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Pittsburgh Pirates player Al Martin swings during a Spring Training game at McKechnie Field (now LECOM Park). Martin played for four teams in the majors: the Pittsburgh Pirates (1992–99), the San Diego Padres (2000), the Seattle Mariners (2000–01), and the Tampa Bay Devil Rays (2003)

A Pittsburgh Pirates player rounds the bases after a home run during a Spring Training game against the Philadelphia Phillies at McKechnie Field (today LECOM Park).

A Pittsburgh Pirates player signs autographs for fans at McKechnie Field (now LECOM park)

Pittsburgh Pirates player Charlie Hayes at bat during Spring Training game at McKechnie Field (now LECOM Park). Hayes played for the San Francisco Giants, Philadelphia Phillies, New York Yankees, Colorado Rockies, Pittsburgh Pirates, Milwaukee Brewers, and Houston Astros from 1988 through 2001

Pittsburgh Pirates teammates gather before their first Spring Training game of the 1996 season

Pirates owner Kevin McClatchy greets fans at a Spring Training event. McClatchy served as owner and CEO of the team from 1996 to 2007.

An employee paints the outfield wall at McKechnie Field in preparation for Pirates Spring Training

Rich Aude slides into the base during a Pittsburgh Pirates intra-squad exhibition game at McKechnie Field (now LECOM Park). Aude played first base from 1993 to 1996 for the Pittsburgh Pirates

Demolition at McKechnie Field in preparation of new ball park, now known as LECOM Park

Demolition at McKechnie Field in preparation of new ball park, now known as LECOM Park

Demolition at McKechnie Field in preparation of new ball park, now known as LECOM Park

A Pittsburgh Pirates player helps a young boy with his swing on a visit to Orange-Ridge Bullock Elementary School

In 1992, McKechnie Field (1535 9th St W) underwent renovations including new dirt, clay, and sod and a new padded plywood wall in place of the old plastic outfield fence. These changes were stipulated as part of the renewed 20-year contract between the city of Bradenton and the Pittsburgh Pirates so they would continue using the field for their spring training. Other renovations and upgrades were scheduled to take place within three years.

Officials from the Pittsburgh Pirates, Bradenton, and Manatee County attend groundbreaking ceremonies at McKechnie field on September 15, 1992. The ceremony marked the start of the major construction that was a condition of the 20-year contract the Pittsburgh Pirates renewed with the city of Bradenton to get the field up to their standards within a 3 year period. Some renovations occurred earlier in the year with new dirt, clay, and sod installed, as well as a new padded fence. McKechnie Field is now LECOM Park.

Officials from the Pittsburgh Pirates, Bradenton, and Manatee County attend groundbreaking ceremonies at McKechnie field on September 15, 1992. The ceremony marked the start of the major construction that was a condition of the 20-year contract the Pittsburgh Pirates renewed with the city of Bradenton to get the field up to their standards within a 3 year period. Some renovations occurred earlier in the year with new dirt, clay, and sod installed, as well as a new padded fence. McKechnie Field is now LECOM Park.

Demolition of McKechnie Field in preparation for the new ball park built as part of the renewal of the 20-year contract between the Pittsburgh Pirates and the city of Bradenton. Demolition was completed by Kimmins Demolition of Tampa. McKechnie field is now LECOM Park.

This model of the new McKechnie Field (1611 9th St. W) took center stage at the field during groundbreaking ceremonies on September 15, 1992. Officials from the Pittsburgh Pirates, Bradenton, and Manatee County attended the event. The ceremony marked the start of the major construction that was a condition of the 20-year contract the Pittsburgh Pirates renewed with the city of Bradenton to get the field up to their standards within a 3 year period. Some renovations occurred earlier in the year with new dirt, clay, and sod installed, as well as a new padded fence.

Demolition of McKechnie Field in preparation for the new ball park built as part of the renewal of the 20-year contract between the Pittsburgh Pirates and the city of Bradenton. Demolition was completed by Kimmins Demolition of Tampa. McKechnie field is now LECOM Park.

This model of the new McKechnie Field (1611 9th St. W) took center stage at the field during groundbreaking ceremonies on September 15, 1992. Officials from the Pittsburgh Pirates, Bradenton, and Manatee County attended the event. The ceremony marked the start of the major construction that was a condition of the 20-year contract the Pittsburgh Pirates renewed with the city of Bradenton to get the field up to their standards within a 3 year period. Some renovations occurred earlier in the year with new dirt, clay, and sod installed, as well as a new padded fence.

A group of Pittsburgh Pirates players sit in the dugout on Spring Training Opening Day.

Two Pittsburgh Pirates players sit in the dugout on Spring Training Opening Day.

Rick Langford points to a scoreboard. Langford is a Bradenton native who played baseball at Manatee Junior College (now State College of Florida) and was Player of the Year in 1972. He later pitched for the Pittsburgh Pirates (1976) and Oakland Athletics (1977-1980). After retiring, he became a pitching coach for other major league teams.

