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March 3, 2026Albert Fielding Lang, known as Al Lang, was a businessman and mayor of St. Petersburg from 1916 to 1920. Born in Pittsburgh in 1870, he moved to St. Petersburg around 1910 for health reasons. Lang became a tireless booster for the city, working to beautify downtown, improve public spaces, and promote St. Petersburg as a winter and tourist destination. As mayor, he pushed for street paving, expanded waterfront parks, and personally welcomed visitors arriving by train.
Lang’s most enduring legacy is bringing professional baseball spring training to the city. Beginning in 1914, he attracted major league teams like the St. Louis Browns and Philadelphia Phillies and helped establish national recognition for Florida’s Grapefruit League. In 1947, a new waterfront stadium replaced Waterfront Park, and the field was named Albert F. Lang Field in his honor. The dedication drew celebrities including sportswriter Grantland Rice and Commissioner Happy Chandler, with 7,706 fans watching the St. Louis Cardinals defeat the New York Yankees.
The venue went on to host decades of spring training and professional soccer. Lang died on February 27, 1960, at age 89, leaving a lasting civic and sporting legacy in St. Petersburg.