Top Menu

Final days for Cap City Stadium

Capital City Stadium, Columbia

It’s a bittersweet run in the Coastal Plain League playoffs for the Columbia Blowfish: as the team advances in the Petitt Cup playoffs, Capital City Stadium in one step closer to demolition.

The historic ballpark, built by Hall of FameBarney Dreyfuss in 1945 as a home for one of his Pittsburgh Pirates farm teams, served as the home to various lower-level pro teams through 2004, when the Sally League’s Capital City Bombers moved to Greenville. After pro ball left the city, summer-collegiate ball — a prime economic factor in keeping many, many old ballparks alive — moved in and thrived.

But this year is the end of the road for the ballpark, as Columbia city officials have moved forward on selling the ballpark to a developer, who is expected to build a Wal-Mart on the site. It’s not a popular decision among baseball fans (who don’t want to lose the ballpark) and non-baseball fans (who decry the increased traffic expected from a big-box retailer), but the deal is done: last Wednesday the city signed a sale contract.

It’s not quite the end of the line: the Blowfish are still in the playoffs, advancing to the second round against a yet-to-be determined opponent. So you still have a chance to see a historic ballpark in action — but you’d best hurry.

Image: Columbia Blowfish players and soldiers from Fort Jackson stand at attention during presentation of National Anthem in 2011. Courtesy Fort Jackson Leader.

RELATED STORIES: Shanahan: Blowfish negotiating move to Lexington CountyColumbia sells Capital City Stadium siteLooking back at Cap City StadiumClass A ball returning to Columbia?Columbia sells Capital City Stadium; Wal-Mart on the wayFuture of Columbia baseball in play

—-

Share your news with the baseball community. Send it to us ateditors@augustpublications.com.

Are you a subscriber to the weekly Ballpark Digest newsletter? You can sign up for a free subscription at the Newsletter Signup Page.

Join Ballpark Digest on Facebook and on Twitter!

Follow Ballpark Digest on Google + and add us to your circles!