WORDS: Merab Favorite
PICTURES: Whitney Patton
While many families from all over the U.S. travel to Florida for an annual trip to Disney World, Craig Warzecha’s family from New Jersey, made the pilgrimage for a different reason. They came to experience spring training games in Florida’s historic Grapefruit League.
During February and March, 15 Major League Baseball teams leave their home states (many still amid blustery winter months) to play a short season in the Florida sunshine. It is a tradition dating back more than 100 years, with around 1.5 million fans attending games annually throughout the state.
During his childhood, Craig and his family traveled to Florida to watch this national pastime. With an itinerary filled with beach days and baseball games, there was little time for anything else. The family of four once squeezed in a trip to Disney but never went again as they preferred the crack of a bat, the pop of a mitt, and the sound of cheering fans to the theme park’s long lines and crowds.
When they weren’t vacationing in Florida for spring training, Craig got his baseball fix in their home state. He enjoyed rooting for major teams like the New York Yankees, but his favorite interactions were with the minor leaguers. Going to night games on Independence Day and watching fireworks were some of Warzecha’s favorite childhood memories.
“There’s something about the minor league experience. It’s more family-oriented and just a lot of fun,” said Warzecha. “Children have better access to the players before they make it to the big league. Being able to meet them and get their autographs was something I really felt was special as a kid.”
Craig’s ballpark experiences as a child inspired him to pursue a career in sports. He currently serves as the General Manager of the Bradenton Marauders and helps coordinate sales and marketing for the Pittsburg Pirates’ Florida games. Warzecha first joined the Pirates in 2015 and became the Assistant General Manager of the Marauders in 2017.
In addition to overseeing the sales team for Pirates Spring Training and the Marauders, he has played a pivotal role in the daily operations of LECOM Park. His baseball career has included stints with the Lakewood Blue Claws, Minor League Baseball headquarters in St. Petersburg, and the Philadelphia Phillies and Clearwater Threshers.
“It’s more about what’s going on off the field than the game itself,” said Warzecha. “These games are affordable and family-friendly. We do many themed nights like setting off fireworks near the Fourth of July or doing a dedicated Star Wars night; it’s all part of the experience.”
Park History
Bradenton’s LECOM Park, formerly McKechnie Field, has served the community for nearly a century. It is one the oldest spring training stadiums in the country, hosting a team in Florida’s Grapefruit League since 1923. Since 1969, the park has been the spring home of the Pittsburgh Pirates; The 2023 season will mark their 55th season at the park.
“The Pirates have a longstanding relationship and partnership with the City of Bradenton, Manatee County, Manatee Chamber of Commerce, and other partners in the community. We are actually the third longest-tenured major league team with a spring training site,” said Craig.
Located at 1611 Ninth Street West near downtown Bradenton, the original name of the field was City Park, which was changed in 1927 to Ninth Street Park. In 1962, it was named McKechnie Field after baseball great Bill McKechnie, who managed the Pirates when they won the world series in 1925.
On November 10, 2009, the Pirates purchased an affiliate league in Florida. Formerly known as the Sarasota Reds, the Pirates moved the team to Bradenton, where they were renamed the Bradenton Marauders. The Marauders became the first Florida State League team in Bradenton since Bradenton Growers, a team that dissolved in 1926.
The park is known for its old Florida character and charm. The field features a Spanish Mission architectural style with arches, stucco, and a historic grandstand area, popular in the 1920s. The quaint structure is small by today’s standards, as it’s not a typical stadium size but will accommodate 8,000 fans through raised seating.
Since the original construction was completed in 1923, the field has been renovated three times in 1992, 2008, and 2013. In 2017, the name changed to LECOM Park to acknowledge the growing partnership between the Pirates and Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine, or LECOM.
Another unique facility has kept the Pittsburgh Pirates renewing their contract in Bradenton. Pirate City, a state-of-the-art sports complex, provides an all-inclusive residency for players. Located in east Bradenton, it features a dormitory, cafeteria, exercise facilities, training grounds, and education center.
Built in 2008, Pirate City was the first all-inclusive facility built in Florida. Today it hosts players of all levels, sports camps, and community events. Players essentially never leave the premises as they are provided three meals a day, entertainment, practicing facilities, and more. There’s even a fantasy camp where people from all over the world pay to live one week in the life of a ball player.”
“The facility stays busy throughout the year,” explained Craig. “Since the Pirates pioneered the idea in 2008, other teams have done their own versions. There is great value in having everything all under one roof.”
Giving Back
In addition to providing entertainment and bringing in tourism dollars, the Pirates and Marauders support five key groups and organizations in the Manatee County Community that provide education, help first responders, support growth and empowerment in children and young adults, and provide funding to other groups focused on youth sports.
The Marauders partner with the School District of Manatee County and the Manatee Education Foundation on various initiatives throughout the year, including the “Adopt-a-School” program through their non-profit organization Pirates Charities.
A Battle of the Badges game has become a way to raise money for first responder charity groups. Every year, the Bradenton Police Department and Manatee Sheriff’s Office play each other, and all proceeds benefit their affiliate foundations. In addition, the players get to personally show their gratitude for these organizations by serving them lunch before the game.
Another fun event that benefits these organizations is the first responder’s appreciation night, where automobiles like fire trucks, police cars, and EMS trucks are displayed in the fan plaza of LECOM Park, and children get to tour the vehicles and speak to officers, firefighters, and other essential emergency personnel.
“These are both really fun ways that we raise funds for their charities while also providing entertainment to families and our community,” said Craig.
The teams do a similar fundraiser for PACE Center for Girls. This time, players don tropical jerseys for Margaritaville Night, then auction them off to benefit the non-profit, which helps girls and young women receive education and training for future success.
The Marauders also support local youth sports, including Manatee County youth baseball and softball leagues, as well as the Miracle League of Manasota.
New Developments
Despite all the nostalgia the park and teams bring to the community, there are also a lot of exciting things on the forefront for both the Pirates and the Marauders.
The Bradenton Marauders finished their 2021 with a series sweep against the Tampa Tarpons, securing a Low-A Southeast League Championship. This will mean a lot of talented players will join the Pirates in the coming year.
“We’re going to be seeing a lot of young and exciting players that will eventually make their major league debut at the Pittsburgh Pirates,” Craig explained. “But even if you don’t like sports, it’s just fun to come out to LECOM Park and watch the games.”
Behind the scenes, Craig and his team are working to improve and enhance the fan experience at LECOM Park. Craig wants every fan to have the same memorable experience he had as a child, whether it is their first or 100th game, he said.
“I just remember my excitement when I was a kid, getting autographs and pictures from my favorite players,” he said. “When you see a child’s face light up when they get called out to the field, all the hard work we put in on these theme nights makes it all worth it.” Check out the schedule at BradentonMarauders.com, which includes a back-to-school night on August 5, with a backpack giveaway, information about summer camp, and a complete game schedule for both teams.
