York County is coming closer to a decision on the future of Knights Stadium, home of the Charlotte Knights (Class AAA; International League) — and the ballpark’s future is not looking too bright. It’s really a two-part decision: if the ballpark is to stay, what future use could it serve? An easy decision would be […]
Archive | Endangered Ballparks
Butte’s Alumni Field coming down
Alumni Field, the quaint former home of the Butte Copper Kings (rookie; Pioneer League), is coming down, as owner Montana Tech decides to upgrade the adjoining football field with artificial turf. It really wasn’t much of a ballpark, even by rookie-ball standards: a small grandstand and even smaller concession stand/gift shop, some kids’ play features […]
New Tiger Stadium site plan emerging: parades and baseball
So much for the elusive big-box retailer Detroit officials were hoping to lure: a new plan for the old Tiger Stadium site calls for the playing field to remain intact after being sold to a float manufacturer for under $900,000. The proposed plan calls for the city to sell the site to the nonprofit Parade […]
Rosenblatt Stadium demolition begins today
With the seating removed and the grandstand emptied, the demolition of Rosenblatt Stadium, former home to the College World Series and the Omaha Royals (Class AAA; Pacific Coast League), began today. We’re talking the serious demolition here: the two freestanding buildings and the grandstand will come down, as well as the outfield bleachers sections. Johnny […]
Cooper Stadium sale expected next week
The sale of Cooper Stadium, the former home of the Columbus Clippers (Class AAA; International League), to a developer seeking to convert it to a racetrack/car complex is expected to close next week. Cooper Stadium, which opened in 1932, has sat empty since the Clippers move to a new downtown ballpark, Huntington Park, in 2009. […]
“Business is better now than when Tiger Stadium was around”
If only Tiger Stadium could have been saved, it would have been part of a renaissance of the Corktown area of Detroit, where gentrification is in full force. When the Detroit Tigers moved to Comerica Park and abandoned Tiger Stadium, the future of Corktown was written off by many in the greater Detroit area. Without […]
Historic Ray Winder Field coming down this week
It was inevitable: Ray Winder Field, the former home of the Arkansas Travelers (Class AA; Texas League) is being torn down to make way for a parking lot. There were several attempts to save the ballpark from the wrecking ball, but none proved successful, and the ballpark was sold to neighboring UAMS. The demolition actually […]
Former Winnipeg Whips/Goldeyes home will be new home to Target
Though details aren’t final, it looks like Canad Inns Stadium, the former home to International League and Northern League baseball in Winnipeg, will be torn down to make way for a Target store. Mayor Sam Katz — who, by the way, owns the Winnipeg Goldeyes (independent; American Association) and brought an independent Northern League team […]
No baseball this summer in Shreveport
After the loss of independent baseball and a failed effort at summer-collegiate ball, Shreveport’s Fair Grounds Field sits empty this summer, its future far from assured. When it opened in 1986, Fair Grounds Field was seen as a shining star in the Minor League Baseball pantheon, outfitted with the kinds of amenities you usually found […]
York County to evaluate future of Knights Stadium
With the Charlotte Knights (Class AAA; International League) slated for a 2014 move to a new Uptown ballpark, York County will begin planning the future of Knights Stadium. York County owns the Fort Mill, S.C. home of the Knights. With no debt left on the facility and lots of land surrounding the facility — remember, […]
Luther Williams Field standing in for City Island Ballpark
The filming of the movie 42 has moved to Macon, where Luther Williams Field is standing in for Daytona’s City Island Ballpark, where Jackie Robinson crossed the color line during spring training. The movie, starring Harrison Ford, details how baseball was integrated thanks to the efforts of Branch Rickey (portrayed by Harrison). Also in the […]
Hanging on: Former home to baseball in Winnipeg
The former home of the Winnipeg Goldeyes (independent; American Association) and the Winnipeg Whips (Class AAA; International League) will remain open — for now. Canad Inns Stadium, better known as home of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers (CFL), was slated to be torn down this fall after the Bombers moved to a new stadium on the […]
Columbia sells Capital City Stadium site
Capital City Stadium, the 1945 ballpark originally built by Hall of Famer Barney Dreyfuss, has been sold by Columbia (SC) to a developer and will likely be torn down to make way for a Wal-Mart. The ballpark, longtime home to Minor League Baseball in Columbia, was built by Dreyfuss in 1945 as the home for one of […]