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The History of Springfield Baseball

1988-Today

The Springfield Professional Baseball Association was formed in 1988, in efforts to bring a team back to the Springfield area.

During 1990, the Springfield Professional Baseball Association considered many options and locations, before settling for a city owned stadium on the corner of Chestnut and Boonville. It was to be funded by state and local taxes, but was turned down by voters.

            In 1993 the Springfield Professional Baseball Association began talks with Dennis Bastien, about relocating his Class “AA” team from Nashville to Springfield. To ease pressures of the stadium issue, developer Larry Lipscomb offered to donate the land as well as $1,000,000 for the construction of the new stadium. The Southern League approved the move of the Nashville team to Springfield, however the sale was contingent on the construction of the stadium as well as a significant number of season ticket sale.

            In 1995 the city of Springfield tried to get the State of Missouri to provide half of the funding for the stadium, and it seemed very promising, but the funding did not make it through the Missouri State Legislature. Again, Springfield was last on the list of funding that was being fought over by larger cities, Kansas City and St. Louis.

            In 1996 the Springfield Professional Baseball Association changed their name to the Greater Ozarks Professional Baseball Association and attempted to get Bastien to move his Nashville team to Ozark, Missouri. And yet again, the voters turned down the funding.

            In 1999 Horn Chen, a Chicago businessman constructed a stadium in Ozark, And the Ozark Mountain Ducks began play. The level of play was quite low, but the attendance was good for the first couple of years.

On August 18, 2002 the St. Louis Cardinals purchased the El Paso Diablo’s franchise from Brett Sports and Entertainment, whose ownership includes Kansas City Royals hall-of-famer George Brett. The Cardinals immediately announced that they would be moving the El Paso franchise to the newly constructed Hammons Field in Springfield, Missouri.         

Construction of the 32 million dollar Hammons Field was announced in February of 2002. The 8,000 seat capacity stadium would house 28 private skybox seats, a souvenir shop, and upgraded clubhouses and concessions. The stadium took over 1 ½ years to build. It was rumored, that 12 other franchises were interesting in play at Hammons Field. But, Mr. Hammons and Springfield itself would settle for no less then the much loved St. Louis Cardinals franchise.

            Season ticket sales for the Springfield Cardinals Inaugural season began at noon, on August 25^th, 2004.  In the first 24 hours of ticket sales, it was rumored that there were more than 8,000 requests for season tickets.

            Hammons Field opened on April 2, 2004. The Southwest Missouri State Bears were the first to take the field at the new Hammons Field. The Ozark Mountain Ducks folded later that year.

            After a 62 year absence, the Cardinals returned to Springfield. They are a member of the highly respected Texas League. Located downtown, Hammons Field is now their home, as we enter a new era of Springfield Cardinal Baseball.

            April 2^nd, 2005 began the new tradition for the Springfield Cardinals. Opening night drew over 10,000 fans with only a few spots of standing room left.  The St. Louis Cardinals played the Springfield Cardinals in two exhibition games. It was truly an exciting night as many Springfieldians came out to celebrate the long awaited return of first-class baseball. I don't know that a town has ever been more excited than Springfield was for the home opener exhibition games against the big league team. The Springfield Cardinals vs. the St. Louis Cardinals Saturday and Sunday exhibition games proved to be the hottest ticket around. 

            And so a new era begins.  I am sure that the teams of old were loved by their fans, but I can’t imagine a team being more beloved and cherished then the current day Springfield Cardinals.  Win or lose, the Springfield Cardinals are not only a part of Springfield and it’s future history, but they are Springfield.