Tim McCarver Stadium

Tim McCarver Stadium

Location	Memphis, TN 38103
Coordinates	35°07′25″N 89°58′48″W / 35.12361°N 89.98000°WCoordinates: 35°07′25″N 89°58′48″W / 35.12361°N 89.98000°W
Capacity	8,800
Surface	AstroTurf (infield) Grass (outfield)
Construction
Opened	1963
Closed	2000
Demolished	2005
Tenants
Memphis Blues (TL) (1968-1976) Memphis Chicks (SL) (1978-1997) Memphis Redbirds (PCL) (1998-1999)

Tim McCarver Stadium was a stadium in Memphis, Tennessee. It was primarily used for baseball and was the home of the Memphis Blues (1968–1976), the Memphis Chicks (1978–1997), and the Memphis Redbirds (1998–1999).

The ballpark had a capacity of 8,800 people and opened in 1963 as an American Legion field, dubbed Fairgrounds #3 due to its location at the former Mid-South Fairgrounds. Memphis Memorial Stadium, now Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium, was constructed adjacent to it two years later. It was first used for professional baseball in 1968 and the Memphis Blues had the name changed to Blues Stadium. In October 1977, the then-new Memphis Chicks franchise changed the name of the ballpark to Tim McCarver Field after then-Major League Baseball catcher and current commentator, Tim McCarver, a Memphis native.^[1]

It was unusual in that the infield in later years was AstroTurf so that Kansas City Royals players could practice on the artificial surface in preparation for playing at Kauffman Stadium which until 1995 was AstroTurf. The outfield remained grass much like Telus Field in Edmonton and Comiskey Park in Chicago had been from 1969 to 1976.

The facility replaced Russwood Park, the previous baseball park, after its destruction by fire in 1960 which effectively sent Memphis baseball into dormancy for several years. Tim McCarver Stadium was in turn replaced by AutoZone Park in 2000. The stadium was demolished in 2005.

References

1. "Stadium Named For McCarver". Gettysburg Times (Gettysburg, PA: Times and News Publishing Company). Associated Press. October 21, 1977. p. 14. Retrieved May 9, 2013.