Baseball
Palm Beach Challenge & International Baseball Festival
Santaluces Athletic and Aquatic Complex
Mar 10 - 27, 2023
Event Summary

Over 70 MLB Players & Florida Governor Ron Desantis (Yale-01) have participated in the Palm Beach Challenge College & International Baseball Festival since 1997 produced by the Caribbean Baseball Organization.Bentley (MA) defeated Stonehill (MA) 3-1 in the 24th edition of the “Challenge” that began 2/28 in Lantana, Florida.The “Challenge” began in 1997 at the Homestead Sports Complex (HSC). The HSC was supposed to be the new Spring Training home of the Cleveland Indians before Hurricane Andrew in August of 1992 changed those plans. The City of Homestead gave up trying to lure a MLB team in 1996 and gave it to Mario Signorello to “try College Baseball”.On March 10, 1997 Barry (FL) University defeated Lewis (IL) in the first game, Joe Spano (now Mercyhurst ,PA head coach) got the first hit.The Challenge is still going nearly 3000 games later. The event was moved to the Palm Beach County’s Santaluces Sports Complex the former Minor League Spring Training site of the Montreal Expos in 2005. With over 70 of the players having gone on to play Major League Baseball. “Come Watch the Stars of Tomorrow play Today!” is the Challenge Slogan.