Sportsman’s Park closed 44 years ago today
Sportsman’s Park closed on May 8th, 1966.
From 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 the smallest market ever to support two major-league teams in the same sport at the same time and the second smallest city next to Boston to do so.
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.
In 1966 Busch Stadium II opened downtown in what had been our China Town area. That stadium was replaced with Busch Stadium III in 2006. Sportsman’s Park, opened in 1902, is now the site of the Herbert Hoover Boys & Girls Club. I can’t help what wonder what the neighborhood at Grand & Dodier would look like today had the Cardinals remained at that corner. Similarly, I wonder what that portion of downtown would be like had many blocks not been razed the vast urban renewal scheme.
– Steve Patterson
My mother and her family lived in the shadow of Sportman's Park, and for day games, her mother would set up two chairs and a broom in the spot in front of their flat to save the parking space for my mother when she got home from work. My Grandmother sat on the front porch and simply smiled at the stream of drivers who cursed her out for hoarding a parking spot.
I love little stories like this.
My dad used to tell me stories about how he would hop onto a streetcar and head to Sportsman's Park with his dad.
There was a story he told about how the fans would stomp their feet on the planks and it would sound like thunder was rumbling throughout the park and how he thought the place was going to shake to the ground. My dad would have a huge smile on his face when he told those stories. Sportsman's Park seemed like someplace special, esp. in his eyes.
It's a shame that park was torn down. The Cardinals should still be playing at Grand and Dodier.
“St. Louis is the smallest market ever to support two major-league teams in the same sport at the same time and the second smallest city next to Boston to do so.”
So what's the difference between the “market” and the “city?” Does “market” mean population of the metropolitan area (i.e. is the distinction based on city vs. metro area) or does “market” refer to domestic product of the metro area (i.e. is the distinction based on total economic wealth of an area vs. total population)?
Also, you need to add “in” after “razed” in the last sentence.
Thanks,
David
PS Good luck with the census efforts!
The market is where you draw your fan base from. It was bigger befoire the Royals, Rangers and Astros, and possibly the Twins, were formed, and borders the Chicago and Cincinnati markets. A for city, I'll defer to Steve . . .
Well, my guess is the area would have run into trouble anyway but just 15 years later; CARTER carb was the other anchor in the neighborhood and when it closed (1980's) there wasn't much business left in that stretch, and 'white-flight' had already started before 1967.
This brings back wonderful memories. I grew up about 5 blocks from Sportsman Park in the 4000 block of Greer Ave. Went to a few games with my Dad. I also remember people parking their cars on our block and walking to the ballpark, also remember sitting on the roof of my friends house at the corner of 3800 Ashland and and being able to watch the game. After Sportsman Park was demolished, I remember the construction of Herber Hoover Boys club, and being part of the initial enrollment to the boys club. It is so sad how the neighborhood has gone down. Hopefully one day it will be revived
Interest in horse races peaked more than 70 years ago during the Seabiscuit-War Admiral match race and is now!
Interest in horse races peaked more than 70 years ago during the Seabiscuit-War Admiral match race and is now!
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