| Sportsman's Park St. Louis, Missouri |
Tenants: St. Louis Brown Stockings (AA 1882-1893* Former ballpark on same site); St. Louis Browns (AL
1902-1953); St. Louis Cardinals (NL 1920-1966); St. Louis All Stars (NFL 1923); St. Louis Gunners (NFL
1934); St. Louis Cardinals (NFL 1960-1965)
Groundbreaking: 1880 (Original grandstand)
First AmericanLeague Game: April 23, 1902
Last National League game: May 8, 1966
Demolished: 1966
Playing surface: Grass
Architect: Osborn Engineering
Cost: $300,000 (1909); $500,000 (1926 expansion)
Owner: St. Louis Browns (1902-53); St. Louis Cardinals (1953-66)
Seating capacity: 8,000 (1902); 18,000 (1909); 34,000 (1926); 30,500 (1953)
Dimensions (final):
LF foul line: 351 ft
LF alley: 379 ft
Center field: 422 ft
RF alley: 354 ft
RF foul line: 310 ft
Outfield wall height:
Left to center: 11.5 ft ; 354 marker to RF foul line: 11.5 ft (1909), 33 ft (1929), 11.5 ft (1955), 37 ft
(1956)
Hosted World Series: 1926, 1928, 1930, 1931, 1934, 1942, 1943, 1944, 1946, 1964
Hosted All-Star Game: 1940, 1948, 1957
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1902-1953); St. Louis Cardinals (NL 1920-1966); St. Louis All Stars (NFL 1923); St. Louis Gunners (NFL
1934); St. Louis Cardinals (NFL 1960-1965)
Groundbreaking: 1880 (Original grandstand)
First AmericanLeague Game: April 23, 1902
Last National League game: May 8, 1966
Demolished: 1966
Playing surface: Grass
Architect: Osborn Engineering
Cost: $300,000 (1909); $500,000 (1926 expansion)
Owner: St. Louis Browns (1902-53); St. Louis Cardinals (1953-66)
Seating capacity: 8,000 (1902); 18,000 (1909); 34,000 (1926); 30,500 (1953)
Dimensions (final):
LF foul line: 351 ft
LF alley: 379 ft
Center field: 422 ft
RF alley: 354 ft
RF foul line: 310 ft
Outfield wall height:
Left to center: 11.5 ft ; 354 marker to RF foul line: 11.5 ft (1909), 33 ft (1929), 11.5 ft (1955), 37 ft
(1956)
Hosted World Series: 1926, 1928, 1930, 1931, 1934, 1942, 1943, 1944, 1946, 1964
Hosted All-Star Game: 1940, 1948, 1957
---------------------------------------------------------------------
History
For 33 years, 1920–1953, Sportsman's Park was the home field of both the St. Louis Browns of the American League, and the St. Louis Cardinals of
the National League, after which the Browns departed to become the modern-day Baltimore Orioles. The physical street address was 2911 North
Grand Boulevard. St. Louis is by far the smallest market ever to support two major-league teams in the same sport at the same time.
This ballpark (by then known as Busch Stadium, but still commonly called Sportsman's Park) was also the home of the St. Louis Cardinals of the
National Football League from 1960 until 1965, after the team's relocation from Chicago and before Busch Memorial Stadium opened its doors. In
1923, the stadium hosted St. Louis's first NFL team the St. Louis All Stars. site.
For 33 years, 1920–1953, Sportsman's Park was the home field of both the St. Louis Browns of the American League, and the St. Louis Cardinals of
the National League, after which the Browns departed to become the modern-day Baltimore Orioles. The physical street address was 2911 North
Grand Boulevard. St. Louis is by far the smallest market ever to support two major-league teams in the same sport at the same time.
This ballpark (by then known as Busch Stadium, but still commonly called Sportsman's Park) was also the home of the St. Louis Cardinals of the
National Football League from 1960 until 1965, after the team's relocation from Chicago and before Busch Memorial Stadium opened its doors. In
1923, the stadium hosted St. Louis's first NFL team the St. Louis All Stars. site.
| -------------------------------- Source Credits MMIV www.ballparktour.com MMX |
Baseball was played on the Sportsman's Park site as early as 1867.
