Tom Wilson Park
Tom Wilson Park is a former Negro league baseball park in Nashville, Tennessee, that opened in 1929 and closed in 1946.[1] The ballpark has since been demolished.[1]
| |
| Full name | Tom Wilson Park |
|---|---|
| Location | Nashville, Tennessee United States |
| Coordinates | 36°8.718′N 86°45.864′W |
| Owner | Thomas T. Wilson |
| Capacity | 4,000 or 8,000 |
| Surface | Grass |
| Opened | 1929 |
| Closed | 1946 |
| Tenants | |
| Nashville Elite Giants (Indp./NNL1/NSL/NNL2) 1929–1930, 1932–1934 | |
Park history
The ballpark, owned by Thomas T. Wilson, was centrally located in what was at the time Nashville's largest black community, known as Trimble Bottom, near the convergence of Second and Fourth Avenues, just north of the fairgrounds.[2] The 8,000 (or 4,000)[2] seat facility featured a single-decked, covered grandstand.[3] It was one of only three Negro league venues that was built by the team owner specifically for the Negro league team.[4] In 1946, Wilson resigned and discontinued all ball activities at Wilson Park.[1]
Tenants
Wilson Park was home to the Negro league Nashville Elite Giants baseball team who played in the first Negro National League, the first Negro Southern League, and the second Negro National League.[2] In addition to hosting the home games of Wilson's Elite Giants, the ballpark also served as a spring training site for other Negro league teams, as well as white-only minor league teams, such as the Southern Association's Nashville Vols. Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, and Roy Campanella are known to have played at the park.[3]
See also
References
- "Tom Wilson Park Marker". The Historical Marker Database. Retrieved February 4, 2015.
- Nipper, Skip (October 18, 2013). "Tom Wilson and the Nashville Elite Giants". 262 Down Right. Retrieved February 2, 2015.
- Healey, Paul. "Tom Wilson Park". Project Ballpark. Retrieved February 4, 2015.
- Lowry, Philip J. (2006). Green Cathedrals: The Ultimate Celebration of Major League and Negro League Ballparks. New York: Walker Publishing Company, Inc. p. 140. ISBN 0-8027-1562-1.