In 1908, George Stallings brokered a deal between a group of Montreal-based investors to purchase the woebegone Royals of the International League. Although the team folded a decade later, Stallings had developed a hunger to not only be a middleman, but to be an owner. In 1927, he formed a group of investors from around the city to purchase the struggling Jersey City Skeeters, relocate them to Montreal and rename them the Royals. While the original Royals had played in tiny A

Although Jarry Park Stadium was notorious for inviting both snow and rain in the middle of baseball season, it served well as the backdrop for inviting a Major League Baseball team to Montreal. Ultimately, the fans didn't care about all of the rescheduled games, they just wanted to watch their beloved Expos. The Conception In the old days, the main baseball park in Montreal was a 20,000 seat venue in the borough of Ville-Marie named Delorimier Stadium. That little stadium was

Although it was oddly shaped, Toronto's Exhibition Stadium became a staple in the city's identity as an athletic epicenter. Not only did it host numerous Grey Cups, but it finally drew an MLB team up north. The Conception In 1879 the city of Toronto signed a long-term lease on 50 acres of a former military reserve just off the banks of Lake Ontario with the goal of developing the site for a number of agricultural and industrial exhibitions. One of the site's more permanent st

Having lost in the Stanley Cup Finals in 1908 and 1910, the Edmonton Eskimos had outgrown the cozy confines of the Thistle Rink and their owners searched far and wide for the perfect spot to build Edmonton's first indoor arena. Dazzled by the site of the city's old fairgrounds just beyond downtown, the Eskimos set up shop on the southwest corner of 118th Avenue and 73rd Street. The first event was held on Christmas Day, 1913 between the Eskimos and the Dominion Furriers. It w

It was one of the first dual purpose stadiums, yet always seemed to be a step behind. Still, while other stadiums enjoyed much more success, Shea Stadium provided the backdrop for some of sport's most endearing teams: the 1968 Jets, the 1969 "Miracle" Mets and the 1986 Mets. As it slowly wove its way into the national conscience, Shea Stadium became a beacon of hope in troubled times, for while its teams often struggled, one never knew when they just might shock the world. T

Tampa Stadium was shaped very much like its football team. While the Tampa Bay Buccaneers started off poorly, they enjoyed a brief renaissance of good fortune before going back into the cellar before emerging like a butterfly out of a cocoon to dominate the NFL. Often referred to by ESPN's Chris Berman as "the Big Sombrero", Tampa Stadium was often the backdrop to the worst football imaginable, yet it still found a way to host two Super Bowls and Pro Bowl, providing lifelong

When the Hollywood Stars moved to Los Angeles in 1938, they spent time in both Wrigley Field and Gilmore Stadium while their permanent home was being built. They truly felt at home once Gilmore Field opened in May 1939, just a stone's throw away from the Stadium yet still located within the dense Gilmore's Farmers Market. Stars owner Bob Cobb was well connected with Hollywood and had even brought in a slew of luminaries such as Gene Autry, Gary Cooper and Bing Crosby as min

Earl Gilmore loved auto racing. Having grown enamored with the Indianapolis 500, the man who built the Gilmore Oil Company into a West Coast juggernaut had the means to build a race track of his own. In 1934, he had an 18,000 seat stadium built on the Gilmore Farmer's Market property at West Third Street and Fairfax Avenue in Los Angeles, believing that midget auto racing would be a terrific marketing tool for his oil company. Although he was right, it was the film industry

For nearly half a century, three great outfielders patrolled Fenway Park's left-field, snagging balls at a furious rate while crushing home runs and pacing their Red Sox teammates in virtually every offensive category. But while Ted Williams and Carl Yastrzemski brought their own unique talents to the ballpark, Jim Rice just might have been the best of the trio when it came to defense. He just seemed to have a feel for the way the ball would bounce off of the Green Monster. T

Seattle's road to gaining a major league team was quite tenuous as was the journey it traveled to building a stadium adequate enough for the big leagues. While Sick's Stadium lacked everything imaginable, it did help introduce Seattle to the major leagues and helped usher in a new age for the Emerald City. Dugdale Field It all began with Dugdale Field. Built in the middle of the Rainier Valley in 1913 and named after Dan Dugdale, a pioneer of the sport who founded multiple te

