Power Ranking the 20 Greatest Now-Defunct Stadiums in Baseball History

Nothing says summertime like a day at the ballpark, and while today's baseball fan can literally catch every game with the addition of MLB Network, it is simply not the same as being at the game.

I have the privilege of living in the Chicago area and going to several games each year at the baseball mecca that is Wrigley Field, and with so many stadiums being rebuilt in the last decade it is one of the few classic stadiums still standing.

There have been some truly fantastic stadiums deserted over the years as teams either moved out of town or were eventually forced to upgrade for one reason or another.

On the other hand, baseball went through a stretch in the 1960's and '70s when "cookie cutter" multipurpose stadiums were all the rage, and because of that there was an era of stadiums that were uninspired to say the least.

This list has a good mix of both of the above types of stadiums, but in the end we are left with the 20 greatest now defunct stadiums in baseball history.

Absent from the list will be Candlestick Park, which is widely considered the worst stadium in baseball history and has absolutely no place on a list entitled "greatest" anything.

20. Qualcomm Stadium, San Diego Padres

Opened: 1967
Closed: N/A (Used by Chargers)

History Of Name 

Originally named Jack Murphy Stadium, after a local sportswriter who played a large role in getting a stadium built in San Diego, the naming rights were eventually sold to the Qualcomm Corporation for $18 million in 1997 and they hold the rights through the 2017 season, as the stadium is still used by the San Diego Chargers.

Notable Stadium Features

One of the dreaded "cookie cutter" multi-purpose stadiums, it had little to offer in the way of originality.

19. RFK Stadium, Washington Senators/Nationals

Opened: 1961
Closed: 2007
Demolished: Still Standing

History Of Name 

Originally named D.C. Stadium, the stadium name was changed in 1969 to honor senator Robert F. Kennedy, who had been assassinated the previous June. 

Notable Stadium Features

One of the dreaded "cookie cutter" multi-purpose stadiums, it had little to offer in the way of originality.

18. Atlanta Fulton County Stadium, Atlanta Braves

Opened: 1965
Closed: 1996
Demolished: 1997

History Of Name

Named rather boringly after its location in Fulton County, the stadium was also known as "The Launching Pad," although it was not all that much of a hitter's park.

Notable Stadium Features

One of the dreaded "cookie cutter" multi-purpose stadiums, it had little to offer in the way of originality.

17. The Kingdome, Seattle Mariners

Opened: 1976
Closed: 2000
Demolished: 2000

History Of Name

The Kingdome was actually short for King County Multipurpose Domed Stadium, as the stadium itself was owned by King County where it was located. 

Notable Stadium Features

One of the dreaded "cookie cutter" multi-purpose stadiums, it had little to offer in the way of originality.

16. Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh Pirates

Opened: 1970
Closed: 2000
Demolished: 2001

History Of Name

The stadium was obviously named after three rivers, as the Allegheny River and Monongahela River converge to form the Ohio River near the location of the stadium. 

Notable Stadium Features

One of the dreaded "cookie cutter" multi-purpose stadiums, it had little to offer in the way of originality.

15. Veteran's Stadium, Philadelphia Phillies

Opened: 1971
Closed: 2003
Demolished: 2004

History Of Name

Veterans Stadium, or "The Vet" as it came to be known, was named to honor all of the veterans who have served our country over the years, in one of the classier stadium naming decisions of all time.

Notable Stadium Features

One of the dreaded "cookie cutter" multi-purpose stadiums, it had little to offer in the way of originality.

14. Riverfront Stadium, Cincinnati Reds

Opened: 1970
Closed: 2002
Demolished: 2002

History Of Name

Built a block from the Ohio River, Riverfront stadium was clearly named for its close vicinity to the river. It was renamed Cinergy Field in 1996 when the team struck a deal with Greater Cincinnati's energy company.

Notable Stadium Features

One of the dreaded "cookie cutter" multi-purpose stadiums, it had little to offer in the way of originality.

13. Busch Memorial Stadium, St. Louis Cardinals

Opened: 1966
Closed: 2005
Demolished: 2005

History Of Name

Originally opened as the Civic Center Busch Memorial Stadium, and eventually shortened to just Busch Stadium, the field was named after the Busch family of Anheuser-Busch beer fame, as they owned the team until 1996.

Notable Stadium Features

This was one of the dreaded "cookie cutter" stadiums as well, but alterations were made to make it more baseball friendly, and therefore it is higher up on the list. 

One of the most noticeable features of Busch Stadium is its red seats, which add just a little more red to what is already generally a sea of Cardinals fans wearing red.

The stadium was originally used by the St. Louis Cardinals football team as well, and renovations were made to convert the stadium to baseball-only as much of the outfield seating was closed off and many advertising signs and a scoreboard were added. The end result was one of the most decorated outfields in all of baseball, and made for a fuller looking stadium

12. Shea Stadium, New York Mets

Opened:1964
Closed: 2008
Demolished: 2009

History Of Name

The stadium was named after William A. Shea, the leading figure in bringing National League baseball back to New York for the first time since the Giants moved to San Francisco.

