Arizona, New Mexico & the Grand Canyon Trips (Lonely Planet, 1st Edition) - Aaron Anderson [43]
Set in the toniest town in the Valley of the Sun and also 4 miles from Phoenix Muni, Scottsdale Stadium is the home of the San Francisco Giants. Designed by the same people who did Camden Yards in Baltimore, it’s one of the nicest city stadiums in Arizona – good food, fancy beers on tap, pretty people as well as art and baseball memorabilia dotted throughout. For all of these reasons, spring training tickets sell out fast. Bring lots of sunscreen or wear a sombrero – shade is minimal.
After the game, it’s a quick walk or free trolley ride to downtown Scottsdale’s bevy of food and drink. For the ultimate post-game spot, saddle up at Pink Pony Steakhouse, near Indian School and Scottsdale Rds. The place for league officials and players to gather ever since Scottsdale Stadium was built in 1956, the bases are loaded with baseball history here.
Just a mile away from Scottsdale Stadium, Hotel Valley Ho is the place where celebrities hung out in the days when luxury was not a dirty word. With an outdoor pool complete with a bar and spa service, people who don’t like baseball are happy to work on their tan and down a few daiquiris during the day here.
It takes about two hours to drive the 115 miles south to Tucson – if you’re going to rent a car, be sure to spring for one with satellite radio. Thankfully, spring training games both here and in Florida – the other spring training state – are broadcast live. The family-friendly Windmill Inn at St Philips Plaza is a good place to hang out between games – there are restaurants and a day spa in the attached plaza.
Spring training came to Arizona in 1946 when Bill Veeck, owner of the Cleveland Indians, was none too happy that Larry Doby, the American League’s first black player, had to stay in a different hotel than the white players during spring training in Florida. Veeck brought his team to Tucson’s Hi Corbett Field and convinced the head of the New York Giants to bring his team to Phoenix Municipal Stadium. On March 8, 1946, the Indians beat the Giants 3-1 here and the Cactus League was born.
Set in the Reid Park complex, nowadays the field is where the Colorado Rockies come to dust off the snow – they’ve trained here prior to every season in franchise history. Like at all the spring training spots, there’s a platoon of kids and adults with mitts hoping to catch a foul ball. The oldest park in the league, the 1937-built stadium still charms with its nod to Spanish colonial architecture and quiet setting.
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TICKET SCORE
Ticket prices range anywhere from $3 to $20 and at most stadiums it’s easy enough just to show up and get in. Spring sees a lot of snow birds: people who come from places like Chicago to enjoy a warm winter. That means it can be hard to get tickets for teams that are big in colder climes, like the Chicago White Sox. Scalping is legal in Arizona, fortunately, or you can buy tix online ahead of time.
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Teams that train at Tucson Electric Park must have their voltage meter cranked to 11 – Arizona’s own Diamondbacks and the Chicago White Sox both train here and they’ve both won World Series pennants. With the Santa Catalina Mountains in the background, the sunsets alone are worth the price of admission.
Before leaving Tucson be sure to eat at El Charro Café, a local institution that’s been serving carne seca and other Sonora-Mexican treats since before Hi Corbett Field existed. If you need to end the trip, so be it. But remember, to Cactus League like a local means calling in sick to extend the fun by a day or two. Stripped of all the glitz and glamour, baseball here is simple and good, just like mom’s apple pie.
Josh Krist
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TRIP INFORMATION
GETTING THERE
Phoenix is 115 miles north of Tucson, and Scottsdale and Phoenix share a border.
DO
Hi Corbett Field
Set in the Reid Park Complex – next to a zoo and two golf courses, it’s the springtime home of