J. P. Small Memorial Stadium facts for kids
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Jacksonville's First Municipal Baseball Stadium
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| Former names | Barrs Field (1912–1926) Joseph E. Durkee Athletic Field (1926–1985) Myrtle Avenue Ball Park (local name) |
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| Location | 1701 Myrtle Avenue Jacksonville, Florida, United States |
| Coordinates | 30°20′47″N 81°40′30″W / 30.34639°N 81.67500°W |
| Owner | City of Jacksonville |
| Operator | City of Jacksonville |
| Field size | Left Field: 337 ft Center Field: 375 ft Right Field: 285 ft |
| Surface | Grass |
| Construction | |
| Opened | 1912 |
| Renovated | 1936, 1985, 2006 |
| Demolished | 1936 (Fire); immediately rebuilt |
| Construction cost | US$ |
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| Negro leagues: Jacksonville Red Caps (NAL) (1938,1941-42) Minor leagues: Jacksonville Braves (SAL) (1953) Jacksonville Jets (SAL) (1961) Jacksonville Tars (SEL) (1926–1930) Jacksonville Scouts/Indians (FSL) (1921–1922) Major League Spring Training: Brooklyn Dodgers (NL) (1919–1920, 1922) New York Yankees (AL) (1919–1920) Pittsburgh Pirates (NL) (1918) Philadelphia Athletics (AL) (1914–1918) |
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Joseph H. Durkee Athletic Field
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 Location in Florida
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| Location | Jacksonville, Florida |
| NRHP reference No. | 13000484 |
| Added to NRHP | July 11, 2013 |
J. P. Small Memorial Stadium is a historic baseball park in Jacksonville, Florida. It is located in the Durkeeville neighborhood. Built in 1912 and rebuilt in 1936, it was Jacksonville's first public sports field. This stadium was the main baseball park in the city until Wolfson Park was built in 1954. Over the years, it has been known by different names like Barrs Field, Durkee Field, and the Myrtle Avenue Ball Park.
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The Stadium's Early Days: Barrs Field
Building Jacksonville's First Ballpark
The original baseball field was built between 1911 and 1912. It was on land owned by Joseph H. Durkee. He was a former officer in the American Civil War who became a successful businessman in Jacksonville. In 1911, Durkee's son, Jay Durkee, gave control of the land to Amander Barrs. Barrs was a local businessman and head of the Jacksonville Baseball Association. He decided to build a sports field for local teams.
The field was finished in 1912 and was called Barrs Field. Many locals also knew it as the Myrtle Avenue Ball Park. An early team that played there was the Jacksonville Athletics, an African-American club. Famous writer James Weldon Johnson even played for them! The Jacksonville Scouts, a professional team, played there in 1921.
Major League Teams Visit Barrs Field
Barrs Field also hosted Major League Baseball teams for their spring training. This is where teams practice before the regular season starts. The Philadelphia Athletics were the first, training there from 1914 to 1918. The Pittsburgh Pirates used the field in 1918.
From 1919 to 1920, both the New York Yankees and the Brooklyn Dodgers held their spring training at Barrs Field. The Dodgers returned for one more spring training season in 1922.
Durkee Field: A New Era for the Ballpark
Jacksonville Buys the Field
After 1922, Jacksonville didn't have a city-owned park. This meant major and minor league teams stopped coming to the city. In 1926, the city government bought Barrs Field from Durkee. They hoped to bring professional baseball back to Jacksonville. On March 13, 1926, the city bought the park and renamed it Durkee Field. Soon after, the city brought a Southeastern League team to town, which became the Jacksonville Tars.
In 1932, the city officially purchased Durkee Field for $348,000.
Rebuilding After a Fire
The original stadium was destroyed by a fire in 1936. But the city quickly rebuilt it in 1936-1937. The new stadium was bigger. It also included a special section for African-American fans, as this was a time when people of different races were kept separate.
From 1938, and again from 1941 to 1942, the Jacksonville Red Caps played at the park. They were Jacksonville's only team in the Negro American League, a league for African-American players.
A Stand for Equality
In 1946, the Jersey City Giants held their spring training at Durkee Field. They were scheduled to play against the Montreal Royals. The Royals team included Jackie Robinson and John Wright. These two players were making history by helping to integrate baseball.
However, the Jacksonville Playground and Recreation Board had rules against white and Black athletes playing together. They said the game with Robinson and Wright could not happen at the park. The Royals, with support from the Dodgers, refused to play without Robinson and Wright. They canceled the game, showing their support for integration.
Integrating Baseball in Jacksonville
In 1953, a Jacksonville businessman named Samuel W. Wolfson bought the Jacksonville Tars team. He renamed them the Jacksonville Braves. They became a Class A team linked to the Milwaukee Braves Major League club. Wolfson made a big change by integrating the team.
Three Black players from the Braves' system – Hank Aaron, Félix Mantilla, and Horace Garner – came to Jacksonville. This made the Braves one of the first integrated teams in the South Atlantic League and in Florida. The next year, the city began building Wolfson Park. The Braves moved to the new park once it was finished.
J. P. Small Memorial Stadium Today
A Community Landmark
After the Braves moved, Durkee Field continued to be used by local high schools and colleges. These included Edward Waters College, Raines High School, and Stanton High School. By the late 1970s, the stadium was in bad shape and almost torn down.
However, local people worked hard to save the park. In 1980, Jacksonville City Council member Sallye B. Mathis helped pass a law to renovate it. The park was renamed J. P. