Stepping Back in Time



Main entrance portal to Henley Field, Aug-2002.

A good view of the seating bowl.

The inner fence makes the dimensions somewhat reasonable.

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Quick Facts: Rating: 3 baseballs
Henley Field was the spring-training home of the Detroit Tigers dating back to before the second World War (the team trained in Indiana during the war). Several minor league teams had also played here, but the Tigers got out after the 1965 season and moved their spring operations a few miles north, to Joker Marchant Stadium.

With Marchant in need of renovations, the Tigers utilized good old Henley Field for the Florida State League season in 2002. A similar removation project at Tiger Town prompted the Tigers to put their Florida State League team at Henley for 2016 as well.

Like many parks in the 1920s, Henley has a main entrance portal flanked by ticket booths. The original clubhouses are still under the grandstand, though the clubs use separate trailers today. Concessions are now sold from a separate building behind third base.

The seating has been replaced here over the years. As of 2002, fans sat on aluminum benches. As at Quakertown, Pa., the official scorer and his staff don’t have a separate press box; instead they work from tables placed in the grandstand behind the plate.

The park has been lovingly maintained over the years, with both Florida Southern College and the Dreadnaughts of Lakeland High School utilizing the facility. The Dreadnaughts’ home football field is adjacent. The city of Lakeland has reportedly agreed to allow Florida Southern purchase the facility and take over its maintenance, helping preserve the ballpark for years to come.


Game Date League Level Result
553 Fri 23-Aug-2002 Florida State A LAKELAND 4, Daytona 0
118 Sat 23-Feb-2019 Sunshine State Div II Barry 8, FLORIDA SOUTHERN 0, 1st
119 Sat 23-Feb-2019 Sunshine State Div II Barry 11, FLORIDA SOUTHERN 2, 2d
255 Wed 9-Mar-2022 Nonconference Div II FLORIDA SOUTHERN 4, Seton Hill 3
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This page updated 9-Mar-2022