Historic Sanford Memorial Stadium
Encyclopedia
Historic Sanford Memorial Stadium is a baseball
stadium located in Sanford, Florida
. The ballpark is located just south of Lake Monroe
on Mellonville Avenue, less than a mile from Historic Downtown Sanford. The stadium stands at the site of the old Sanford Field, which was originally built in 1926. The stadium was built on the old site in 1951 as the Spring Training Facility of the New York Giants
. Many Major League
stars have played in the stadium including Babe Ruth
, Jackie Robinson
, Willie Mays
, Tim Raines
, and David Eckstein
. The Stadium was refurbished in 2001 at a cost of two million dollars, and now offers many modern amenities along with the classic architecture of Stadiums' built in the early to mid 1900s.
The Stadium is currently home to Sanford Babe Ruth Baseball and the Sanford River Rats
of the Florida Collegiate Summer League
. It was also home to the Seminole County Naturals of the Florida Winter Baseball League during the 2009 season; the league subsequently suspended operations during the season due to a lack of funding. The stadium previously served as a spring training facility for the New York Giants
and Atlanta Braves
. In 1942, the Boston Braves used the old field as its primary facility.
Sanford Stadium is the location where Jackie Robinson first took to the field in 1946 to play baseball as a member of a white Class AAA International League Team in Daytona Beach, Florida
, which was partnered with the Montreal Royals
. By the time Robinson took the field, however, the crowd ended up booing him off the field and was not able to play. The police chief had actually threatened to cancel the game if Robinson took the field.
Sanford Memorial Stadium is a non-smoking facility. No coolers, food, pets or weapons of any kind are permitted inside the Stadium.
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
stadium located in Sanford, Florida
Sanford, Florida
Sanford is a city in, and the county seat of, Seminole County, Florida, United States. The population was 38,291 at the 2000 census. As of 2009, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau was 50,998...
. The ballpark is located just south of Lake Monroe
Lake Monroe (Florida)
Lake Monroe is one of the lakes that make up the St. Johns River system. The port city of Sanford is situated along the southern shore, while DeBary and Deltona are located along the northern shore. Two major central Florida roadways that run near the lake are State Road 415 and Interstate 4...
on Mellonville Avenue, less than a mile from Historic Downtown Sanford. The stadium stands at the site of the old Sanford Field, which was originally built in 1926. The stadium was built on the old site in 1951 as the Spring Training Facility of the New York Giants
New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
. Many Major League
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
stars have played in the stadium including Babe Ruth
Babe Ruth
George Herman Ruth, Jr. , best known as "Babe" Ruth and nicknamed "the Bambino" and "the Sultan of Swat", was an American Major League baseball player from 1914–1935...
, Jackie Robinson
Jackie Robinson
Jack Roosevelt "Jackie" Robinson was the first black Major League Baseball player of the modern era. Robinson broke the baseball color line when he debuted with the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947...
, Willie Mays
Willie Mays
Willie Howard Mays, Jr. is a retired American professional baseball player who played the majority of his major league career with the New York and San Francisco Giants before finishing with the New York Mets. Nicknamed The Say Hey Kid, Mays was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1979, his...
, Tim Raines
Tim Raines
Timothy Raines , nicknamed "Rock", is a former American professional baseball player. He played as a left fielder in Major League Baseball for six teams from 1979 to 2002 and was best known for his 13 seasons with the Montreal Expos...
, and David Eckstein
David Eckstein
David Mark Eckstein is a former American professional baseball player who was an infielder in Major League Baseball for ten seasons. He played college baseball for the University of Florida, and has played professionally for the Anaheim Angels, St. Louis Cardinals, Toronto Blue Jays, Arizona...
. The Stadium was refurbished in 2001 at a cost of two million dollars, and now offers many modern amenities along with the classic architecture of Stadiums' built in the early to mid 1900s.
The Stadium is currently home to Sanford Babe Ruth Baseball and the Sanford River Rats
Sanford River Rats
The Sanford River Rats are a wood bat collegiate summer baseball league team located in Sanford, Florida. The team is a member of the Florida Collegiate Summer League and plays its home games at Historic Sanford Memorial Stadium. The team is an inaugural member of the FCSL.-History:The River...
of the Florida Collegiate Summer League
Florida Collegiate Summer League
The Florida Collegiate Summer League is a six-team wood bat collegiate summer baseball league located in the central Florida region of the southeastern United States. The league was founded in the fall of 2003 and began play in the summer of 2004...
. It was also home to the Seminole County Naturals of the Florida Winter Baseball League during the 2009 season; the league subsequently suspended operations during the season due to a lack of funding. The stadium previously served as a spring training facility for the New York Giants
New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
and Atlanta Braves
Atlanta 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....
. In 1942, the Boston Braves used the old field as its primary facility.
Sanford Stadium is the location where Jackie Robinson first took to the field in 1946 to play baseball as a member of a white Class AAA International League Team in Daytona Beach, Florida
Daytona Beach, Florida
Daytona Beach is a city in Volusia County, Florida, USA. According to 2008 U.S. Census Bureau estimates, the city has a population of 64,211. Daytona Beach is a principal city of the Deltona – Daytona Beach – Ormond Beach, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area, which the census bureau estimated had...
, which was partnered with the Montreal Royals
Montreal Royals
The Montreal Royals were a minor league professional baseball team located in Montreal, Quebec, that existed from 1897–1917 and from 1928–60 as a member of the International League and its progenitor, the original Eastern League...
. By the time Robinson took the field, however, the crowd ended up booing him off the field and was not able to play. The police chief had actually threatened to cancel the game if Robinson took the field.
Stadium Features
The ballpark features 415 box seats and bleacher seating for 1600 putting the total capacity at 2,015. The block outfield wall is 330 feet down the lines and 385 feet to center field. There are also two locker rooms, batting cages and bullpens for both home and visiting teams. There is a fully operational concession stand in the concourse area, along with the Buddy Lake Community Room, which offers food and beverage choices for fans and players. The press box is air conditioned, with phone and data lines, public address system and scoreboard controls.Sanford Memorial Stadium is a non-smoking facility. No coolers, food, pets or weapons of any kind are permitted inside the Stadium.