View Full Version : Ballpark Detectives!... Time for Mystery Park #2!
Digitalballparks
03-25-2009, 06:36 AM
This one isn't quite so cool looking. It's a rather non-descript ballpark with a lot of palm trees in the background. I'm assuming it could be a spring training park from the 70's or earlier. Not really sure what it is.
Not a lot of info on this one. Good luck everyone.
As I stated on the last one that William Kaufman of York PA figured out... I have no idea what the answer is, that's why i'm posting this. I've had to figure out a lot of these and usually can. These ones have me stumped.
Eric Pastore
www.digitalballparks.com
Over 10,000 photos of baseball stadiums now online.
Bernard Shakey
03-25-2009, 01:08 PM
Wow, after one attempt, this one is tough. It looks like a Florida sky.
go_leafs_go02
03-25-2009, 01:27 PM
I'm Out.
The only thing that might help out is that glassy white building in the top right photo in the top left corner of that photo.
Bernard Shakey
03-25-2009, 01:48 PM
Cars and clothes scream 1977/78/79. Stadium looks well aged, so a construction date prior to the 60s is a fair assumption.
CandlestickBum
03-25-2009, 01:53 PM
Wow, after one attempt, this one is tough. It looks like a Florida sky.
When Arizona has clouds, it's prone to a lot of small cells like that too.
The kids look hispanic, but that's no help telling Fl from Az.
But the flatness of the landscape and all that green grass makes me away from the southwest though.
efin98
03-25-2009, 07:22 PM
When Arizona has clouds, it's prone to a lot of small cells like that too.
The kids look hispanic, but that's no help telling Fl from Az.
But the flatness of the landscape and all that green grass makes me away from the southwest though.
Trees though look like palms...I think it may be a pre-renovation Sanford Memorial Stadium in Florida...
the seating bowl looks almost exactly like this: http://www.digitalballparks.com/SpringTraining/Sanford_640_4.html
the ground looks like white sandy florida ground.
The Splendid Splinter
03-25-2009, 08:40 PM
Trees though look like palms...I think it may be a pre-renovation Sanford Memorial Stadium in Florida...
the seating bowl looks almost exactly like this: http://www.digitalballparks.com/SpringTraining/Sanford_640_4.html
It could be... I think it is Sanford Memorial Stadium as well... I'm trying to find pictures of it before the renovation in 2001 though.
http://www.ballparkreviews.com/sanford/sanford.htm
the only thing that doesn't make sense is the infield... the old ones had dirt on the base paths and the new one is only around the bases and the mound.
gman5431
03-26-2009, 06:35 AM
These are some really interesting posts. I have always enjoyed the digitalballparks site. I think ive heard of Sanford's stadium from there.
G Man
Digitalballparks
03-26-2009, 09:31 AM
Trees though look like palms...I think it may be a pre-renovation Sanford Memorial Stadium in Florida...
the seating bowl looks almost exactly like this: http://www.digitalballparks.com/SpringTraining/Sanford_640_4.html
Good guess elfin!... but I have the sanford shots. The ballpark didn't look all that much different in the old days.
This is Sanford Memorial Stadium circa 1979
P.S. I just thought of something. Does anyone have Wickers Stadium / Wickers Field in Key West where the Single-A Cubs used to play? I was just down there a little bit ago and it's now a cloverleaf softball facility. I heard that the stadium was a non-descript type facility. I'm leaning also towards Florida btw... too many naturally growing palm trees i'm seeing
Eric
President
www.digitalballparks.com
efin98
03-26-2009, 09:55 AM
Am I mistaken in thinking that there may be a dual-use for the stadium? The shape of the grandstand and the set of bleachers beyond the 1st base dugout makes it look like there may be football played there in addition to baseball...
I'll throw out another guess here...Labatt Park in London, Ontario Extriors look the same, similar setup with the detatched concrete bleachers down the 1st base line, similar shaped grandstand with press box behind home plate...
Digitalballparks
03-26-2009, 10:33 AM
Am I mistaken in thinking that there may be a dual-use for the stadium? The shape of the grandstand and the set of bleachers beyond the 1st base dugout makes it look like there may be football played there in addition to baseball...
