Historic Dodgertown
Historic Dodgertown was a multi-sport facility in Vero Beach, Florida where athletes of all ages and skill levels had the opportunity to train, play, and stay together. The facility which included the historic Holman Stadium was originally created as a Navy housing base, and was transformed into the home of spring training for Los Angeles Dodgers baseball team, as well as the Vero Beach Dodgers from 1980 to 2006, and the Vero Beach Devil Rays from 2007 to 2008. It evolved into a multi-sport destination that includes an option of room and board via their on-site villas.
History
Historic Dodgertown was originally built as a Navy housing base for all of the members of the Navy and Marines that trained at the US Naval Air Station during World War II that was located directly across the street.When Branch Rickey began looking for a permanent spring training site in 1948 he was introduced to a large area of land in Vero Beach, Florida by Bud Holman, a local businessman, as the perfect place to host a fully contained training camp for the Major League club as well as the other 26 minor league teams. The Dodgers and the city of Vero Beach ended up coming to an initial five-year lease agreement that included the naming of the property as "Dodger Town". A stadium was completed in 1953.
The Sporting News reports on the innovative spring training camp to be run by the Brooklyn Dodgers in Vero Beach, Florida. “Mass production and the assembly line have come to baseball…and now comes Dodger Town, where at least 400 Brooklyn farmhands will be in action during the month…Dodger Town is one of the most amazing set ups in the history of baseball…There are, at the moment, only three diamonds here, but it’s probable that more will be laid out. The citizens of Vero Beach have collaborated about 200 percent with the Dodgers, hopeful that Rickey will stick to his half promise to bring Dodgers and Montreal here to train in 1949.”
When he became Dodger President on October 26, 1950, Walter O’Malley continued to invest in and develop Dodgertown, keeping the initial concept of a baseball school from Branch Rickey, but enhancing its features to cater to the needs of the players, coaches, staff, and press. It was also the most fan friendly of the spring sites with access to players. O’Malley strived for the best food service, medical facilities, training techniques, stadium, landscaping, and a wide variety of on-site recreational opportunities. In 1965, with the purchase of 110.4 acres of land from Vero Beach, the Dodgers became the only major league team in Florida to own and maintain their spring training site. In 1972, the O’Malley family continued to modernize and maintain Dodgertown with new living accommodations to replace the U.S. Naval Air Station barracks. In 1974, they added a 23,000-square foot administration building with a Major League clubhouse, medical department, dining room, kitchen, main lobby, broadcasting studio, photo darkroom, press room, lounge, training rooms, equipment room, minor league clubhouse and laundry room. Beginning in 1975, Charlie Blaney, Director, Dodgertown named street signs for Dodger Hall of Famers. That year, Jackie Robinson Avenue, Roy Campanella Boulevard and Sandy Koufax Lane were named. Subsequently, upon a Dodgers’ election to the Hall of Fame, more streets were named. In 1977, Harrison Conference Services was hired to manage the use of Dodgertown for business conferences, seminars and meetings on a year-round basis. In 1990, more improvements were made by Peter O’Malley including an indoor batting tunnel and Spring Training office building. In 1991, two full-size baseball fields were added after a land exchange with the City of Vero Beach.
The Dodgers trained at Dodgertown for 60 years and it was the starting point for preparation for their World Championship seasons in 1955, 1959, 1963, 1965, 1981 and 1988, as well as 14 National League Pennant-winning teams.
In 1948 when Dodgertown was created, Branch Rickey was Dodger President and a 25 percent Dodger stockholder. Walter O’Malley was also a 25 percent Dodger stockholder in 1948 when Dodgertown began, became the team’s majority owner in 1950 and was Dodger Chairman of the Board upon his passing on August 9, 1979. Peter O’Malley served as Director, Dodgertown from 1962-65, became President, Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodgertown on March 17, 1970, and was responsible for Dodgertown until the family sold the Dodgers to the FOX Group on March 19, 1998. He later became responsible for Historic Dodgertown – Vero Beach, Florida again in January, 2012. At the time it was called “Vero Beach Sports Village”. On August 29, 2013, it was officially renamed “Historic Dodgertown” until Major League Baseball changed it under its leadership on April 2, 2019 to the Jackie Robinson Training Complex.
