This week on Florida Matters, we explore the rich history of baseball in the Tampa Bay region — from the early days of Spring Training to the Tampa Bay Rays, celebrating their 25th season this year.
The All-Star game — the ‘midsummer classic’ that highlights the year’s top baseball players — takes place on July 11. And it features a number of players with local connections.
Four members of the Tampa Bay Rays are on the roster as well as four players with roots in the greater Tampa Bay region: Bo Bichette, Kyle Tucker, Pete Alonso and Rays pitcher Shane McClanahan.
We check in on how the Rays are doing at this point in their 25th season, and discuss how Spring Training and the New York Yankees helped put St. Petersburg on the baseball map. We also look back on some of the biggest names in the sport to emerge from this region, from Al Lopez to Tino Martinez and learn more about the new generation of rising stars.
Host Matthew Peddie talks with guests:
- Joey Johnston, long time Tampa Bay sportswriter who has covered baseball at the high school, college and major league level
- Alan Rittner, an editorial producer with MLB Advanced Media LP
- Rick Vaughn, a former MLB communications executive who headed communications for the Tampa Bay Rays. He’s the author of “100 Years of Baseball on St. Petersburg's Waterfront: How the Game Helped Shape a City”.
You can listen to the full conversation by clicking on the “Listen” button above. Or you can listen on the WUSF app under “Programs & Podcasts.