Having hosted 31 Stanley Cup Finals and countless memories in the sport, it's no wonder that the Montreal Forum is regarded as one of the Cathedrals of Hockey. Over the years, it saw the sport at its best and at its worst as its tenants became one of the greatest dynasties in all of sports. This is the story of the Montreal Forum. The Conception Despite its immediate popularity, few could have imagined the possibilities when a humble little roller rink opened on the corner of

It was the winter of 1949 and the Rice University Owls were on a roll. Led by Froggy Williams and Joe Watson, Rice had won the daunting Southwest Conference and capped off their best season ever with a thrilling win over North Carolina in the Cotton Bowl. As a program, they had hardly ever sniffed the national polls and were pleasantly surprised that they had finished the year ranked fifth in America. At the heels of such a memorable season came added expectations. They had t

High school football is everything in Texas. All through the state, the programs and their budgets seemingly get bigger every year. In a way, high school football brought pro football to Houston. Originally built for the area's high schools, Jeppesen Stadium became home to not only the University of Houston but also the AFL's Oilers. This is the story of Jeppesen Stadium. The Conception In 1940, the Houston Independant School District (HISD) bought some land with the intentio

At the turn of the century, Syracuse University was practically without an identity. That all changed when Archbold Stadium opened in 1907. While critics were initially sceptical, the bowl shaped stadium eventually won over the hearts of all. It became one of the best home-field advantages in all of college football, at one point boasting an impressive 61-10-6 record over a 13 year span. Along the way, it hosted some of the sport's greatest stars, including the legendary runn

The Houston Astrodome certainly lived up to the hype. It was so much more than just the first domed stadium used for both baseball and football. It hosted a host of events big and small from boxing and tennis matches featuring the biggest stars of the era to basketball games that just might lead to a major change in the sport itself. While the Astrodome eventually was snuffed out by bigger, better stadiums, it still holds a special place in the heart of sports fans. This is i

For three years, Colt Stadium invited fans to roast under the blazing Texas sun as the new team in town, the Colt .45s, found their way to relevancy. While most games were pure torture for all involved, in the distance, one could see the Astrodome being built. This is the story of Colt Stadium. The Sizzler When Major League Baseball awarded Houston an expansion team in 1960, team owner Roy Hofheinz toured Busch Stadium. As the home of the AAA Houston Buffs, it could hold up t

Sportsman's Park was St. Louis's first true baseball park. It was here where the city first fell in love with their Cardinals and where star players such as Stan Musial, Lou Brock and Bob Gibson first captured America's attention, making it realize that St. Louis had the potential to be a powerhouse. This is the story of Sportsman's Park. Background It all began in 1870 when August Solari bought a plot of land on Didier Street and North Grand Avenue and built a humble little

Before Kansas City, Missouri became known as a big league city with massive and iconic stadiums, it held a moderately sized, multi-use stadium aptly named Municipal Stadium. Since its birth in 1923, it hosted numerous minor league teams before graduating to both the NFL and Major League Baseball. It witnessed some of the greatest games ever played and hosted some of that era's greatest players. This is its story. The Conception For years, the minor league Kansas City Blues an

The venue was an enigma. Built in an age when the automobile was all the rage, it was vast enough to hold massive crowds for football games yet remained a bit too large for a baseball team that was rarely a contender. Still, Cleveland Municipal Stadium provided the backdrop for some of sports most memorable moments. This is its story. The Conception It was the Roaring '20's and America was in the thick of the automobile age. The leaders of Cleveland had been looking for a sui

Sam Chapman was a man of many talents. Whether he was running roughshod over his gridiron opponents at Cal, teaching fighter pilots how to traverse enemy territory in World War II or using his chemistry degree to make the air a little safer in his beloved San Francisco Bay Area, he left his mark wherever he went. Perhaps his most memorable years were spent in Philadelphia playing for the last teams that Connie Mack would ever manage. The Early Years Sam Chapman was born on Ap