2013 information guide - MLB.com

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TIGERS SPRING TRAINING INFORMATION
FETZER HALL AND TIGERTOWN FACILITIES
While the Tigers major league club has trained in Lakeland since 1934, the organization’s minor league
affiliates have called Lakeland home since 1953. The move to the TigerTown facility in 1953 was aided by the use
of barracks that were originally part of the Lodwick School of Aeronautics, a British training school for aviation
cadets during World War II. The school closed in August, 1945 and was converted to a city airport, which was later
named Lodwick Field. The barracks from the former training school allowed the team to provide room and board
for players throughout Spring Training.
The original setup at Lodwick Field boasted four diamonds, a fieldhouse, recreation room and a dining hall,
which was said to have served nearly 16,000 meals during Spring Training in 1953. The field provided the club
with an all-encompassing facility that could serve the needs of the minor league system during Spring Training.
When the facility opened in 1953, the club owned three minor league affiliates and had working agreements with
four other clubs. The 1953 Detroit Tigers Press Book stated that 200 rookies would be given the opportunity to
display their wares in the first minor league spring training held at what is now the TigerTown complex.
2013 DETROIT TIGERS INFORMATION GUIDE