Tampa, Florida

===Baseball===
{{main|Baseball in the Tampa Bay area}}

====History====
The Tampa Bay area has long been home to nationally competitive amateur baseball and has hosted [[spring training]] and [[minor league baseball|minor league]] teams for over a century. Tampa became the first city in Florida to host a major league team for spring training in 1913, when the [[Chicago Cubs]] trained at [[Plant Field]]. The [[Tampa Smokers]] were the city's first minor league team, beginning play as charter members of the new [[Florida State League]] in 1919.

====Rays====
After decades of trying to lure an existing [[Major League Baseball]] franchise, the Tampa Bay area finally gained a team in 1998, when the expansion [[Tampa Bay Rays|Tampa Bay Devil Rays]] began play at [[Tropicana Field]] in [[St. Petersburg, Florida|St. Petersburg]]. After a decade of futility on the field, the Devil Rays shortened their nickname to simply Rays in 2008 and promptly won the [[2008 American League Championship Series|2008]] [[American League]] [[American League Championship Series|Pennant]], finishing runner up in [[2008 World Series|World Series]]. They also won [[American League East]] titles in 2008 and 2010 under manager [[Joe Maddon]] before slipping back in the standings.

In 2007, the Rays began the process of searching for a stadium site closer to the center of the area's population, possibly in Tampa.<ref>{{cite magazine |title=Tampa Bay Rays can leave Tropicana Field contract |url=https://www.si.com/mlb/2015/10/23/tampa-bay-rays-tropicana-field-contract |magazine=Sports Illustrated |access-date=January 19, 2016 |archive-date=February 6, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160206180533/http://www.si.com/mlb/2015/10/23/tampa-bay-rays-tropicana-field-contract |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www2.tbo.com/content/2010/may/19/group-seeks-land-rays-stadium-downtown-tampa/sports-rays/ |title=Group seeks land for Rays stadium in downtown Tampa |publisher=.tbo.com |date=May 19, 2010 |access-date=April 17, 2011 |archive-date=May 25, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100525061439/http://www2.tbo.com/content/2010/may/19/group-seeks-land-rays-stadium-downtown-tampa/sports-rays/ |url-status=live }}</ref> However, over a decade later, rivalry between Tampa and St. Petersburg and the challenges of financing a new ballpark have kept the Rays playing at Tropicana Field.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.tampabay.com/opinion/editorials/editorial-more-urgency-needed-on-rays-stadium-search/2318586 |title=Editorial: More urgency needed on Rays stadium search |newspaper=Tampa Bay Times |date=March 30, 2017 |access-date=March 23, 2018 |archive-date=March 22, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180322195233/http://www.tampabay.com/opinion/editorials/editorial-more-urgency-needed-on-rays-stadium-search/2318586 |url-status=live }}</ref>

In 2020, the Rays won the AL East for the first time in a decade with the best record in the American League.<ref>{{cite web |last=Sharkey-Gotlieb |first=Simon |title=Rays clinch AL's No. 1 seed, will face Yankees or Blue Jays |url=https://www.thescore.com/mlb/news/2029712 |access-date=October 18, 2020 |website=theScore.com |date=September 26, 2020 }}</ref> Due to the [[Coronavirus disease 2019|COVID-19]] shortened season, 16 teams made the playoffs, so the Rays had to play a best of 3 series against the division rival Toronto Blue Jays in the first round of the [[2020 Tampa Bay Rays season#Postseason|Rays postseason]], where they swept the visitors in two games at [[Tropicana Field]].<ref>{{cite web |date=September 30, 2020 |title=Renfroe slam helps Rays sweep young Blue Jays in 1st round |url=https://apnews.com/article/virus-outbreak-mlb-new-york-toronto-tampa-bay-rays-497e2c47e7a778827db29cd397161610 |access-date=October 18, 2020 |website=AP NEWS |archive-date=October 4, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201004100652/https://apnews.com/article/virus-outbreak-mlb-new-york-toronto-tampa-bay-rays-497e2c47e7a778827db29cd397161610 |url-status=live }}</ref> then play a divisional series against the New York Yankees, which they won in 5 games at a neutral site in San Diego.<ref>{{cite news |title=MLB playoffs: Rays knock out Yankees with late homer, advance to ALCS – Sports Illustrated |url=https://www.si.com/mlb/2020/10/10/rays-beat-yankees-advance-alcs-mlb-playoffs |access-date=October 18, 2020 |newspaper=Sports Illustrated |archive-date=October 15, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201015150900/https://www.si.com/mlb/2020/10/10/rays-beat-yankees-advance-alcs-mlb-playoffs |url-status=live }}</ref> The Rays then faced the Astros, who had defeated them in the divisional round the previous year. Tampa Bay went out to a quick 3–0 series lead, but Houston came back to tie the series 3–3. The Rays avoided the reverse sweep in Game 7 and won their second American League Pennant, then lost the [[2020 World Series|World Series]] in 6 games to the Los Angeles Dodgers.<ref>{{cite web |title='A pretty special feeling': Rays headed to WS |url=https://www.mlb.com/news/rays-win-alcs-game-7-advance-to-world-series |access-date=October 18, 2020 |website=MLB.com |language=en |archive-date=October 20, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201020175513/https://www.mlb.com/news/rays-win-alcs-game-7-advance-to-world-series |url-status=live }}</ref>
[[File:GSFieldTB.JPG|thumb|[[George M. Steinbrenner Field|Steinbrenner Field]]]]

====Low-A Southeast====
Several Major League baseball teams conduct [[Spring training|Spring Training]] in the area, and most also operate minor league teams in the [[Low-A]] [[Low-A Southeast|Southeast]]. The major league [[New York Yankees]] and the affiliated minor league [[Tampa Tarpons]] use [[George M. Steinbrenner Field]] across [[Dale Mabry Highway]] from Raymond James Stadium.

Across the bay in Pinellas County, the [[Philadelphia Phillies]] affiliate [[Clearwater Threshers]] and [[Toronto Blue Jays]] affiliate [[Dunedin Blue Jays]] also play in the Low-A Southeast. Other nearby Low-A Southeast teams include the [[Pittsburgh Pirates]] affiliate [[Bradenton Marauders]] and the [[Detroit Tigers]] affiliate [[Lakeland Flying Tigers]]. The Phillies, Blue Jays, Pirates, and Tigers all play their Spring Training games at their minor league teams' ballparks.

The Tarpons have won five league titles, the Flying Tigers have won four, the Threshers have won two, and the Blue Jays and Marauders have each won one.

The area was formerly home to many teams in the former [[Florida State League]] that no longer exist, most notably the [[Tampa Smokers]], [[St. Petersburg Saints]], and the [[Tampa Tarpons (1957–1988)|original Tampa Tarpons]].