The city of Tucson has such a rich professional baseball history—from Triple-A baseball with the Tucson Toros and Tucson Sidewinders of the past, to major league baseball spring training with the Cleveland Indians, Chicago White Sox, Colorado Rockies and Arizona Diamondbacks.

Through the center of it all is grand ole Hi Corbett Field—spring training home to the Cleveland Indians and Colorado Rockies, and minor league home of the old Tucson Toros. This baseball monument has been around since 1937. It has not only been the spring training home of the Indians and Rockies, but also the headquarters of USA Baseball from 1997 to 2003.

Now, with all signs of Major League Baseball gone, and only the current minor league team known as the Tucson Padres in Kino Stadium, it would seem that the old ballpark may have seen the end of the line.

Here come the Arizona Wildcats.

In an effort to elevate their baseball program, the University of Arizona and the city of Tucson have agreed to have the baseball team play their home games in Hi Corbett Field, starting in the 2012 season. This is a far greater improvement over their own campus ballpark.

Now, having the former major league spring training complex, the Arizona Wildcats have their own facility, team store, ticket office and headquarters. It is almost as if they are a professional team. By that, I mean that beer will be sold in the ballpark—which will, of course, increase revenue.

Head coach Andy Lopez has shown over the years to be an excellent recruiter, with players like Johnny Field, Joey Rickard, Kurt Heyer, Tyler Hale and many others in the past, Lopez will be able to attract much better high school prospects to Tucson to compete for the Pac-12.

Personally, I will definitely be excited to see the Wildcats in Hi Corbett Field next year. Some of my best baseball memories were watching and following the Colorado Rockies in Spring Training, and now, I, as a fan and as a sports writer, will add more memories in that grand old ballpark.