Red Wing Stadium
Encyclopedia
Silver Stadium was a baseball
stadium
located at 500 Norton Street in Rochester, New York
. It was the home stadium for the Rochester Red Wings
of the International League
from 1929 to 1996, and for the New York Black Yankees
of the Negro National League for their final season in 1948. The ballpark also briefly hosted professional football as it was the home field for the Rochester Braves
(second American Football League) in 1936 and the Rochester Tigers (second American Football League) in 1936 and 1937.
The facility opened May 2, 1929, as Red Wing Stadium. It was renamed Silver Stadium on August 19, 1968, for Morrie Silver, then the president of Rochester Community Baseball, Inc.
Silver Stadium hosted its final event, a Governors' Cup
playoff game between the Columbus Clippers
and the Red Wings, on September 10, 1996, and was demolished in late 1997 and early 1998. The site is now an industrial and office park.
In late 1956, the St. Louis Cardinals
, then the major league affiliate of the Rochester Red Wings
and also the owners of Red Wing Stadium and the Red Wings, were exploring the possibility of removing the franchise from their minor league system. In response, Morrie Silver, a Rochester businessman, spearheaded an effort to purchase both assets from the Cardinals. A total of 8,222 stockholders, including Silver, came together to form Rochester Community Baseball, Inc.
(RCB) The effort was ultimately successful as RCB purchased both assets on February 27, 1957, ensuring that the team would remain in Rochester for the 1957 season and beyond. Red Wing Stadium was renamed Silver Stadium in Silver's honor on August 19, 1968.
Major League Baseball
mandated changes to minor league ballparks in the 1990s to both upgrade the field of play and the facilities that the players used. Even though it was renovated in the mid-1980s, Silver was deficient in a number of these areas. Like most old ballparks of its era, it did not have any corporate luxury suites. Also, public sentiment in Rochester was in favor of building a new ballpark somewhere closer to the downtown area, with plenty of parking and access to expressways. However, at various times, proposals were made to build the new stadium in one of Rochester's suburb
s, namely Greece
, Avon
and Victor
.
Ground was broken on Frontier Field
, a new stadium located in downtown Rochester next to Eastman Kodak
's world headquarters, in 1995. Frontier Field opened on July 11, 1996, allowing Silver Stadium to close on September 10, 1996. Silver Stadium was demolished in late 1997 and early 1998, and the site is now an industrial and office park.
of the International League
moved from the Bay Street Ball Grounds to Red Wing Stadium following the 1928 season. Red Wing Stadium opened May 2, 1929, with a regular season game between the Red Wings and the Reading Keystones. Rochester lost 3–0. The Wings continued to play at the facility until the 1996 season. On August 30, 1996, the Red Wings lost 8–5 to the Ottawa Lynx
in the final regular season game at Silver Stadium. Rochester also lost the final game ever at Silver Stadium, game two of the Governors' Cup
Finals on September 10, 1996, by a margin of 4–0 to the Columbus Clippers
. The Red Wings moved to Frontier Field
for the 1997 season.
The New York Black Yankees
of the Negro National League played at Red Wing Stadium in 1948. The season was the last in the team's history.
Outside of baseball, the ballpark briefly hosted professional football as Red Wing Stadium was the home field for the Rochester Braves
(second American Football League) in 1936 and the Rochester Tigers (second American Football League) in 1936 and 1937.
The largest attendance at the stadium was 31,000, for a concert by The Grateful Dead on June 30, 1988, eclipsing their previous record of 30,100, on July 2, 1987.
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
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...
located at 500 Norton Street in Rochester, New York
Rochester, New York
Rochester is a city in Monroe County, New York, south of Lake Ontario in the United States. Known as The World's Image Centre, it was also once known as The Flour City, and more recently as The Flower City...
