It’s the Spring of 1888 and you’re a baseball fan in Jacksonville reading the morning paper. “Jeepers!” You jump out of your seat in excitement as you reread the headline saying baseball’s Washington Nationals are traveling to Jax to prepare for the season.
For three weeks you and your ballpark-obsessed buddies attend exhibition games in what would become FL’s first spring training season. The boys look good and you’re convinced they’re going to win it all.
You were wrong. Very, very, very wrong.
The team finished with a 48-86 record, 37 ½ games out of first place. Citing its pathetic performance, Washington and all other big league ball clubs are convinced traveling that far south isn’t worth it. Major League Baseball would not return to the Sunshine State for 15 years.
Florida's First Spring Training Season