Jesuit education
• Cutting son from the team
• Difficult decision but ultimately beneficial for his son
• Life lessons learned and application beyond baseball

· Guidance for Players

• Helping players navigate college recruitment & career opportunities
• Importance of character development over just athletic performance
• Jesuit baseball approach in developing well-rounded individuals
• The importance of making difficult decisions for the greater good of the team and individual growth
• Great fellow coaches and friends Tim Knowles, Mike Swenson, Louie Martinez, Ryan Stanley, Daniel Gibson, Terry Rupp

Special Thanks to Williams Ross Chernoff's Nomads for the music Makie Elkino
Notes generated in part by DeScript

Florida Bolts 5 teams give young girls from 8 to 18 the opportunity to play in all girl baseball tournaments. Brooke & Lily Greene share their stories about their team and more possibilities for women in the game like the BFA Nationals.

• Brooke and Lily Greene, who are involved with the Florida Bolts girls' baseball organization, discussing their passion for women and girls' baseball.
• Brooke Greene took over the Florida Bolts organization in January 2022.
• She was introduced to girls' baseball by a friend and was surprised by the number of girls interested in the sport.
• Started with one team and now has five teams,
• Importance of girls playing in both all-girl tournaments & local leagues to raise awareness about girls playing baseball.
• Cost prohibitive nature of travel ball and how the Florida Bolts try to keep costs low through sponsorships and fundraising.
• Lily hopes for the game to grow and be more welcoming to women.
• Brooke's love for baseball stems from her family's involvement

Building Support for Women's Baseball

• Need for more support and visibility for women's baseball, suggesting the creation of a separate women's league.
• Brooke encourages perseverance in the face of challenges, emphasizing the talent and dedication of girls in baseball.

Future Outlook

• Lily aims for a baseball scholarship or a career in sports management.
• Brooke envisions retired MLB players with daughters investing in women's baseball to propel it forward.
• Potential impact of Derek Jeter's involvement in supporting women's baseball, highlighting the need for strong leadership and collaboration to advance the sport.

Challenges in Women's Baseball

• Lack of cohesiveness among girls' baseball organizations, noting the presence of several independent teams without a unified goal.
• Importance of collaboration and a shared vision to establish a women's baseball league

Florida Bolts' Activities

• BFA Nationals in Kentucky, & the DMV series in Maryland.
• Team's efforts to host an all-girls baseball clinic sponsored by the Tampa Bay Rays, aimed at promoting the sport and providing skills training to participants.

Future Outlook Florida Bolts

• Need a Summit akin to MLB's winter meetings to bring together various women's baseball organizations
• Importance of fundraising and sponsorships for the Florida Bolts
• Lily encourages perseverance and dedication, urging listeners to stay true to themselves and keep pushing forward.
• Brooke reiterates the need for continued momentum and collaboration to make women's baseball a reality, emphasizing the impact of community support in achieving this goal.
• Discover more about the Florida Bolts Girls Baseball teams and support them @ www.floridabolts.squarespace.com
  Or reach out to them at Floridaboltsbaseball@yahoo.com

Mark can be found on Twitter @TheBaseballBiz & at
Special Thank you to
William Ross Chernoff's Nomads for the Music
Makie Elkino
Originally broadcast on March 25, 2024 on BaseballBiz On Deck