McKechnie Field McKechnie Field is a baseball field located in Bradenton , Florida . It is the spring training home of the Pittsburgh Pirates and is named for Bradenton resident and baseball great , Bill McKechnie , who led the Pirates in 1925 and the Cincinnati Reds in 1940 to World Series titles . He was also a coach of the Cleveland Indians in 1948 . Several notable members of the Baseball Hall of Fame such as , Roberto Clemente , Willie Stargell , Bill Mazeroski , Babe Ruth , Ted Williams and Mike Schmidt have played at McKechnie Field during their careers . The stadium also hosts minor league baseball games for the Bradenton Marauders , the Pirates ' High - A club in the Florida State League . McKechnie ' s nostalgic charms in its city neighborhood appeal to many baseball traditionalists and ballpark enthusiasts , and some consider the facility to be Florida ' s version of Fenway Park . It ' s built in a Florida Spanish Mission style , with white stucco on the main grandstand and cover bleachers over the reserved seating section . The Pirates and the City of Bradenton celebrated their 40th anniversary together during the 2008 spring training season , which included an agreement between the city and the Pirates to continue their partnership through 2037 . The field is currently the oldest stadium used for spring training as well as the second - oldest in the Florida State League ( behind Jackie Robinson Ballpark , built in 1914 ) . It is also the Third oldest stadium currently used by a major league team . After Fenway Park , built in , and Wrigley Field in 1914 . The stadium is also host to an annual charity game between the Pirates and the State College of Florida , Manatee – Sarasota . Several improvements to the field were also made possible through the efforts of the Bradenton Boosters , a volunteer club of local residents that not only raises funds for ballpark improvements , but also operate McKechnie Field on game day . Since 1979 , members of the Boosters have volunteered as the Pirates spring training game - day staff . The booster club ' s 120 members currently serve as ushers , program sellers , security personnel , merchandise sellers , and press box attendants throughout spring training season . History . Early era : 1919 - 1992 . The Cardinals ' first term . Prior to its construction , the stadium ' s location was the site of Ninth Street Park , which was used by the Bradenton Growers of the Florida State League . The site was also the home to the Manatee County fairgrounds as well as a local nine - hole golf course . On December 9 , 1920 , the Manatee County Board of Trade voted to bring major league baseball to the county in an attempt to stimulate the local economy . Prior to the 1920s , no major league team played south of St . Petersburg . However Robert M . Beall Sr . , the founder of the Bradenton - based department store , Bealls , as well as the team president and majority owner of the Bradenton Growers , was connected to Sam Breadon , the owner of the St . Louis Cardinals . Breadon also owned a citrus grove inside the county and was familiar with the area . Beall then convinced Breadon to move the Cardinals from their training facility in Orange , Texas to Bradenton . As part of the agreement , Beall agreed to sell $ 2 , 000 in tickets for the exhibition games . In a joint venture between the Cardinals and the city , the ball field was constructed with a grandstand and bleachers for $ 2 , 000 . The baseball field was just east of where McKechnie Field stands today , on the site of the Bradenton Golf Club , a nine - hole golf course . So after completion , city engineers discovered that the field ' s second base , was 14 inches lower than home plate , and the outfield was even two feet lower than second base . However the park opened in 1923 . The Commissioner of Baseball , Kenesaw Mountain Landis attended field ' s opening ceremonies . He was flowed in on a biplane , which was piloted by Harry Land , a member of Manatee County Board of Trade who approved bringing major league baseball to Bradenton . The plane landed in what was the outfield at the time , a par 5 hole . In 1923 , the grandstand sat 1 , 300 and 700 could easily occupy the bleachers , which included separate facilities for segregated African - American fans . Meanwhile , the fairground buildings were converted into makeshift locker rooms . The Bradenton Growers moved in and occupied McKechnie Field , which was then named City Park , from 1923 – 24 , and again in 1926 . The field was later renamed Ninth Street Park and then Braves Field . Phillies and Red Sox . The Cardinals played in Bradenton in the very next season , before leaving for Stockton , California in . However they were replaced by the Philadelphia Phillies who played in the park until , until they left for Winter Haven . In 1928 , the Boston Red Sox were looking at possibly coming to Bradenton , after spending the prior three years training in New Orleans . However before the team would commit to the Bradenton , the Red Sox officials asked to see the attendance and financial figures of what they would see