Comments on: Remember Sick’s Stadium http://www.vintageseattle.org/2009/10/12/remember-sicks-stadium/ Tue, 16 Mar 2010 14:42:25 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: Sal Vacca http://www.vintageseattle.org/2009/10/12/remember-sicks-stadium/#comment-88802 Sal Vacca Wed, 16 Dec 2009 01:05:46 +0000 http://www.vintageseattle.org/?p=2636#comment-88802 I don't know where you got those capacity figures, but during their 1955 Pacific Coast League, championship year, managed by Fred Hutchinson, they repeaditly drew full houses, anywhere from 15000 to 17000. I worked the scoreboard in centerfield and went out to post the numbers. Sal I don’t know where you got those capacity figures, but during their 1955 Pacific
Coast League, championship year, managed by Fred Hutchinson, they repeaditly
drew full houses, anywhere from 15000 to 17000.

I worked the scoreboard in centerfield and went out to post the numbers.
Sal

]]> By: Louis http://www.vintageseattle.org/2009/10/12/remember-sicks-stadium/#comment-77604 Louis Sun, 25 Oct 2009 11:28:55 +0000 http://www.vintageseattle.org/?p=2636#comment-77604 If anyone ever makes a trip up to Vancouver, BC, check out Nat Bailey Stadium near Queen Elizabeth Park. The "Nat" was built in 1951 using the blueprints to Sick´s. Furthermore, when Sick´s was razed, the Nat purchased Sick´s scoreboard and light towers. The Nat was recently renovated, so this photo shows the stadium´s old color scheme: http://www.flickr.com/photos/90342017@N00/2387927594/in/set-72157604298814950/ If anyone ever makes a trip up to Vancouver, BC, check out Nat Bailey Stadium near Queen Elizabeth Park. The “Nat” was built in 1951 using the blueprints to Sick´s. Furthermore, when Sick´s was razed, the Nat purchased Sick´s scoreboard and light towers. The Nat was recently renovated, so this photo shows the stadium´s old color scheme:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/90342017@N00/2387927594/in/set-72157604298814950/

]]> By: Steve http://www.vintageseattle.org/2009/10/12/remember-sicks-stadium/#comment-76431 Steve Sun, 18 Oct 2009 20:21:58 +0000 http://www.vintageseattle.org/?p=2636#comment-76431 Curt is correct regarding Charlie Finley: he owned the A's while they were in KC and the Royals didn't exist until 1969 - in fact, they were in the same expansion class as the Pilots. Expanding further upon that: in the mid 1970s, there was a plan afoot that would have the White Sox move to Seattle, and Finley's A's move to Chicago and play in the Sox' old park. It was almost a done deal, but the White Sox were sold to Bill Veeck and the plan was thwarted. I'm too young to have seen Sicks Stadium; it was demolished 11 months after I was born. I developed a sense of appreciation for its place in history after reading "Ball Four" and subsequently learning more about the minor-league Rainiers (I have the Dan Crow/Stephen Sadis film "The Seattle Rainiers" on VHS). I have visited the Lowe's store that currently sits on the site several times. For those who have never been there, home plate and the pitcher's mound are both marked (the latter is inside the store near one of the checkout stands), and there's a neat display case with both Rainiers and Pilots memorabilia that sits next to one of the entrances. It's definitely worth checking out if you've never done so. Curt is correct regarding Charlie Finley: he owned the A’s while they were in KC and the Royals didn’t exist until 1969 - in fact, they were in the same expansion class as the Pilots.

Expanding further upon that: in the mid 1970s, there was a plan afoot that would have the White Sox move to Seattle, and Finley’s A’s move to Chicago and play in the Sox’ old park. It was almost a done deal, but the White Sox were sold to Bill Veeck and the plan was thwarted.

I’m too young to have seen Sicks Stadium; it was demolished 11 months after I was born. I developed a sense of appreciation for its place in history after reading “Ball Four” and subsequently learning more about the minor-league Rainiers (I have the Dan Crow/Stephen Sadis film “The Seattle Rainiers” on VHS). I have visited the Lowe’s store that currently sits on the site several times.

For those who have never been there, home plate and the pitcher’s mound are both marked (the latter is inside the store near one of the checkout stands), and there’s a neat display case with both Rainiers and Pilots memorabilia that sits next to one of the entrances. It’s definitely worth checking out if you’ve never done so.