Integration
The date of March 31, 1948 resonates in the advancement of U.S. civil rights as on that date Dodgertown, Vero Beach, Florida was the first integrated spring training site in the South as the major league Dodgers played their initial game on base against the Montreal Royals, top farm club in the International League. Because of African American Jackie Robinson’s presence, the Dodgers had trained overseas in 1947 and in 1948 to help shield him from the Jim Crow laws in the South. When the Dodgers made their first appearance in Vero Beach, Robinson was joined on the major league roster that day by fellow African American Roy Campanella. March 31, 1948 marked the first time an African American player on a major league roster played an exhibition game in Florida. This was the beginning of the Dodgers integrating Dodgertown, a city within a city, so all their players could train, dine, sleep and participate in recreational activities on site.A crowd of 6,000 attended the March 31, 1948 game at “Ebbets Field No. 2” including an estimated 1,000 African American fans who were segregated to sit behind the left field area and towards center field. Robinson, who had debuted with the Dodgers on April 15, 1947 and was 1947 Rookie of the Year, hit a home run in his first at-bat at Dodgertown and the Dodgers beat Montreal in the exhibition game, 5-4. Six future Baseball Hall of Famers played that day: Pee Wee Reese, Arky Vaughan, Duke Snider, Gil Hodges, Jackie Robinson and Roy Campanella. Other Hall of Famers who were there: Dodger Manager Leo Durocher; Dodger scout and Coach George Sisler; Dodger President Branch Rickey; Rickey’s ownership partner and Dodger Vice President and General Counsel Walter O’Malley; as well as Dodger broadcasters Red Barber and Ernie Harwell.
Holman Stadium
Shortly after Walter O’Malley began his presidency of the Dodgers on October 26, 1950, his desire to make Dodgertown, Vero Beach, Florida a long term home for the Dodgers became evident. On January 31, 1952, the Dodgers signed a 21-year lease agreement with the City of Vero Beach to make Dodgertown their spring training site for decades. Another 21-year lease term could also be renewed. Given that certainty and in friendship with civic leaders, O’Malley proceeded to privately build a 5,000-seat ballpark in 1952 that opened March 11, 1953 on the Dodgertown grounds. In addition, during the construction process, a man-made, heart-shaped lake stocked with fish was created as a valentine to O’Malley’s wife Kay.Opened March 11, 1953, Holman Stadium was named for longtime business leader Bud Holman of Vero Beach, Florida. Holman suggested to the Brooklyn Dodgers that an abandoned U.S. Naval Air Station in Vero Beach might fit the needs of the Dodgers’ spring training operations as the expansive land included the former barracks. Dodger President Walter O’Malley worked closely with highly respected engineer Capt. Emil Praeger to design Holman Stadium by taking the sand, marl, and muck to create a nearby manmade lake and then forming the bowl of the concrete stadium.
The New York Times addressed Holman Stadium’s grand opening: “The dedication of the Dodgers’ beautiful little Holman Stadium today was a rousing success on all counts. Among the notables attending the first game at Holman Stadium was Bud Holman, the man who convinced the Dodgers to have their Spring Training in Vero Beach; Baseball Commissioner Ford Frick; National League President Warren Giles and American League President Will Harridge and Connie Mack, long-time manager and owner of the Philadelphia Athletics. Pre-game ceremonies caused the game to start 30 minutes late. Dodger President Walter O’Malley presented a plaque to Holman that read, ‘The Brooklyn Dodgers dedicate Holman Stadium to honor Bud L. Holman of the friendly city of Vero Beach. Walter F. O’Malley, President, Emil H. Praeger, C.E. designer.’ The Dodgers won the game 4-2 as Carl Erskine made the first pitch and allowed one run in four innings.”
From the time it was built by O’Malley, Holman Stadium was appreciated for its unparalleled sight lines, intimate surroundings with 50 Royal Palm trees, donated by Dodger stockholder Mary Louise “May”
Smith, the widow of Pfizer President John L. Smith who had been a Dodger part-owner for six years. The trees were located just beyond the outfield, and fans’ ability to see the players were as a result of dugouts that did not have traditional roofs and enclosures. But, due to Jim Crow laws in the South, Holman Stadium was segregated with African American fans sitting down the right field line. In January, 1962, when Dodger star player Tommy Davis and others brought this to the attention of Peter O’Malley, who was beginning his first spring as Director, Dodgertown, he took immediate action with the removal of all segregated signage for drinking fountains, restrooms, and integration of the grandstands, inviting all fans to sit anywhere they wanted within Holman Stadium.
The Sporting News reported, “Where seating in the baseball stadium here has always been segregated, Walter O’Malley removed the signs this year, inviting Negroes to sit anywhere in the park. Perhaps 99 per cent continue to occupy the old Jim Crow seats but, slowly, more are expected to make the shift. In town, O’Malley’s popularity hasn’t thickened.”
Already pioneers in integration due to the signing of Jackie Robinson, the Dodgers continued to break ground and lead the way becoming Major League Baseball’s first fully-integrated spring training site in the South. No other Florida spring training camp would have integrated housing and dining facilities until 1962. Also, the Dodgers’ integration of Holman Stadium was seven years in advance of Vero Beach public schools becoming integrated in 1969.
From the first game, Holman Stadium served as home of the Dodgers spring training games from 1953 to 2008, as well as for the Florida State League’s Single-A Vero Beach Dodgers from 1980-2006. Holman Stadium was updated and is still used at MLB’s Jackie Robinson Training Complex for games, tournaments, and special events.