Mobile, Alabama

Mobile (pronounced Mo-Beel) is a city in Alabama along Mobile Bay, an inlet of the Gulf of Mexico. It is the only saltwater port in Alabama.

Having been previously a French and later a Spanish colony, it is the one part of Alabama where Catholicism is strong in the otherwise Protestant-dominated state (the Archdiocese of Mobile, which oversees all Catholic churches in Alabama and neighboring Mississippi, is located there). It is known for its Mardi Gras celebrations; unlike the better known ones in New Orleans (which are often filled with debauchery), Mobile's celebrations are more family-friendly.

Five members of the Baseball Hall of Fame came from Mobile: Hank Aaron, Willie McCovey, Satchel Paige, Ozzie Smith, and Billy Williams. Only the much larger cities of New York City and Chicago have more.