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

All throughout World War II, soldiers who were on their way to the Pacific Theater became enamored with the states that rested on that...

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

Phil Smith used basketball to get out of the San Francisco projects. Along the way, the shooting guard for the 1975 world champion Golden...

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

Before it was home to the River Cats, the city of Sacramento was home to the PCL's Solons. While few remember them, their legacy is dotted with legendary moments and people. This is the story of the Sacramento Solons. The Original Solons The team began as the Senators in 1903 before changing their name to the "Sacts" for the next five years. After 1913, they switched back to their original name where they developed a nice little following in the capital city. On June 10, 1930

Ban Johnson needed a team in the Big Apple. As the founder of the infant American League, he needed a presence in the media capital of the world. With the Baltimore Orioles under his control, he was able to sell the ballclub for a mere $18,000 to three men with influence in New York: Frank Farrell (the Pool Room King), Billy Devery (a former New York City police chief) and team president Joseph Gordon (a coal merchant and state assemblyman). The three moved the Orioles to Ne

Ernie Lombardi was one of the best catchers of his era. Hailing from the Oakland Oaks of the PCL, he made a name for himself in...

The Polo Grounds was once synonymous with sports and interwoven in America's fabric. It was here, not the Bronx, where the seeds of the New York Yankees great dynasty was first spread. It was here where both Tom Landry and Vince Lombardi got their first real shots at proving themselves in the NFL. The Polo Grounds was much more than just a single Shot Heard 'Round the World, there was a time when it was the face of sports in America. Polo Grounds I (1880-1889) Of all the vers

Very few ballparks have claimed a city's heart like Brooklyn's Ebbets Field. Perhaps it was Charles Ebbets continued investment in the community, or perhaps it was the long wait for the Dodgers to finally beat those dreaded Yankees in the World Series. Whatever the reason may be, what is certain is that Brooklyn's heart was ripped out of its chest when Ebbets Field was torn down. Let's take a look at how a simple ballpark became so interwoven in a city's soul. The Conception

The 1951 University of San Francisco football team is one of the most legendary in all of the Bay Area. Nine members of that team went on...

For a stadium with such a short life span, Minnesota's Metropolitan Stadium certainly had its fair share of memories. Memories such as Sandy Koufax refusing to play in the World Series opener due to religious reasons, the Purple People Eaters gobbling up opponents on the frozen tundra and the birth of the Hail Mary pass make "the Met" seem so much older than it really was. All told, Metropolitan Stadium lasted a mere 20 years before domed stadiums became the norm. The Concep