Spring Training in Bradenton and Sarasota Florida…..

On March 18th, my latest work will be released and as always when I get involved with baseball research I come away a bit wiser, a lot more entertained and I hope that is captured by the readers in this pictorial trip through Spring Training in Bradenton and Sarasota Florida.

I was amazed to learn how the various forces came to bring spring training to my adoptive state. Of course it did not hurt that my Red Sox actually trained in both cities, Bradenton in 1928 and 29 and Sarasota from 1933 through 1958. This added a special measure of interest

Joe Cicero was a 17-year-old Red Sox phenom when he was in Bradenton Florida in 1929. He made it to the bigs in September of that year and would not return to the show until 1945 with the Phillies; becoming the answer to a trivia question.

Ted, above in 1957, at Payne Park in Sarasota. He trained there for all but the war years and 1959 and 1960. It is said that when the Red Sox moved to their spring headquarters tp Scottsdale Arizona in 1959 he considered retirement because he would no longer be able to salt water fish during spring training.

Payne Park Sarasota circa 1950.

I will be hitting the bricks again soon with a stop at the Venice Florida Public Library on March 15th from 2-4 PM and then to WSRQ 1220 AM and 106.9 FM in Sarasota for a radio stint with The Nilon Report from 5-6 PM that same day!

nilon report header

It is also streamlined at this link.

http://sarasotatalkradio.com/the-nilon-report2/

April 6th I will take my wares to the Venice Book Fair in downtown Venice. It will be right next to the Gazebo and the Farmer’s Market so you localites stop by. I will be there from 10-3 and will have all three books available. Even a few of the out of print Babe in Red Stockings.

The Gazebo in Centennial Park Venice Florida

On the 13th of April I will be at the Barnes and Noble Bookstore in Sarasota from 3-6 PM. I will be signing both the Spring Training and Fenway Park books.

And then it’s off to Boston, just in time for Spring. I will return to the Jordan Rich Show in the wee hours of Saturday morning May 4th and talk the Spring Training book and baseball with Jordan from 1-3 AM.

The incomparable Jordan Rich.

Store Image

The next day, or the same day really, I will be at the Derby Shoppes in Hingham Massachusetts to sign copies of the Spring Training book at Barnes and Noble from 3-5 PM.

So visit me here

http://www.amazon.com/Raymond-Sinibaldi/e/B007TTJMAY/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_2

and make plans to drop by somewhere and say hi. And if you can’t do that give a listen.

Whatever you do, make sure you pick up a copy of Spring Training in Bradenton and Florida and take a walk through the evolution of the game in Bradenton’s McKechnie Field (the oldest still operating spring training facilty in the country). Sarasota’s Payne Park and Ed Smith Stadium. You’ll learn something…..

I promise!

About fenwaypark100

Hello and welcome, my name is Raymond Sinibaldi. An educator for more than two decades, a baseball fan for nearly 60 years, I have authored four books about baseball and her glorious history; with a fifth on the way in late spring of 2015; the first, The Babe in Red Stockings which was co-authored with Kerry Keene and David Hickey. It is a chronicle of Babe's days with the Red Sox. We also penned a screenplay about Babe's Red Sox days so if any of you are Hollywood inclined or would like to represent us in forwarding that effort feel free to contact me through my email. In 2012 we three amigos published Images of Fenway Park in honor of the 100th birthday of Fenway Park. That led to the creation of this blog. The following year, 2013 came my first solo venture, Spring Training in Bradenton and Sarasota. This is a pictorial history of spring training in those two Florida cities. The spring of 2014 brought forth the 1967 Red Sox, The Impossible Dream Season. The title speaks for itself and it also is a pictorial history. Many of the photos in this book were never published before. The spring of 2015 will bring 1975 Red Sox, American League Champions. Another pictorial effort, this will be about the Red Sox championship season of 1975 and the World Series that restored baseball in America. I was fortunate enough to consult with sculptor Franc Talarico on the “Jimmy Fund” statue of Ted Williams which stands outside both Fenway Park and Jet Blue Park Fenway South, in Fort Myers Florida. That story is contained in the near 300 posts which are contained herein. This blog has been dormant for awhile but 2015 will bring it back to life so jump on board, pass the word and feel free to contact me about anything you read or ideas you may have for a topic. Thanks for stopping by, poke around and enjoy. Autographed copies of all my books are available here, simply click on Raymond Sinibaldi and email me.

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