Spring Training: When Baseball and Sunshine Drew the Crowds

On March 21, 1949, spring training was in full swing, and St. Louis Cardinals games at Al Lang Field drew steady crowds of locals and winter visitors. Exhibition matchups like this one against the Cincinnati Reds were less about standings and more about preparation, evaluation, and spectacle.

Outfielder Chuck Diering, known more for his glove than his bat, is shown scoring in the first inning. Behind the plate was Ray Lamanno, a young catcher trying to secure his place on the Reds roster. Waiting on deck, Eddie Kazak, a versatile utility player, represented the kind of depth teams relied on through a long season. Overseeing it all was veteran umpire Scotty Robb.

These moments mattered. Managers watched closely, players fought for roster spots, and fans got an early look at the season ahead.

For St. Petersburg, it was something more. Spring training games like this filled the stands, energized downtown, and reinforced the city’s identity as a place where sunshine and baseball came together each year.