With Daylight Savings Time ending in two days, November 2nd was going to be my last opportunity to try to get to Wichita in time to photograph the stadium. I made it to town around 5:15 but took the wrong exit off Interstate 135. Turned around, got headed in the right direction, and made it to the ballpark right around 5:30. A half hour later, and there probably wouldn't have been enough daylight for these photos. As it was, I got one last magnificent view of a classic ballpark!
Looks like it could still hold a baseball team. All the signs are in great shape.
However, that dumpster behind the fence signifies this ballpark's pending fate.
Lawrence-Dumont Stadium was built in 1934 to replace another ballpark that sat on an island and (predictably) had flooding issues. Originally named Lawrence Stadium (after the mayor of Wichita at the time), the stadium had Dumont added to the name in 1978, paying tribute to a sportswriter who also helped get the stadium built. The ballpark first saw minor league action in 1950, when the Wichita Indians began a six-year stint as part of the Class A Western League. In 1970, Wichita got a AAA team (the Aeros) who played as a member of the American Association from 1970-84. The stadium saw no action from '85 through '86, then got the Wichita Pilots in 1987. The Pilots, part of the AA Texas League, changed their name to the Wranglers in 1989. The Wranglers remained at the stadium through the 2007 season. In 2008, they were replaced by the Wichita Wingnuts, part of the new independent American Association. The Wingnuts played at the ballpark through this season.
Apparently, the stadium's getting demolished because Wichita's getting a new AAA team in 2020, the New Orleans Baby Cakes. I hope that one of the conditions is that the Baby Cakes change their name. It's probably the worst team name in minor league baseball (depending on your opinion of the Hartford Yard Goats). I'll bet that's why they're moving.
Some of the notable players who took the field here are Chris Chambliss (1970-71), Buddy Bell (1971), Rick Reuschel (1972), Bruce Sutter (1976), Lee Smith (1980), Eric Davis (1984), John Franco (1984), Tom Browning (1984, 1995), Andy Benes (1989), Johnny Damon (1995), and Alex Gordon (2006). The great Satchel Paige also pitched here in the ballpark's earlier days, when Dumont convinced him to bring his baseball club down from Bismarck, North Dakota. Before the College World Series got a permanent home in Omaha, this field hosted it in 1949.
Those of you who've ever been to Cooperstown might remember that one or two church steeples are visible beyond the outfield at Doubleday Field. In Wichita, the steeple past the outfield belonged to Metropolitan Baptist Church.
Pretty on the outside, but demolition has already started. Most of the seats have been ripped out already.
You have no idea (well, maybe you do) how much I wanted those seats! They were in a dumpster--obviously, the demolition crew wasn't planning to save them! Unfortunately, the dumpster was behind a fence, and every gate in the fence was padlocked. Hard as it was, I resisted the temptation to climb through.
Guess that playground will never be used again.
The Wichita Wingnuts were the most recent occupant. Members of the independent American Association, they played at the stadium from 2008 through 2018. That's a pretty good tenure for an independent league ballclub!
Looks like you could still order a ticket!
They even still had the seating map up!
I don't think Protection 1 Security Solutions cares anymore. (About this site, that is.)
I don't think they're open from 9-5 anymore.
Fans, you don't have to worry about players spiking you in the grandstand!
Women's room was located right next to sections 120 and 122.
Some rubble's already visible, yet the old scoreboard is still in place!
One of the demolition vehicles.
The clubhouse.
Tough to tell, but the smaller print on the door reads, "Club house is closed to the media for the first 10 minutes after the players have left the field."
Signs of demolition.
You can imagine the excited kids waiting for a chance at a home run ball back here!
Old sign in the outfield.
Men's room is open!
P.S.--If you wish to use any of these photos, please send me an email at zisi@comcast.net
