View Full Version : Spar stadium, Shreveport
bnbusser
05-27-2008, 03:33 PM
I am putting together photos I shot of old Spar stadium in Shreveport. Was wondering if anyone had any memories or photos of it. I was there when it basically was abandoned and falling apart. It should be on my slte later this week.
www.ballparks.phanfare.com
Wow! I just looked at your pics of Chicago Stadium, incredible!
Great website!:applaud:
bnbusser
05-27-2008, 04:03 PM
Thanks! I have so much I need to ad to the site.... Chicago stadium was one of my favorite buildings... that place literally ROCKED... noiseist building I ve ever been in.... Chicago stadium and old RFK stadium were the two buildings I ve been in that shook..
Chevy114
05-28-2008, 05:21 AM
So your the guy who runs that site? I love it! Great shots of the boston garden and chicago stadium!
bnbusser
05-28-2008, 07:09 AM
Yea, I am the guy. Glad you like it. I have been fortunate enough to see a lot of different venues that are long gone. And I shot them on film. Digital is making it easier now. Scanning all the photos takes forever....
Chevy114
05-28-2008, 07:15 AM
Yeah I can def. tell the photo quality difference between the newer places you go to with digital and the older places with still cameras. Its fun to see both though. So what was so bad about chicago stadium that they had to tear it down? To small, not enough luxary boxes, or just falling apart?
bnbusser
05-28-2008, 07:32 AM
Lack of luxury boxes and bells and whistles. I loved that building. It was structurally sound but just outdated. Some of my shots were when they auctioned off stuff, and I got to get into places that the public never saw. Inside, there was nothing wrong with it. Now, the Hawks and Bulls play in an aircraft hangar. Yea, its big and more seats etc etc, BUT you lose that edge. Teams hated going into Chicago stadium, Boston garden etc..
Chevy114
05-28-2008, 07:42 AM
Lack of luxury boxes and bells and whistles. I loved that building. It was structurally sound but just outdated. Some of my shots were when they auctioned off stuff, and I got to get into places that the public never saw. Inside, there was nothing wrong with it. Now, the Hawks and Bulls play in an aircraft hangar. Yea, its big and more seats etc etc, BUT you lose that edge. Teams hated going into Chicago stadium, Boston garden etc..
My ex g/fs dad is from there and he told me it was loud and it would shake so bad that no one wanted to play against chicago in any sports! It's a shame they couldn't do anything with it to keep it, because man was it beautiful!
bnbusser
05-28-2008, 07:57 AM
I only saw 3 events there ( I live on the west coast). One was a preseason hockey game with St.Louis. And the building literally shook. When the Hawks would score, they would blow that foghorn under the scoreboard. It was deafaning. The Barton organ, if played at full volumne, had the power of 25 - 100 piece brass bands, and would blow out every window in the building.
Can't believe I never went there..... I was born in 82 and I had the chance I guess.
Old man didn't like hockey or basketball, though. Plus tickets were hard to come buy I guess.
Sorry to hijack!:D
Chevy114
05-28-2008, 12:05 PM
Yeah I have read where the fog horn was loud and the organ was huge. Must have been good for the home team!
bnbusser
05-28-2008, 12:14 PM
that and the short ice surface.... one other quirk was as a player, you had to go DOWN stairs into the basement to get to the locker room... it was an amazing building... as was the Boston garden, maple leaf gardens, the Montreal forum and olympia in Detroit
bnbusser
05-28-2008, 12:15 PM
Can't believe I never went there..... I was born in 82 and I had the chance I guess.
Old man didn't like hockey or basketball, though. Plus tickets were hard to come buy I guess.
Sorry to hijack!:D
You aren't hijacking at all! the more the merrier... I am just thankful I have seen a lot of these places...
Dougman59
05-30-2008, 09:00 AM
It was really great. You have been taking photos for a long time. I really like the more obscure indoor arenas. My favorite is of the Minneapolis Auditorium.
It was the first arena I ever went to but it wasn't for a game. When I was 11(1971) and several years after, my dad and brother and myself went the seasonal sports show. A huge convention held all the boats or resort kiosks but they would have entertainment at the Auditorium. It really off kilter stuff. The two things I remember a guy doing fishing line tricks, a comedy routine with a man and a dog where the dog would do nothing but the guy would be all enuthiasic. He kept saying "thataboy Louie".