I'll throw out another guess here...Labatt Park in London, Ontario Extriors look the same, similar setup with the detatched concrete bleachers down the 1st base line, similar shaped grandstand with press box behind home plate...
Not too many palm trees in Ontario though...
efin98
03-26-2009, 11:03 AM
Not too many palm trees in Ontario though...
True...if they are even palms. Closer look at the grandstand looks like it's not as curved as the mystery park though...so it's out.
Digitalballparks
03-26-2009, 11:06 AM
True...if they are even palms. Closer look at the grandstand looks like it's not as curved as the mystery park though...so it's out.
take a look at the exterior and the grandstand... those round trees... those are all palms! It could be something other than florida... but i think we're limited to the coastal sections of alabama, texas, louisiana or mississippi, with that many palm trees.
Am I mistaken in thinking that there may be a dual-use for the stadium? The shape of the grandstand and the set of bleachers beyond the 1st base dugout makes it look like there may be football played there in addition to baseball...
I'll throw out another guess here...Labatt Park in London, Ontario Extriors look the same, similar setup with the detatched concrete bleachers down the 1st base line, similar shaped grandstand with press box behind home plate...
I noticed that too. The concrete stands down the RF line look out of place and may either be an addition or something that pre-dated the stadium.
jl1718
03-26-2009, 01:32 PM
Too bad you can't get a zoom on pic 1. May be some info on the ticket booth.
go_leafs_go02
03-26-2009, 02:03 PM
Am I mistaken in thinking that there may be a dual-use for the stadium? The shape of the grandstand and the set of bleachers beyond the 1st base dugout makes it look like there may be football played there in addition to baseball...
I'll throw out another guess here...Labatt Park in London, Ontario Extriors look the same, similar setup with the detatched concrete bleachers down the 1st base line, similar shaped grandstand with press box behind home plate...
My hometown is London, Ontario.
rest assured..palm trees in London do not exist.
You'll see a few palm trees in Canada, along the Pacific coast, but they are ornamental, and non-native to the region.
How 'bout a Patriot's Game ( the Movie) zoom in on the license plate on the car ? Looks like a late 60's Chevy Impala. I'd go Florida/small town. Eric, AWESOME site. You bring many memories alive!
efin98
03-26-2009, 02:27 PM
My hometown is London, Ontario.
rest assured..palm trees in London do not exist.
You'll see a few palm trees in Canada, along the Pacific coast, but they are ornamental, and non-native to the region.
I forgot about the palms when I was looking at the park...then again I haven't seen a real live palm in my life so it's not surprising I'd miss the most obvious reason why the park wasn't that one.
ipitch
03-26-2009, 02:37 PM
I bet this guy knows. He appears to be in his late 20s. Probably about 50 now. Medium build. Right-handed. Might live in Florida.
Good one. A 2007 photo of the " shadowy photog."
http://neatocoolville.blogspot.com/2007/08/snapshot-photo-of-lamont-cranston-aka.html
Digitalballparks
03-26-2009, 07:35 PM
Too bad you can't get a zoom on pic 1. May be some info on the ticket booth.
Got em... the originals ... here we go... they're real big.
...and thanks for the appreciation out there guys. We want every ballpark in history on here... from every angle... (we just gotta figure out what they are! :laugh
Calif_Eagle
03-26-2009, 09:08 PM
I think that Chevy (the Green Impala with the open passenger side door and what looks like a black vinyl top, a popular feature of the late 60's and early 70's ) in the picture has an Arizona plate from the 1973 series of license plates on the front of it. Arizona used to have plates with an off tan-yellow color more tannish than yellow, with green printing and trim. Also, the people look more Indian than Hispanic to me, but thats a very tough call. I Dont know what park it is, but I think when the mystery is solved it will be an old park in Arizona, maybe in Gila Bend or Yuma (somewhere out away from Tucson or Phoenix and the suburban spring training cities...) We'll see : )
Bernard Shakey
03-26-2009, 09:24 PM
I can be talked out of Florida by looking at the people in the shots, however not everyone appears to be of Hispanic descent. This may indeed be the southwest, perhaps somewhere in the area between Corpus Christi and Brownsville, Texas. Here's my current thought process:
Flat and sandy landscape points to Florida as does the cloud pattern (lived there for a spell, it just has that look).
