Tampa Bay Rays retiree authors book on how 100 years of baseball helped shape St. Pete
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Rick Vaughn retired from the Tampa Bay Rays as the vice president of communications back in 2016. Though retired, he still has a tremendous love for baseball.
Vaughn has a lifetime of baseball memories. He spent a decade with the Baltimore Orioles and 20 years with the Rays.
His time in St. Petersburg has given him a great appreciation for baseball's steep history in the city, and it's led him to author a book titled, "100 years of Baseball on St. Petersburg's Waterfront."
The book captures the connection between America's pastime and the Sunshine City.
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"I really didn't set out to write a book," Vaughn told FOX 13 Sports. "I was really just trying to get the city to sort of recognize the fact that there wasn't a whole lot down on the waterfront. There's not a whole lot to commemorate the fact that 193 future Hall of Famers played there."
Spring Training made it's Bay Area debut in 1914. There are so many interesting stories that Vaughn uncovered after digging into baseball's past that helped shape St. Pete's waterfront
"When the Yankees came here in 1925 they were coming from New Orleans," said Vaughn. "One of the reasons they left New Orleans was Babe Ruth. He was a carouser a bit. Liked his night life, and they kind of wanted to get him out of that scene. So they came to St. Pete. The first couple years that the Yankees were here going from New Orleans to the sleepy little village in St. Pete. They didn't like it. After 3 or 4 years they didn't just like it. They loved it."
With such a rich baseball history is Vaughn surprised that after so many year's of wanting a Major League team there's been a struggle of support? Vaughn, who began working for the Rays two years prior to the team hitting field, feels the biggest impediment is Tropicana Field.
"I do think that the stadium has been an issue since Day 1," said Vaughn. "I think by the time we played our first game there in 1998 it was already past it's prime."
After resigning from the Rays, Vaughn remains tied to the game working with Joe Maddon as the executive director of Maddon's Respect 90 Foundation.
"His influence on my life is immeasurable," said Vaughn. "He's been such a positive person in my development."
Spending 16 years with Maddon would give Vaughn plenty of material for another book.