I wish my dad still around because I would call him and ask him what other acts were there because I know he would have remembered every one. Thanks for the memory.
PS The Minneapolis Auditorium did look alot like Philadelphia's Civic Center. My guess is that Baltimore Arena looks pretty much the same too.
bnbusser
05-30-2008, 02:22 PM
It was really great. You have been taking photos for a long time. I really like the more obscure indoor arenas. My favorite is of the Minneapolis Auditorium.
It was the first arena I ever went to but it wasn't for a game. When I was 11(1971) and several years after, my dad and brother and myself went the seasonal sports show. A huge convention held all the boats or resort kiosks but they would have entertainment at the Auditorium. It really off kilter stuff. The two things I remember a guy doing fishing line tricks, a comedy routine with a man and a dog where the dog would do nothing but the guy would be all enuthiasic. He kept saying "thataboy Louie".
I wish my dad still around because I would call him and ask him what other acts were there because I know he would have remembered every one. Thanks for the memory.
PS The Minneapolis Auditorium did look alot like Philadelphia's Civic Center. My guess is that Baltimore Arena looks pretty much the same too.
Glad you liked the site... yea the old aud looked a lot like convention hall in Philadelphia.. the Baltimore arena is still standing too...
Dougman59
05-31-2008, 12:01 PM
There is another now gone venue that looked similar to Minneapolis and Philadelphia. Next door the Milwaukee area was the MECCA Auditorium held about 5,000 people in U shape with a stage on one end. It was used for some sporting events such as the first few years of indoor soccer. But it used mostly for conventions, trade and sport shows, and an occasional concert/children performance.
The original configeration no longer exists, they have torn down the seating portion of the Auditiorium but saved the stage (A process that was very similar to the Phil. Civic Center destruction) and put in an enlarged lobby and traditional theater seating.
Another interesting place in the St Paul area that still exists is the Hippodrome at the state fairground. 1940's poured concrete roof which holds about 5,000. Used for some high school, junior, and some college hockey.
On one other note:
I live in Milwaukee. I liked the County Stadium photos although I was looking for a photo of the worst seat in baseball. It was a seat that was facing right field and behind a large cream brick pillar. You could only see a portion of right field and that was it.
bnbusser
06-01-2008, 01:04 PM
I had a soft spot for old County stadium. It was what it was... well a dump.. but it had that old feel to it.... not to mention by far THE BEST brats in baseball... with the secret sauce.. I was lucky enough to see about half a dozen games there.
I finished uploading old spar stadium too...
http://ballparks.phanfare.com/album/607426#imageID=39999579
Dougman59
06-01-2008, 06:11 PM
I had a soft spot for old County stadium. It was what it was... well a dump.. but it had that old feel to it.... not to mention by far THE BEST brats in baseball... with the secret sauce.. I was lucky enough to see about half a dozen games there.
I finished uploading old spar stadium too...
http://ballparks.phanfare.com/album/607426#imageID=39999579
I miss County Stadium too for the little things...parking close by, relatively affordable good tickets and food. If I wanted to go to a game after work it was doable, easy in easy out. It was small town, not corporate.
I suppose I've seen 30-40 games there.
bnbusser
06-01-2008, 08:36 PM
I grew up going to OLD Anaheim stadium before the Rams ruined it... You could get in for a buck fifty, sit in the upper deck, have two hot dogs and a coke and popcorn for about 7 bucks.... and see Nolan Ryan pitch... I saw him throw a 1 hitter opening night in Anaheim in 1977. Bob Stinson got a flair single with two out in the 8th.... All in all I saw Ryan throw 3 one hitters and god knows how many 2 hitters... He is the only pitcher I have ever seen that you thought "DAMN he could throw a no hitter tonight". He was amazing....
Dougman59
06-02-2008, 09:24 PM
I grew up going to OLD Anaheim stadium before the Rams ruined it... You could get in for a buck fifty, sit in the upper deck, have two hot dogs and a coke and popcorn for about 7 bucks.... and see Nolan Ryan pitch... I saw him throw a 1 hitter opening night in Anaheim in 1977. Bob Stinson got a flair single with two out in the 8th.... All in all I saw Ryan throw 3 one hitters and god knows how many 2 hitters... He is the only pitcher I have ever seen that you thought "DAMN he could throw a no hitter tonight". He was amazing....
