78 years of Arizona Baseball thanks to "Father of the Cactus League": 1993 Historymaker Dwight Patterson

Die-hard baseball fans waited before dawn for the 78th year of Cactus League Spring Training baseball season to begin. 

Now that the season is over, we learn how popular it is. The Cactus League attendance rose for the fourth straight season. 

Hear the story from 1993 Arizona Historymaker Dwight Patterson of how baseball came to Arizona. https://www.historicalleague.org/historymakers/dwight-w-pat-patterson

Ben Avery 1993 Historymaker, Parks Advocate

 Ben Avery, an avid promoter of outdoor recreation, devoted six decades of his life to writing about Arizona and Southwestern subjects. Honored as 1993 AZ Historymaker, he was especially interested in Arizona State Parks and the Phoenix Mountain Preserve and would be so happy to know that Maricopa County Parks and Recreation are developing a master plan for the future.

To learn more about the project, park users can visit the master plan website, https://engageberrydunn.mysocialpinpoint.com/maricopa-county-parks-and-recreation-parks-master-plan?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAAR0ks-4Uj7dO26ass2ywlI1dBH9dtCOs6kFy_dTsXIuq-F4jdcPgVzdwyZ0_aem_o7JoHJ_nABiT5

Dwight W. "Pat" Patterson, 1993 AZ Historymaker and Father of Arizona Baseball Spring Training

 Spring Baseball Training in Arizona kicks off February 22. Thanks to Dwight W. "Pat" Patterson (1912-1999) Rancher and "Father" of Arizona Baseball Spring Training. Honored as an AZ Historymaker in 1993. For all his efforts to get baseball to Arizona, we are grateful.

There are 10 Cactus League stadiums in Arizona: American Family Fields of Phoenix, Camelback Ranch-Glendale, Goodyear Ballpark, Hohokam Park, Peoria Sports Complex, Salt River Fields at Talking Stick, Sloan Park, Scottsdale Stadium, Surprise Stadium and Tempe Diablo Stadium.