if they moved their training to Bradenton . Robert M . Beall Sr . then supplied the Red Sox with the actual figures they requested . The Boston officials were impressed with Beall ' s honesty . Every other city , competing for the Red Sox , had given the club figures on what they might have they choose their city , not their current factual figures . The Red Sox trained in Bradenton until . That season the Cardinals returned to Bradenton and would stay their for the next seven springs . " Gashouse Gang " era . In the 1930s , the Cardinals returned during what journalists refer to as “ the gashouse gang era . ” During that time they had a lot of great ball players including Paul Derringer and future - Hall of Famer Dizzy Dean . Dean , who played at the stadium in the 1930s , liked Bradenton so much , he bought a local gas station and hung out there when he wasn ' t playing , giving the Cardinals ' famed Gashouse Gang its nickname . In the Cardinals moved their training to City Island Ball Park , located in Daytona Beach . Boston / Milwaukee Braves era . The Boston Bees ( today ' s Atlanta Braves ) played at the stadium until , when they left for San Antonio , Texas . The stadium would not host another team for seven years . During World War II , many major league teams avoided the long trip to Florida for training , opting instead to hold their sessions closer to their home cities to cut down on costs . In , Lou Perini , the owner of the Boston Braves ( later renamed the Atlanta Braves ) moved his club ' s spring training to Bradenton , after finding his club ' s training facility in Fort Lauderdale too windy . The Braves played in Bradenton for one year , however the city stated that if the Braves agreed to return the very next season , the city would build new clubhouses , field boxes along the first and third baselines and a new press box . The Braves agreed and stayed in Bradenton until . The Braves won three National League pennants while they trained there in 1948 , 1957 and 1958 , and won the 1957 World Series . In , Bradenton became the first club to bring allow an African - American baseball player , Sam Jethroe of the Boston Braves . This was a major breakthrough because had Florida not allowed him to join , the state would have lost all of its baseball clubs . In the Braves moved from Boston to Milwaukee . In 1962 , the stadium was finally renamed after Bradenton - native , Bill McKechnie , in honor of his induction that year into the Baseball Hall of Fame as a manager . In , Lou Perini moved the Braves to Connie Mack Field , after spending $ 1 million on a development in West Palm Beach . The city scrambled to get a new major league team in McKechnie Field . The city and the Philadelphia Phillies almost landed in Bradenton , however city official in Clearwater fixed several of the issues that the Phillies were unhappy about at Jack Russell Stadium . Kansas City Athletics era . The Kansas City Athletics played at McKechnie Field from 1963 - 1968 . Ironically , the team left Connie Mack Field for Bradenton , after the Milwaukee Braves arrived in West Palm Beach . The team was not open to sharing their spring training facilities or stadium with the Braves . The City of Bradenton talked A ' s owner Charlie Finley into staying at McKechnie until . By that time , the A ' s relocated from Kansas City to Oakland . Finley believed that his west coast team should train on the west coast , in Mesa , Arizona . The Pirates land . Once the Athletics left Florida for the west coast , Bradenton made plans to attract a new major league club . The city would attempt to lure the Pittsburgh Pirates or the Cleveland Indians to McKechnie Field . The Indians , at the time , had a ten year contract to play at Randolph Field , located in Tucson , Arizona and were written off by Bradenton officials . However the Pirates were unhappy at Terry Park , their spring training home for 14 years , located in Fort Myers . In February 1968 , the city met with Pirates ' general manager Joe Brown and owner John W . Galbreath and both sides agreed to a lease of 40 years , with an option for another 40 years . In 1969 the Pittsburgh Pirates began their lease of McKechnie Field . 1993 renovation . Prior to 1993 , the playing field at McKechnie was much less popular with the players , than it is today . Whitey Herzog , the Kansas City Royals manager in the late 1970s , called it " the closest thing to a cow pasture I ' ve seen . " Pirate outfielder Dave Parker later stated that " playing in the outfield [ at McKechnie ] was like playing in a potato patch . " During the early 1990s , many teams began renovating their spring training sites . At this time , the Pirates were threatening to leave Bradenton for Winter Haven in search of better training facilities . Many of the complaints that were associated with the pre - 1993 ballpark include ; red sand clotted the infield , old boards serving as bleacher seats and panels hunging loose on the outfield walls . The city then stepped in with a plan to use tourism tax money to rebuild McKechnie Field . The project , which ended up costing $ 3 . 