Rick Langford is about to make a pitch at a ball field. Langford is a Bradenton native who played baseball at Manatee Junior College (now State College of Florida) and was Player of the Year in 1972. He later pitched for the Pittsburgh Pirates (1976) and Oakland Athletics (1977-1980). After retiring, he became a pitching coach for other major league teams.

Fans gather to watch the Pittsburgh Pirates begin training for the year at Pirate City

Pittsburgh Pirates's pitcher Brian Fisher throws pitch during Spring Training at McKechnie Field (now LECOM Park). Fisher made his major league debut for the New York Yankees in 1995. He played for the Pirates from 1987 to 1989. Fisher retired from baseball in 1992.

Pittsburgh Pirates legend Dave Parker at bat during Spring Training at McKechnie Field.

Pittsburgh Pirates player Mike Diaz swings in batting cages at Pirate City, the team's Spring Training facility

Pirates's player Mike Brown throws ball during Spring Training game at McKechnie Field (now LECOM Park)

Two women lean against the fence at Pirate City to watch the Pittsburgh Pirates begin their Spring Training

A new concrete batter's eye installed at McKechnie Field. In January 1982, McKechnie Field (1535 9th St W) got a new look with a new 40-foot by 35-foot concrete wall known as the batter's eye and a new fiberglass fence in the right field. The previous batter's eye, which was made of corrugated steel, was blown down during high winds in a storm the previous year. The steel fence in the left field was scheduled to be replaced the following season due to time constraints. New sod and clay was also brought into the infield and the outfield was reseeded.

Posts are showing being installed in the right field for a new fence. In January 1982, McKechnie Field (1535 9th St W) got a new look with a new 40-foot by 35-foot concrete wall known as the batter's eye and a new fiberglass fence in the right field. The previous batter's eye, which was made of corrugated steel, was blown down during high winds in a storm the previous year. The steel fence in the left field was scheduled to be replaced the following season due to time constraints. New sod and clay was also brought into the infield and the outfield was reseeded.

In 1992, McKechnie Field got a complete makeover as the stadium was rebuilt. The changes came as part of the renewed 20-year contract between the city of Bradenton and the Pittsburgh Pirates. Despite regular maintenance over the years, the field had still become rough and uneven. New dirt, clay, and sod was put in at the beginning of the year before the season started. A new padded fence was also installed. Pictured is 3-year-old Nicholas LeGasse and his father George watching on as Nicholas' uncle, Don, installs a sanitary sewer system at the field.

A list of the major league baseball teams training in Bradenton which includes the year, manager, wins, losses, and their ranking at the end of the season.

Pittsburgh Pirates Bruce Kison in the number 42 uniform.

Pittsburgh Pirate's Steve Blass in the number 11 uniform.

Pittsburgh Pirates game

Baseball game between the Pirates and the Royals.

Pittsburgh Pirates baseball game.

Pittsburgh Pirates baseball game.

Baseball game between the Pirates and the Royals.

Baseball game between the Pirates and the Royals.

Pittsburgh Pirates baseball game.

Pittsburgh Pirates baseball game.

The Pittsburgh Pirates work out at Pirate City.

Pittsburgh Pirates baseball game.

Pittsburgh Pirates baseball game.

Pittsburgh Pirates baseball game.

