Jacksonville’s Wolfson Park Now the NFL Jaguars’ Practice Field

Deadball Baseball

Jacksonville Baseball Park was located at 1201 East Duval Street in Jacksonville, Florida, just northwest of the former Gator Bowl. Constructed in 1954, the ballpark opened in March 1955, hosting a spring training game between the Washington Senators and the Cincinnati Reds. That same month, the ballpark hosted another spring training game between the soon-to-be…

Read More

Hawaii’s Aloha Stadium

A view of Hawaii's Aloha Stadium

Aloha Stadium is located  at 99-500 Salt Lake Boulevard in Halawa, Hawaii (a suburb of Honolulu), just north of the Honolulu International Airport and northeast of Pearl Harbor. Aloha Stadium opened in 1976 as a multi-purpose stadium, replacing Honolulu Stadium as the island’s main outdoor sports arena. Honolulu Stadium was located 10 miles southeast of Aloha Stadium and…

Read More

The Coop Has Flown – Cooper Stadium in Columbus, Ohio

A Red Bird Stadium postcard

Cooper Stadium (“the Coop”) was a minor league baseball ballpark located at 1155 West Mound Street, in Columbus, Ohio. Christened Red Bird Stadium when it was opened on June 3, 1932, the ballpark originally was home to the American Association Columbus Red Birds. The Red Birds were the top minor league affiliate of Branch Rickey’s…

Read More

Waterfront Park/Al Lang Field in St. Petersburg, Florida

Professional baseball first came to St. Petersburg, Florida, as early as 1908 when the then- independent St. Paul Saints played an exhibition game against the National League Cincinnati Reds. In 1914, businessman and future mayor Al Lang convinced the St. Louis Browns to come to St. Petersburg and train at Sunshine Park – also known…

Read More

Louisville’s Parkway Field and Cardinal Stadium

Parkway Field was located at the intersection of Eastern Parkway and South Brook Street in Louisville, Kentucky. Constructed in 1923 on land purchased from the University of Louisville, Parkway Field was the home ballpark of the Minor League American Association Louisville Colonels from 1923 until 1956. An earlier incarnation of the American Association Louisville Colonels played…

Read More

Meet the Old Busch

Opened in 1966, the former home of the St. Louis Cardinals originally was known as Civic Center Busch Memorial Stadium. The Cardinals left their previous home, Sportsman Park, in June 1970, and inaugurated the new, multi-purpose stadium later that month. The stadium’s original playing surface was grass, which proved difficult to maintain in a multi-purpose setting. Replaced…

Read More

Sportsman Park and Herbert Hoover

A postcard of the Sportsman Park

Baseball was first played at the intersection of Grand Boulevard and Dodier Street in St. Louis, Missouri, in 1867. Originally was called Grand Avenue Ball Grounds, the ballpark name was changed to Sportsman Park in 1876. Several different variants of Sportsman Park existed over the years. Originally the home of the National League St. Louis…

Read More