Hispanic and/or native American appearance of many of the fans points to the desert southwest. It's the look of the landscape that keeps me near the Gulf Coast, however, as western TX, NM, AZ, and NV (where one might find palm trees) always seem to have mountains in the distance. Bonus, there's a guy in a cowboy hat at the top of the portal.
Box seats and General Admission seats were available, but it doesn't look like they were selling tickets for that game, but hey the concession stand was buzzing.
The license plate on the impala looks like it could be the Texas tag from that era.
My current leaning is the Gulf Coast of Texas.
Calif_Eagle
03-26-2009, 09:33 PM
There appears to be a Game 4 notation on the sign on the center of the ticket booth... Since that appears to be a 1968 Impala, if we know this is a minor league game with 2 National Association teams, anyone with a ready copy of the Encyclopedia of minor league baseball ought to be able to get some clues by checking the years of say, 1968 to 1979...
Bernard Shakey
03-26-2009, 09:40 PM
There appears to be a Game 4 notation on the sign on the center of the ticket booth... Since that appears to be a 1968 Impala, if we know this is a minor league game with 2 National Association teams, anyone with a ready copy of the Encyclopedia of minor league baseball ought to be able to get some clues by checking the years of say, 1968 to 1979...
Good call. I would say don't bother with anything before 1974 just based on the clothing fashions. One guy has on a white mesh backed hat, very mid to late 70s.
Been all over Corpus, Port Aransas, Brownsville on the web and coming up blank so far.
go_leafs_go02
03-26-2009, 09:41 PM
gulfport/biloxi, mississippi?
Calif_Eagle
03-26-2009, 09:52 PM
There appears to be a Game 4 notation on the sign on the center of the ticket booth... Since that appears to be a 1968 Impala, if we know this is a minor league game with 2 National Association teams, anyone with a ready copy of the Encyclopedia of minor league baseball ought to be able to get some clues by checking the years of say, 1968 to 1979...
I just did this, as I have a copy of the 92 and the latest edition. Most leagues in FL or in the SW didnt have playoffs running best of 7, or even the minimum necessary best of 5. Of Course this game doesnt have to be between two NA teams at all, could be semi-pro or local amateur... likeliest candidates I can find are the Gulf States League Class "A" of 1976 and its successor the Lone Star League of 1977. The league folded at the end of 1977. In 1976 this league had two playoff series. with Seguin dropping Beeville 2 games to none, then Corpus Christi, managed by Leo Mazzone, later of Atlanta Braves pitching coach fame, defeating Seguin 3 games to 0 for the League Title. (Leo would sure know this park, if it is in fact a GSL or LSL ballpark lol) Perhaps I am not reading what looks to me to be game 4 correctly, or perhaps that was for a playoff game that was never played due to CC winning the series 3-0... I never heard of Seguin TX, but but perhaps this is their park? I can believe this is either the park of Corpus Christi or Seguin. This is the likeliest possibility for the years 1968 to 1979 I could find in the Encyclopedia. In 1977 Corpus Christi won the overall flag of the Lone Star League in a runaway then announced (probably for financial reasons) they would not play in the playoffs. So the semi-final that was to determine their opponent was canxed, and the League never played another game, it folded in the off season.
This whole thing is way cool. I feel like Lt. Gerard looking for Richard Kimball.
Aside Freddy Fender & associates copping the Impala..... Are we agreed these are palm trees ? I'm not sure? Is the Datsun for sale ?
I bet this guy knows. He appears to be in his late 20s. Probably about 50 now. Medium build. Right-handed. Might live in Florida.
:laugh
If I was willing to bet, I would say these pics were taken around '77
stadiumbuilder
03-27-2009, 05:44 AM
Something that struck me as odd is the fact that despite what we're assuming is a hot climate, not a single person in any of these photos is wearing shorts. Could it be for mosquito protection? Where are those bugs at their worst along the gulf coast?
Bernard Shakey
03-27-2009, 06:40 AM
Something that struck me as odd is the fact that despite what we're assuming is a hot climate, not a single person in any of these photos is wearing shorts. Could it be for mosquito protection? Where are those bugs at their worst along the gulf coast?
