Grayson Stadium
{{short description|Sports stadium in Savannah, Georgia, United States}}
{{Use American English|date=April 2020}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2020}}
{{infobox venue
| name = Grayson Stadium
| nickname = Historic Grayson Stadium
| fullname = William L. Grayson Stadium
| image = Grayson Stadium.jpg
| caption = Grayson Stadium in 2019
| location = 1401 East Victory Drive
Savannah, Georgia 31404
| broke_ground = 1925
| opened =
| renovated = 1941
2009
2024
| expanded =
| closed =
| demolished =
| owner = City of Savannah
| operator = Savannah Bananas
| surface = Astro Turf
| architect =
| general_contractor =
| dimensions = Left Field: {{convert|322|ft|m|abbr=on}}
Center Field: {{convert|400|ft|m|abbr=on}}
Right Field: {{convert|310|ft|m|abbr=on}}
| tenants = Savannah Indians (SEL) 1926–1928
Savannah Indians (SL) 1936–1942
Savannah Indians (SL) 1946–1953
Savannah Athletics (SL) 1954–1955
Savannah Redlegs (SL) 1956–1958
Savannah Reds (SL) 1959
Savannah Pirates (SL) 1960
Savannah White Sox (SL) 1962
Savannah Senators (SL) 1968–1969
Savannah Indians (SL) 1970
Savannah Braves (SL) 1971–1983
Savannah Cardinals/Sand Gnats (SAL) 1984–2015
Savannah Bananas (BBCL) 2016–present
| construction_cost = $140,000
(${{formatprice|{{Inflation|US|140000|1926}}}} in {{Inflation-year|US}} dollars{{inflation-fn|US}})
| former_names = Municipal Stadium
}}
William L. Grayson Stadium is a stadium in Savannah, Georgia. It is primarily used for baseball, and is the home field of the Savannah Bananas, an exhibition baseball team. It was the part-time home of the Savannah State University college baseball team from 2009 to 2011.{{cite web |title=2009 Baseball Schedule |url=https://ssuathletics.com/sports/baseball/schedule/2009 |website=Savannah State University Athletics |publisher=Savannah State University |access-date=February 25, 2020}}{{cite web |title=2010 Baseball Schedule |url=https://ssuathletics.com/sports/baseball/schedule/2010 |website=Savannah State University Athletics |publisher=Savannah State University |access-date=February 25, 2020}}{{cite web |title=2011 Baseball Schedule |url=https://ssuathletics.com/sports/baseball/schedule/2011 |website=Savannah State University Athletics |publisher=Savannah State University |access-date=February 25, 2020}} It was also used from 1927 until 1959 for the annual Thanksgiving Day game between Savannah High School and Benedictine Military School.{{cite web |title=History of Grayson Stadium |url=https://www.milb.com/news/gcs-518716 |website=MiLB.com |publisher=Minor League Baseball |date=March 3, 2009 |access-date=April 8, 2011}} Known as "Historic Grayson Stadium", it was built in 1926. It holds 5,000 people.{{cite web |title=William L. Grayson Stadium |first=Paul |last=Crumlish |url=http://www.littleballparks.com/Stadium/2002/Savannah/Savannah.htm |website=Ball Parks of the Minor Leagues |year=2002 |access-date=September 25, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200218015043/http://www.littleballparks.com/Stadium/2002/Savannah/Savannah.htm |archive-date=February 18, 2020}} It also served as the home of the Savannah Sand Gnats from 1984 to 2015 (known as the Cardinals until 1996).
History
Originally known as Municipal Stadium, it first served as the home field of the minor league Savannah Indians. In 1932, it hosted the Boston Red Sox for spring training.{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/25094460/sox_in_first_drill_today/ |title=Sox in First Drill Today |page=24 |newspaper=The Boston Globe |date=March 1, 1932 |access-date=November 4, 2018 |via=Newspapers.com}} The park underwent major renovations in 1941, following a devastating hurricane in 1940.{{cite web |first=Mike |last=Passanisi |url=http://www.sandgnats.com/grayson/history/ |title=History |website=sandgnats.com |publisher=Savannah Sand Gnats |access-date=September 25, 2008 |archive-date=July 5, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080705114614/http://www.sandgnats.com/grayson/history/}} Spanish–American War veteran General William L. Grayson led the effort to get the $150,000 needed to rebuild the stadium. Half of the funds came from the Works Progress Administration (WPA). In recognition of Grayson's work, the stadium was renamed in his honor.