4 million . In 1993 it was decided that the aging stadium was in need of a massive renovation . Pittsburgh - based architect , Lou Astorino , of L . D . Astorino Companies , was put in charge of renovating the ballpark . Astorino ' s renovation was inspired by Forbes Field , the Pirates ' old stadium in Pittsburgh , with its outfield walls that were covered in ivy , like Wrigley Field , and the view of trees outside the park . He also chose a Spanish Mission façade based on the old Bradenton railroad station . The Pirates and local officials agreed that any renovation must preserve the neighborhood appeal of McKechnie . After extensive interviews and months of work , an intimate park was recommended with new grounds , wide access ramps , concession stands , kiosks , improved sight lines , while maintaining a ballpark ' s classic ambiance . McKechnie ' s old metal chairs that served as box seats , the wooden bleachers were also removed , in favor of more modern stadium seating . The grandstand seen today at McKechnie was built as part of the 1993 renovation and holds 6 , 602 people . The stadium ' s remodeling was applauded highly by Pulitzer Prize - winning author and essayist George Will for keeping the vintage baseball park look . The renovation to the Spanish mission - style ballpark preserved the intimate , old - time atmosphere so well that led " USA Today " dubbed it the “ Fenway Park ” of spring training stadiums . The red infield dirt was also swapped out in favor of a darker color of dirt during in the renovation , after then - Pirates manager Jim Leyland complained of the glare and heat reflecting from the reddish sand . Lou Astorino would later on to design PNC Park , which became the Pirates ' regular season home in . 2008 : Lights . The renovations prior to the 2008 spring training season also included a new visitor ’ s clubhouse , a new press lounge and lights . Improvements also included a renovation of Pirate City , the team ’ s southern headquarters , with new offices , player dormitories and a fifth practice field . The deal was partly funded by the state , which wants to prevent any more major league teams from migrating to the Cactus League in Arizona for spring training . Originally , no night games were played at the ballpark for the first 85 years in the stadium ' s history . However , lights were installed and the stadium hosted its first night game in 2008 . Since the first night game was played at Wrigley Field in , McKechnie had been the only ballpark used by a major league team at any time of the year that lacked lights . The Pirates have always played a handful of night exhibition games each year , but never at McKechnie . Previously , the Pirates never saw the need for lights at McKechnie , and never pushed for them . Players and team officials have long been comfortable with the routine of arriving early in the morning , getting in a day ' s workouts and a ballgame , then enjoying a leisurely dinner at night . However the lack of lights , meant that McKechnie could only be used for only spring training games , and the facility sat empty 11 months a year . The installation of lights was made possible after the city of Bradenton received a $ 15 million grant from the state of Florida to upgrade the Pirates ' Spring Training facilities . The grant fund was set up to prevent any more major league teams from migrating to the Cactus League in Arizona for spring training . Besides the lights , the grant money paid for a new visitors ' clubhouse and an expanded home clubhouse . A lighted McKechnie Field will allow for night baseball and other events , enabling the city to use the ballpark as a catalyst in an area where officials envision an entertainment district . The first night game at McKechnie was originally scheduled for March 7 as the Pirates took on the Cincinnati Reds but the game was rained out . Instead the ballpark ' s first night game was pushed back to March 19 , 2008 . The game resulted in a Pirates loss to the New York Yankees by the score of 12 - 9 . Because of the improvements , the Pirates signed a new 30 - year lease that went into effect on February 1 , 2008 . The team is now guaranteed to play at McKechnie Field through 2037 , and after playing two night games in Bradenton in 2008 the Pirates will have many more opportunities to play under the lights over the next few decades . However Pirates ' alumni Bill Virdon and the late Chuck Tanner have both disagreed on the need for lights , stating their opinion that spring training games were meant to be held in the daytime . However the lights would be key to the stadium landing a new minor league team a few years later . Pirates 40th Anniversary in Bradenton . In 2008 , to celebrate the Pirates 40 seasons in Bradenton , the team unveiled a commemorative logo celebrating their 40th anniversary of hosting Spring Training in Bradenton , Florida . The logo was symbolic of the club ' s long - term relationship with the city . The patch displayed classic Pirates " P " onto the historical façade outline of McKechnie Field . The Pirates displayed the logo throughout Spring Training on a large billboard just behind the right - center field wall at McKechnie , as well as on the Pirates Spring Training jerseys . The Pirates tenure in Bradenton ( 44 years ) ranks third in longevity among teams that currently hold spring training in Florida . Only the Detroit Tigers in Lakeland , Florida ( 65 years ) , and the Philadelphia Phillies in Clearwater , Florida ( 64 years ) have been in their spring training locations longer . 