Jay “Dizzy” Dean and Paul “Daffy’ Dean, two brothers from Lucas, Arkansas, set a pitching standard in 1934 that may never be equaled again. The brothers combined for a total of 49 victories-30 for Dizzy and 19 for Daffy while pitching for the St. Louis Cardinals.
Hall of Famer and Arkansas native Bill Dickey was discovered in Hot Springs while substituting for a friend in a semi-pro game at Whittington Park. He went on to play catcher for the New York Yankees and played in nine World Series, winning eight championships. As a manager and coach with the Yankees he won another six World Series titles.
Lefty Grove became a star in the major leagues with the Philadelphia Athletics and the Boston Red Sox inning winning 300 games in his 17 year major league career. He rejuvenated his career not once but twice in Hot Springs coming to the Spa City to rehabilitate his “dead arm” using the hot waters.
“Bucketfoot Al” credited the hot water baths and mountain trails of the city with saving his baseball career.
The legendary slugger often visited Hot Springs to prepare for one of his twenty-two seasons in the majors.
Often regarded as Major League Baseball’s greatest defensive outfielder, “The Grey Eagle” trained for many years in Hot Springs as a player and as a manager. On March 18, 1912, at Whittington Park, Speaker hit a home run over the left field fence. He enjoyed every aspect of the city’s culture and is still remembered for his iconic photograph riding a stuffed alligator.
This Hall of Fame outfielder, personally tutored by John “Mugsy” McGraw, played his entire career with the New York Giants, hitting 511 home runs. On his thirtieth birthday, March 2, 1939, in an intra-squad game here at Whittington Park, “Master Melvin” belted three homers over the right field fence. He played alongside Hall of Famers Bill Terry and Carl Hubbell, to lift the Hal Schumacher team over the Carl Hubbell team by a score of 10-6.
After training in Hot Springs in 1912, twenty-two-year-old Smoky Joe Wood compiled a 34 – 5 record and led the Boston Red Sox to victory in the World Series. On March 28, 1913, Smoky Joe pitched five scoreless innings at Whittington Park versus the Pirates, twice striking out Honus Wagner. While in Hot Springs, Wood rode an ostrich here at the Hot Springs Ostrich Farm.
On March 5, 1911, here at Whittington Park, the man who remains the leader in triples (312) in Major League history played in an exhibition game between the Brooklyn Dodgers and a group of American League All-Stars. “Wahoo” blasted two doubles, one of his trademark triples, and a home run. In the same game, Walter Johnson pitched three scoreless innings in an 11-1 victory.
Walter Johnson trained in Hot Springs over many seasons. Generally regarded as the greatest pitcher in baseball history, he could also swing the bat. In 1911 at Whittington Park, “the Big Train” hit three long home runs in just three days. On February 27, 1925, Johnson, known as one of the game’s finest gentlemen, made a civic appearance here at Hot Springs High School with his friend Babe Ruth.