Notable Stadium Features

Another of the "cookie cutter" multipurpose stadiums.

However, it was eventually renovated to be a baseball-only stadium when the New York Jets left in 1983, so it was a little better than the rest of its kind.

It also had a quirk in the "Home Run Apple," which was a giant apple that came out of a magic hat in the outfield. Installed in 1980, it was part of an advertising slogan, "The Magic is Back!"

11. Municipal Stadium, Kansas City Athletics/Royals

Opened: 1925
Closed: 1972
Demolished: 1976

History Of Name

The stadium was originally built for the Kansas City Blues, a Double-A team, and was named Muehlbach Stadium after the Blues owner, George Muelbach.

When the Blues were sold to the Yankees, the stadium was changed to Ruppert Stadium and then to just Blues Stadium, until it was purchased to be used by the Athletics, who were moving to Kansas City from Philadelphia, and was named Municipal Stadium.

Notable Stadium Features

The stadium itself was fairly boring as far as its features. Luckily, the Athletics were owned by one of the craziest owners in baseball history, Charlie O'Finley, and he was never short on new ideas for the stadium, below are a few of his better ones.

-A device that came out of the ground named "Harvey" that was a rabbit holding a basket of balls for the umpire when a new ball was needed.

-A compressed air device named "Little Blowhard" that blew dirt off of home plate so the umpire didn't need to dust it off.

-A petting zoo with goats, sheep, monkeys, bats, and birds—among other things—down the left field line.

-A flock of sheep wearing Athletics blankets, complete with shepherd, down the right field line.

-He attempted to move the right field wall in to 296 feet, putting some bleachers in right field with a makeshift fence around them. The league shot that idea down, however.

10. Astrodome, Houston Astros

Opened: 1965
Closed: 1999
Demolished: Still Standing

History Of Name

The stadium was named the Astrodome for its futuristic design and the role that the city of Houston played in the country's space program. The team itself, originally named the Colt .45's, was changed to the Astros to follow suit.

Notable Features

The Astrodome was the nation's first domed sports stadium and was incredibly far ahead of its time.

After originally trying a natural grass made to be grown indoors, the team switched to Astroturf in 1966. However, the supply of Astroturf was low at the time, so for the first half of the season the outfield was just green painted dirt.

Aside from that, the four-story scoreboard—called the Astrolite—was also a sight to see, with thousands of light bulbs and elaborate animations.

9. Crosley Field, Cincinnati Reds

Opened: 1912
Closed: 1970
Demolished: 1972

History Of Name

Originally opened as Redland Field in 1912, the stadium and the team was bought by local businessman Powel Crosley, Jr. in 1934, at which time he renamed the team after himself and his car business.

Notable Stadium Features

The quirkiest feature at Crosley park was a 15-degree incline in left field, much like the one in center field of Minute Maid Park today, which was known only as "The Terrace." While such inclines were fairly common in older parks, this was the only one that was made intentionally.

Aside from that, the most distinguishing feature of the stadium was its large scoreboard in left-center field.

Also, there was a building across the street owned by Superior Towel and Linen Service that had a sign advertising Seibler Suits and rewarded any player striking the sign with a free suit.

8. Comiskey Park, Chicago White Sox

Opened: 1910
Closed: 1990
Demolished: 1991

History Of Name

Originally built simply as White Sox Park, three years later, the park was named after Charles Comiskey, the White Sox founder and then owner. The name was switched back to White Sox Park in 1962, but eventually was again returned to Comiskey Park in 1976.

Notable Stadium Features

The stadium itself was built for the team the White Sox had at the time, and ace pitcher Ed Walsh was largely considered in the design of the stadium.

The stadium was the fourth concrete and steel stadium in the league, and when it was built it held a league high 29,000 fans, earning it the temporary nickname "The Baseball Palace of the World."

At the time it was demolished, it was the oldest stadium in all of baseball.

7. Forbes Field, Pittsburgh Pirates

Opened: 1909
Closed: 1970
Demolished: 1971

History Of Name

In one of the more original stadium name choices, Pirates owner Barney Dreyfuss bucked the trend of naming stadiums after yourself and instead chose to honor British general John Forbes, who fought in the French and Indian War and is credited with naming the city of Pittsburgh.

Notable Stadium Features

The stadium was the finest of its day when it was built, made of steel and concrete, and it was built to last and had a number of what were then modern amenities.

Dreyfuss, the Pirates' owner, hated what he called "cheap home runs," so the original dimensions of the park were 360 feet to left, 462 feet to center, and 376 feet to right.

When right field grandstands were added, the distance to right field was cut to 300 feet, so Dreyfuss had a 28-foot high screen built to limit home runs.

The batting cage was actually placed on the field during games, tucked into what was referred to "Death Valley" just left of dead center field and over 460 feet from home plate.

