Generations of families in our community have enjoyed the timeless tradition of baseball thanks to the 82-year partnership between the Tigers organization and the City of Lakeland. This is particularly impressive when you consider that this is the longest-running relationship between a Major League baseball team and a spring training host city in the history of the sport.

Watson Clinic understands the importance of this relationship, and how it continues to elevate the quality of life for residents of all ages. For the past 77 years, we’ve devoted ourselves to the same pursuit.

We’ve worked to enhance the caliber of healthcare in our region, foster a sense of trust and personal connection with our patients, and embrace the spirit of innovation in medical technologies, treatments and research.

It was inevitable that our two organizations would join forces for the betterment of this community we all know and love. Our collaboration began many decades ago, and we’ve been proud to serve as the official medical provider for the Detroit Tigers Florida Operations and the Lakeland Flying Tigers ever since. From pre-season physicals to injury prevention and repair, we maintain close contact with the team’s players and staff throughout each season and beyond.

The Tigers benefit from the diversity of Watson Clinic’s more than 40 medical and surgical specialties, and the convenience and expertise in which those services are delivered. In this respect, they are no different from any of the countless millions of patients we’ve cared for since we first opened our doors in 1941. Every day, our patients look to us for a comprehensive, compassionate and all-inclusive healthcare experience like no other.

Our commitment to going above and beyond expectations is especially evident in our sports medicine and physical therapy departments, where a large team of physicians, nurses, athletic trainers and physical therapists cater to a wide roster of patients from the high school athlete to the active retiree.

Whether providing routine sports physicals, coverage for area high school teams during game play, or the finest in physical rehabilitation services, our specialists work tirelessly to nurture the strength, agility and overall fitness of patients young and old. The Watson Clinic Center for Rehabilitative Medicine, located on the second floor of our Professional Center at 1430 Lakeland Hills Blvd., has long been a staple for physical and occupational therapy services.

One of our newest locations carries on this proud tradition of major league care. Located at 2190 E. County Rd. 540A, Watson Clinic Physical Therapy & Sports Medicine offers convenient access to an impressive team of experts and state-of-the-art technologies like the Anti-Gravity Treadmill® for patients in south Lakeland, Bartow and surrounding areas.

We thank our entire community for entrusting us with their care for more than three-quarters of a century, and congratulate the Tigers on what is sure to be another home run season.

Salvador O. Montenegro, MD is a board-certified sports medicine and nonsurgical orthopaedic specialist who divides his time between two facilities: Watson Clinic Main and Watson Clinic Physical Therapy & Sports Medicine. He is proud to serve as the team physician for the Detroit Tigers Florida Operations and the Lakeland Flying Tigers, Southeastern University, George Jenkins High School, Lake Gibson High School, Kathleen High School, and a number of additional competitive athletic organizations.