Tate Field - Richmond VA

[Orioles5]

I was wondering if anyone had any photos of Tate Field? Tate Field was the home of Richmond Colts which was located on Mayo Island in the James River. The last time they played there was 1941.

[milladrive]

http://www.projectballpark.org/history/ecl/alt/tate.html

tate2.jpg

[Orioles5]

Thanks for the photo. In doing some research on the team and ballpark I discovered that the ball park is not that far from the infamous Belle Isle Prison used in the Civil War. I also discovered it was prone to flooding which I guess will happen on an island.

[Bill Mountjoy]

Tate field

Thanks for the photo. In doing some research on the team and ballpark I discovered that the ball park is not that far from the infamous Belle Isle Prison used in the Civil War. I also discovered it was prone to flooding which I guess will happen on an island.

REPLY: See my next post for a great photo of Tate Field (Richmond) during a flood. Notice the train tressel behind the right field fence. Babe Ruth hit a home into a coal car (traveling UP - which is north)), which made it 135 miles to Baltimore, & was promptly dubbed "the longest home run in history".

[Bill Mountjoy]

Attached is a photo of Tate Field during a flood. If you notice the train tressel behind the right field fence - that is where Babe Ruth hit a home run into a coal car (traveling UP - which is north), which made it all the way to Baltimore (135 miles), & was promptly dubbed "the longest home run in history"!!!

Also ABOVE that is another (smaller) pic of Tate Field:

PS: Can scroll the bar at the bottom (BIG) picture to the left so you can see all of it.

[Bill Mountjoy]

Tate Field was replaced by Mooers Field in 1942. See ATTACHMENTS:

These are too big, but I cannot reduce them any.
PS: Can scroll the bar at the bottom (BIG) picture to the left so you can see all of it.

[Bill Mountjoy]

Tate Field was replaced by Mooers Field in 1942. See ATTACHMENT below (& above post as well):

Mooers Field

Mooers Field, once located at Norfolk and Roseneath streets, was the home of the Richmond Colts from 1942 to 1953. The Colts, a minor league team, were part of the Class B Piedmont League.

Edwin Hale (Eddie) Mooers, owner of the semi-pro Colts, moved his team from Tate Field on Mayo Island to the Scott’s Addition location after tiring of the almost-annual floods and a fire that destroyed the ballpark in 1941. On nine and a half acres, Mooer built a concrete-and-steel park with 4,275 grandstand seats and 3,000 bleachers. He named the new $100,000 ballpark after himself, calling it Mooers Field.

Mooers, owner of the Mooers Motor Company and former Colts infielder had purchased the Colts in 1932 and sought membership in the Piedmont League, which consisted of Greensboro, Charlotte, Durham, Wilmington and Winston Salem. Mooers operated the Colts as an independent team, without an affiliation with any major league club.

The Colts played in Richmond under Mooers from 1933 to 1953. During this time, the Colts qualified for the post-season playoffs twelve times, and won the league pennant once and the league championship series twice.

In 1954, Richmond became a member of the Triple A International League when the structure of major league baseball was changed.

Mooers sold the Richmond franchise for $25,000, and the International League reimbursed the Piedmont League for the same amount for its loss of the Richmond Territory.

Eddie Mooers moved his Colts to the Petersburg area where the team when out of business before the end of the season; and the Virginians, Richmond’s new Triple A team, moved to the renovated Parker Field on the Boulevard.

Mooers Field was eventually turned into an auto-racing track, and then torn down in 1958.

For more information, read “Baseball and Richmond” by W. Harrison Daniel and Scott P. Mayer

[Bill Mountjoy]

One more look at Tate Field (on Mayo Island - Richmond, Va). Burned, & was abandoned after 1941 season.