6. Shibe Park, Philadelphia Athletics/Phillies

Opened: 1909
Closed: 1970
Demolished: 1976

History Of Name

Named for Benjamin Shibe, one of the original owners of the team, along with Connie Mack. Mack eventually gained full control of the team but kept Shibe's name on the stadium until 1953, when he changed it to Connie Mack Stadium.

Notable Stadium Features

The stadium was the first of the modern era, as it was the first built entirely of concrete and steel.

Its most noticeable feature is its 34-foot high right field wall. This was done to prevent building owners who were located across the street from erecting bleachers and allowing fans to watch the game, much like Wrigley Field today.

5. Sportsman's Park, St. Louis Cardinals

Opened: 1902
Closed: 1966
Demolished: 1966

History Of Name

Baseball was played on the site of Sportsman's park as early as 1867. It was originally called Grand Avenue Ball Grounds, but was re-named Sportsman's Park in 1876. Five years later, the first grandstand was erected as it slowly made its way towards being a legitimate stadium.

Notable Stadium Features 

The left and right field walls ran towards each other in center field, and parallel to the foul lines, so in essence the field itself was shaped like a diamond.

At just 310 feet to right field, and 322 feet to right center, the field played well for left-handed hitters, and the Cardinals had a good one for years there in Stan Musial.

Its gaudy left field scoreboard is also among the most recognizable features of any of the classic stadiums.

4. Tiger Stadium, Detroit Tigers

Opened: 1912
Closed: 1999
Demolished: 2009

History Of Name

The stadium originally opened in 1912 on the same day Fenway Park opened, under the name of Navin Field, and held 23,000 fans. That became 36,000 when the foul poles were extended in the upper deck in 1936.

More renovations inevitably needed to be made, and a second deck was added in left field in 1938 when the city moved an entire street, as the capacity was upped 53,000, while the stadium was renamed Briggs Stadium after its new owner. Finally, in 1961, when new owner John Fetzer took over, the stadium was named Tiger Stadium.

Notable Stadium Features

The most notable features of the stadium are its right and left field decks, which give the stadium a symmetrical and enclosed feel.

The light towers in right field may be the most famous part of the park, as they will forever be remembered for Reggie Jackson's monster home run in the 1971 All-Star Game that bounced off of one of them.

3. Yankee Stadium, New York Yankees

Opened: 1923
Closed: 2008
Demolished: 2010

History Of Name

Originally the Yankees played at the Polo Ground with the Giants, but after Babe Ruth joined the team in 1920, they outdrew the Giants, and then won the pennant the following season. So while the stadium came to be known as the "House That Ruth Built," the team never changed its name from anything other than Yankee Stadium.

Notable Stadium Features

Monument park in center field was home to a Hall of Fame that honored the best Yankees of all time with statues just beyond the outfield wall.

The white facade in the outfield is one of the stadiums most recognizable features, and it—like many of the other features of the stadium—was replicated in the New Yankee Stadium.

The short porch in right field is among the most distinguishable home field advantages in all of baseball, and left-handed power hitters thrive in Yankee Stadium.

2. Polo Grounds, New York Giants

Opened: 1890
Closed: 1963
Demolished: 1964

History Of Name

As evidenced by its odd dimensions, the stadium was in fact made for the sport of polo, and because of that the newspapers referred to it as "The Polo Grounds," and the name was eventually accepted as the official stadium name.

Notable Stadium Features

The upper deck in right field extended out over the field, reducing the already short lower deck distance of 279 feet to a ridiculous 250 feet, and actually making it hard to hit a home run into the lower deck, although Bobby Thompson did just that with his "Shot Heard 'Round The World."

Center field, which was already a ridiculously far 483 feet away, also had an overhang that was part of one of the clubhouses, and therefore made a home run to dead center a whopping 505 feet away. Regardless, no player ever hit a home run to straight away center field in the stadium.

Right field, although without a deck, was still just 258 feet away. However, right center was nearly 200 feet farther away at 449 feet. Simply put, we will never see a baseball stadium with as unique of dimensions as the Polo Grounds.

1. Ebbets Field, Brooklyn Dodgers

Opened: 1913
Closed: 1957
Demolished: 1960

History Of Name

The stadium was named after Charlie Ebbets, who began acquiring the land needed to build the stadium in 1908, including a local garbage dump known as Pigtown, finally purchased what he needed and began construction turning what used to be a dump into a stadium.

Notable Stadium Features

The facade of Ebbets Field is among the most recognizable in all of baseball, and the stadium as a whole is revered not only for the teams that played inside it, but for its outward appearance in downtown Brooklyn. In fact, the Mets modeled some of Citi Field after it.

The cozy atmosphere of the stadium, which held only 25,000, and its overall lack of parking was its eventual downfall, as the Dodgers packed up for Los Angeles after the 1957 season, leaving the city and the stadium without a team.