It’s Hot Stove time now and I thought it a good time to take a look at some baseball history, past, present and future. Let’s take a walk around some of the icons of professional baseball, the stadiums where the game is played. In recent years we have seen a renaissance in the construction of new ballparks as the owners have made a concerted effort to put fans next to the players on the field as they were in the old days. It is my opinion that this, as much as anything, has led to the highest attendance figures ever registered in the Grand Old Game.
First, a look at some of the oldest stadiums, long gone now. Pay attention to the field configurations, each field had it’s own peculiarities.
Tiger Stadium, home of the Detroit Tigers from 1912 to 1999.
Personally, I can remember the 1968 World Series team playing here with the likes of Al Kaline, Willie Horton, Norm Cash, Gates Brown, Mickey Lolich and Denny McLain playing here. Then there was the 1984 World Series team managed by Sparky Anderson with players like Alan Trammel, Lance Parrish, Lou Whitaker, Kirk Gibson, and Jack Morris.
Crosley Field, home of the Reds from 1912 to 1970.
I can remember Fred Hutchinson managing the 1961 Reds to the World Series with players like Vada Pinson, Frank Robinson, Wally Post, Leo Cardenas, Jim O’Toole, and Joey Jay.
Comiskey Park, home to the Chicago White Sox from 1910 to 1991.
Remember the 1959 White Sox? Some real characters on that team with Nellie Fox, Ted Kluszewski, Luis Aparicio, Early Wynn and Billy Pierce.
Ebbets Field, home of the Brooklyn Dodgers from 1913 to 1957.
I can vaguely remember the 1955 Brooklyn Dodgers, more from stories than actual experience, but I had the baseball cards for Pee Wee Reese, Duke Snider, Gil Hodges, Johnny Podres, Roy Campanella, Jackie Robinson, and Don Newcombe.
Forbes Field, home of the Pittsburgh Pirates from 1909 to 1970.
Any baseball fan born from the early 1950's back will remember the 1961 Pirates team that defeated the Yankees on Bill Mazeroski's dramatic home run in game seven. Yogi Berra was in left field and watched the ball off Maz's bat over the Forbes Field left field wall... That team included Roberto Clemente, #### Groat, Smokey Burgess and Vern Law.
Shibe Park/Connie Mack Park, home of the Philadelphia Athletics for a period of time and the Philadelphia Phillies, both from 1909 through 1970.
The first ballpark built out of concrete and steel considered the forerunner of such stadiums as Yankee Stadium, Braves Field, Comiskey Park, Ebbetts Field, Fenway Park, Forbes Field, and Wrigley Field all followed soon after, and concrete and steel versions of the Polo Grounds, Crosley Field and Tiger Stadium followed their wooden predecessors.
Metropolitan Stadium, home of the Minnesota Twins from 1961 to 1981.
The 1965 Twins made it to the World Series only to be defeated by the Los Angeles Dodgers. That team had several stars including Tony Oliva, Harmon Killebrew, Jimmie Hall, Mudcat Grant and Jim Kaat.
In the 1960's and into the 1970's many of the old ball parks came down, making way for what I call the ugly years in stadium building. Several stadiums went up around the country that were basically interchangeable. Here are a couple, I'm sure you'll recognize the look... Can you put the correct name on them?
A
B
C
D
What do you think? Look at the end of the post for the answers.
All of them had the same curved outfield fences and about the same distances into the outfield.
The first domed sports stadium constructed, the Astrodome in Houston, Texas, was built in 1965. Acclaimed as the "Eighth Wonder of the World", it had a glass paned roof installed with the thought that the filtered sunlight would have enough intensity to grow a natural grass playing surface. Much to their chagrin, that didn’t happen and WALLA! Astroturf was born out of necessity (another game changing advance in technology).
Filtered light inside the Houston Astrodome, home of the Astros from 1965 to 1999.
Astroturf meant that a different style of sports facility could be built. In 1976, there came the Kingdome in Seattle. Why this monstrosity was ever conceived, let alone built, is beyond my comprehension, but it was.
A multi-function stadium, the Kingdome seemed to take all the worst things you could think of in stadium craftsmanship and combine them into a spectacular mess. Several years after opening, repairs to the disintegrating concrete ceiling were found to cost more than the original construction costs of the old stadium.