I've lived in Milwaukee since 1986, so I've missed the World Series thing. Given my time frame I have not wittnessed significant historic home team events. The two events I did attend at the stadium were Ryan's 300th win and I was at the game Puckett went 6 for 6. Funny the greatest Brewer events since I came to town took place in 1987: the winning streak at the begining of the season, Monitor hitting streak, a no hitter (Jaun Nieves), and Higurea had a good season. I guess the best thing since then has been Fielder being the youngest to get 50 Hrs.
Thirty years ago I remember trying to walk to the big A from Disneyland. Too far and a freeway I couldn't figure how to cross. I heard it is nice.
bnbusser
06-03-2008, 12:08 AM
I had a problem in 1986...to go to my godmothers sons wedding or game 5 of the ALCS.... I opted for game 5 .. the infamous 1 bleeping strike Henderson home run game.. (I am a Red Sox fan so i loved it) my buddy is a diehard angels fan... I remember with 2 out in the 9th...telling him congrats that the halos were gonna go to the WS... well history said NO... We walked out of that stadium and it was eerily quiet.... he turned to me and said "its over...they (the angels) will lose the next 2" .... That park went from insane asylum to morgue with one swing of the bat....
Dougman59
06-03-2008, 05:29 AM
I had a problem in 1986...to go to my godmothers sons wedding or game 5 of the ALCS.... I opted for game 5 .. the infamous 1 bleeping strike Henderson home run game.. (I am a Red Sox fan so i loved it) my buddy is a diehard angels fan... I remember with 2 out in the 9th...telling him congrats that the halos were gonna go to the WS... well history said NO... We walked out of that stadium and it was eerily quiet.... he turned to me and said "its over...they (the angels) will lose the next 2" .... That park went from insane asylum to morgue with one swing of the bat....
I remember watching that game on TV. Personally it broke my heart. Not so much that I'm an Angels fan, but the team had Gene Mauch, the ex twins skipper. The year before they had Rod Carew and I was a fan of his. They were two individuals I feel were most deserving of a World Series appearence that I can think of. Poor Gene, god rest his soul, 3 times came within one game of world series. It never happened.
bnbusser
06-03-2008, 07:10 AM
Anaheim went from bedlam and euphoria...to a morgue in 2 minutes... It took that franchise years to recover. I grew up with godawful Angel teams too... with the likes of Dave Chalk to Bob Oliver to Billy Cowan....
Great site!
I lived in Indy for about 14 years and got to watch many games at Bush Stadium. I've been to a lot of Major League games, but it wasn't as good an experience as going to a game at Bush. That place captured what it must have been like going to a game back in 20's, or 30's.
It was great seeing those pics of her from 94. Brought back memories.
While you were in Indy, did you get the chance to check out Hinkle Fieldhouse?
bnbusser
06-03-2008, 08:51 AM
Great site!
I lived in Indy for about 14 years and got to watch many games at Bush Stadium. I've been to a lot of Major League games, but it wasn't as good an experience as going to a game at Bush. That place captured what it must have been like going to a game back in 20's, or 30's.
It was great seeing those pics of her from 94. Brought back memories.
While you were in Indy, did you get the chance to check out Hinkle Fieldhouse?
Yes I did get to Hinkle... also the coliseum at the fairgrounds too... I will be adding them at some point... Hinkle is a great building... I believe the Pacers of the old ABA played a few games there. Bush is one of my fav. minor league parks.... along with Spar in Shreveport. Too bad they let Bush go to ruin.... It would be nice if they refurbished it and used it for HS baseball, college and amateur.....
That's great that you got to Hinkle and the Pepsi Coliseum at the fairgrounds. I can't wait to see those pics also.
I know a lot of folks may knock Lucas Oil Stadium when it first opens later this year, but it is a direct reflection of these Indy venues, along with Conseco Fieldhouse, the Indianapolis City Market (Which Market Square used to be next to) and Indy architeture in general.