Episode: The Tampa Baseball Museum with Josh Weaver

Hosts: Mark Corbett & Mat Germain
Guest: Josh Weaver, Curator of the Tampa Baseball Museum

Episode Overview

Mark and Mat sit down with returning guest Josh Weaver, curator of the Tampa Baseball Museum, to discuss the museum's history, community outreach, future modernization ideas, and the incredible depth of major league baseball talent that has come out of Hillsborough County, Florida.

Key Topics Covered

The Tampa Baseball Museum

• Located in a historic 1905 casita (home) in Ybor City — the former home of Al Lopez, the first player from Tampa to reach the major leagues
• One of only four museums in the U.S. housed in a player's actual birthplace or home (alongside the Babe Ruth Museum in Baltimore, Shoeless Joe Jackson Museum in Greenville, SC, and the Hank Aaron Museum in Mobile, AL)
• Focuses on Hillsborough County baseball history, not just the city of Tampa
• Currently features 121 players born or raised in Hillsborough County who made it to the major leagues, with 89 baseballs on the "baseball wall"
• Four Hall of Famers with Hillsborough County ties: Al Lopez, Wade Boggs, Tony La Russa, and Fred McGriff

Community Outreach

• Mobile museum that travels to little league opening/closing day ceremonies and local events
• Sponsors teams in West Tampa Little League
• Uses artifacts (like Tino Martinez's 2000 World Series jersey) to spark intergenerational baseball conversations
• Partners with local mascots (King Ripple, Finley, SouthPaw) for reading events at schools and libraries
• Hosts intimate "Coach's Corner" events featuring retired players and coaches (e.g., Larry Rothschild, David Magadan, Joe Maddon, Roberto Hernandez)

The Reading Series

• Josh has written a children's book on Baltimore's Camden Yards
• Upcoming releases: children's biographies of local judge and former minor leaguer Robin Fuson, and MLB veteran David Magadan
• Players have full review and editorial control over their books

Future Ideas Discussed

• Virtual reality and holographic technology to modernize the museum experience and attract younger visitors
• A "sandlot game" concept: retired MLB players vs. current regional coaches, to bridge generations and grow community engagement
• Preserving memories of the Tropicana Field via 360° VR before the venue changes
• Collaboration with other small baseball museums (Ty Cobb Museum, Shoeless Joe Jackson Museum) for cross-museum events

Notable Players & Names Mentioned
Al Lopez, Wade Boggs, Tino Martinez, Luis Gonzalez, Fred McGriff, Tony La Russa, Lou Piniella, Pete Alonso, Kyle Tucker, Preston Tucker, Kevin Cash, Brett Phillips, Logan Gilbert, Caglianone, David Magadan, Roberto Hernandez, Joe Maddon, Pop Cuesta, Pete Mulry, Nardi Contreras, Chuck Hernandez, Manny Seoane, Robin Fuson, Randy Myers, Clint Hurdle, Arminda Mata (CEO, Ybor Society)

Resources & Links

• Tampa Baseball Museum website: Search "Tampa Baseball Museum"
• Facebook / Instagram: Follow Tampa Baseball Museum for upcoming events and the newsletter
• Previous episode: Arminda Mata, CEO of the Ybor City Museum Society
• Previous episode: Robin Fuson (judge/former minor leaguer)
• Book mention: Baseball and the Law by Lou Schiff (features Robin Fuson and Tony La Russa)

Florida BaseballBiz is your home for stories, history, and the business of baseball in the Sunshine State.

Interview with Arminda Mata, CEO & President, Tampa Baseball Museum / Ybor Museum Society

Host: Mark Corbett

Episode Summary Mark sits down with Arminda Mata to explore the deep roots of baseball in Tampa's Ybor City — from the cigar factories of the 1880s to the formation of the first Cigar City League in 1913, and how that history shaped generations of Major League talent.

