Phoenix Municipal Stadium
| Phoenix Municipal Stadium | |
|---|---|
.jpg)
|
|
| Data | |
| place | 5999 E. Van Buren Street Phoenix , Arizona 85008
 |
| operator | Arizona State University |
| opening | March 8, 1964 |
| surface | Natural grass |
| architect | Fred M. Guirey |
| capacity | 8775 seats |
| Societies) | |
|
|
The Phoenix Municipal Stadium is a baseball stadium in Phoenix , Arizona . It is often referred to as the Phoenix Muni for short. The stadium was built in 1964 and can seat 8,775 people. It is currently home to the Arizona State Sun Devils , who moved to Phoenix Municipal Stadium at the start of the 2015 season. It is the former spring training center of the Oakland A's (1982-2014). The San Francisco Giants trained at the stadium in the spring from 1964 to 1981 and then moved to Scottsdale Stadium .
history
Old Phoenix Municipal Stadium (1936-1963)
The original Phoenix Municipal Stadium was located near downtown Phoenix. The ball park was opened in 1936 and offered space for around 3000 spectators. The lighting was installed until 1937.
The old stadium was used for various local baseball games, wrestling, and dog racing until 1946 when the New York Giants made arrangements to begin spring training there. The stadium had to be renovated and an injunction was obtained against organizing more dog races on the stadium grounds to bring the Giants into town.
On March 9, 1947, the Giants played their first game at the stadium against the Cleveland Indians . The Giants defeated the Indians with 8-7 in front of 8,000 spectators.
The Giants renewed their agreement in April 1947 to stay in the stadium until 1950 and eventually played in the stadium until 1963. Then they moved to the new one.
Phoenix Municipal Stadium (since 1964)
Phoenix City Council approved the construction of a new stadium in Papago Park on June 4, 1962, to replace the old stadium entirely. Construction was delayed by a year, however, in part because the stadium was to be funded in part through the sale of the land on which the old stadium stood - only one bidder appeared at the auction and only offered in the parking lot, creating a funding gap left behind.
The first spring training game was played on March 8, 1964, in which the Giants beat Cleveland 6-2. Willie Mays hit the first home run in the park in front of 8,582 spectators. Commissioner Ford Frick, National League President Warren Giles and Giants owner Horace Stoneham attended the opening ceremony.
In 1981, the San Francisco Giants signed an agreement to move to Scottsdale Stadium because the City of Phoenix has not carried out the requested renovations. The Oakland Athletics , who had previously trained in Scottsdale, signed a seven-year lease for the move to the Phoenix Municipal Stadium. The A's renovated the dugouts and the training complex.
lighting
The stadium's light poles are the original light poles that were installed on the Polo Grounds in New York City in 1940 . They served the Polo Grounds until 1964 when the stadium was demolished. Horace Stoneham, the owner of the Giants, delivered the light poles to Phoenix.
Web links
Individual evidence
- ↑ Arizona Republic from Phoenix, Arizona on March 9, 1982 · Page 6. Retrieved February 29, 2020 .
- ↑ 26 Apr 1936, Page 15 - Arizona Republic at Newspapers.com. Retrieved February 29, 2020 .
- ↑ 7 Jun 1937, Page 8 - Arizona Republic at Newspapers.com. Retrieved February 29, 2020 .
- ^ 2 Aug 1946, Page 28 - Arizona Republic at Newspapers.com. Retrieved February 29, 2020 .
- ^ 10 Mar 1947, Page 5 - Arizona Republic at Newspapers.com. Retrieved February 29, 2020 .
- ^ 4 Apr 1947, 64 - The News at Newspapers.com. Retrieved February 29, 2020 .
- ↑ 23 Apr 1963, Page 1 - Arizona Republic at Newspapers.com. Retrieved February 29, 2020 .
- ↑ 25 Apr 1962, Page 39 - Arizona Republic at Newspapers.com. Retrieved February 29, 2020 .
- ↑ 16 Apr 1981, Page 64 - Arizona Republic at Newspapers.com. Retrieved February 29, 2020 .