![]() However, the intimate and nostalgic feel of Hohokam did not stop the slow creep of Mother Nature. Patterson Field, the same Dwight Patterson who is now known as the father of the Cactus League and was integral to bringing major league baseball to Mesa. In 1991, the stadium at Hohokam Park is officially named Dwight W. The Cubs continuously ranked at or near the top for attendance and they quickly became the top draw for a floundering Cactus League. Nah it’s just fun to read the temperature chart and imagine your neighbor with a snow shovel while you bask in the sun.” It was not uncommon for fans and visitors to interact with Cubs greats from the 1980s and 1990s, with longtime Cubs announcer Harry Carrey being amongst the most popular.Įven with abysmal performances by the Cubs throughout the 1980s, Hohokam enjoyed record turnouts during the spring. ![]() Except, as one author points out, “not everybody is anxious to read about the latest exploits of Shawn Dunston or Ryne Sandberg. The air, the ambiance, the smells, all harkened back to Chicago. It drew sellout crowds of die-hard Cubs fans, and transported huge swaths of baseball fans in a way to Chicago. Despite the stadiums lack of glam, it was the epitome of Spring Training experiences. By the mid-1990s, Hohokam Park was the place to be for spring training. HOHOKAM STADIUM SCHEDULE MOVIEDescribed by some as having, “all the charm of an abandoned drive in movie theater,” Hohokam reminded many a dislocated Cubs fan of home in the windy city. Much like the friendly confines at Wrigley, Hohokam Park did not enjoy the finest amenities. For over three decades, Hohokam Park, as it was then known, was Chicago’s home in the arid Arizona Desert. In 1979, the team from the North side of Chicago returned to Mesa after a 12-year tenure in Scottsdale. Built to replace the old Rendezvous Stadium, Hohokam Park quickly became a crown jewel of Mesa. Hohokam Stadium opened in the spring of 1977, hosting the Oakland Athletics of the American League. For 35 of those years, the Chicago Cubs spent their springs preparing for a grueling season just west of Center Street in North Mesa. Until 2016, the Chicago Cubs have been America’s lovable losers for over a century. Mesa's Hohokam Stadium has hosted both the Chicago Cubs and the Oakland Athletics its long history reveals the history of Cactus League Baseball. ![]()
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