Key Topics

• Buildings Alive Celebration — The 14th annual event showcasing Ybor City's historic buildings and history.
• Ybor City's Origins — Vicente Martinez Ybor relocated his cigar business from Cuba to Key West and ultimately Tampa in the 1880s, sparking explosive population growth (800 to 15,000 in 15 years).
• The Mutual Aid Societies — Six immigrant societies (Italian Club, Centro Español, Centro Asturiano, El Circulo Cubano, Sociedad La Unión Martí-Maceo, German American Club) provided banking, insurance, healthcare, social activities, and even cemeteries — from birth to grave.
• The Cigar Industry Boom — Spanish, Cuban, Sicilian, Jewish, and German immigrants built a massive cigar trade producing over a million cigars per week, with the King of Spain buying exclusively from Cuesta-Rey.
• Baseball's Beginnings in Tampa — Amateur teams formed around cigar companies and local businesses. On May 30, 1913, the first Cigar City League was formally organized, with Cuesta-Rey winning the inaugural championship.
• The Inter-Social League (1940s) — Mutual aid societies formed teams that played against each other, bringing diverse communities together through baseball.
• Tampa's Baseball Legends — Al Lopez (first Tampa-born Hall of Famer), Lou Piniella, Wade Boggs, Fred McGriff, Doc Gooden, Gary Sheffield, and the family connections between them.
• Negro Leagues in Tampa — The first Negro Association in Tampa started May 23, 1885. Billy Reed, coach at Hillsborough High School, played for the Tampa Bay Rockets.
• Accessibility of Baseball Today — Discussion on the cost of attending games and the value of supporting minor league teams (Tarpons, Flying Tigers, Threshers) and local college/high school ball.
• The Tampa Baseball Museum's Mission — Mobile museum programs in schools and senior facilities, researching forgotten names and family connections, and preserving Tampa's unique baseball heritage.

Notable Names Mentioned Al Lopez, Lou Piniella, Wade Boggs, Fred McGriff, Doc Gooden, Gary Sheffield, Dave Magadan, Lance McCullers Sr. & Jr., Billy Reed, Senaida Shoo Shoo Wirth, Jane Leavy, Janet Marie Smith, Joe Maddon, Wes Singletary, Junior Caminero, Bobby Cox, Tom Glavine, John Smoltz, Chipper Jones

Links & Resources

• Tampa Baseball Museum: tampabaseballmuseum.org

Wes Singletary talks about growing up in Tampa, Al Lopez, neighborhood ballfields, American Legion Baseball, The Negro Leagues, Red Barber &

• Meeting Red Barber
• Wes shares a memorable story of meeting legendary broadcaster Red Barber while at Florida State
• Barber’s weekly Friday show with Bob Edwards on NPR Morning Edition
• Florida’s First Big League Baseball Players
• Al Lopez sparked Wes’ research into the earliest major leaguers born in Florida
• Tampa Baseball Museum & Wes’ Books
• Mark reflects on discovering Wes’ works at the museum, including:
• Al Lopez: The Life of Baseball's El Senor
• The Right Time: John Henry "Pop" Lloyd and Black Baseball
• Florida’s First Big League Baseball Players
• The Tampa Baseball Museum continues to carry Wes’ books year-round.
  https://www.tampabaseballmuseum.org/
• Tampa’s Outsized Baseball Legacy
• West Tampa & Ybor has produced a wealth of legendary players and coaches—from Tony La Russa and Lou Piniella to Tino Martinez and Luis Gonzalez—and why many outsiders still underestimate the city’s baseball history.
• American Legion Baseball Turns 100
  • Centennial of American Legion baseball,
  • American Legion ball in small towns
  • Legion baseball predates Little League by more than a decade.
• Rays, Yankees, and Local Loyalties
  • Why Yankees spring training in Tampa complicates local loyalties
  • How transplants shape Rays attendance
  • What it might take to shift support toward Tampa’s home team
• Bitsy Mott, Colonel Parker and Elvis
• Al Lopez vs. Casey Stengel - great stories from the 1954 and 1959 pennant races—including Stengel’s legendary quips
• Show Stopper – Al Lopez was the only manager to interrupt the Yankees’ dominance.
• Hall of Fame a Swing & a Miss - Wes & Mark Question the Veterans/Eras Committee on omitting Lou Piniella by 1 vote from the Hall of Fame
• A visit to Lou Piniella’s house & a lifetime memory – Young Wes receives a baseball signed by Munson, Hunter, and more

Discover more about Wes and his books at : https://bit.ly/481acjG
Mark at baseballbizondeck@gmail.com, at iHeart Apple, Spotify, Amazon Music, and at www.baseballbizOnDeck.com