. It was the home stadium for the Rochester Red Wings
Rochester Red Wings
The Rochester Red Wings are a minor league baseball team based in Rochester, New York. The team plays in the International League and is the Triple-A affiliate of the Minnesota Twins major-league club. The Red Wings play in Frontier Field, located in downtown Rochester.The Red Wings were an...
of the International League
International League
The International League is a minor league baseball league that operates in the eastern United States. Like the Pacific Coast League and the Mexican League, it plays at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball. It was so named because it had teams in both the United States...
from 1929 to 1996, and for the New York Black Yankees
New York Black Yankees
The New York Black Yankees was a professional baseball team based in New York City, Paterson, NJ, and Rochester, NY which played in the Negro National League from 1936 to 1948. The Black Yankees played in Paterson, New Jersey from 1933-1937 and then from 1939-1945. The 1938 season saw the Black...
of the Negro National League for their final season in 1948. The ballpark also briefly hosted professional football as it was the home field for the Rochester Braves
Syracuse Braves
The Syracuse Braves were a professional American football team that competed in the second American Football League in 1936 and 1937. Coached by Don Irwin and Red Badgro, the Braves played in Municipal Stadium, which had a capacity of only about 10,000 people...
(second American Football League) in 1936 and the Rochester Tigers (second American Football League) in 1936 and 1937.
The facility opened May 2, 1929, as Red Wing Stadium. It was renamed Silver Stadium on August 19, 1968, for Morrie Silver, then the president of Rochester Community Baseball, Inc.
Rochester Community Baseball, Inc.
Rochester Community Baseball, Inc. are the owners of the Triple-A Rochester Red Wings baseball team.The company was formed when in 1956 the St. Louis Cardinals announced that they would no longer operate the franchise in Rochester. Local businessman Morrie Silver led a community stock drive to...
Silver Stadium hosted its final event, a Governors' Cup
Governors' Cup
The Governors' Cup is the trophy awarded each year to the champion of the International League, one of the two current Triple-A level minor leagues of Major League Baseball.-Governors' Cup history:...
playoff game between the Columbus Clippers
Columbus Clippers
The Columbus Clippers are a minor league baseball team based in Columbus, Ohio. The team plays in the International League and is the Triple-A affiliate of the Cleveland Indians. The team is owned by the government of Franklin County, Ohio....
and the Red Wings, on September 10, 1996, and was demolished in late 1997 and early 1998. The site is now an industrial and office park.
History
Silver Stadium cost $415,000 to construct and opened on May 2, 1929, as Red Wing Stadium. At the time, the stadium had a maximum capacity of 15,000. The park was built in the middle of a thriving urban residential neighborhood, which like most suffered a decline in the latter half of the century. Plentiful parking for automobiles, not a huge concern at the time it was built, became an issue as more and more fans drove their cars to the ballpark.In late 1956, the St. Louis Cardinals
St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...
, then the major league affiliate of the Rochester Red Wings
Rochester Red Wings
The Rochester Red Wings are a minor league baseball team based in Rochester, New York. The team plays in the International League and is the Triple-A affiliate of the Minnesota Twins major-league club. The Red Wings play in Frontier Field, located in downtown Rochester.The Red Wings were an...
and also the owners of Red Wing Stadium and the Red Wings, were exploring the possibility of removing the franchise from their minor league system. In response, Morrie Silver, a Rochester businessman, spearheaded an effort to purchase both assets from the Cardinals. A total of 8,222 stockholders, including Silver, came together to form Rochester Community Baseball, Inc.
Rochester Community Baseball, Inc.
Rochester Community Baseball, Inc. are the owners of the Triple-A Rochester Red Wings baseball team.The company was formed when in 1956 the St. Louis Cardinals announced that they would no longer operate the franchise in Rochester. Local businessman Morrie Silver led a community stock drive to...
(RCB) The effort was ultimately successful as RCB purchased both assets on February 27, 1957, ensuring that the team would remain in Rochester for the 1957 season and beyond. Red Wing Stadium was renamed Silver Stadium in Silver's honor on August 19, 1968.
Major League Baseball
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...
mandated changes to minor league ballparks in the 1990s to both upgrade the field of play and the facilities that the players used. Even though it was renovated in the mid-1980s, Silver was deficient in a number of these areas. Like most old ballparks of its era, it did not have any corporate luxury suites. Also, public sentiment in Rochester was in favor of building a new ballpark somewhere closer to the downtown area, with plenty of parking and access to expressways. However, at various times, proposals were made to build the new stadium in one of Rochester's suburb
Suburb
The word suburb mostly refers to a residential area, either existing as part of a city or as a separate residential community within commuting distance of a city . Some suburbs have a degree of administrative autonomy, and most have lower population density than inner city neighborhoods...
s, namely Greece
Greece (town), New York
Greece is a town in Monroe County, New York, United States. As of the 2010 United States census, the town had a total population of 96,095. The town motto is "Discover the Promise."...
