SPORTSMAN'S PARK - AL (1909-1953) ********************************* Also Known as: Busch Stadium (1954-1966) ************************* HOME OF THE: ST. LOUIS BROWNS This home-made ball park has been created for use with Diamond Mind Baseball v8. The dimensions and image are to depict the stadium as it looked in 1924. LFL L LFG C RFG R RFL *** *** *** *** *** *** *** DISTANCE: 351 379 403 445 390 354 310 HEIGHT: 11 11 11 11 33 33 33 PARK FACTORS LEFT HANDED BATTERS RIGHT HANDED BATTERS ************ ******************* ******************** S D T HR S D T HR *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** 94 104 100 114 94 104 100 114 SURFACE: Natural Grass FOUL TERRITORY: Small *** Note: The St. Louis Browns played in this park from 1909 to 1953. And the St. Louis Cardinals played here, from 1920 to 1966. Sportsman's Park had the distinction of being home field for two major league teams for longer than any other stadium. The Polo Grounds was home for the Yankees and Giants for ten years and Shibe Park was home to the Athletics and Phillies for sixteen years. But the Browns and Cardinals both used Sportsman's Park for thirty-three years - from mid-1920 until the Browns moved to Baltimore after the 1953 season. In 1953, August A. Busch, Jr., president of the Cardinals bought Sportsman's Park from Browns owner Bill Veeck. For one year it was a startling reversal of roles, as the Browns became the tenants of the Cardinals, with the Park now being called Busch Stadium. Some memorable moments at this park, ... May 5th, 1925: Thirty-eight-year-old Detroit player/manager Ty Cobb hits three home runs, a double and two singles in six times at bat, driving in five runs, as Detroit defeats the Browns, 14-8. October 1st, 1944: On the last day of the season the Browns win their first and only pennant when they beat the New York Yankees, 5-2, behind the six-hit pitching of Sig Jakucki and two home runs by outfielder Chet Laabs. October 9th, 1944: In the sixth and deciding game of the World Series (the only all-St. Louis World Series ever played), the Cardinals win by defeating the Browns, 3-1. April 17th, 1945: On opening day, Pete Gray, an outfielder with only one arm, gets one hit in four times at bat in his major league debut, and helps the Browns defeat Detroit, 7-1. October 15th, 1946: In the seventh and deciding game of the World Series, outfielder Enos Slaughter of the Cardinals scores the winning run against the Boston Red Sox with a surprise nonstop dash from first base to home, on a hit to left-center field by team-mate Harry Walker. August 19th, 1951: Eddie Gaedel, a midget who is only three feet, seven inches tall, pinch hits for the Browns, and walks on four straight pitches. April 23rd, 1952: Bob Cain of the Browns and Bob Feller of the Cleveland Indians both pitch one-hitters, with Cain winning, 1-0. May 2nd, 1954: Cardinals outfielder Stan Musial hits five home runs and a single and drives in nine runs in a doubleheader against the New York Giants. The above comments are from the book: "Lost Ballparks - A Celebration of Baseball's Legendary Fields," by Lawrence S. Ritter. ********************************************** SPORTSMAN'S PARK - AL IS FROM THE CREATORS OF: +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Baseball's Analytical Search Engine +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/tdmilne Ron Gudykunst - ronlg@aol.com Tom Milne - tdmilne@compuserve.com