Florida is the incubator for great baseball. Little League players to High School Heroes and some become Major League HOF'ers.
Florida BaseballBiz shares the stories of the leagues, teams, players, coaches and the great people that daily celebrate baseball with a bit of a citrus tang.
Genelle & Mochine - DeSoto Park & Ybor City Sportswomen & Family
Mark Corbett sits down with Genelle Garverick to explore the rich sports history of Tampa's West Tampa, Ybor City, and DeSoto Park communities, with a special focus on Genelle's legendary mother, Mochine Mercedes Fernandez. Growing Up in Palmetto Beach, DeSoto Park & Ybor City Genelle attended Our Lady of Perpetual Help (OLPH), a K-12 Catholic school in Ybor CityBegan playing city/playground sports around age 6OLPH fielded competitive girls' volleyball and basketball teams despite small r...
8 Apr 2026
A Visit with Josh Weaver to The Tampa Baseball Museum
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 Locat...
25 Mar 2026
Ybor City - Baseball Heroes & Legends history with Arminda Mata
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 histor...
21 Nov 2025
Wes Singletary, The Tampa Roots of a Baseball Historian
Wes Singletary talks about growing up in Tampa, Al Lopez, neighborhood ballfields, American Legion Baseball, The Negro Leagues, Red Barber & Meeting Red BarberWes shares a memorable story of meeting legendary broadcaster Red Barber while at Florida StateBarber’s weekly Friday show with Bob Edwards on NPR Morning EditionFlorida’s First Big League Baseball PlayersAl Lopez sparked Wes’ research into the earliest major leaguers born in FloridaTampa Baseball Museum & Wes’ Books...
12 Sept 2025
Jamie Urso, Baseball Family legacies & a Catcher's perspective
🏙️ 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, fundam...
1 Sept 2025
Florida Bolts Girls Baseball return with BFA Champions
Brooke Mrozek, Team Manager of the Florida Bolts Baseball Champions joins Mat Germain & Mark Corbett on Florida BaseballBiz Florida Bolts OrganizationAll-girls baseball organization serving ages 7–18 across FloridaTeams 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 teamGrowth of Women’s BaseballIncreasing opportunities with 10 collegiate wome...
20 Aug 2025
West Tampa Baseball, Music & Faith with Mike Baluja
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 MagadanThe 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 Gonz...
30 Oct 2024
Tony Ciccarello & West Tampa Little League World Series
Tony Ciccarello, a West Tampa native with deep baseball roots, talks about the role of baseball in the West Tampa community, where it’s woven into the local culture and heritage.Excitement of Baseball in Tampa with the RaysGrowing Up with Baseball: baseball was integral to his upbringing, with influences from his father and community leaders"Baseball Was My Life" Book Discussion: Mark and Tony discuss the book Baseball Was My Life, by Mary Jo Melone and Art KeebleWest Tampa’s Baseball Success...
30 Jul 2024
Tony Saladino Jr. - Godfather of Tampa & Ybor baseball
Mark introduces Tony Saladino Jr an educator, historian, baseball enthusiast, and advocate of the gameTony is highly respected in Tampa's baseball community and known for his contributions, including the Tony Saladino Senior Tournament.Tony's Baseball Beginnings:Tony fell in love with baseball in Ybor City, inspired by Al Lopez. He played in a recreational league before Little Leagues existed, directed by Andrew Espolita, who also influenced Lou Piniella and Tony La Russa.Hillsborough Co...
25 Jul 2024
Buddy Baseball - building friendships, breaking barriers & an opportunity to play
Buddy Baseball, Executive Director, Russ Oberbroeckling, shares the history & joyful stories of the Buddy Baseball League, a league for children with special needsDave Wills' contributions to Buddy BaseballA non-competitive, recreational sport experiencePlayers age range: 8-22, Buddies age range: 10-22Establishment of Buddy Baseball 16 years of Buddy Baseball in Temple TerraceCurrent participation: 20 teams, 160-180 players, similar number of buddiesFirst year Buddy Baseball had 6 te...
2 Jul 2024
Author, Rick Vaughn shares stories on Cubs, Smokers, Reds, White Sox & Red Sox @ historic Plant & Al Lopez Fields
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 FieldsTed 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 Tampa100th years of Spring TrainingTampa Mayor McKay was also PublisherWrigley moves Cubs fr...
26 Jun 2024
Coach Miguel Menendez - Building Champions in life at Jesuit H.S. in Tampa
Florida Baseball State Champs Tampa Jesuit Coach Miguel MenendezGrew up in Key West.First introduction to baseball through his grandfather and father.Grandfather coached Little League and had the first batting cage and pitching machine on the island.Playing and Coaching Career in Key WestPlayed on successful high school teams, winning a state championship in his senior year. Attended University of Tampa to play baseball Key West to start coaching & teaching, eventually becoming ...
25 Mar 2024
Florida Bolts Girls Baseball - Opening the Future for Girls & Women in Baseball - March 25, 2024
Florida Bolts 5 teams give young girls from 8 to 18 the opportunity to play in all girl baseball tournaments. Brooke & Lily Greene share their stories about their team and more possibilities for women in the game like the BFA Nationals. Brooke and Lily Greene, who are involved with the Florida Bolts girls' baseball organization, discussing their passion for women and girls' baseball.Brooke Greene took over the Florida Bolts organization in January 2022.She was introduced to gi...
28 Jul 2023
Al Lang, the Babe & a St. Pete journey with Rick Vaughn - July 28, 2023
Author, Rick Vaughn, "100 years of Baseball on St. Petersburg's Waterfront. How the Game Helped Shape a City" discusses Al Lang & the evolution of MLB Spring Training in St. Pete. Rick’s front office career spans the Orioles, Redskins & Vice President of Communications with the Tampa Bay Rays. #RaysUpBaltimore, rolling out Camden Yards Rick's book of baseball stories - "100 years of Baseball on St. Petersburg's Waterfront. How the Game Helped Shape a City"Al moved to ...
1 Apr 2023
Josh Weaver - April 1, 2023 Opening Days Tampa Bay Rays & the Tampa Baseball Museum
Josh Weaver, Managing Coordinator for the Tampa Bay Museum & Fan Host with the Tampa Bay Rays shares his Opening Day at the Trop and a visit to the Tampa Baseball MuseumOpening Day with the Tampa Bay Rays Start with dropping the banner for the 2022 AL Wild Card “Big Game” James Shields – throwing out the opening pitch Shields, Carl Crawford & Joe Maddon were pivotal to the franchise turnaround Opening Day talent brought the excitement - Wander Franco, Jose Siri, Ma...
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