Diamonds in the Desert exhibit opens Feb. 26

Pound for pound, Scottsdale area high schools boast some of the finest baseball programs in the nation. Why? A free exhibit at the Little Red School House Museum explores that question and celebrates the teams, players and coaches who helped form this unique tradition.

The exhibit opens Feb. 26 at the museum, located at 7333 E. Scottsdale Mall in Old Town Scottsdale.

From Baltimore Orioles Hall of Fame pitcher Jim Palmer to 2024’s No. 1 pick of the Atlanta Braves Cam Caminiti, Scottsdale schools have produced 25 Major League Baseball players, dozens of athletes drafted by the majors and 35 state baseball titles.

Scottsdale’s prowess as a baseball hotbed is based on many factors – year-round sunshine and mild weather; the city’s history as a spring training hub; and a hard-nosed ethic that has more in common with midwestern farm towns than upscale resort communities.

It is a unique baseball culture bult by generations of local coaches based on hard work, accountability and attention to detail.

Taken together, these ingredients form a tradition of success that has become part of Scottsdale’s identity and a remarkable story worth celebrating!

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The Diamonds in the Desert exhibit is a partnership between the Scottsdale Historical Society and the Arizona Baseball Legacy and Experience group.