The forgotten Arkansas town where Jackie Robinson, Babe Ruth, and Satchel Paige all trained

Chicago White Stockings Pioneer Spring Training in Hot Springs

Before Florida and Arizona, there was Hot Springs.

In 1886, Chicago White Stockings boss Albert Spalding had a wild idea: take his team south to soak in thermal waters and sweat out winter booze.

Cap Anson led his squad through mountain hikes and workouts behind what’s now the county courthouse. When they won the pennant that year, other teams rushed to copy them.

Soon the Pirates, Red Sox, and Dodgers came too. For six decades, over 300 pros trained here, including 137 future Hall of Famers.

Negro League stars like Satchel Paige and Josh Gibson joined the mix.

The Hot Springs Historic Baseball Trail now marks where these legends once played ball in America’s first spring training town.

Chicago Ballplayers Headed South to Soak and Train

In 1886, Albert Spalding and Cap Anson took their Chicago White Stockings to Hot Springs, Arkansas for pre-season training.

The team spent two weeks soaking in hot springs to flush alcohol from players’ bodies while hiking trails to get in shape. They practiced behind what’s now the Garland County Courthouse.

The team included future greats Cap Anson, John Clarkson, Mike "King" Kelly, and Billy Sunday, who later became a famous preacher.

Players followed a daily routine of bathing, hiking, and baseball practice to lose weight and build strength.

Mountain Trails and Mineral Baths Replaced Snow and Ice

Players swapped Chicago’s frozen fields for Hot Springs’ warmer weather, creating a new training approach. The team got back in shape through daily mountain hikes and healing soaks in mineral-rich waters.

Hot Springs let players work out when northern cities stayed covered in snow. The White Stockings built routines around the thermal baths, with daily soaks to help sore muscles.

Cap Anson kept track of players’ weight loss, making the "water cure" key to getting ready for the season.

Winning Teams Copy the Hot Springs Formula

The Chicago White Stockings won the 1886 National League pennant after their Hot Springs training, turning heads across baseball. Other teams quickly linked their pre-season work to their success.

The Pittsburgh Pirates soon followed Chicago’s lead, setting up their own Hot Springs camp. Boston, Cincinnati, Brooklyn, and other clubs joined the trend through the 1890s.

Baseball bosses saw the edge gained through organized pre-season work. Hot Springs changed from a health resort into baseball’s unofficial spring headquarters.

Baseball Takes Over the Resort Town

Hot Springs boomed as a baseball hotspot between 1890-1910 as more teams came each spring. The Boston Red Sox, Cincinnati Reds, Brooklyn Dodgers, and New York Highlanders (later Yankees) set up yearly camps.

Local hotels like the Arlington, Majestic, and Eastman created special deals for teams and fans. Practice games between clubs became popular events.

Newspapers sent writers to cover spring activities, creating the first pre-season news coverage. Players became well-known faces around town during the six-week training time.

Negro League Stars Found Their Own Spring Home

Black baseball teams built their own training tradition in Hot Springs despite segregation. The Kansas City Monarchs, Pittsburgh Crawfords, and New York Black Yankees set up regular spring camps.

Stars like Satchel Paige, Josh Gibson, Oscar Charleston, and Buck O’Neil got ready for their seasons in Arkansas. Negro League teams used separate fields but followed similar training methods.

Games between Black teams drew big crowds of both Black and white fans. The hot springs and mountain trails helped all players the same way.

Ballplayers Created Unique Training Methods

Teams made special workouts using Hot Springs’ natural features as training tools. Players raced up Hot Springs Mountain on the "Dead Man’s Trail" for fitness.

Hot baths followed set schedules, with players soaking at certain temperatures and times. Teams practiced basics often skipped during the season, like sliding and relay throws.

Managers used the long spring to check out young players and try new game plans. The warm weather allowed for daily outdoor practice weeks before northern fields thawed.

Baseball Legends Loved Hot Springs Life

Babe Ruth visited Hot Springs often, once hitting a 573-foot home run at Whittington Park. Ty Cobb, Honus Wagner, Cy Young, and Walter Johnson joined over 130 other future Hall of Famers who trained there.

Players enjoyed Oaklawn Park horse races when not practicing. Many came back in the offseason to heal injuries using the hot waters.

Local shops made special meals and shows for players.

The town showed off its baseball ties with restaurants and stores full of player photos and keepsakes.

Baseball School Attracted Hundreds of Hopefuls

Ray Doan opened his Hot Springs Baseball School in the 1930s, bringing in 300-400 young players every month. The school hired famous teachers including Dizzy Dean, Rogers Hornsby, and Arkansas native Lon Warneke.

Students got pro coaching long before team farm systems existed. Mornings focused on basics while afternoons had practice games and special training.

Many players signed their first pro contracts after scouts spotted them at the school. The school gave good training during the Depression when jobs were hard to find.

Jackie Robinson and Hank Aaron Continued the Tradition

Hot Springs welcomed Black players to mixed teams after baseball dropped its color barrier. Jackie Robinson trained there after signing with the Brooklyn Dodgers.

Hank Aaron got ready for seasons in Hot Springs early in his career. They linked the separate training worlds of the Negro Leagues and Major League Baseball.

Young Black players worked out on the same fields where Satchel Paige and Josh Gibson had trained years before. The hot waters and mountain trails stayed part of training through the integration years.

Teams Slowly Moved to Sunnier Southern States

Florida began attracting teams away from Hot Springs in the 1920s with promises of warmer weather. Arizona emerged as another spring training destination by the 1940s.

Teams found fewer rainouts and more consistent temperatures in these locations.

New purpose-built baseball facilities in Florida and Arizona offered modern amenities Hot Springs lacked. The gradual exodus continued through the 1930s and 1940s.

Hot Springs hosted its last major league spring training in the early 1950s as the tradition shifted permanently south and west.

The Baseball Trail Marks Where Legends Once Played

Hot Springs preserves its baseball heritage today through the Historic Baseball Trail. Markers show the locations of five former spring training ballparks where legends once played.

Visitors can follow the same mountain hiking paths Babe Ruth and other stars used for training. The town hosts annual celebrations connecting fans to baseball’s early spring training history.

Museums display photographs and artifacts from the days when Hot Springs served as baseball’s first spring training capital.

Local tour guides share stories about the 137 Hall of Famers who once prepared for seasons in the shadow of Hot Springs Mountain.

Visiting Hot Springs, Arkansas

You can explore Hot Springs’ baseball history with a free self-guided trail using QR codes or the app. Grab a brochure at the Visitors Center on Central Avenue to start.

Visit Majestic Park, built where Babe Ruth trained in 1909, featuring five fields and a bronze statue.

Check out the Gangster Museum showing connections between players and mobsters, then grab craft beer at Superior Bathhouse Brewery made with the same thermal waters players used.

This article was created with AI assistance and human editing.

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