Special Thanks to Williams Ross Chernoff's Nomads for the music Makie Elkino

• 🏙️ Deep Tampa Roots: Jamie shares his family’s history coming from Sicily and Cuba in the early 1900s and their place in Tampa’s rich cultural and baseball heritage.
• ⚾ A Grandfather’s Impact: Stories of his grandfather Emilio Almeida — a true baseball guru — who taught generations of kids the finer points of the game and inspired a lifelong passion for baseball.
• 🧢 Little League Champion: How Emilio turned a ragtag team of “misfits” with no uniforms into league champions through strategy, fundamentals, and love for the game.
• 📚 Baseball IQ from the Start: Lessons on situational thinking, strategy, and positioning that shaped Jamie’s approach as a catcher from Little League through high school and beyond.
• 🧠 Catcher’s Perspective: Jamie breaks down the mental side of catching — calling pitches, building trust with pitchers, reading hitters, and managing the whole field.
• 📈 From Leto High to College: How Jamie’s baseball instincts and independence on the field set him apart, earning trust to call his own games and lead from behind the plate.
• 🧐 Seeing the Game Differently: Jamie explains how he still watches baseball — looking for tells, strategy, and subtle signs that others miss — and how he passes that knowledge on to younger players.
• 💬 Coaching the Next Generation: His approach to teaching not just mechanics but hitting philosophy, game awareness, and understanding the strike zone.
• FSU Roots & Baseball Memories:
  • Touring FSU’s baseball locker room and seeing tributes to Buster Posey and Cal Raleigh
  • Comparing old-school locker rooms to today’s luxury setups
• From the Diamond to the Firehouse - Transitioning from college baseball to a 26-year career with Tampa Fire Rescue
  • Joining the Tampa Fire softball team, winning tournaments, and competing in the World Police & Fire Games
• Family Legacy in Baseball - Growing up in a baseball-rich family with deep Tampa roots
• Cousin Joe Urso, legendary head coach at the University of Tampa (multiple national championships)
• Continuing the family’s passion for the game through coaching and mentoring
• Honoring Shu Shu Wirth - Remembering Senaida “Shu Shu” Wirth, Jamie’s cousin and AAGPBL All-Star with the South Bend Blue Sox
  • Her incredible speed, arm, and fearless play — leading the league in stolen bases
  • Preserving her story and legacy for future generations
• Passing the Torch - Coaching his daughters in softball and seeing them succeed in other sports
• Reflecting on intensity as a youth coach and the lasting positive impact on former players
• Baseball Legends & Local Icons
  Remembering Tampa baseball figure Tony Saladino and his lasting community impact
• Family connections to Hillsborough H.S. star and Dodgers signee Don Corson
• Meeting Brooklyn Dodgers legend Sandy Amorós thanks to his grandfather
• Cuscaden Park & Tampa’s Cuban Baseball Heritage
  Recalling packed stands for games between Tampa Smokers & Cuban teams
• Championship Memories
  • Leading a ragtag Little League team to a title through fundamentals, repetition, and strategy
  • How his grandfather’s teaching turned kids into real ballplayers

Key Themes: Baseball heritage, family legacy, coaching wisdom, Tampa baseball history, honoring women’s baseball pioneers

You can find Mat at @matgermain.bsky.social or reach Mark at baseballbizondeck@gmail.com, at iHeart Apple, Spotify, Amazon Music, and at www.baseballbizOnDeck.com

Special Thanks to Williams Ross Chernoff's Nomads for the music Makie Elkino

Brooke Mrozek, Team Manager of the Florida Bolts Baseball Champions joins Mat Germain & Mark Corbett on Florida BaseballBiz

• Florida Bolts Organization
• All-girls baseball organization serving ages 7–18 across Florida
• Teams compete in national tournaments, including Sparks, Nevada where:
• 12U team won 1st place (minor division)
• 16U team finished 2nd place (minor division)
• Brooke’s daughter served as a coach for the 12U team
• Growth of Women’s Baseball
• Increasing opportunities with 10 collegiate women’s baseball teams (e.g., Cal Poly)
• Launch of the Women’s Professional Baseball League (WPBL) in 2026 with six teams in the Northeast
• New pathways for girls to pursue baseball beyond high school and college
• Bolts Player Development
• Players continue with local rec/travel teams and unite for monthly practices
• Practices emphasize both skill-building and fun (e.g., slip-and-slide sliding drills)
• Brooke’s focus: being a mentor beyond parents—“I believe in you. You belong.”
• Funding Challenges
• Florida Bolts is a nonprofit, relying on donations, fundraisers, and sponsorships
• Past support included the Tampa Bay Rays, but funding has decreased in recent years
• Current fundraiser: 50/50 raffle plus sponsorship opportunities
• Upcoming Opportunity: The Barclay Cup in Australia
• Bolts are the first international team invited to this prestigious tournament
• Event happens in just over a month—historic opportunity to bridge U.S. and Australian girls’ baseball
• Sponsorships and donations needed to cover travel, lodging, tournament fees, and uniforms
• How to Support the Florida Bolts
• Facebook https://www.facebook.com/floridabolts
• & Instagram: Florida Bolts Baseball - https://www.instagram.com/florida_bolts_girls_baseball/
• Email: FloridaBoltsBaseball@yahoo.com
• Donations/Sponsorships: via Venmo, Cash App, or PayPal (details on Facebook page)
• 50/50 raffle currently active
• Closing Message from Brooke
• Goal is to create opportunities and support girls in baseball
• Sponsorships, donations, and even sharing posts online make a difference
• “Baseball isn’t just for boys anymore—girls can do this.”

