An avid sports fan, Governor Napolitano established the Arizona Baseball and Softball Commission, with a goal of bringing additional Major League Baseball teams to the Valley for Cactus League spring training and encouraging international, collegiate and amateur tournaments in the state.

“Let’s play ball,” she said during an announcement of the commission Feb. 23 at the Cactus League facility in Maryvale.

Former Republican state senator and sports agent Slade Mead will chair the commission, which was created by executive order. Although Ms. Napolitano said it is premature to speculate on what Major League teams might be approached to move their spring training to Arizona, Mr. Mead has some ideas about the Cleveland Indians, who formerly trained in Tucson before moving to Florida, and the Houston Astros, also a member of the Florida Grapefruit League.

“The Indians would be a logical one to look at, especially since they have a history in Tucson,” he said. “Another team I certainly would like to look at is the Houston Astros, and that would be because you have a lot of Texas fans coming here now that the Texas Rangers are here.”

Ms. Napolitano was asked who would finance new stadiums for additional teams.

“You can get private financing,” she said. “The Arizona Sports and Tourism Authority (ASTA) might become involved. Who knows≠”

Attracting 2 More Cactus League Teams

Besides building the Arizona Cardinals football stadium in Glendale, ASTA was given the responsibility to attract two more additional baseball teams to the Cactus League and to retain the current 12 teams. The agency brought in the Kansas City Royals and the Texas Rangers and it recently signed new contracts with the Oakland As and Anaheim Angels and is nearing an agreement with the San Francisco Giants, spokesman Brad Parker said.

“We’ll have no problem working with the governor,” he said.

Officials estimate that the Cactus League brings in $250 million to the state each spring.

Former governor and commission member Rose Mofford formed a baseball commission during her term when competition from Las Vegas arose to lure Cactus League teams out of Arizona. The commission was later dissolved.

The Rose Mofford Sports Complex in Phoenix is named after the former governor, who played on the 1939 national champion Cantaloupe Queens softball team

Mr. Mead said softball opportunities should not be overlooked.

“Softball certainly plays a huge role in our state,” he said, referring to the Olympic gold medal won last year in Athens by the University of Arizona’s women’s softball team. The team was led by Jennie Finch, who is one of 25 members of the commission.

Commission Members

Other members of the new commission members are:

Shawn K. Aiken, Phoenix attorney; Ron Barness, Arizona Diamondbacks; Christopher Bavasi, former Flagstaff mayor; John Bebbling, Tempe Diablos; Mike Candera, coach of UofA/Arizona Olympic softball team; Stephen Cobb, Arizona Fall League; James de law Montaigne, president, Cactus League; Jonathan Garrett, ASTA; Geoffrey Gonsher, director, Arizona Racing Commission; Jim Grossman, former St. Louis Cardinal player and sports agent.

Also, John Kaites, lobbyist; Aaron Kizer, Maricopa County Sports Commission; Rocky La Rose, UofA athletic director; Eduardo Leon, former pro baseball player; Ricky Nelson, former Seattle Mariners player; Ronald Pies, former Tempe city official; Joni Ramos, president, Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community.

And Mary Jane Rogers, chairman, Maricopa County Sports Commission; Larry Yount, former Chicago White Sox player and adviser; Felipe Zubia, Surprise Sundancers, and Jay Zucker, president, Tucson Sidewinders. —