Anderson Memorial Stadium
Encyclopedia
Anderson Memorial Stadium is a stadium
in Anderson, South Carolina
. It is primarily used for baseball
and was the home of Anderson Braves
from 1980 to 1984, and the Anderson Joes
in 2007. It is currently the home of Anderson University
's baseball team.
The ballpark has a capacity of 2,500 people and opened in 1970. The stadium had bleacher type seats and the box seats consisted of folding metal chairs. The stadium was originally home to the minor league Anderson Senators class A team. After the Senators left town, other teams were the Anderson Tigers, the Anderson Giants, the Anderson Mets, and the Anderson Rangers. Willie Mays
visited the city in the summer of 1974 as part of a goodwill tour as a roving ambassador and coach with the New York Mets
franchise.
The stadium became the home of the Anderson Braves
in 1980 when they moved from Greenwood, South Carolina
. The team was quickly a big success. The team seemed to gain more enthusiastic crowds given the connection and close proximity to Atlanta and the Braves franchise. 1984 was the last season for the Braves at Memorial Stadium; they moved to Sumter, South Carolina
at the end of 1984. The Stadium became the home of the Anderson College
(now Anderson University) baseball team. The city-owned stadium became run-down.
In 2007, the stadium had a rebirth. A new independent baseball team named the Anderson Joes
came to town. Much work was done on the stadium. It was completely restored, rewired and had major plumbing work done. New seats and a new snack bar were also added. Sadly, the team and the league folded into bankruptcy and the stadium is once again empty except for Anderson University baseball games.
Stadium
A modern stadium is a place or venue for outdoor sports, concerts, or other events and consists of a field or stage either partly or completely surrounded by a structure designed to allow spectators to stand or sit and view the event.)Pausanias noted that for about half a century the only event...
in Anderson, South Carolina
Anderson, South Carolina
Anderson is a city in and the county seat of Anderson County, South Carolina, United States. The population was estimated at 26,242 in 2006, and the city was the center of an urbanized area of 70,530...
. It is primarily used for baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
and was the home of Anderson Braves
Anderson Braves
The Anderson Braves were a minor league baseball team located in Anderson, South Carolina. The team played in the South Atlantic League, and were affiliated with the Atlanta Braves. Their home stadium was Anderson Memorial Stadium....
from 1980 to 1984, and the Anderson Joes
Anderson Joes
The Anderson Joes is a professional independent minor league baseball team in the South Coast League, based in Anderson, South Carolina,, USA. The team is not affilitated with Major League Baseball...
in 2007. It is currently the home of Anderson University
Anderson University (South Carolina)
Anderson University is a private comprehensive university located in Anderson, South Carolina, offering bachelors, masters, and doctoral degrees in approximately 60 areas of study. Anderson is affiliated with the South Carolina Baptist Convention and is accredited as a Level V institution by the...
's baseball team.
The ballpark has a capacity of 2,500 people and opened in 1970. The stadium had bleacher type seats and the box seats consisted of folding metal chairs. The stadium was originally home to the minor league Anderson Senators class A team. After the Senators left town, other teams were the Anderson Tigers, the Anderson Giants, the Anderson Mets, and the Anderson Rangers. Willie Mays
Willie Mays
Willie Howard Mays, Jr. is a retired American professional baseball player who played the majority of his major league career with the New York and San Francisco Giants before finishing with the New York Mets. Nicknamed The Say Hey Kid, Mays was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1979, his...
visited the city in the summer of 1974 as part of a goodwill tour as a roving ambassador and coach with the New York Mets
New York Mets
The New York Mets are a professional baseball team based in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York. They belong to Major League Baseball's National League East Division. One of baseball's first expansion teams, the Mets were founded in 1962 to replace New York's departed National League...
franchise.
The stadium became the home of the Anderson Braves
Anderson Braves
The Anderson Braves were a minor league baseball team located in Anderson, South Carolina. The team played in the South Atlantic League, and were affiliated with the Atlanta Braves. Their home stadium was Anderson Memorial Stadium....
in 1980 when they moved from Greenwood, South Carolina
Greenwood, South Carolina
Greenwood is a city in and the county seat of Greenwood County, South Carolina, United States. The population was 22,071 at the 2000 census and had slightly increased to 22,710 according to a 2009 estimate.-Geography:...
. The team was quickly a big success. The team seemed to gain more enthusiastic crowds given the connection and close proximity to Atlanta and the Braves franchise. 1984 was the last season for the Braves at Memorial Stadium; they moved to Sumter, South Carolina
Sumter, South Carolina
-Demographics:, there were 59,180 people, 34,717 households, and 4,049 families living in the city. The population density was 4,469.5 people per square mile . There were 416,032 housing units at an average density of 603.0 per square mile...
at the end of 1984. The Stadium became the home of the Anderson College
Anderson University (South Carolina)
Anderson University is a private comprehensive university located in Anderson, South Carolina, offering bachelors, masters, and doctoral degrees in approximately 60 areas of study. Anderson is affiliated with the South Carolina Baptist Convention and is accredited as a Level V institution by the...
(now Anderson University) baseball team. The city-owned stadium became run-down.
In 2007, the stadium had a rebirth. A new independent baseball team named the Anderson Joes
Anderson Joes
The Anderson Joes is a professional independent minor league baseball team in the South Coast League, based in Anderson, South Carolina,, USA. The team is not affilitated with Major League Baseball...
came to town. Much work was done on the stadium. It was completely restored, rewired and had major plumbing work done. New seats and a new snack bar were also added. Sadly, the team and the league folded into bankruptcy and the stadium is once again empty except for Anderson University baseball games.