Special Thanks to Williams Ross Chernoff's Nomads for the music Makie Elkino

• Mark welcomes guest Mike Baluja, who Mark calls, Mr. West Tampa”
• Baluja businessman, songwriter, and baseball historian.
• Conversation centers on the Little League World Series and the rich baseball history of West Tampa.
• The Alessi Bakers baseball team & Joe Magadan
• The rise and changes of West Tampa Little League since the 1960s.
• Community roots in immigrant cigar families and neighborhood culture.
• Legendary players from the area, including Lou Piniella, Tony La Russa, Tino Martinez, Luis Gonzalez, David Magadan, and more.
• Ricky Alfonso (“The Cat”) won 3 championships at Tampa Catholic High School - rained out in 1 championshiop
• How adversity in baseball has made Mike find new ways to work effectively
• Discussion on community bonds through baseball – from families in the stands to generational connections.
• Mike shares stories about his grandson Julian’s baseball journey, including playing in Batavia and transitioning into coaching.
• Conversation shifts to Mike’s songwriting career, his reflections on Tampa, and how he weaves faith and community into his music.
• Closing thoughts on how baseball, family, and faith intertwine to shape lasting memories and future opportunities.

Mike Baluja's music can be found on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDd6iuGXDYGuVntiu-joe6g

You can find Mat at @matgermain.bsky.social or reach Mark at baseballbizondeck@gmail.com BaseballBiz on Deck, at iHeart Apple, Spotify, Amazon Music, and at www.baseballbizOnDeck.com

Rick Vaughn’s book "Tampa Spring Training Tales," brings the past to life & opens up a wealth of enjoyable stories including the Chicago Cubs, Tampa Smokers, Reds, White Sox & Red Sox @ historic Plant & Al Lopez Fields
Ted Williams, Wade Boggs, Pete Rose and Al Lopez are just a few of the people we discuss this week on Florida BaseballBiz with Rick.

• “Chubby” Cubs owner is enamored with Tampa
• 100th years of Spring Training
• Tampa Mayor McKay was also Publisher
• Wrigley moves Cubs from Tampa to out West
• 1952 – Yankees celebrated their 50th anniversary at Columbia restaurant
• 1955 World Series winners receive their awards in Tampa
• Reds extraordinary long-lasting relationship with Tampa Bay
• Big Red Machine first gathers in Tampa
• Al Lopez Field tore down as interest in Major League team rises
• Yankees Core Four
• Wade Boggs discovers he is going to the show from Johnny Bench
• 100 Major Leaguers came through Plant Field & Al Lopez Field
• 1940 All-Star game in Tampa for Finnish Relief Fund with Joe DiMaggio, Ted Williams, Jimmy Foxx, Hank Greenberg and Bob Feller
• Segregation of players by color – they could not stay at the same hotels
• Cardinals bought Outrigger motel in St. Pete so they could house all players at 1 location
• Tampa Bay Hotel proximity to Plant Field
• Babe Ruth’s longest Home Run, 587 feet, hit at Plant Field on April 4, 1919
• Ted Williams spits at fans first in Tampa
• Tim Kurkjian of ESPN – good friend and sounding board
• Frank Howard & Ted Willams story
• Tampa Smokers, St. Pete Saints and a bull fight
• Baseball as a unifier amongst the many cultures in Ybor / Tampa
• 1963 – Pete Rose – Rookie Year – Charlie Hustle emerges
• JFK at Al Lopez Field
• Charitable work with Metropolitan Mission, Clearwater Youth & the Homeless Empowerment Program.
• Rick also keeps score for Florida Complex League

Special Thanks to Williams Ross Chernoff's Nomads for the music Makie Elkino
Notes generated in part by DeScript