Talk:Holman Stadium (Vero Beach)

Dodgertown, CA?
Last year, the team registered a new zip code for the stadium, which is legally called "Dodgertown". Shouldn't this article now point to that and offer this article as a disambiguation? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 69.226.37.201 (talk) 01:28, 13 June 2010 (UTC)
 * I agree that there should be a new article describing the current meaning of "Dogertown," however I have to say that this article should not be redirected or removed. There is a history that is associated with this place that just cannot be taken away.  Of course, Los Angeles has made a new zip code for the new Dodgertown, but to many, Vero Beach will always be home to the Dodgertown that they have known for the last 50 plus years.  Choorel (talk) 21:20, 21 July 2012 (UTC)

How to improve this article
I am just a new user, so I felt I should express some ideas to make this article a little more complete, instead of going straight to editing the article. Having played for the Los Angeles Dodgers, I can attest to the history and importance of Dodgertown in Florida. I am on the side of the fans that are disappointed that the name of "Dodgertown" has been stripped and relocated to California. This article does not do a complete job on describing the history of the complex, and how important it was and will always be to baseball.

History
Dodgertown in Florida was called home to thousands of players throughout its history, among those were greats such as Duke Snider, Tommy Lasorda, Don Drysdale, and Sandy Koufax, and the complex still displays their names on its street signs.

The complex began as an abandoned Naval base from World War II, and included barracks with no heating or air conditioning. A local businessman by the name of Bud Holman approached the Dodgers in 1947 about using the area as a Spring Training site. Since the Brooklyn Dodgers had the most farm teams in the league with 26, the Naval base would be ideal for the large number of players.

Don't just regurgitate a website; do some math. Even if the Dodgers came to Vero Beach in 1948, Dodgertown was built in 1951, Holman Stadium opened in 1953 and the Dodgers left in 2006 (not 2008; they left in 2006 and were replaced by the Tampa Bay Rays, who left in 2008). Which part of this adds up to Dodgertown or even Vero Beach serving the Dodgers for more than 60 years? — Preceding unsigned comment added by 64.134.134.91 (talk) 07:15, 9 February 2014 (UTC)

Importance in Fight Against Racism
As the team began using the underdeveloped complex, it became a place of importance to the then President of the Dodgers, Branch Rickey. The Dodgers had a new star that had broken the color barrier, Jackie Robinson. Rickey had determined that Vero Beach was less racist than other cities in the southern United States.

When the Dodgers became the only team in Florida to own their spring training complex in 1965, they used land that they had acquired in previous years to develop 2 golf courses. Because African-American players were not allowed to play golf in Vero Beach, a course was developed for players to use while they were there for Spring Training.

Current Activity
When the Dodgers moved their spring training to Arizona in 2008, Minor League Baseball became the operator of Holman Stadium and what is now the Vero Beach Sports Village. The facilities are currently being used for High School and College baseball and softball tournaments. Among the 2012 events are the AABC Sandy Koufax World Series, and the historic Adult Fantasy Baseball Camp. Holman Stadium has also hosted a small number of concerts and events since the change of control. Most recently Vero Beach native, Jake Owen performed a benefit concert on the field.

Among other things, as of January, 2012, the complex began being used in part as an Umpire School for professional baseball umpires. The program takes advantage of the classroom facilites, and houses the participants similar to the way it was used for spring training.

Conclusion
There is so much more history and information that could be added to the artcile, and some editing of the current usage of the complex is needed. The complete history would take some serious work, because it is so extensive, but I provided some of the important information.

POV statement?
The lede paragraph contains the statement "The complex holds more history than any other spring training facility in the world." That sounds like a subjective personal opinion to me and not an encyclopedic fact. 92.48.194.176 (talk) 04:53, 21 March 2013 (UTC)

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