The tract was acquired in 1866 by August Solari, who began
staging games there the following year. It was the home of the
St. Louis Brown Stockings in the National Association and the
National League from 1875 to 1877. Originally called the Grand
Avenue Ball Grounds, in 1876 it was re-named Sportsman's Park.
The first grandstand--one of three on the site--was built in 1881.
At that time, the diamond and the grandstands were on the
southeast corner of the block, for the convenience of fans
arriving from Grand Avenue. The park was owned by the
then-major American Association entry, the St. Louis "Brown
Stockings," or "Browns". The Browns were a very strong team in
the mid-1880s, but their success waned over time. When the
National League absorbed the strongest of the old Association
teams in 1892, the Browns were brought along. Soon they went
looking for a new ballpark, finding a site just a few blocks
northwest of the old one, and calling it New Sportsman's Park,
which was later renamed Robison Field. They also changed team
colors from Brown to Cardinal Red, thus acquiring a new
nickname, and leaving their previous team colors available, as
well as the old ballpark site.
When the American League Browns moved from Milwaukee in
1902, they built a new version of Sportsman's Park. They initially
placed the diamond and the main stand at the northwest corner
of the block.
This Sportsman's Park saw football history made. It became both
the practice field and home field for St. Louis University's football
team, coached by the visionary Eddie Cochems, Father of the
Forward Pass. Although the first legal forward pass was thrown by
SLU's Bradbury Robinson in a road game at Carroll College in
September 1906, Sportsman's Park was the scene of memorable
displays of what Cochems called his "air attack" that season.
These included a 39-0 thrashing of Iowa before a crowd of 12,000
and a 34-2 trouncing of Kansas witnessed by some 7,000.
Robinson launched an amazingly long pass in the game against the
Jayhawks, which was variously reported to have traveled 67 or 87
yards in the air. Hall of Fame coach David M. Nelson called the
pass extraordinary, "considering the size, shape and weight" of
the fat, rugby-style ball used at that time. Sports historian John
Sayle Watterson agreed. In his book, College Football: History,
Spectacle, Controversy, Watterson described Robinson's long pass
as "truly a breathtaking achievement". St. Louis finished with an
11-0 record in 1906, annihilating its opponents 407-11.
New Structure
In 1909, the Browns moved the diamond to its final location, at
the southwest corner, in the shadow of a new steel and
concrete grandstand -- the third such stadium in the major
leagues, and the second in the American League (after Shibe
Park). The previous wooden grandstand was retained as left-field
bleachers for a while, but was soon replaced with permanent
bleachers. The Cardinals came back to their original home in
mid-1920, as tenants of the Browns, after abandoning the
outdated, mostly-wooden Robison Field.
After nearly winning the American League Pennant in 1922,
Browns owner Philip Ball confidently predicted that there would
be a World Series in Sportsman's Park by 1926. In anticipation, he
increased the capacity of his ballpark from 18,000 to 30,000.
There was a World Series in Sportsman's Park in 1926 -- but it was
the Cardinals, not the Browns, who took part in it, upsetting the
Yankees in a memorable seventh game.
Although the Browns had been the stronger team in the city for
the first quarter of the century, they had never been quite good
enough to win a pennant. After the previously weak Cardinals
had moved in, the two teams' situations had started to reverse,
both on and off the field. The Cardinals' 1926 World Series victory
more or less permanently tipped the balance in favor of the
Cardinals. From then on, the Cardinals were clearly St. Louis'
favorite team, while still tenants of the Browns. The 1944 World
Series between the Cardinals and the Browns, won by the
Cardinals 4 games to 2, was perhaps a good metaphor for the two
clubs' respective situations.
The tract was acquired in 1866 by August Solari, who began
staging games there the following year. It was the home of the
St. Louis Brown Stockings in the National Association and the
National League from 1875 to 1877. Originally called the Grand
Avenue Ball Grounds, in 1876 it was re-named Sportsman's Park.
