Volume 15 , Issue 19

Sportsman Park, St. Louis, MO

On the north side of St. Louis at Grand, Sportsman's Park, the home of the St. Louis Cardinals and St. Louis Browns. A visual tour of the stadium as well. Song by Brian Clarke.



Sportsman's Park was home to two different baseball teams during its existence. Baseball at the site where Sportsman Park stood dates back to 1866. The Brown Stockings of the National Association League played at the first Sportsman's Park in 1875 when the ballpark was known as Grand Avenue. It was located at the corner of Dodier Street and Grand Avenue.

In 1880 Alfred Spink bought the team and tore down the ballpark, rebuilding a covered Sportsman's Park. The ballpark opened on 21 May 1881, but burned ten years later because it was built mainly of wood.

After the 1901 season the St. Louis Browns were formed when the Milwaukee Brewers, charter members of the American League, moved to St. Louis. The St. Louis Browns built a new ballpark where Sportsman's Park burned in 1898. Consisting of about 8000 wooden seats, the ballpark was named after its predecessor. In 1908 a new ballpark was constructed, using concrete and steel to build a double deck grandstand from first to third base with additional seating joining the lower level and extending down the lines.

The Browns played their first game at the new Sportsman's Park against Cleveland on 14 April 1909.

The first night game under lights at Sportsman's Park was on 24 May 1940. Both the Cardinals and the Browns played at the ballpark until 1953 when the Browns moved to Baltimore. That same year, Sportsman's Park was renamed Busch Stadium after August Busch purchased the team on 9 April 1953.   |  View or Add Comments (0 Comments)   |   Receive updates ( subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

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