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Dodgertown's
Magical Appeal |
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Holman Approaches
Rickey |
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Bud Holman's
Dilemma |
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Rickey's Baseball
School |
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Jackie Robinson
Emerges |
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Vero's First
Exhibition |
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Branch Rickey's
Philosophy |
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O'Malley Develops
Dodgertown |
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| 21-year Lease Signed |
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O'Malley Proposes
Stadium |
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| Emil Praeger Design |
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Holman Stadium
Dedication |
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| Dodgers Win Opener |
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| Vero Beach History |
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Dodgertown Camp
for Boys |
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St. Patrick's Day
Tradition |
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O'Malley, Praeger
Team Up |
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Foreign Visitors
Welcomed |
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Golf Courses
Privately Built |
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O'Malley's
Dodgertown Vision |
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| Success Year-Round |
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SPRING'S ETERNAL AT DODGERTOWN |
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Dodgertown in Vero Beach, FL became the spring training headquarters for the Dodgers and their many minor league teams in 1948. The site, which prepares the Dodger major and minor league clubs for the season, underwent a series of improvements as Walter O’Malley and his family developed, built and maintained the property through the years. |
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By Brent Shyer
Dodgertown in Vero Beach, Florida is literally like a breath of fresh air. Sweet-smelling orange blossoms and rows of trees laden with sun-ripened grapefruit sweep through this modest piece of land that echoes with every player who competed and endeavored to become a major league Dodger.
Since 1948, it has been the starting point of each and every Brooklyn and Los Angeles Dodger season, a magical place where hope springs eternal and winning and losing pales in comparison to rounding the players into shape. Destiny made some of their dreams reality, but for the majority they failed to make the majors.
The smell of the fresh-cut green grass, the streets named for Dodger Hall of Famers and the ultra-modern building which houses the major league clubhouse, weight room, executive offices and training facilities are placeholders of progress for what once was.
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