The first grandstand--one of three on the site--was built in 1881.
At that time, the diamond and the grandstands were on the
southeast corner of the block, for the convenience of fans
arriving from Grand Avenue. The park was owned by the
then-major American Association entry, the St. Louis "Brown
Stockings," or "Browns". The Browns were a very strong team in
the mid-1880s, but their success waned over time. When the
National League absorbed the strongest of the old Association
teams in 1892, the Browns were brought along. Soon they went
looking for a new ballpark, finding a site just a few blocks
northwest of the old one, and calling it New Sportsman's Park,
which was later renamed Robison Field. They also changed team
colors from Brown to Cardinal Red, thus acquiring a new
nickname, and leaving their previous team colors available, as
well as the old ballpark site.
When the American League Browns moved from Milwaukee in
1902, they built a new version of Sportsman's Park. They initially
placed the diamond and the main stand at the northwest corner
of the block.
This Sportsman's Park saw football history made. It became both
the practice field and home field for St. Louis University's football
team, coached by the visionary Eddie Cochems, Father of the
Forward Pass. Although the first legal forward pass was thrown by
SLU's Bradbury Robinson in a road game at Carroll College in
September 1906, Sportsman's Park was the scene of memorable
displays of what Cochems called his "air attack" that season.
These included a 39-0 thrashing of Iowa before a crowd of 12,000
and a 34-2 trouncing of Kansas witnessed by some 7,000.
Robinson launched an amazingly long pass in the game against the
Jayhawks, which was variously reported to have traveled 67 or 87
yards in the air. Hall of Fame coach David M. Nelson called the
pass extraordinary, "considering the size, shape and weight" of
the fat, rugby-style ball used at that time. Sports historian John
Sayle Watterson agreed. In his book, College Football: History,
Spectacle, Controversy, Watterson described Robinson's long pass
as "truly a breathtaking achievement". St. Louis finished with an
11-0 record in 1906, annihilating its opponents 407-11.
New Structure
In 1909, the Browns moved the diamond to its final location, at
the southwest corner, in the shadow of a new steel and
concrete grandstand -- the third such stadium in the major
leagues, and the second in the American League (after Shibe
Park). The previous wooden grandstand was retained as left-field
bleachers for a while, but was soon replaced with permanent
bleachers. The Cardinals came back to their original home in
mid-1920, as tenants of the Browns, after abandoning the
outdated, mostly-wooden Robison Field.
After nearly winning the American League Pennant in 1922,
Browns owner Philip Ball confidently predicted that there would
be a World Series in Sportsman's Park by 1926. In anticipation, he
increased the capacity of his ballpark from 18,000 to 30,000.
There was a World Series in Sportsman's Park in 1926 -- but it was
the Cardinals, not the Browns, who took part in it, upsetting the
Yankees in a memorable seventh game.
Although the Browns had been the stronger team in the city for
the first quarter of the century, they had never been quite good
enough to win a pennant. After the previously weak Cardinals
had moved in, the two teams' situations had started to reverse,
both on and off the field. The Cardinals' 1926 World Series victory
more or less permanently tipped the balance in favor of the
Cardinals. From then on, the Cardinals were clearly St. Louis'
favorite team, while still tenants of the Browns. The 1944 World
Series between the Cardinals and the Browns, won by the
Cardinals 4 games to 2, was perhaps a good metaphor for the two
clubs' respective situations.
By the early 1950s, it was clear that the city could not support both teams. Bill Veeck, by then owner of the Browns, fancied that he could drive the
Cardinals out of town through his promotional skills. He caught an unlucky break when the Cardinals' owner, Fred Saigh, pleaded no contest to tax
evasion. Faced with certain banishment from baseball, he sold the Cardinals to Anheuser-Busch in 1953. Veeck soon realized that the Cardinals now
had more resources at their disposal than he could hope to match, and decided to leave town. As a first step toward moving the Browns, he sold
Sportsman's Park to the Cardinals. He would have probably had to sell the park anyway, as the Browns could not afford to make repairs necessary to
bring the park up to code. Busch had the money, and the ballpark was soon renovated. Meanwhile, by the next year, the Browns were in Baltimore.
