A closing day event at Capital City Stadium is scheduled for April 4, giving fans a chance to say goodbye to the Columbia, SC ballpark before it is demolished.
Capital City Stadium hosted both affiliated Minor League Baseball and summer-collegiate teams during its long history. The former home of the Columbia Mets/Capital City Bombers (Low A; Sally League) and Columbia Blowfish (summer collegiate; Coastal Plain League), Capital City Stadium was originally built by Hall of Famer and Pittsburgh Pirates owner Barney Dreyfuss in 1927. It went on to host numerous teams over its decades of use, with the last affiliated minor league franchise to play there being the Mets/Bombers, who called the ballpark home from 1983-2004 before relocating to Greenville, SC. They were followed by the Blowfish from 2006-2014.
The ballpark is set to be torn down to make way for a mixed-use development, but not before it is opened for a public event. On April 4, Historic Columbia will host a closing day event at Capital City Stadium from 11:00 a.m-5:00 p.m. EST, with a documentary film crew on hand to interview fans about their memories of the ballpark. More from Columbia Regional Business Report:
The April 4 celebration will feature venue tours that will highlight memorable moments in the stadium’s history, including the racial integration of baseball in the town. Free parking will be available behind the stadium by entering through the gate on Assembly Street.
Historic Columbia is partnering with independent film maker Lee Ann Kornegay for a documentary chronicling the stadium’s history. Kornegay will be on hand April 4 for visitors who want to share their stadium memories.
Since the Bombers left town in 2004, the Capital City Stadium site has been through several redevelopment iterations, including a planned mixed-used development anchored by a Kroger grocery store. In June 2019, Columbia City Council voted to extend a contract on the purchase of the stadium site, giving developer Weddle Real Estate Investment until May 20 to fulfill several obligations related to plans for a mixed-use development featuring market-rate apartments and retail space.
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 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. Capital City Stadium is currently on our Endangered Ballparks list.
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