Yet another point in the direction of Texas. I grew up in Ohio, the rest of my family was in Texas, and my folks were teachers. This meant every summer we loaded up the family truckster and headed down there (Houston, Columbus, and Galveston, TX). Despite the ungodly heat and humidity, these photos look like every single photo from a whole decade's worth of Texas visits ('72-'82). Seriously, I just went through 2 albums and the only people in shorts in any photo are me and my sister. I'm tellin' ya, these photos could have come straight from that album and would have fit right in. Somebody mentioned the some defunct Texas minor league above, that's definitely worth a check.
P.S.
All signage is in English for anyone taking the Mexico, Puerto Rico, Venezuala route.
efin98
03-27-2009, 08:40 AM
Huntsville, Tx was mentioned and a google search came up with what might be a thoroughly renovated Harlingen Field in nearby Harlingen, TX: http://www.ballparkreviews.com/harlingen/harlingen.htm
Exterior photo is from a distance away and that old single concrete bleachers section is missing but it fits, right down to the palms in the background.
Calif_Eagle
03-27-2009, 11:03 AM
Yet another point in the direction of Texas. I grew up in Ohio, the rest of my family was in Texas, and my folks were teachers. This meant every summer we loaded up the family truckster and headed down there (Houston, Columbus, and Galveston, TX). Despite the ungodly heat and humidity, these photos look like every single photo from a whole decade's worth of Texas visits ('72-'82). Seriously, I just went through 2 albums and the only people in shorts in any photo are me and my sister. I'm tellin' ya, these photos could have come straight from that album and would have fit right in. Somebody mentioned the some defunct Texas minor league above, that's definitely worth a check.
P.S.
All signage is in English for anyone taking the Mexico, Puerto Rico, Venezuala route.
"Somebody" was me. My initial guess was Arizona based on a possible license plate and the appearance of the people some of who (please forgive me O Mighty Gods of PC) appear to be Mexican or even Indian rather than Cuban. But if we assume that the info on the ticket booth sign is for a playoff game (appears to say something about`a "Game 4") and that this is an *Organized Baseball* playoff game between two teams playing in a National Association member league, the only logical league from FL or the Gulf States area or from the far SW I could find that had a (potential) game 4 was the 1976 Gulf States League. Corpus Christi defeated Seguin Texas 3 games to 0. The "4th game" was never played, but its logical they would have been promoting ticket sales for it.
If CC had a homefield advantage, 2 games in CC, 2 games in Sequin, decider if necessary back at CC.
I believe that if this was a minor league game we are looking at the ballpark in Seguin TX, or at least possibly in Corpus Christi if home field wasnt given out based on standings (i.e. rotation basis).
If this info was for a semi-pro game or a top level amateur game, it could be anywhere. I am basing the above on this being a playoff game between two teams of an NA member minor league.
EDIT: to add some pertinent info... Seguin Tx was the home of a man who had patents on the development and usage of concrete. So, it's possible at least, even if remotely; that this ballpark featured concrete seating areas (or at least the one such area we have seen) due to the cities status as being an early center of concrete construction. A shot in the dark? Grasping at a straw? Maybe... Maybe not...
Bernard Shakey
03-27-2009, 01:54 PM
...Calif_Eagle is a very wise "somebody." Stay away from the cans, he hates cans.
Calif_Eagle
03-27-2009, 02:30 PM
...Calif_Eagle is a very wise "somebody." Stay away from the cans, he hates cans.
Well... I grew up in Cleveland and on many a hot summer day in the bleachers at Cleveland Stadium, I knocked back many a cold can of Genesee... poured into a cup by the vendor of course... So... I have more than a passing acquaintance with cans :laugh
Digitalballparks
03-27-2009, 03:26 PM
Wow! I've been gone for a few hours and you guys have been busy on here! :clapping
Okay so I managed to get some photographs of Seguin ... I'll attach it in about an hour. That's not it.
There was also a mention of Yuma. Got Yuma from 73. I'll attach that in an hour also. That's not it either.
So we can knock those off...
Harlingen is very intreguing... let me see what I can find on that before renovations.
