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.
