Vero Beach in Indian River County, Florida — The American South (South Atlantic)
Baseball and Dodgertown
Photographed By Tim Fillmon, March 11, 2015
1. Baseball and Dodgertown Marker
Inscription.
Baseball and Dodgertown. . Dodgertown was the spring training facility of the Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers. Originally part of a World War II Naval Air Station, Dodgertown became the spring training home of the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1948, when local business leader Bud Holman convinced the Dodgers to set up a spring training facility in Vero Beach. Here, Dodger President Branch Rickey sought to create a "baseball campus" where players could live and play together. Dodgertown was the South's first racially integrated spring training camp, where 600-plus players from the Brooklyn Dodgers 26 minor league teams played. Hall of Fame players Jackie Robinson and Roy Campanella were among the first African American players to train here. In 1953, Dodger President Walter O'Malley privately built the 6,500-seat Holman Stadium, a state-of-the-art ball park at Dodgertown. During its history, 6 world Championships and 14 National League Pennant-winning teams played at Dodgertown. In 2001, the Dodgers sold Dodgertown to Indian River County, then leased it back until 2008, when their spring training facilities moved west to Arizona. In 2012, the O'Malley family stepped up to manage historic Dodgertown as a year-round multi-sports complex.
Dodgertown was the spring training facility of the Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers. Originally part of a World War II Naval Air Station, Dodgertown became the spring training home of the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1948, when local business leader Bud Holman convinced the Dodgers to set up a spring training facility in Vero Beach. Here, Dodger President Branch Rickey sought to create a "baseball campus" where players could live and play together. Dodgertown was the South's first racially integrated spring training camp, where 600-plus players from the Brooklyn Dodgers 26 minor league teams played. Hall of Fame players Jackie Robinson and Roy Campanella were among the first African American players to train here. In 1953, Dodger President Walter O'Malley privately built the 6,500-seat Holman Stadium, a state-of-the-art ball park at Dodgertown. During its history, 6 world Championships and 14 National League Pennant-winning teams played at Dodgertown. In 2001, the Dodgers sold Dodgertown to Indian River County, then leased it back until 2008, when their spring training facilities moved west to Arizona. In 2012, the O'Malley family stepped up to manage historic Dodgertown as a year-round multi-sports complex.
Erected 2014 by The Indian River County Historical Society, Tourist Development Council of Indian
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River County and the Florida Department of State. (Marker Number F-812.)
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Sports.
Location. 27° 38.634′ N, 80° 25.369′ W. Marker is in Vero Beach, Florida, in Indian River County. Marker is on Flight Safety Drive south of 26th Street (Road 0.1), on the right when traveling south. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 3901 26th Street, Vero Beach FL 32960, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Credits. This page was last revised on August 21, 2017. It was originally submitted on March 18, 2016, by Tim Fillmon of Webster, Florida. This page has been viewed 519 times since then and 10 times this year. Photos:1, 2, 3. submitted on March 18, 2016, by Tim Fillmon of Webster, Florida. • Bernard Fisher was the editor who published this page.