Columbia, SC officials are preparing to demolish Capital City Stadium, former home of the Capital City Bombers (Low A; Sally League) and Columbia Blowfish (summer collegiate; Coastal Plain League).
Capital City Stadium has had a long and unique history. It was originally built by Hall of Famer and Pittsburgh Pirates owner Barney Dreyfuss in 1927, and went on to host numerous teams over its decades of use. The last affiliated minor league franchise to play there was the Columbia Mets/Capital City Bombers, who called the ballpark home from 1983-2004 before relocating to Greenville, SC.
In in its post-affiliated MiLB years, the ballpark found another life as home of the Blowfish from 2006-2014. Following the 2014 season, the Blowfish move to a new ballpark in Lexington County, SC, where they remain today as the Lexington County Blowfish, while Columbia opened Segra Park (formerly Spirit Communications Park) for the Columbia Fireflies (Low; Sally League) in 2016.
Capital City Stadium has largely sat unused in recent years, and now city officials are formulating a plan to demolish the ballpark. A demolition contract was expected to be approved at Tuesday’s city council meeting, with the process of bringing the ballpark down slated to start within the next two months. More from The State:
On Tuesday, Columbia City Council is expected to approve a $136,500 contract to tear down Capital City Stadium. The demolition is expected to begin in the next two months, according to assistant city manager Missy Gentry.
City leaders have decided to finally tear down the stadium because it is becoming “an attractive nuisance,” Councilman Howard Duvall said.
“Any time you have a vacant piece of property, it’s going to attract undesirable activity,” Duvall said. “I think it would be better to clean off the property and get it ready for its future rather than to dwell on whatever nostalgia we have in the past.”
Plenty of notable players passed through Capital City Stadium over its history. Frank Robinson suited up for the Columbia Reds in 1954 and 1955, while Hank Aaron (who turns 85 today) appeared at Capital City Stadium in 1953 as a member of the Jacksonville Braves in what would be in his final minor league game. In the ballpark’s later years of hosting affiliated baseball, Jose Reyes and David Wright were among the future stars that suited up for the Bombers.
RELATED STORIES: Purchase Agreement for Capital City Stadium Site Extended; Another final season for Capital City Stadium; Final days for Cap City Stadium; Shanahan: Blowfish negotiating move to Lexington County; Columbia sells Capital City Stadium site; Looking back at Cap City Stadium; Class A ball returning to Columbia?; Columbia sells Capital City Stadium; Wal-Mart on the way; Future of Columbia baseball in play