The first integrated South Atlantic League game took place at Grayson Stadium on April 14, 1953.{{cite news |title=Good old Grayson |first=Thom |last=Loverro |author-link=Thom Loverro |url=https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2005/may/20/20050520-122600-5615r/ |newspaper=The Washington Times |date=May 20, 2005 |access-date=February 25, 2020}}
The park went through a two-year renovation process that started prior to the 2007 season.{{cite news |title=Aging Grayson Getting $5 Million Makeover |first=Nathan |last=Dominitz |url=https://www.savannahnow.com/story/sports/2007/10/03/aging-grayson-getting-5-million-makeover/13786278007/ |newspaper=Savannah Morning News |date=October 3, 2007 |access-date=May 30, 2014 |url-status=live |url-access=subscription |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220816200442/https://www.savannahnow.com/story/sports/2007/10/03/aging-grayson-getting-5-million-makeover/13786278007/ |archive-date=August 16, 2022}} Under the Bananas, another round of renovation happened in 2023-24 giving the stadium an additional 1,000 outfield seats - for a total of 5,000 overall and a modernized classic grandstand appearance in preparation for its centennial in 2026. At home plate level, the old bleacher seats in the grandstand used for many years were replaced by stadium-style bucket seating.{{cite news |title=Grayson Stadium adds a thousand more reasons to attend home games |url=https://www.wsav.com/savannah-bananas/grayson-stadium-adds-a-thousand-more-reasons-to-attend-home-games/ |access-date=March 15, 2024 |work=WSAV-TV |date=January 11, 2024}} A video wall is expected to be added in 2025 in the outfield area.{{citation needed|date=October 2024}} In 2020, the Savannah Bananas removed all advertisements from Grayson Stadium.{{cite news |last1=Bogage |first1=Jacob |title=Baseball teams put ads everywhere. One summer league team is ditching them entirely. |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2020/02/26/savannah-banana-will-remove-all-advertising/ |access-date=March 18, 2025 |work=The Washington Post |date=February 26, 2020 |url-status=live |url-access=subscription |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200227041053/https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2020/02/26/savannah-banana-will-remove-all-advertising/ |archive-date=February 27, 2020 |language=en}}
Grayson Stadium was the venue for the 2017 GHSA Baseball Championships for Class 1A Private, Class 2A, Class 3A, and Class 5A.{{cite web |title=Baseball State Championship Schedule Is Now Finalized |url=https://www.ghsa.net/baseball-state-championship-schedule-now-finalized |website=GHSA.net |publisher=Georgia High School Association |access-date=February 25, 2020 |date=May 16, 2017}} It was also used for the 2018 and 2019 GHSA Baseball Championships.{{cite web |title=Congratulations to the 2018 GHSA Baseball State Champions |url=https://www.ghsa.net/congratulations-2018-baseball-state-champions |website=GHSA.net |publisher=Georgia High School Association |access-date=February 25, 2020 |date=May 25, 2018}}{{cite web |title=Congratulations to the 2019 GHSA Baseball State Champions! |url=https://www.ghsa.net/congratulations-2019-ghsa-baseball-state-champions |website=GHSA.net |publisher=Georgia High School Association |access-date=February 25, 2020 |date=May 24, 2019}}
=Timeline=
DateFormat = yyyy
ImageSize = width:750 height:auto barincrement:20
Period = from:1926 till:2045
TimeAxis = orientation:horizontal
PlotArea = right:30 left:0 bottom:50 top:5
Colors = id:barcolor value:rgb(0.99,0.7,0.7)
id:line value:black
id:bg value:white
PlotData=
width:15 textcolor:black shift:(5,-5) anchor:from fontsize:s
bar:1 color:powderblue from:1926 till:1928 text:Savannah Indians (1926-1928)
bar:2 color:powderblue from:1936 till:1942 text:Savannah Indians (1936-1942)
bar:3 color:powderblue from:1946 till:1953 text:Savannah Indians (1946-1953)
bar:4 color:powderblue from:1956 till:1958 text:Savannah Athletics (1956-1958)
bar:5 color:powderblue from:1959 till:1959 text:Savannah Redlegs (1959)
bar:6 color:powderblue from:1960 till:1960 text:Savannah Pirates (1960)
bar:7 color:powderblue from:1962 till:1962 text:Savannah White Sox (1962)
bar:8 color:powderblue from:1968 till:1969 text:Savannah Senators (1968-1969)
bar:9 color:powderblue from:1970 till:1970 text:Savannah Indians (1970)
bar:10 color:powderblue from:1971 till:1983 text:Savannah Braves (1971-1983)
bar:11 color:powderblue from:1984 till:1995 text:Savannah Cardinals (1984-1995)
bar:12 color:powderblue from:1996 till:2015 text:Savannah Sand Gnats (1996-2015)
bar:13 color:powderblue from:2016 till:2024 text:Savannah Bananas (2016-Present)
ScaleMajor = gridcolor:line unit:year increment:10 start:1926
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [https://thesavannahbananas.com/ The Savannah Bananas]
- [http://www.ballparkreviews.com/savan/savan.htm Ball Park Reviews: Grayson Stadium]
- Stadium Journey: Grayson Stadium
{{CPL Ballparks}}
{{Sports venues in Savannah, Georgia}}
{{Boston Red Sox}}
{{coord|32|2|41|N|81|4|44|W|display=title}}
Category:Minor league baseball venues
Category:Baseball venues in Georgia (U.S. state)
Category:Works Progress Administration in Georgia (U.S. state)
Category:Savannah State Tigers baseball
Category:Negro league baseball venues
Category:1926 establishments in Georgia (U.S. state)
Category:Sports venues completed in 1926
Category:College baseball venues in the United States