2010 : Return of minor league baseball . McKechnie Field did not host a Florida State League team , since the end of Bradenton Growers era , from 1926 until 2010 . From 1989 - 1990 , the Bradenton Explorers of the Senior Professional Baseball Association also played at McKechnie . The Pirates Rookie Level minor league affiliate , the Gulf Coast Pirates , formerly the Bradenton Pirates , currently play their games at the Pirates training facility in Bradenton ' s Pirate City complex . However on November 10 , 2009 , baseball officials voted to allow the Pirates to purchase and uproot the Cincinnati Reds ' Class A affiliate , the Sarasota Reds . The team was renamed the Bradenton Marauders and play all of its home games at McKechnie Field . In return the Red received the Pirates Class A team , the Lynchburg Hillcats . The new Bradenton team began play on April 7 , 2010 . The inaugural game ended in 18 - 3 Bradenton victory over the Fort Myers Miracle . 2012 - 2013 : " Fan - friendly " renovations . In early 2012 , Bradenton officials planned to make a $ 7 . 5 million loan to pay for “ fan - friendly ” renovations to McKechnie Field . The proposed upgrades included new seating , enhanced fan plazas , a boardwalk that would circumnavigate the stadium , a tiki bar , more concession stands , restroom improvements , an upgraded sound system and scoreboard . To pay for the ballpark renovations , the city planned to take out a 20 - year loan , repaying it primarily from the county ’ s “ bed tax , ” which visitors pay when they stay at a hotel or resort located in Manatee County . Under the deal , the Pittsburgh Pirates , who contributed the equivalent of $ 150 , 000 annually to market Bradenton , plan to increase their marketing donation to $ 400 , 000 annually . That money will then be used to promote tourism in county . The renovations will also allow McKechnie Field to host sports events , such as high school regional tournaments . On February 7 , 2012 , Manatee County commissioners Tuesday agreed to an interlocal agreement that will provide McKechnie Field with the $ 7 . 5 million in renovations . The project was slated to begin after the Pirates ’ 2012 spring training season and will continue around the Marauders ’ 2012 schedule . Improvements could be completed prior to the 2013 spring training season . The renovations will allows for the metal roof that sits over the grandstand area to be repaired . In 2011 , the metal ceilings that occupied McKechnie had to be removed because of corrosion . The removal forced two Marauders home games to be relocated to Port Charlotte . Temporary awnings were put in place for the upcoming 2012 season . Construction of a new , permanent roof is planned and will be completed by 2013 . On August 16 , 2012 , the Pirates announced that the team will contribute an additional $ 2 million to $ 3 million for the renovations to McKechnie Field , increasing total enhancement costs for their Bradenton spring training home from 7 . 5 million to approximately $ 10 million . The renovations ' design and construction were performed by Fawley Bryant Architects and NDC Construction , both Manatee County businesses . The renovated was unveiled to medis on February 20 , 2013 . The changes come on the anniversaries of McKechnie ' s 90th year in existence , as well as , the Pirates ' 45th year at the stadium . With the changes , McKechnie became the fourth largest capacity venue in the Grapefruit League . Attendence levels . Spring Training . In 2011 , the Pittsburgh Pirates established an attendance record at McKechnie Field , attracting 88 , 003 fans , breaking the previous mark of 87 , 206 , which was set in 2009 . The largest crowd for a game in the field ' s history occurred on March 19 , 2011 . On that day , 6 , 644 fans showed up to watch the Pirates defeat the Boston Red Sox 7 - 5 . The previous single game attendance mark at McKechnie Field was 6 , 221 , set in 1994 . Minor League Baseball . In 2010 , the Bradenton Marauders drew 51 , 856 fans in 70 home dates . Only the Dunedin Blue Jays drew fewer fans than Bradenton . However just after the first 40 homes of their 2011 season , the Marauders drew 56 , 718 fans to their home games , with a game average of 1 , 418 fans . According to team officials , the turn - around attendance is believed to be a result of the team having a full season to market itself and establish a fanbase . By the season ' s end , the team drew a total regular season attendance of 103 , 978 fans , doubling the previous year ' s attendance . Popular culture . In 1989 , for his book , " Spring Training " author William Zinsser chose McKechnie Field as a classic Florida baseball setting .