The brewery originally wanted to name the ballpark Budweiser Stadium. Ford Frick, then Commissioner of Baseball, vetoed the name because of
public relations concerns over naming a ballpark after a brand of beer--an ironic stance, given all baseball clubs' significant revenues from beer sales.
However, the Commissioner could not stop Anheuser-Busch president August Busch, Jr. from renaming it after himself, and so he did; however,
many fans still called it by the old name. Although the ballpark's final name was Busch Stadium, it was known for most of its history as Sportsman's
Park, and that is the term normally used to refer to it most often.
Cardinals out of town through his promotional skills. He caught an unlucky break when the Cardinals' owner, Fred Saigh, pleaded no contest to tax
evasion. Faced with certain banishment from baseball, he sold the Cardinals to Anheuser-Busch in 1953. Veeck soon realized that the Cardinals now
had more resources at their disposal than he could hope to match, and decided to leave town. As a first step toward moving the Browns, he sold
Sportsman's Park to the Cardinals. He would have probably had to sell the park anyway, as the Browns could not afford to make repairs necessary to
bring the park up to code. Busch had the money, and the ballpark was soon renovated. Meanwhile, by the next year, the Browns were in Baltimore.
The brewery originally wanted to name the ballpark Budweiser Stadium. Ford Frick, then Commissioner of Baseball, vetoed the name because of
public relations concerns over naming a ballpark after a brand of beer--an ironic stance, given all baseball clubs' significant revenues from beer sales.
However, the Commissioner could not stop Anheuser-Busch president August Busch, Jr. from renaming it after himself, and so he did; however,
many fans still called it by the old name. Although the ballpark's final name was Busch Stadium, it was known for most of its history as Sportsman's
Park, and that is the term normally used to refer to it most often.
Sportsman's Park / Busch Stadium was the site of a number of World Series contests, first way back in the mid-1880s, and then in the modern era.
The 1964 Series was particularly memorable, and was also the park's last Series. The Series featured brother against brother, Ken Boyer of the
Cardinals and Clete Boyer of the Yankees. The Cardinals' triumph in seven games led to Yankees management replacing Yogi Berra with the Cardinals'
ex-manager Johnny Keane (he had resigned after winning the Series), an arrangement which lasted only to early 1966. The stadium also hosted
Major League Baseball All-Star Games in 1940, 1948, and 1957.
Sportsman's Park / Busch Stadium was replaced early in the 1966 season by Busch Memorial Stadium, during which time much was made of baseball
having been played on the old site for more than a century. The 1966 stadium was in turn replaced by the new Busch Stadium in 2006.
The Sportsman's Park site is now home to the Herbert Hoover Boys and Girls Club. While the grandstand was torn down in late 1966, the diamond
was still intact at the time the structures were cleared. The field is now being used for other sports.
The 1964 Series was particularly memorable, and was also the park's last Series. The Series featured brother against brother, Ken Boyer of the
Cardinals and Clete Boyer of the Yankees. The Cardinals' triumph in seven games led to Yankees management replacing Yogi Berra with the Cardinals'
ex-manager Johnny Keane (he had resigned after winning the Series), an arrangement which lasted only to early 1966. The stadium also hosted
Major League Baseball All-Star Games in 1940, 1948, and 1957.
Sportsman's Park / Busch Stadium was replaced early in the 1966 season by Busch Memorial Stadium, during which time much was made of baseball
having been played on the old site for more than a century. The 1966 stadium was in turn replaced by the new Busch Stadium in 2006.
The Sportsman's Park site is now home to the Herbert Hoover Boys and Girls Club. While the grandstand was torn down in late 1966, the diamond
was still intact at the time the structures were cleared. The field is now being used for other sports.
