The arrival of the Arizona Diamondbacks in 1998 culminated a long but limited history of baseball in the Grand Canyon State. Though it never before had a major league team of its own, Arizona has welcomed out-of-state teams for pre-season spring training since 1947, when the Cleveland Indians and New York Giants first played at Tucson’s HI Corbett Field (now home to the Colorado Rockies). Every March, hundreds of ball players at all levels of the game come to Arizona to earn or keep their places on professional teams, and the daily workouts and 20-odd exhibition games of what’s known as the Cactus League attract thousands of hard-core baseball fans as well.

  The metropolitan Phoenix area hosts the bulk of the teams and the tourists, but Tucson gets a fair share as well. Though they’re not necessarily played to win, Cactus League games are played in modern 10,000-seat stadia that approach the major leagues in quality, and the smaller sizes allow an up-close feel you’d have to pay much more for during the regular season. (And your chances of snagging balls during batting practice are infinitely better, too.) Most teams have extensive training facilities adjacent to their home stadium, and morning workouts and practice sessions are usually free and open to the general public.

  The best central source of Cactus League schedules, information, and tickets is the Mesa visitors bureau (480/827-4700 or 800/283-6372). Tickets for games cost $5–15, and are available through Ticketmaster (480/784-4444), at the stadium box offices, and online. Be aware, however, that March is peak tourist season all over Arizona, so make accommodation arrangements long before game time.