Cardinal Stadium Louisville, KY
Stadium Minor League History:
American Association
1957-1962
International League 1968-1972
American Association 1982-1997
International League 1998-1999
Current Status: Home
of University of Louisville football
What's Good: Cardinal
Stadium is an interesting place. The stadium is shared with the University
of Louisville football team, so the place has the largest capacity currently
in the minors. Because of the size, seats are just about always available,
and there's plenty of room to move around and get comfortable. The
concourse, underneath the grandstand, is brightly lit with carnival colors
and has a variety of food options, as well as scattered displays of photographs
and memorabilia tracing Louisville's baseball past (and Louisville does
have quite a history, including early stints with the major league American
Association and the National League in the 19th century). When I
was there in 1994, a live organist (OK, he was playing an electronic keyboard,
but it sounded like a ballpark organ) sat in the stands and played
between innings, even taking requests. Overall, the ballpark had
a lively atmosphere despite its size, and without resorting to the numerous
stunts, on-field promotions, and sound effects so common nowadays.
The stadium also has a huge and elaborately constructed roof for protection
from the elements.
What's Not So Good: The artificial turf, of course. Installed in 1982, it doesn't fit with the traditional architecture of the stadium. Also, the stadium is isolated from its city, sitting in the midst of an enormous parking lot on the state fairgrounds several miles south of downtown. And the vast size, while certainly offering some benefits, can be overwhelming with a crowd of less than a few thousand. It doesn't matter any more, however, since the team moved into a brand-new stadium (Louisville Slugger Park) for the 2000 season.
This Photo:
June 4, 1994 Louisville Redbirds vs. Nashville
Sounds