Finally, the Kingdome was mercifully leveled.
The Existing Traditional Stadiums
Wrigley Field, home of the Chicago Cubs from 1916 to the present...
Never been here... Someday I hope to cheer on the Cubs on their home turf!
Fenway Park, home of the World Champion Boston Red Sox from 1912 to the present...
Another icon of the sport. Once again, someday I'll be there.
I had to pay homage to those wonderful old ballparks. I realize they lack in creature comforts, but oh, the history. They are shrines just as much as the Hall of Fame.
Retractable Roof Stadiums
The 1976 Montreal Summer Olympics should have marked the first retractable roof sports stadium being put into operation. The poorly designed roof ran into excessive construction delays and then costs skyrocketed. After several years of never really working properly the retractable roof became a hazard while the Montreal Expos made Olympic Stadium their home. Today, Montreal’s Olympic Stadium has a permanent roof and no Major League Baseball team.
Toronto’s Skydome was completed in 1989 marking the first practical use of a retractable roof stadium in Major League Baseball.
Toronto’s Skydome now known as the Rogers Centre, home of the Blue Jays.
Still has the cookie cutter dimensions in Toronto...
Since the end of the 1980's
Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore broke ground for the renaissance in Major League Baseball stadiums when it opened in 1992. The stadium is a throw back.
Notice the park's dimensions?
Next came Jacobs Field in Cleveland. It opened in 1994.
Next Up?
How about combining the retractable roof with renaissance construction?
Safeco Field in Seattle, Washington.
Seattle, where spring and fall conditions can be blustery, also has the possibility of drizzles throughout the baseball season. The 1995 Mariners saved baseball in Seattle, and Safeco Field has made it reasonable to attend games in the Pacific Northwest.
Minute Maid Park, home of the Houston Astros
What's New?
Probably the greatest innovation in baseball stadiums has been the use of the retractable roof. Today there are even more innovations coming in stadium construction. Already here are things like retractable lawns that can be moved outdoors to properly grow and maintain a natural surface (University of Phoenix Stadium, home of the Arizona Cardinals NFL team has this) and fully connected facilities where internet access is available in every seat on a local area network.
Here are a few of the new stadiums either being constructed or scheduled to begin shortly:
Yankee fans can say goodbye to the House that Ruth Built...
Here is an artist's rendition of the new Yankee Stadium
The Yankees expect to take up residence in 2009. "This new stadium will present new comforts, new features and be state-of-the-art in every way," Yankees president Randy Levine said. "It will be the most spectacular fan-friendly stadium ever built."
So what about the Mets? Say goodbye to Shea Stadium. Citi Park is also on course to open in 2009.
The Oakland A's are attempting to get approval for Cisco Field in neighboring Fremont and hoping to have it constructed by 2011.
The Minnesota Twins are expecting a 2010 completion for their new park...
The Washington Nationals new proposed home:
Now the Tampa Bay Rays (no longer the Devil Rays) have unveiled plans for a hoped for bayside ball park in St. Petersburg... Designed to include retractable sun shields.
Other cities, such as Portland Oregon are currently putting together feasibility studies for baseball facilities with hopes of attracting either an existing team or a new franchise to their city...
It would appear that even with all it's problems, baseball is doing well.
Oh yeah... A. Fulton County Stadium, Atlanta, Georgia. B. Riverfront Stadium, Cincinnati, Ohio. C. Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. D. Veteran's Stadium, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
I thought about the Polo Grounds. I'm a SF Giant fan. I can still see the pictures of Willie Mays (my all-time favorite player) running away from home plate to catch Vic Wertz drive into deep center. That was the 1954 World Series. Did you know that at one time the NY Giants were considered the greatest franchise in professional baseball? Then the damn Yankees took off... Oh well.
I left the Polo Grounds off since the stadium wasn't built to house baseball.
EXCELLENT POST!
i have THE biggest fascination with ballparks, past and present... and i've put in the wikipedia hours to prove it.
anyway, did you hear about the Dodgers taking on the Red Sox at the LA Coliseum? It's going to be one hell of a spectacle. word is that they should be able to pack it. 92,000 fans watching baseball. i can not wait.
I'm a sports fanatic living on the west coast of Florida. I'm a rare bird that moved here from the left coast a couple of years ago. I advocate an even playing field in all of life's endeavors.
best slot
