Baseball in Oklahoma City

[Doug Loudenback]

It occurred to me to think, now that it seems virtually certain that the Redhawks are playing their last season here, that an article on Oklahoma City's baseball history ought to be done. I started it about a week ago but some of the early-day details have been hard to unravel -- to get some early detail I had to go to the Oklahoma History Center and look into their archives there -- but I'm confident that I've got the 1st part, that dealing with Okc early day baseball parks (1889-1923) done now.

I've also included a few baseball video clips from some of my favorite baseball movies (The Natural, Major League I and II, and Field of Dreams [as well as Meat Loaf's Paradise By The Dashboard Light]) in the "Preview" at the top.

The article isn't nearly done but the hardest part, ferreting out the early day history, is. The rest should be done in less than a week.

The article is here: http://dougdawg.blogspot.com/2010/08...-baseball.html

Some of the images from OKC's early day base ball parks appear below (click on images for larger views):

July 4, 1889 temporary park constructed west of Santa Fe Tracks and north of Reno which collapsed causing at least one death and multiple other injuries ... very poor image ...



1890 Park at Stiles Park:



No professional games were ever played there. Another obscure ball park, part of a racetrack, was called Kramer's Park and was between NW 4 & NW 2, west of Walker. It hosted ball games played in 1900 (at least) but was most notably important because it hosted Teddy Roosevelt's Rough Riders Reunion in 1900. I don't have a picture but the park location is shown below:



Oklahoma City did not have a team in 1901, but in did in 1902 and thereafter. The 1902-1923 teams were located in one of 3 ball parks located in Colcord Park (renamed Delmar Garden). The 1902-1903 games were played in the park's racetrack's oval, but the first park involving professional teams which as dedicated exclusively to baseball was built in the northwest section of the park in 1904. I haven't found a photo, but the location is shown below:



In 1919, a new facility, Western League Park, was built in the south area of the former Delmar Garden, east of Exchange and north of Tena (SW 7th), as shown below:



A not particularly good image of the grandstand appeared in the April 27, 1919, Oklahoman:



This park was ravaged by 2 huge floods, the worst in the city's history and both occurring in 1923 (April-June and October). Although it recovered from the spring flood, it did not from the October flood.

An Oklahoman image after the spring flood is shown below ...



... and an image from Vanished Splendor II shows the ball park after the October flood (probably) ...



After the 1923 floods, a new park was built at a different location, but the article does not cover that yet. Now that the early-day ball park stuff is done, I'm getting into detail about early day baseball games, beginning with 1902, partially done. I've located a lot of great stories from the Oklahoman's archives ... not in the article yet ... but the remainder of the article should be done within a week's time.

Enjoy!

[RealJimbo]

What? The Redhawks are leaving? I knew they were losing their affiliation with the Rangers, but leaving OKC?

[Doug Loudenback]

Well, maybe I misspoke. I just assumed that since the Dallas Rangers association was about be done that the Redhawks, as a team name, would be too. I could easily be mistaken about that.

[bluedogok]

Since it isn't a team associated name like the Omaha Royals, Pawtucket Red Sox, etc. they should be able to keep the Redhawks name like they did the 89'rs name through previous transitions. I think the name change from 89'rs to Redhawks had more to do with a change of ownership and the move to the Bricktown Ballpark.

[Echo_Four]

I'm hoping the change in MLB clubs will be enough to make the Redhawk's leadership decide to make some real changes within their organization- starting with going back to the 89ers. I still can't get used to my team being called anything different. (But then I think the Thunder should be the 89ers, thought the Blazers should be the 89ers, and the old Cavalry should have been the 89ers.)

[OkieHornet]

there are also new owners for the redhawks as of last fall - mandalay out of las vegas - so we'll see what changes are made with the ballpark, gameday operations, and promotions in april when the season begins. pitchers and catchers reported yesterday!

[Kerry]

Ask and ye shall receive.

http://www.newsok.com/att-bricktown-...ad_story_title

They are dropping the word Bricktown from the name of the stadium and covering up about 4,200 seats. My guess is this will not go over well.

[Lord Helmet]

Yuck..."Redhawks Ballpark"

[skyrick]

Yuck..."Redhawks Ballpark"

I like it better than (corporate name) Ballpark. The Rangers went to Rangers Ballpark in Arlington after the embarrassment of Ameritrade's sponsorship. Kind of clunky, but better than advertising.

[Kerry]

Don't think Mandalay is as pure as the wind driven snow. According to them Redhawk Ballpark is temporary until they find 'corporate name'.

[Snowman]

Did AT&T keep the rights to the word bricktown, it seems odd to remove that if it is just a temporary name anyway

[Kerry]

Did AT&T keep the rights to the word bricktown, it seems odd to remove that if it is just a temporary name anyway

That is the part that I don't think will go over very well. If the team drops the Bricktown title there is a good chance the company buying the naming right will leave it off as well.

[Noah Vail]

I remember the green wooden stadium on Pennsylvania Ave about N 6th street....OKC Indians I belive.

Penn was a two lane street that curved at the ballpark...who's old? Not me!