By the way... I love doing this because of this very thing... this ballpark detective thing is awesome, and one of the reasons I wanted to share it with you guys. I'm real glad to see you all getting so into this like I am. I promise you this... if I run out of ballparks that I can't figure out... I may continue putting some up on here that I know the answer to, before I post them on www.digitalballparks.com just to keep you DT's busy and in the game!
Awesome guys... I got a great team here! :bowdown:
Eric
President
www.digitalballparks.com
Calif_Eagle
03-27-2009, 03:40 PM
Got any photos on the park in Corpus Christi? The playoff series I referenced may not have given a "home field advantage". The order of play may have been pre-determined by the league and perhaps games 3 and (the potential, never-to-be-played) game 4 were at CC. Corpus Christi is close to the Gulf and probably has (or could have) palm trees...
EDIT: just looked on the Harlingen site at both of CC's ballpark's the old one and the new one. Neither looks like its it... So I guess the search continues...
Digitalballparks
03-27-2009, 03:52 PM
Got any photos on the park in Corpus Christi? The playoff series I referenced may not have given a "home field advantage". The order of play may have been pre-determined by the league and perhaps games 3 and (the potential, never-to-be-played) game 4 were at CC. Corpus Christi is close to the Gulf and probably has (or could have) palm trees...
EDIT: just looked on the Harlingen site at both of CC's ballpark's the old one and the new one. Neither looks like its it... So I guess the search continues...
Corpus Christi on Charlie's Baseball Parks
http://mysite.verizon.net/charliesballparks/stadiums/cabaniss.htm
and now... Yuma and Seguin circa 1978
Calif_Eagle
03-27-2009, 04:40 PM
I have no photos but I know at one time that Homestead, FL was a spring training site for the Montreal Expos, then it was to become the spring training home for the Cleveland Indians but one of the big Hurricanes (I forget which one, "Andrew" possibly?) roared through there and pretty much destroyed the city, along with the spring training facility and adjoining ballpark.
Homestead was also once a center of citrus growth and had a lot of packing houses along US Route 1. So, perhaps, back in the 70's... it had a ballpark along the lines of the one in the pictures... ? A possibility anyway.
As I compare the park in these pictures to other minor league parks on various sites, this one looks a lot less elaborate than even some very old ones... Im starting to wonder if it even IS a minor league park for a team in Organized Baseball. (a team in a league thats a member of the National Association.)
One more thought.... I dont know if Midland TX has any palm trees but the park pictured for that city on the "Harlingen site" looks like it COULD be a later years renovated version of this one. Another possibility, however slight it may be... (the park would be the old park, called Christensen Stadium, but the more I look at it, the less likely it seems. )
Digitalballparks
03-27-2009, 05:42 PM
I have no photos but I know at one time that Homestead, FL was a spring training site for the Montreal Expos, then it was to become the spring training home for the Cleveland Indians but one of the big Hurricanes (I forget which one, "Andrew" possibly?) roared through there and pretty much destroyed the city, along with the spring training facility and adjoining ballpark.
Homestead was also once a center of citrus growth and had a lot of packing houses along US Route 1. So, perhaps, back in the 70's... it had a ballpark along the lines of the one in the pictures... ? A possibility anyway.
As I compare the park in these pictures to other minor league parks on various sites, this one looks a lot less elaborate than even some very old ones... Im starting to wonder if it even IS a minor league park for a team in Organized Baseball. (a team in a league thats a member of the National Association.)
One more thought.... I dont know if Midland TX has any palm trees but the park pictured for that city on the "Harlingen site" looks like it COULD be a later years renovated version of this one. Another possibility, however slight it may be... (the park would be the old park, called Christensen Stadium, but the more I look at it, the less likely it seems. )
You know... you're comment about "this is a lot less elaborate than even some very old minor league parks"... is it even a real minor league ballpark.
If you look at some of my (www.digitalballparks.com) photos of Alabama ballparks, you'll see that a lot. Look at Wiregrass. Look at some of the other ones like Andrews Field. Alabama has a lot of ballparks that made me think that same thing... like how did they ever play here and why?
