Tucson Electric Park, the White Sox's spring training home of 10 years, hosted presumably its final spring training game on Tuesday. Spring baseball left the city for good on Wednesday after the Diamondbacks-Rockies game at Hi Corbett.
I know I've been beating this drum plenty -- and it's probably a dead horse for those of you who have no attachment to Tucson or spring training -- but I don't know if there was a better spectator experience for Sox fans, and it's sad to see that officially die.
Greg Hansen at the Arizona Daily Star captures it well. I recommend reading the whole thing, but here's a key Sox-centric snippet:
In 1988, the White Sox cajoled the people of Sarasota, Fla., to spend $8 million to re-do their spring training ballpark. The Tampa Tribune referred to it as "the Cadillac of spring training facilities."
Ten years later, Tucson built a better ballpark, and the White Sox vacated that Cadillac for a new and shiny model on Ajo Way.
It's the oldest dodge in baseball: If you build it, they will come.
Or go.
Hansen followed up with one closing the book on Hi Corbett. What a shame.
