By helping expand the city's limits, Drachman turned vast tracts of unwanted desert into desirable real estate. This, in turn, fueled the kind of land speculation that led to pots of gold - for Drachman and numerous other developers. Then there are all those millions of dollars that would not have been given to the University of Arizona if Drachman had gone off to become a movie mogul. Maybe UCLA's film school would have been the recipient of Drachman's renowned largess. Similarly, Drachman dollars also never would have found their way to Pima College, the Arizona Cancer Center or countless other Tucson institutions.
Spring training is another thing.
But Drachman helped make spring training happen as a key player in putting together that first deal that brought the Cleveland Indians here decades ago. Finally, there is that close connection between Drachman and Tucson. Now semi-retired, his columns in this newspaper are a weekly testament to that. But all of this, of course, is moot. Hollywood wanted Drachman, but Drachman didn't want Hollywood.