Alabama has a history of very stripped down barely functional ballparks throughout its history. Maybe this is an Alabama coastal facility. Someone mentioned Biloxi earlier ... Biloxi never had a minor league team, but there has to be some in history in that area.
Oh and two other things... Homestead never had a spring training park before that one that's on digitalballparks. However like I stated earlier... Key West did, and I think it was very basic from what I remember.
P.S.S. we have to figure this one out soon. Just got another 6 different ballparks across my desk that are amazing and I have no idea what they are...
Calif_Eagle
03-27-2009, 06:08 PM
I have been playing with my computer resolution settings, and even using a magnifying glass on the screen. I believe the sign on the fence to the left of the ticket booth may say either "Key West" or "Sun Caps" on it, which would put the photo in 1971 as that was the only season the Key West team was known as the "Sun Caps". (1972 thru 1974 a co-op team called the "Conchs", 1975 the Key West Cubs.)
If it just says (if it does at all, that is) "Key West" then its from the years 1969 or 1971-1975, the only years that Key West appeared in the Florida State League. I tried to find a pic of Wicker Stadium / Field on the 'net, so far without luck. The non-wood parts of the structure have a concrete WPA style about them I have seen in 2 Ohio High School football stadiums built by the WPA, Massillon's Tiger Stadium and Canton's Fawcett Stadium. Does anyone know when Wicker was built?
Digitalballparks
03-27-2009, 08:04 PM
Does anyone know when Wickers was built?
Built: 1950
Calif_Eagle
03-27-2009, 08:33 PM
I went back to square one in studying the photos, as I just dont think this is Key West. I have been trying to buy into KW ever since my Seguin theory was disproved, but it just keeps coming up "No Sale" in my mind. The people just dont seem to fit KW, plus I read in an article about Jimmy Buffett & his love for baseball while researching this, (Buffett wanted to buy a Florida State League team & move it to KW) that Wicker Field was shoe-horned into a very tight plot of ground, as most of Key West's buildings are.
In starting over, I carefully compared the Mystery Park to the Harlingen ballpark photos suggested earlier by efin98. (Much more carefully than I did when I first looked at them. The radical renovation put me off, the first time through.) I believe the white building in the upper left background of the photo here on the upper right (not too confusing, lol) is the same white building visible in the 2nd Harlingen photo, going left to right along the HF photo array. I think the new, drastically renovated Harlingen Field is the same ballpark, or is at least on the same site. The basic shape, size & placement of the older & newer press boxes are the same, as is the position of the main entry ramp, & the fence & rail work that protects the aisles from the gap formed by the ramp.
Some of the people are Hispanic, either Mexicans; or possibly of Indian descent or both. There is the man wearing a cowboy hat, and there is a man wearing what seems to be cowboy boots. Harlingen is deep in southern Texas, and has a large Hispanic population. I'm also sure that cowboy hats and boots arent uncommon there. There is the white building which seems to be in both photos, in what seems to be the same place. There is the same abundance of palm trees, although the placement of some seems to have been altered with time.
Harlingen, while it didnt make the playoffs, was in the Gulf States League in 1976, playing as the Rio Grande Valley White Wings, the same name of Harlingen's last entry in Indy ball. They were also a part of the Lone Star League in 1977, as the Harlingen Suns. Perhaps what seems to say "Game 4" in the sign on the ticket booth referred to games of the current home stand.
Looking very closely at the sign on the ticket booth, words I have previously been unable to discern, *might* say "Harlingen vs Texas City", which was a member of the league in 1977.
So, if this proves true, congrats to Efin98 for nailing it! :clapping
CandlestickBum
03-28-2009, 12:08 AM
Damn fine work Eagle, I liked Harlingen too originally for the lower box seats and press boxes as you do, but didn't think the white building were anywhere near to each other. Looking again, it *could* be explained by camera lens compression. *shrug*.
But damn, those lower box seats, and the railing directly below the press box sure look to be matches.
Now if some of youse would share some of your search secrets, I'll share my BBQ secrets.
Cali, if you're in the SFBA can tell ya where to get the best oak lump.