, Avon
Avon (town), New York
Avon is a town in Livingston County, New York, United States. The town is bordered on the north by the town of Rush, New York in Monroe County. Avon is south of Rochester. The population was 6,443 at the 2000 census. The town is named after the river Avon...
and Victor
Victor (town), New York
Victor is a town in Ontario County, New York, USA. The population was 9,977 at the 2000 census. The town is named after Claudius Victor Boughton, a hero of the War of 1812.The Town of Victor contains a village, also called Victor...
.
Ground was broken on Frontier Field
Frontier Field
Frontier Field is a baseball stadium located at One Morrie Silver Way in downtown Rochester, New York. The park opened in 1996, replacing Silver Stadium in northern Rochester, which had been home to professional baseball in Rochester since 1929...
, a new stadium located in downtown Rochester next to Eastman Kodak
Eastman Kodak
Eastman Kodak Company is a multinational imaging and photographic equipment, materials and services company headquarted in Rochester, New York, United States. It was founded by George Eastman in 1892....
's world headquarters, in 1995. Frontier Field opened on July 11, 1996, allowing Silver Stadium to close on September 10, 1996. Silver Stadium was demolished in late 1997 and early 1998, and the site is now an industrial and office park.
Events
The Rochester Red WingsRochester Red Wings
The Rochester Red Wings are a minor league baseball team based in Rochester, New York. The team plays in the International League and is the Triple-A affiliate of the Minnesota Twins major-league club. The Red Wings play in Frontier Field, located in downtown Rochester.The Red Wings were an...
of the International League
International League
The International League is a minor league baseball league that operates in the eastern United States. Like the Pacific Coast League and the Mexican League, it plays at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball. It was so named because it had teams in both the United States...
moved from the Bay Street Ball Grounds to Red Wing Stadium following the 1928 season. Red Wing Stadium opened May 2, 1929, with a regular season game between the Red Wings and the Reading Keystones. Rochester lost 3–0. The Wings continued to play at the facility until the 1996 season. On August 30, 1996, the Red Wings lost 8–5 to the Ottawa Lynx
Ottawa Lynx
The Ottawa Lynx were a minor league baseball team that formerly competed in the Triple-A International League from 1993 to 2007. The team's home field was Lynx Stadium in Ottawa, Ontario. Over the team's 15 seasons, it was the Triple-A Minor League affiliate of the Montreal Expos , Baltimore...
in the final regular season game at Silver Stadium. Rochester also lost the final game ever at Silver Stadium, game two of the Governors' Cup
Governors' Cup
The Governors' Cup is the trophy awarded each year to the champion of the International League, one of the two current Triple-A level minor leagues of Major League Baseball.-Governors' Cup history:...
Finals on September 10, 1996, by a margin of 4–0 to the Columbus Clippers
Columbus Clippers
The Columbus Clippers are a minor league baseball team based in Columbus, Ohio. The team plays in the International League and is the Triple-A affiliate of the Cleveland Indians. The team is owned by the government of Franklin County, Ohio....
. The Red Wings moved to Frontier Field
Frontier Field
Frontier Field is a baseball stadium located at One Morrie Silver Way in downtown Rochester, New York. The park opened in 1996, replacing Silver Stadium in northern Rochester, which had been home to professional baseball in Rochester since 1929...
for the 1997 season.
The New York Black Yankees
New York Black Yankees
The New York Black Yankees was a professional baseball team based in New York City, Paterson, NJ, and Rochester, NY which played in the Negro National League from 1936 to 1948. The Black Yankees played in Paterson, New Jersey from 1933-1937 and then from 1939-1945. The 1938 season saw the Black...
of the Negro National League played at Red Wing Stadium in 1948. The season was the last in the team's history.
Outside of baseball, the ballpark briefly hosted professional football as Red Wing Stadium was the home field for the Rochester Braves
Syracuse Braves
The Syracuse Braves were a professional American football team that competed in the second American Football League in 1936 and 1937. Coached by Don Irwin and Red Badgro, the Braves played in Municipal Stadium, which had a capacity of only about 10,000 people...
(second American Football League) in 1936 and the Rochester Tigers (second American Football League) in 1936 and 1937.
The largest attendance at the stadium was 31,000, for a concert by The Grateful Dead on June 30, 1988, eclipsing their previous record of 30,100, on July 2, 1987.