The Historical Society of Avon ParkAVON PARK, FL · EST. 1886
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Charles R. Head

Colonel Charles R. Head was an Avon Park businessman, real estate investor, and civic promoter whose personal initiative brought Major League Baseball spring training to Highlands County in the late 1920s and led directly to the construction of Cardinal Field.[maxwell-1976][fhb-cardinals-1927-1929]

Recruiting the World Champion Cardinals (1926–1927)

During the height of the 1920s Florida land boom, Head capitalized on his longtime personal friendship with Sam Breadon, owner and president of the St. Louis Cardinals.[fgl-roar-of-the-20s][fhb-cardinals-1927-1929] Following the Cardinals’ dramatic seven-game victory over the New York Yankees in the October 1926 World Series, Head traveled to meet Breadon and successfully persuaded him to move the club’s spring training headquarters from San Antonio, Texas, to Avon Park.[fhb-cardinals-1927-1929]

To secure the reigning world champions, Head coordinated with local civic leaders and the Avon Park Town Council to offer a three-year contract backed by an annual municipal financial guarantee of $15,000.[fhb-cardinals-1927-1929] The team established headquarters at the newly opened Hotel Jacaranda in the spring of 1927.[maxwell-1976]

Construction of Cardinal Field

To provide a regulation spring training complex, Head led the community campaign to finance and construct a dedicated five-acre municipal stadium at 400 North Anoka Avenue ahead of the February 1927 arrival of manager Bob O’Farrell and stars such as Frankie Frisch and Grover Cleveland Alexander.[fhb-cardinals-1927-1929]

Originally named Cardinal Field, the ballpark featured wooden grandstands, outfield fencing, players’ dressing facilities, and a fully clayed playing surface.[fhb-cardinals-1927-1929] In March 1928, Head’s facility hosted the visiting New York Yankees in a landmark exhibition game attended by approximately 5,000 spectators, during which Avon Park fans presented Babe Ruth with a commemorative bat.[fhb-cardinals-1927-1929]

Ballpark Renaming and Legacy

After the expiration of the three-year contract in 1929 and the Cardinals’ relocation to Bradenton, the Avon Park municipality officially renamed the stadium Charles R. Head Field (also known as Charles R. Head Memorial Field) in tribute to Head’s vision and leadership in establishing the city as a premier Grapefruit League destination.[newssun-avon-park-home-baseball][maxwell-1976]

The stadium remains in continuous municipal operation today as the home field of the Avon Park High School Red Devils baseball team, preserving Head’s name in the athletic and civic life of the city.[newssun-avon-park-home-baseball]

References

Where this comes from

Evidence
corroborated — More than one independent source agrees.
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unverified — Drafted from sources but not yet checked by a volunteer.
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society

Sources

  1. Leoma Bradshaw Maxwell, The First Hundred Years of Avon Park, Florida (references/the-first-hundred-years-of-avon-park_leoma-bradshaw-maxwell_1976.md) (1976)
  2. Jason Byrne, Cardinals Played in Avon Park from 1927–1929 — Florida History Blog (2023)
  3. Florida Grapefruit League, The Roar of the '20s — Florida Grapefruit League (2024)
  4. Highlands News-Sun, Avon Park: A rich history with America's pastime (2021)

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