Yesterday we talked about someone lighting a firecracker in a ballpark and getting in big trouble for it.
Today, we’re going to look at some authorized explosives in some MLB Ballparks.
Okay, actually some former Ballparks. Here’s the demolition of a bunch of stadia which are no longer with us.
Busch Stadium (1966-2005)
Okay, Busch wasn’t brought down by explosives. But it was supposed to have been blown up. But concerns about possible damage to the nearby railway gave Busch an extended date with the wrecking ball.
Here’s the time lapse.
Seattle Kingdome (1976-2000)
The Seattle Mariners played their last game in this cement monstrosity in 1999, moving to the picturesque Safeco Field. The Kingdome was imploded on March 26, 2000, with 15 years remaining on the debt that King County incurred to build it.
Watch as this concrete beast comes crumbling down …
Veterans Stadium (1971-2003)The Vet. Philly Phans packed this place with such passion and vitriol, no corporate name could ever be placed on it. The Vet’s highest and most famous section of seats, The 700 Level, has been memorialized by a truly awesome sports blog.
Laid to eternal rest on March 21, 2004. The Circular Domino effect of this controlled demolition is just cool.
Riverfront Stadium (1970-2002)
Also known as Cinergy Field, the Cincinnati Reds played at Riverfront for 33 Seasons, and was home of one of the best baseball teams of all time … The Big Red Machine.
It all came crumbling down on December 29, 2002.
Three Rivers Stadium (1970-2000)
It took ten years of political squabbling to start construction of the stadium, two-plus years of construction, and it was finished two months behind schedule in the middle of the 1970 season.
It only took about 30 seconds to bring it down …
Atlanta Fulton County Stadium (1966-1996)
The Braves finally found a permanent home in Atlanta after stops in Boston and Milwaukee. AFCS’ final memory would be the Yankees celebrating after winning Game Five of the 1996 World Series.
One of many cookie-cutter multi-purpose stadiums on this list, it met its maker on August 2, 1997
Comiskey Park (1910-1990)
I’m a Cub fan, but I can’t but help shed a tear in memory of Old Comiskey Park. The concourse under the Old Comiskey grandstand was almost more carnival than it was the guts of a ballpark. And it was the first place I ever sampled the epicurean delight known as Churros.
The “Baseball Palace of the World” became a parking lot for the Sox’ new stadium in 1991, courtesy of the bulldozer and wrecking ball. Here’s a nice time lapse of the demolition.
I have a white brick that I pretend came from the Comiskey Park demolition site … that fence was just too damn high …
Until next time, we’ll be counting down to the demolitions of Tiger Stadium and RFK …
By the way … if you liked this, go watch some videos of baseball players getting hit by pitches …
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January 16th, 2008 at 5:19 pm
Very nice collection, although a bit on the sad side. It sucks that the Veterans Stadium video has already been removed.
I guess we’ll be seeing videos for Shea Stadium, Tiger Stadium, RFK Stadium, and Yankee Stadium soon?
January 16th, 2008 at 5:29 pm
ajnrules -
Wow. They disabled embedding after I embedded it.
Here’s the one I linked originally
I embedded another one.
I don’t think they can implode Shea.
I think it’s against the law in New York City to implode buildings.
January 17th, 2008 at 2:22 am
Found your site via Deadspin.
The explosions are cool, especially the domino Vet one, but having been to Busch and the Vet and Shea, and having grown up going to Dodger Stadium and going to Anaheim Stadium after they enclosed it for the Rams, I feel no sadness that those horrible monstrosities are gone. They were *horrible* for watching baseball in the upper decks; you were practically in the next county.
It’s sorta ironic that Comiskey looked like all the faux retro parks that are around now. I guess the lack of luxury boxe$ and 72 different kinds of food and beer was its downfall.
Great post!
January 17th, 2008 at 11:18 am
No plans to bring down RFK just yet… DC United of the MLS still play there.
They are in the process of lobbying to build a new stadium, but it looks like itll be at least ten years before that happens.
RFK will be around for a while…
January 17th, 2008 at 3:37 pm
RFK will be around for a while…
More’s the pity.
January 17th, 2008 at 7:00 pm
Cool videos.
Explosive demolitions are always fun to watch!
Just a picky thing though, please stop calling it “imploding” a building. Implosion is a specific scientific phenomenon which does not mean “to make a building collapse inwardly with explosives.”
I know people say it all the time, but it’s wrong.
Look it up =)
January 17th, 2008 at 8:54 pm
im·plode (?m-pl?d’) Pronunciation Key
v. im·plod·ed, im·plod·ing, im·plodes
v. intr.
To collapse inward violently.
v. tr.
To cause to collapse inward violently.
To demolish (a building) by causing to collapse inward.
January 17th, 2008 at 11:14 pm
[...] Richie Rich wrote a fantastic post today on “MLB Ballpark Demolitions”[...]
January 18th, 2008 at 10:15 am
I almost shed a tear at the Comiskey Park demolition too.
I just hate to see historical buildings go down, especially to make way for parking lots or shopping malls - YECH!.
It looked like the place had a soul.
January 18th, 2008 at 10:25 am
[...] points us to a collection of videos showing baseball stadiums being demolished. [...]
January 21st, 2008 at 12:02 am
Here’s hoping the the metrodome implodes in a couple of years
January 22nd, 2008 at 5:59 pm
What about CNE Stadium in Toronto Canada?
It is no longer there and they replaced it with the Rogers Dome!
(Rogers is the cable company there and they also own the Toronto Blue Jays)
January 31st, 2008 at 4:39 pm
For those of you looking forward to the demolition of Tiger Stadium in Detroit, you might have a long wait.
The Old Gal continues to rot and decay.
I’m 39 years old. I predict that if I live to be a ripe old age, she will still be standing while they are lowering me into the grave.
Detroit is an urban museum chock full of abandoned skyscrapers, haunted train stations, and gutted Victorian homes.
Now you can add ballparks to that short list
February 9th, 2008 at 12:43 am
just to let you guys know, yankee stadium is gonna stay intact and standing right next to the new one
February 16th, 2008 at 9:15 pm
NYC building code does not allow for building demolition by explosion.
Ebbets Field and the Polo Grounds were taken down by hand.
So will Shea Stadium and most of the “old” Yankee Stadium.
Both of those stadia are nine-iron shots away from their replacements, along with major highways, railroads, and elevated subway lines.
CNE Stadium was also hand-demolished, if I recall. Too close to an expressway.
Looks like building explosions are only done in minor-league towns.
February 25th, 2008 at 4:48 pm
[...] day 1. Good riddance to bad rubbish. But Yankee Stadium is a cathedral and the though of it being demolished is truly a sad [...]
February 27th, 2008 at 7:09 pm
Shame, that all of these balparks i grew up with will not be around (Exept RFK) to show my kids.
But Now i have a newballpark in DC to show em!
I do like RFK’s Bouncing 3rd base seats though…. *Sigh* it’s a shame that they didnt make any seats in the new stadium bounce.