Al Lang, the Babe & a St. Pete journey with Rick Vaughn - July 28, 2023

Author, Rick Vaughn, "100 years of Baseball on St. Petersburg's Waterfront. How the Game Helped Shape a City" discusses Al Lang & the evolution of MLB Spring Training in St. Pete. Rick’s front office career spans the Orioles, Redskins & Vice President of Communications with the Tampa Bay Rays. #RaysUp

• Baltimore, rolling out Camden Yards
•  Rick's book of baseball stories  -  "100 years of Baseball on St. Petersburg's Waterfront. How the Game Helped Shape a City"
• Al moved to St. Petersburg for his health & fell in love with the community
• Brought the best teams to St Petersburg - Boston Braves, New York Yankees, St Louis Cardinals & . . . 
• Keeping it fresh - Boston Braves depart St Pete on Tuesday & Al has a new team, the St. Cardinals in place by Saturday
• Babe Ruth's Train
• Tampa paid Cubs to bring their spring training to the city 
• Al Lang, philanthropy
• The Depression, Spring Training & the impact on St. Pete
• Babe Ruth & St. Pete, a love affair
• Yankees moved team from New Orleans to turn down the Babe’s night life
• All Children’s hospital recipient of Ruth’s generosity
• Minor League Map of Florida - watching up & coming players 
• 1968 - 29 future Hall of Famers in Al Lang Field 
• 90 Tampa natives that have played Major League Baseball
• Seaver & Gooden both playing in Tampa high schools simultaneously
•  minor league players in Tampa - Justin Crawford with the Threshers
• 1960 the death of Al Lang
• Fighting Segregation in Tampa Bay Baseball - Bill White & Dr. Ralph Wimbish, 
• Cardinals brought all players, managers & families under one roof in St. Pete 
• Did Florida lose spring training teams to Arizona due to segregation?
• Al Lang & Rick Vaughn strong champions of the game
• prepping for the launch of the Tampa Bay Devil Rays
• Buck Showalter or Socha could have possibly been the first Rays GM
• Rays original Owner & GM had not worked in baseball
• What makes a great ballpark experience in an outdoor open ballpark
• Rays future stadium should honor the past & deliver a park with modern day amenities
• Build a Rays stadium in Ybor reflecting the history of Ybor & the cigar factories
• Tampa Bay needs a champion for baseball and the Tampa Bay Rays
• Wade Boggs stories at Al Lopez field & Tino Martinez working in cigar factory
• Tampa baseball with the Cubs & Red Sox
• Augustus Busch Jr, owner of St. Louis Cardinals brought Busch Gardens to Tampa

Rick's book on Amazon @
"100 years of Baseball on St. Petersburg's Waterfront. How the Game Helped Shape a City"
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Special Thanks to  William Ross Chernoff's Nomads for Makie Elkino
Originally broadcast on July 28, 2023 on BaseballBiz On Deck