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“Yankees at Spring Training” Photo Gallery
Click on any image below to see photos in full size and to start Photo Gallery:
1927 Yankees: Spring Training in St. Petersburg, Florida
My post this morning about the 1956 Cubs spring training in Scottsdale, Arizona got me to thinking about other spring training sites. So I dug through my files and pulled out this great photo from 1927. It’s the Yankees at St. Petersburg, their spring home from 1925 until 1942. They also returned there in 1947.
The Yankees moved to St. Petersburg in 1925 from their previous home in New Orleans. The facility was originally called Crescent Lake Field, but in 1931 was renamed in honor of Miller Huggins, their great manager from 1918 to his death in 1929, winner of pennants in 1921, ’22, ’23, ’26, and ’28, plus World Series championships in 1923, ’27, and ’28.
It’s probably a myth, but it was once said that Babe Ruth once refused to shag fly balls at this facility because alligators had begun to sunbathe along the bank of the lake, which happened to be part of the outfield!
Anyway…I did the player IDs for this photo a few years ago. See how many players from what many call the greatest team ever you can pick out before looking at the names.
Hall-of-Famers players in the photo: Lou Gehrig, Babe Ruth, Earle Combs, Herb Pennock, Waite Hoyt. Plus owner Jacob Ruppert and manager Miller Huggins
1927 Yankees
Top Row, L-R: Don Miller (P), Walter Beall? (P), Ray Morehead (2B), Paul Krischell (scout), Lou Gehrig (1B), Babe Ruth (OF), Johnny Grabowski (C), Dutch Reuther (P), George Pipgras (P), Jake Ruppert (owner), Mark Koening (SS), Bob Meusel (OF), Earle Combs (CF), Wilcy Moore (P), Julian Wera (3B), Pat Collins (C), Mark Roth (Trav. Sec.), Al Brennan (Sec.). Middle Row (kneeling between rows), L-R: Ben Paschal (OF), Urban Shocker (P), Hank Johnson (P). Front Row, L-R: Cecric Durst (OF), Charlie O’Leary (Coach), Eddie Bennett (mascot), Unidentified, Myles Thomas (P), Joe Giard (P), Bob Shawkey (P), Miller Huggins (Mgr.), Herb Pennock (P), Art Fletcher (Coach), Waiter Hoyt (P), Benny Bengough (C), Mike Gazella (3B), John Daugherty (Sec.), Joe Dugan (3B).
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Gary Livacari
Photo Credits: All from Google search
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