Wilbur Cooper, a pitcher for the Pittsburgh Pirates, is preparing to throw a baseball as he holds the baseball in his glove around waist level. The baseball can be seen in the palm of his glove as he remains at resting position while looking forward., Wilbur Cooper is demonstrating an incorrect resting position for a left handed pitcher. Cooper's body and positon of the baseball are not centered, which could create issues with balance. Also, Cooper’s left throwing arm is not in a throwing position, and in order to throw the baseball, Cooper would have to rotate the ball and his arm to the correct resting position across his chest, which he demonstrates in slide 163, and then begin his throw. Doing this will cause Cooper to exert more energy than he needs to, and will also make it harder for him to pick runners off of first base because they will have more time to react to Cooper throwing the ball to first base because his release will take longer to complete. Cooper should keep the ball centered with his body as this will allow him to improve his release and make it quicker and easier to complete., Yes, Arley Wilbur Cooper was born on February 24, 1892 in Bearsville, West Virginia. Cooper was a pitcher in the Major Leagues from 1912 to 1926, pitching for the Pittsburgh Pirates, Chicago Cubs, and Detroit Tigers. However, he spent a majority of his career pitching for the Pirates, as he was a member of them from 1912-1924. Cooper is often considered to be the greatest pitcher in Pirates history, as he holds the franchise record for lowest ERA in a single season at 1.87, and holds the all-time franchise records for wins and complete games. It is especially interesting to note that Cooper performed this well on a team that was often terrible. For example, in the season where Cooper had an ERA of 1.87, he only won 12 games and lost 11. In 7 of his losses, the Pirates team he was on failed to score a single run. Cooper was the standout player on a sixth place Pittsburgh Pirates team that often played for an empty crowd at Forbes Field. Cooper pitched brilliantly in his final season with the Pirates in 1924, compiling 20 wins and helping the Pirates win 90 games and become relevant again after so many years of struggling. However, Cooper was traded to the Cubs in 1925 in a blockbuster deal, a move that devastated him because of how long he had been a member of the Pirates. In a sense of irony, the Pirates won the World Series in 1925, while Cooper and the Cubs struggled tremendously and were one of the worst teams in the league. Basically, Cooper struggled on a terrible Pittsburgh Pirates team for years as arguably their best player, and then watched this same team dominate and win the World Series without him. Surprisingly, Cooper gained no support to be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. He is one of only two pitchers to have pitched over 3000 innings with a career ERA of less than 3.00 who isn't in the Hall of Fame. For biographical information on Leslie Mann, see: https://springfield.as.atlas-sys.com/agents/people/563., This slide is similar to slide 166, as both slides show the incorrect resting pitching position. While this slide shows the incorrect resting position for left handed pitchers, slide 166 shows the incorrect pitching resting position for right handed pitchers. Though they show the same concept, there are slight differences between left handed and right handed pitchers that occur, so seeing it both ways is important., Leslie Mann identifies the player in slide 163 as Cooper on page 33 of his manual titled the Fundamentals of Baseball and the player is clearly the same as the one in slide 164., Poor condition, There are a few noticeable cracks that run along the center of the image. The image is still readable, but should be held with extreme caution., This digital image is made from two separate digital scans; one scan of the lantern slide (reflective); one scan of the image (transparency); the two image were then combined in Photoshop to create the final image.

Babe Adams, a pitcher for the Pittsburgh Pirates, stands next to right field in foul territory while holding his baseball and glove around waist level at Forbes Field in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania., In this lantern slide, Adams is demonstrating an improper resting position for throwing a baseball. His feet are very far apart and the weight from his body doesn't appear to be spread evenly between his legs. This seems to be occurring because Adams bends his rear knee, throwing all the weight from his body on that one leg. This awkward position isn't good for Adams to follow because before he throws a baseball, he would have to fix this awkward position. He wouldn't be able to throw a baseball comfortably or successfully from this position, and if there was a leading runner on first base, he would have to fix his position before he could throw the ball to first base, which would tip the runner off that he was throwing to first base giving him ample time to return to the base safely. Adams should bring his legs closer together, which will allow him to keep his weight spread evenly across his body, and will also allow him to remain in a comfortable pitching resting position. Being in this comfortable, relaxed, position will only help Adams be a successful pitcher., Yes, Charles Benjamin Adams was born May 18, 1882 in Tipton, Indiana. During his childhood, Adams had a severe incident that almost led to him losing a finger on his left hand. Because of this, Adams became a right handed pitcher despite being born a lefty. It is interesting to wonder how his career could have been different if he had been able to use his left hand to pitch. In 1906, Adams was called up from the Minor Leagues to pitch for the St. Louis Cardinals. He pitched only one game for the Cardinals, however, as he gave up 6 runs in 4 innings against the Chicago Cubs and was sent back to the minor leagues. He spent the entire 1907 season in the minor leagues before the Pittsburgh Pirates bought out his contract. However, he remained in the Minor Leagues through most of his 1908 season. 1909 therefore became his official rookie season in the MLB. Adams, at this point, was already 27. He performed well as a relief pitcher in his first season, posting a 1.11 ERA, the lowest ERA ever (still today as well) for a rookie pitcher. That year, the Pirates made it to the World Series, and despite being a relief pitcher and a rookie, the manager chose to start Adams in game 1 of the series, which was a very surprising move. There are rumors that NL president John Heydler encouraged Fred Clarke (the Pirates manager) to start Adams since Dolly Gray, a pitcher who pitched similar to Adams, had held the Tigers scoreless in an 18 inning game during the season. Adams started and won games 1, 5, and 7 for the Pirates in the Series, even pitching a shutout in game 7. He is the first and only rookie to win three games in the World Series. Adams established himself as one of the top pitchers for the next few years until he developed a sore shoulder around 1915. He was sent to the Minor Leagues, and only returned to the league in 1918 because he was exempt from the Draft since he was over 35, unlike a lot of MLB players. Adams led the league in shutouts in 1920 and only gave up 18 walks, This image is similar to slide 164, as Wilbur Cooper demonstrates an improper resting position for left handed pitchers., Leslie Mann identifies the same player as Adams in slide 165 on page 33 of his manual titled the Fundamentals of Baseball., Good condition, This digital image is made from two separate digital scans; one scan of the lantern slide (reflective); one scan of the image (transparency); the two image were then combined in Photoshop to create the final image.