Cactus League Baseball

Curated by Connor Hillmann

The Cactus league spans more than eighty years and two states, although it is now centered in central Arizona. The Cactus League is one of two spring training leagues operated by Major League Baseball. The locations included in this tour explore multiple teams, various locales, and destinations that many did not even know had an association with Spring Training or baseball in Arizona

Rendezvous Park

The city of Mesa enjoys a 90 year history of Baseball. With the Chicago Cubs and Oakland Athletics thrilling crowds from late February through early April every year, it can be easy to forget that the sport of baseball has made its presence know for…

The Francisco Grande

Nestled away about an hour south of Phoenix sits Casa Grande. Commonly thought of as the halfway point between Tucson and Phoenix, Casa Grande is a small city of just over 50,000 residents. While no professional baseball team currently resides in…

Hohokam Park

Until 2016, the Chicago Cubs have been America’s lovable losers for over a century. For 35 of those years, the Chicago Cubs spent their springs preparing for a grueling season just west of Center Street in North Mesa. Hohokam Stadium opened in the…

The Pink Pony

Across 19 major-league baseball stadiums in 19 states, are scattered the ashes of former Pink Pony owner, Charlie Briley. Perhaps one of the most well-known fans in the history of American baseball, Briley is largely responsible for bringing the…

Phoenix Municipal Stadium

It’s February 13th, 2015. The Arizona State University Sun Devils take the field at Phoenix Municipal Stadium for the first time on this warm February evening. Hoping for a successful season in their first year at Phoenix Municipal, the Sun Devils…

The Arizona Biltmore & Wrigley Mansion

The Chicago Cubs have called the Arizona home during the spring months for over 60 years. Each February, Cubs players make the trek to the Valley of the Sun to prepare for the grueling season ahead of them. However, the Cub’s ties to the Valley go…