Pinstripes
03-28-2009, 12:29 AM
Most definitely Harlingen Field. Way too many identical features for it to be coincidence. The only difference, other than the renovated features, appears to be that they may have cut a row or two out of the front of the seating area behind home plate, thereby raising the height of the wall a bit, and shrinking the size of that part of the seating area. They keys for me are that building in the background (see next post), as well as the ramp/opening in the seating bowl.
http://i42.tinypic.com/2kq0eo.jpg
Pinstripes
03-28-2009, 12:36 AM
Here's your conclusive proof if that's not enough:
New / Old
http://i40.tinypic.com/2ewk036.jpg
For my outlining/drawing on the bottom images, I duplicated the tracing exactly and it lines up perfectly. There's no doubt that's the same building. Having those pictures being taken from the exact same angle really helped to prove conclusively that it's Harlingen.
Digitalballparks
03-28-2009, 09:26 AM
Here's your conclusive proof if that's not enough:
New / Old
http://i40.tinypic.com/2ewk036.jpg
For my outlining/drawing on the bottom images, I duplicated the tracing exactly and it lines up perfectly. There's no doubt that's the same building. Having those pictures being taken from the exact same angle really helped to prove conclusively that it's Harlingen.
Pinstripes... that is quite a nice little diagram you got there... that is so close i'm about ready to name this one done and solved.
I think Elfin98 gets the correct call on this one with
Pinstripes getting the credit for for the forensics and detective work that brought this one to an end that I feel is conclusive enough to make it official.
I am not worthy :bowdown:
Eric
President
www.digitalballparks.com
Let me know when you guys are ready for the next one...
Calif_Eagle
03-28-2009, 10:20 AM
Damn fine work Eagle, I liked Harlingen too originally for the lower box seats and press boxes as you do, but didn't think the white building were anywhere near to each other. Looking again, it *could* be explained by camera lens compression. *shrug*.
But damn, those lower box seats, and the railing directly below the press box sure look to be matches.
Now if some of youse would share some of your search secrets, I'll share my BBQ secrets.
Cali, if you're in the SFBA can tell ya where to get the best oak lump.
Thanx for the compliments CB, but Efin98 called it way earlier than I did. When I first saw how extreme the renovation was, I just felt like it couldnt be the same place. But... like Sherlock Holmes said, when you have eliminated all possibilities but one... however fantastic it might be, that is your answer. (paraphrase, but thats the general idea.)
This was a lot of fun, cant wait for the next one :)
Digitalballparks
03-28-2009, 10:49 AM
Thanx for the compliments CB, but Efin98 called it way earlier than I did. When I first saw how extreme the renovation was, I just felt like it couldnt be the same place. But... like Sherlock Holmes said, when you have eliminated all possibilities but one... however fantastic it might be, that is your answer. (paraphrase, but thats the general idea.)
This was a lot of fun, cant wait for the next one :)
check out my pics of lynchburg virginia on www.digitalballparks.com.
you'll be amazed at how much can be done in renovations and still be the same ballpark
Calif_Eagle
03-28-2009, 11:14 AM
check out my pics of lynchburg virginia on www.digitalballparks.com.
you'll be amazed at how much can be done in renovations and still be the same ballpark
I did so, (btw I have been on your site many times in the past and enjoy it tremendously) and all I can say is if Lynchburg City Stadium (pre-renovation) had been the Mystery Park, and we couldnt read any advertising or ticket booth signs, we might have never gotten it by the detective work we were able to do with Harlingen.
efin98
03-28-2009, 11:23 AM
Pinstripes... that is quite a nice little diagram you got there... that is so close i'm about ready to name this one done and solved.
I think Elfin98 gets the correct call on this one with
Pinstripes getting the credit for for the forensics and detective work that brought this one to an end that I feel is conclusive enough to make it official.
I am not worthy :bowdown:
Eric
President
www.digitalballparks.com
Let me know when you guys are ready for the next one...
Took three people to get it...Bernard Shakey mentioned nearby Brownsville which gave me the initial idea to try south Texas after I ignored it in favor of Florida, Pinstripes is the one that nailed it with the building- I just happened to stumble across the pictures first...
Nice hunt through history and lesser known leagues and parks...nice to get the chance to put multiple ballpark sites to good use instead of the usual ballpark bashing that goes on here. Can't wait for the next one!