The ninth annual Hot Springs Baseball Weekend will take over the city from August 7 to 9, shining a spotlight on the town that first hosted Major League Baseball spring training in 1886 when the Chicago White Stockings arrived to prepare for the regular season.
A weekend of memories and milestones
Derek Phillips, general manager of Majestic Park, says the event is a chance to celebrate Hot Springs’ deep‑rooted baseball legacy, from its early days with the White Stockings to the vibrant Negro Leagues that later called the city home.
Fans will rub shoulders with a roster of legends, including Al Hrabosky, Bill "Spaceman" Lee, Dale Murphy, Smoke Stewart, Fred McGriff and Jack Morris, who will join Hall of Fame inductees for panels, discussions and autograph sessions.
Historian Tim Reid, who helped map the Historic Hot Springs Baseball Trail, notes that the city was a crucible for Black baseball, hosting teams like the Kansas City Monarchs, Homestead Grays and the 1932 Pittsburgh Crawfords that featured Satchel Paige, Josh Gibson and Oscar Charleston.
The weekend also marks the growth of the baseball card show, now spanning an extra day and offering a larger marketplace for collectors eager to trade vintage memorabilia.
Opening night will feature a public screening of the documentary "The Battered Bastards of Baseball," setting a nostalgic tone for the days ahead.
All events are free and open to the public, inviting both longtime devotees and newcomers to experience a living museum of America’s pastime.