]]> By: Jack http://www.vintageseattle.org/2009/10/12/remember-sicks-stadium/#comment-75516 Jack Wed, 14 Oct 2009 22:16:00 +0000 http://www.vintageseattle.org/?p=2636#comment-75516 My dad used to take me to the Rainier games, I have a ball signed by the whole team from one of their championship seasons in the 50's. It was a small ballpark but the games were exciting and the teams always had a lot of good players that ended up in the big leagues. We also saw Floyd Patterson beat Pete Rademacher in 1957 and Sonny Liston beat Eddie Machen in 1960. Well "saw" is an overstatement they were a long ways away, but we didn't have a TV yet so live was the best option. My dad used to take me to the Rainier games, I have a ball signed by the whole team from one of their championship seasons in the 50’s.

It was a small ballpark but the games were exciting and the teams always had a lot of good players that ended up in the big leagues.

We also saw Floyd Patterson beat Pete Rademacher in 1957 and Sonny Liston beat Eddie Machen in 1960. Well “saw” is an overstatement they were a long ways away, but we didn’t have a TV yet so live was the best option.

]]> By: Colin http://www.vintageseattle.org/2009/10/12/remember-sicks-stadium/#comment-75009 Colin Mon, 12 Oct 2009 23:26:38 +0000 http://www.vintageseattle.org/?p=2636#comment-75009 Did the Kingdome get a plaque? Did the Kingdome get a plaque?

]]> By: chuck goolsbee http://www.vintageseattle.org/2009/10/12/remember-sicks-stadium/#comment-74919 chuck goolsbee Mon, 12 Oct 2009 15:23:51 +0000 http://www.vintageseattle.org/?p=2636#comment-74919 In the 80s I lived in the Mt. Baker neighborhood and there was one of those City of Seattle multicolored park signs at the corner of Rainier & McCellan declaring the spot of Sick's Stadium. At that time it was and empty lot. Around 1989 or 90 an Eagle Hardware store was built there. Eagle was acquired by Lowe's in 1999 or so, so it makes sense that Rob's comment is correct. --chuck In the 80s I lived in the Mt. Baker neighborhood and there was one of those City of Seattle multicolored park signs at the corner of Rainier & McCellan declaring the spot of Sick’s Stadium. At that time it was and empty lot. Around 1989 or 90 an Eagle Hardware store was built there. Eagle was acquired by Lowe’s in 1999 or so, so it makes sense that Rob’s comment is correct.

–chuck

]]> By: Curt http://www.vintageseattle.org/2009/10/12/remember-sicks-stadium/#comment-74914 Curt Mon, 12 Oct 2009 14:51:00 +0000 http://www.vintageseattle.org/?p=2636#comment-74914 Just to clarify...Charlie Finley was never the owner of the Kansas City Royals and the Royals have never thought about relocating from Kansas City. Finley was the owner of the Kansas City Athletics and did make overtures to many cities in his consistent attempts to relocate that franchise from the time he purchased the club in 1960 until he was approved to move to Oakland in 1967. Ewing Kauffman founded the Royals as an expansion team following the A's departure and have played the last 40 years here in his hometown of Kansas City. Just to clarify…Charlie Finley was never the owner of the Kansas City Royals and the Royals have never thought about relocating from Kansas City. Finley was the owner of the Kansas City Athletics and did make overtures to many cities in his consistent attempts to relocate that franchise from the time he purchased the club in 1960 until he was approved to move to Oakland in 1967.
Ewing Kauffman founded the Royals as an expansion team following the A’s departure and have played the last 40 years here in his hometown of Kansas City.

]]> By: Rob http://www.vintageseattle.org/2009/10/12/remember-sicks-stadium/#comment-74840 Rob Mon, 12 Oct 2009 08:17:51 +0000 http://www.vintageseattle.org/?p=2636#comment-74840 It's strange to consider that even the Kingdome is gone now. In any event, if someone wants to see the plaque and a case with a few other items left behind from Sick's, they should look for the Lowe's on Rainer. The nearest Home Depot is on First Avenue South in SoDo, just south of Safeco Field. It’s strange to consider that even the Kingdome is gone now. In any event, if someone wants to see the plaque and a case with a few other items left behind from Sick’s, they should look for the Lowe’s on Rainer. The nearest Home Depot is on First Avenue South in SoDo, just south of Safeco Field.

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