Cactus League’s History Celebrated in New Book

Local author teams up with museum on new book featuring stunning collection of vintage images
 
Feb. 6, 2012 - PRLog -- The newest addition to Arcadia Publishing’s popular Images of America series is Cactus League: Spring Training from local author Susie Steckner and the Mesa Historical Museum. This pictorial history boasts more than 200 vintage images, providing readers with a unique opportunity to reconnect with the history that shaped their community and the sport of baseball.

Arizona’s baseball roots run long and deep, but the star of the show is the Cactus League. The state’s spring training history is filled with social, political, and cultural intrigue, not to mention a roster of baseball greats. Early on, fans watched Joe DiMaggio, Ted Williams, Willie Mays, and the American League’s first black player, Larry Doby.

Beyond the field, baseball became part of the state’s social fabric, as players and fans alike flocked to watering holes, hotels, parades, and a desert resort famous for its mineral baths. History also saw a political battle to save the Cactus League and fend off Florida’s attempts to dominate spring training. Today, the Cactus League is a 15-team powerhouse that holds court in Arizona each spring.

Highlights of Cactus League: Spring Training include:
•   Unique, behind-the-scenes photographs of the Chicago Cubs, New York/San Francisco Giants, Milwaukee Brewers and more.
•   Images of two long-gone teams: the Seattle Pilots and the Houston Colt .45s.
•   Never-before-seen photographs of San Francisco greats Willie Mays and Juan Marichal.
•   An in-depth look at the famed Buckhorn Baths in Mesa.
•   Photographs of the Cactus League’s ten modern-day stadiums.

A portion of the profits from the sale of the book are being used by the Mesa Historical Museum to help preserve the history of the Cactus League.

Author Susie Steckner is a freelance writer in Arizona and volunteers with the Mesa Historical Museum, which houses the nation’s only collection chronicling Arizona’s spring training journey.

Available at area bookstores, independent retailers, and online retailers, or through Arcadia Publishing at (888)-313-2665 or www.arcadiapublishing.com.

# # #

With more than 7,500 local history titles published to date, Arcadia Publishing is the leading publisher of local and regional history in the United States. Widely recognized sepia books feature hundreds of vintage historical images.
End
Source: » Follow
Email:***@arcadiapublishing.com Email Verified
Zip:29464
Tags:History, Book, Photographs, Arcadia, Images Of America, Baseball, Cactus League, Spring Training, Arizona
Industry:Books, Photography, Sports
Location:Mt. Pleasant - South Carolina - United States
Subject:Products
Account Email Address Verified     Account Phone Number Verified     Disclaimer     Report Abuse
Arcadia Publishing News
Trending
Most Viewed
Daily News



Like PRLog?
9K2K1K
Click to Share