Stuart Stadium

{{Short description|Ballpark in Beaumont, Texas, US}}

{{Infobox venue

| stadium_name = Stuart Stadium

| nickname =

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| fullname = Stuart Stadium

| location = Beaumont, Texas

| coordinates = {{Coord|30|3|13.2|N|94|5|55.1|W|type:landmark_region:US-TX|display=title,inline}}

| broke_ground =

| built =

| opened = 1929

| renovated =

| expanded =

| closed = 1955

| demolished = 1955

| owner =

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| surface =

| construction_cost = $120,000

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| tenants = {{center|Beaumont Exporters (Texas League) (1929-1955)}}

| seating_capacity = 7,500{{cite web |title=Stuart Stadium |url=https://www.statscrew.com/venues/v-224 |website=Stats Crew - The Home of Sports Statistics |publisher=Stats Crew |access-date=13 June 2021}}

| dimensions =

}}

Stuart Stadium was a ballpark located in Beaumont, Texas and home to the Texas League Beaumont Exporters from 1929 to 1955 except for 1943–1945 when the Texas League ceased operations during World War II. The Lamar Cardinals baseball team also used the stadium as their home field for the team's first three seasons (1952–1954).{{Cite web | url=http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/lama/sports/m-basebl/auto_pdf/2011-12/misc_non_event/6-3-4.pdf | title=Information Guide - Lamas Baseball 2012| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150123201128/http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/lama/sports/m-basebl/auto_pdf/2011-12/misc_non_event/6-3-4.pdf | archive-date=2015-01-23 }} The stadium was demolished in order to use the stadium grounds as the site of the Stadium Shopping Center.{{cite web|url=http://www.ballparkreviews.com/beaumont/beaumont.htm|title=Stuart Stadium - Beaumont, Texas|first=Brian|last=Merzbach|website=www.ballparkreviews.com}}

Exporters' Success

The Beaumont team was not always a good team, but they did have some years of success while at Stuart Stadium. The Exporters lost a playoff for the first half title in 1931, won the Texas League title the next year in 1932, lost in the first round in 1934, finished as runner-up in 1935 to the Oklahoma City Indians, won another Texas League title in 1938, finished as runner-up to the Houston Buffaloes in 1940, and finished as runner-up to the Shreveport Sports in 1942 before returning to mediocrity.{{cn|date=November 2022}}

Sources

  • "Baseball in the Lone Star State: Texas League's Greatest Hits," Tom Kayser and David King, Trinity University Press 2005
  • "The Texas League 1888-1987: A Century of Baseball," Bill O'Neal, c.1987

References