Clearwater Athletic Field
Encyclopedia
Clearwater Athletic Field was a stadium
in Clearwater, Florida
. It was first used by professional baseball teams for spring training in 1923. The grandstand sat approximately 2,000 and bleachers increased capacity to close to 3,000. Home plate was located on Pennsylvania Avenue, which ran south to north along the third base line, near Seminole Street. Left field ran parallel to Palmetto Street, and right field ran parallel to Greenwood Ave. The grandstand was destroyed by fire in April 1956.
who trained in St. Petersburg. The game was proceeded by a parade to the park and Commissioner Kenesaw Mountain Landis
threw out the first pitch to Clearwater mayor Frank J. Booth. More than 4,000 fans saw the Dodgers defeat the Braves 12 to 7.
, Newark Bears
(when the top minor league baseball
teams held their own spring training), Cleveland
, and the Philadelphia Phillies
. The Florida State League
's Clearwater Pelicans and the Amateur Softball Association
national-champion Clearwater Bombers played their home games at Athletic Field. The Florida State Negro Baseball League Clearwater Black Sox played at the park in 1952. The Baltimore Orioles
team in the Winter Instructional Rookie League trained at Athletic Field in October 1959 and played their home games at Jack Russell Stadium.
It was replaced by Jack Russell Stadium
in 1955 into which both the Phillies and Bombers moved after the 1954 season. Even after moving into Jack Russell in 1955, the Phillies continued to practice at the field. At the time of the fire which destroyed the grandstands on April 12, 1956, it was reported that city managers planned to tear-down the grandstands in 1957 and replace them with temporary bleachers.
The North Greenwood Recreation and Aquatic Complex now stands on the site of ballpark. In 2003, the city opened the Ray E. Green Aquatic Center named in honor of the mayor. Ray Green Field was also used for parking for games at Jack Russell Stadium.
Stadium
A modern stadium is a place or venue for outdoor sports, concerts, or other events and consists of a field or stage either partly or completely surrounded by a structure designed to allow spectators to stand or sit and view the event.)Pausanias noted that for about half a century the only event...
in Clearwater, Florida
Clearwater, Florida
Clearwater is a city located in Pinellas County, Florida, US, nearly due west of Tampa and northwest of St. Petersburg. In the west of Clearwater lies the Gulf of Mexico and in the east lies Tampa Bay. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 108,787. It is the county seat of...
. It was first used by professional baseball teams for spring training in 1923. The grandstand sat approximately 2,000 and bleachers increased capacity to close to 3,000. Home plate was located on Pennsylvania Avenue, which ran south to north along the third base line, near Seminole Street. Left field ran parallel to Palmetto Street, and right field ran parallel to Greenwood Ave. The grandstand was destroyed by fire in April 1956.
History
In October 1922, the Dodgers agreed to train in Clearwater in 1923 provided the city could provide a ballpark. The Clearwater city council voted to issue $25,000 in bonds for the purpose of construction. The Dodgers' move to Florida brought the number of major league clubs conducting spring training in the state to seven. The first game was played on March 15, 1923 between the Dodgers, and the Boston BravesAtlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
who trained in St. Petersburg. The game was proceeded by a parade to the park and Commissioner Kenesaw Mountain Landis
Kenesaw Mountain Landis
Kenesaw Mountain Landis was an American jurist who served as a federal judge from 1905 to 1922 and as the first Commissioner of Baseball from 1920 until his death...
threw out the first pitch to Clearwater mayor Frank J. Booth. More than 4,000 fans saw the Dodgers defeat the Braves 12 to 7.
Tenants
It was the spring training home of the Brooklyn DodgersLos Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers are members of Major League Baseball's National League West Division. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming...
, Newark Bears
Newark Bears (1926-1949)
The Newark Bears were a team in the International League from 1926 to 1949. They played their home games at Ruppert Stadium in what is now known as the Ironbound section of Newark; the stadium was demolished in 1967....
(when the top minor league baseball
Minor league baseball
Minor league baseball is a hierarchy of professional baseball leagues in the Americas that compete at levels below Major League Baseball and provide opportunities for player development. All of the minor leagues are operated as independent businesses...
teams held their own spring training), Cleveland
Cleveland Indians
The Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field. The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...
, and the Philadelphia Phillies
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
. The Florida State League
Florida State League
The Florida State League is a Class A-Advanced minor league baseball league operating in the state of Florida. They are one of three leagues currently operating in Class A-Advanced, the third highest of six classifications of minor leagues...
's Clearwater Pelicans and the Amateur Softball Association
Amateur Softball Association
The Amateur Softball Association is a volunteer, non-profit organization based in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. It was founded in 1933 with a tournament held in Chicago that was organized by Leo Fischer and Michael J. Pauley. The following year the 1934 National Recreation Congress recognized the ASA. ...
national-champion Clearwater Bombers played their home games at Athletic Field. The Florida State Negro Baseball League Clearwater Black Sox played at the park in 1952. The Baltimore Orioles
Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. They are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. One of the American League's eight charter franchises in 1901, it spent its first year as a major league...
team in the Winter Instructional Rookie League trained at Athletic Field in October 1959 and played their home games at Jack Russell Stadium.
Name
The ballpark is often identified as "Clearwater Athletic Field" or "Clearwater's Athletic Field". It was renamed Ray Green Field in honor of Ray Green, mayor of Clearwater from 1935 to 1938, who was instrumental in upgrading the facility during his tenure as mayor. In a 1980 interview, Eddie Moore, director of Clearwater parks and recreation from 1938 to 1978, recalled that the ballpark was called "Brooklyn Field" during the Dodgers' tenure. Indeed, a 1939 news article recounts the Clearwater Senior Softball League playing at "Brooklyn field".Other
One of the largest crowds for a spring training game was on March 24, 1951 when the Phillies drew 3,851 for a game against the Boston Red Sox.It was replaced by Jack Russell Stadium
Jack Russell Memorial Stadium
Jack Russell Memorial Stadium is a stadium in Clearwater, Florida. It opened as Jack Russell Stadium in 1955. It had a capacity of 4,744 when it opened; in 2003 seating capacity was 6,942 people...
in 1955 into which both the Phillies and Bombers moved after the 1954 season. Even after moving into Jack Russell in 1955, the Phillies continued to practice at the field. At the time of the fire which destroyed the grandstands on April 12, 1956, it was reported that city managers planned to tear-down the grandstands in 1957 and replace them with temporary bleachers.
The North Greenwood Recreation and Aquatic Complex now stands on the site of ballpark. In 2003, the city opened the Ray E. Green Aquatic Center named in honor of the mayor. Ray Green Field was also used for parking for games at Jack Russell Stadium.