Winston-Salem Journal from Winston-Salem, North Carolina • 32

PAGE C4 WINSTOIVSAIEM Jot RNA I Sunday August 24 2008 7' SPORTS fr T1 i'll 1 1 Ernie Shore ield: Ahistory off the field 1 QCQ Concerned about the future of professional JJ baseball in Winston Salem leaders of the community form an 18 man committee to raise money for a new ballpark to replace dilapidated Southside Park Sheriff Ernie Shore is named chairman Among the members are Mayor Marshall Kurfees and EA Darr the president of RJ Reynolds Tobacco Ernie Shore at the dedication of Ernie Shore Held on May 23 1956 S3 2 V3 2 TM 7 1 f2 Kurfees announces in ebruary that the new park will be named for Ernie Shore saying that Shore symbolizes baseball in Winston The first game is scheduled for April 19 but the series moves to Thomasville because of wet grounds at Ernie Shore ield April 23 is declared Day in Winston A parade is held at 3:30 with Twins players bands floats and officials Ernie Shore ield is dedicated on May 23 The team is affiliated with the New York Yankees owned by Winston Salem Twins Baseball Club and operated by a board of directors The Twins pay die city $5000 plus $70 for each postseason game The Twins get all concessions plus the right to sell advertising on the outfield fence scoreboard and in programs 1 The St Louis Cardinals replace the Yankees XvjO I as the parent club 1 Q71 Boston sells the team X7 i to 1 Q7CZ The Carolina League is down to four teams: Winston Xk I Salem Rocky Mount Salem and Lynchburg Teams play an interlocking schedule with the Western Carolina League 1 Q77 Miles sells the team to jLkJI I Ervm Oakley for $25000 1 Q7Q The city allows beer to be sold at Ernie Shore kJ i ield The CL expands to six teams 1 QQi Oakley sells the team to Dennis lju41 Bastien for $125000 Bastien changes the name to the Winston Salem Spirits His efforts to change the name of the ballpark to Ernie Shore Stadium are rebuffed by the city Ticket booths are constructed in front along with an office building on the third base hill and a stadium club on the first base hill The park is painted a bright blue The fence is raised another deck in the alleys giving Ernie Shore ield double decks from foul pole to foul pole 1 QQ1 Schmittou sells the Spirits to Don Beaver Xvv7 A of Hickory for $22 million Wally the Warthog 1 Beaver changes the name of the team from 7 Spirits to Warthogs A picnic area is built down the left field fine I QQQ Beaver arranges a 770 March 31 exhibition between the Minnesota Twins and Montreal Expos during his effort to bring major league baseball to the Triad A May 5 referendum to raise 1 $140 million for a major league park with a restaurant tax and ticket sales is rejected 59 41 percent in orsyth County and 67 33 in Guilford County 1 QQQ Shipman sells the Spirits to X77zS Larry Schmittou of Nashville for $14 million I A fl I II H(X JMLd A I 1 I A AQ The roof and press box are removed A smaller lighter Zu UUZu roof is constructed and two press boxes are built on the concourse behind home plate The $1 million needed comes from a special revenue bond that require voter approval Beaver efforts to have luxury boxes built are rebuffed by the city A AQ Construction begins on a new CAJkJ I baseball stadium near downtown and Ernie Shore ield is sold to Wake orest 1 1985 A QQQl The city finances a $22 million project to expand the clubhouse in right field and la ZukJ extend both dugouts Mayor Jack Cavanaugh says: something we have to do to keep the franchise here in Winston Salem I feel like kind of held hostage here1 Text by Dan Collins graphic by Cassandra Sherrill Journal photos unless otherwise Indicated 1960 4 One of eight light towers that were Installed at Ernie Shore Held Bastien sells the team to Peter Shipman of HoweData Sports Bureau for $650000 Investment banker Charles Babcock donates land north of the fairgrounds for the new park in October with the condition that the park also be available to teams from Wake orest College owler Jones Construction Co moves heavy equipment in to start excavating on Dec 5 A A A New lights are turned on Aug 15 for the last 1 1 games of the Cd season irst baseman Mark Berger says: impressive I wish been up a lot sooner but they're great They1 re 100 times better than the old ones so used to the dreary drab yellow out here" Winston Salem Baseball Club sells the team to the Boston Red Sox for a nominal fee Cart Howerton is named the general manager The team's name is changed to the Winston Salem Red Sox 1 ire partially destroys Southside 1 uJv Parkin May and the season is completed with temporary bleachers replacing permanent seating The Shore Committee raises $125000 Darr is named head of the steering committee to raise an additional $75000 needed 1 QQ1 Buzas sells the Red JlZj I Tl Sox team bus and all the baseball office and concession equipment to Briggs Miles for $25000 Bill Slack and Gene Overby are part owners In October Winston Board of Aidermen approves $179000 for new lights at Ernie Shore ield The lights increase the candle power at home plate from 22 to 100 1 QQQ The Cincinnati Reds replace the Cubs as the kJkJJ major league affiliate Anew agreement between major leagues and minor league affiliates prompts a $1 million renovation project to upgrade Ernie Shore ield to new standards A new clubhouse is built down the left field line Bleachers extended down the banks expanding the capacity from 4300 to 6200 Chair back seats are installed dugout to dugout Offices along the left field Ime are tom down to build restrooms a courtyard and a concourse for a concession area The stadium club along the nght field line is tom down to build restrooms A 3 foot brick wall is built behind home plate stretching from dugout to dugout The rusty wire backstop is replaced by modem netting A new public address system is added The city finances the improvements with a promise from Schmittou to reimburse $75000 and 10 percent of the concession revenues over each of the next 10 years fronting the Schmittou said "They're basically serving as our bank It means coming into the modem era The ballpark in order to attract more fans needs to be more customer An 8 fdot fence is built in front of the oermanent wall Winston Salem players hit 615 homers over the four years that the inner xtomlvo renovations project wall stood The previous four years the Spirits hit 337 Included the ticket window area 1 QQ The Chicago White Sox replace the Reds as the major league 7 7 I affiliate A new 45 foot by 36 foot scoreboard with video capabilities and a sound system is built in right center field QAAQ Beaver sells the team Zu u3 to Billy Prim of Winston Salem for $4 million A wireless internet connection is provided at Ernie Shore ield A double deck picnic area is built down the right field line 1 QQfl The CL expands to eight teams with the kJ addition of Durham and the return of Rocky Mount which had left in 1976 Bastien replaces the Red Sox with the Chicago Cubs as the parent club fib HGBqK 'A Hsoi 1 kd WL I EESl yV'AXV I WW1 fr' A ALAAuk 3 Rsm LSJ iBTiiH w73 I Cy A EiW iww 1 ugg Lite ETTiTOl '4 11 I960 197 20 2.