Clearwater Athletic Field was located near the northeast corner of Pennsylvania Avenue and Seminole Street in Clearwater, Florida. It hosted major league spring training for over 30 years, from 1923 to 1954.
The Brooklyn Dodgers first occupied the ballpark from 1923 to 1932, having previously trained at J.P. Small Memorial Park in Jacksonville, Florida. The Dodgers departed Clearwater for the 1933 season and trained from 1934 to 1935 at Tinker Field in Orlando, Florida. The Dodgers returned to Clearwater Athletic Field from 1936 to 1941. The International League Newark Bears held their spring training at Clearwater Athletic Field from 1933 to 1935 and the Cleveland Indians held their spring training at Clearwater in 1942 and 1946. The Philadelphia Phillies held their spring training at Clearwater Athletic Field from 1947 to 1954. Clearwater Athletic Field was also home to the Florida State League Clearwater Pelicans in 1924 and the Florida State Negro Baseball League Clearwater Black Sox in 1952. The ballpark was later renamed Ray Green Field after the former mayor of Clearwater.
The North Greenwood Recreation and Aquatic Complex now stands on the site.
Home plate was located along Pennsylvania Avenue, about half a block up from Seminole Street at the intersection of Nicholson Street and Pennsylvania Avenue.
Nicholson Street once ran parallel to Seminole Street, running alongside the first base grandstand. Nicholson Street now dead ends at Pennsylvania Avenue.
The southwest portion of the recreation center sits in the approximate location of home plate and the first base grand stand.
Center Field was located at the southwest corner of Palmetto Street and Martin Luther King, Jr., Blvd.
Right Field paralleled Martin Luther King, Jr., Boulevard (formerly Greenwood Avenue).
The left field corner sat at the intersection of Palmetto Street and Pennsylvania Avenue.
Left Field paralleled Palmetto Street.
The front entrance to the North Greenwood Recreation and Aquatic Complex sits in what was once right field.
The aquatic center sits in what was once center field.
In 1954, the City of Clearwater constructed a new spring training stadium, Jack Russell Stadium, just two blocks east of Clearwater Athletic Park, which the Phillies moved into in 1955.
The Phillies continued to use Clearwater Athletic Field as a practice facility even after the grandstand burned down in 1956.
Sandwiched between Clearwater Athletic Field and Jack Russell Stadium is Walter C. Campbell Park, which was once practice fields and parking for Jack Russell Stadium.
The light stanchions of Jack Russell Stadium are visible from the North Greenwood Recreation and Aquatic Complex, two blocks away.
In 2003, the Phillies relocated four miles east to yet another new ballpark in Clearwater, Bright House Field.
Any Phillies fans who are interested in the history of their team and the game itself should take the four mile drive from Bright House Field west on Drew Street to the former site of Clearwater Athletic Field and the current site of Jack Russell Stadium (although the grandstand and seating bowl are long gone). Over 55 seasons of Phillies spring training history occurred at those two locations and they certainly are worth a visit.
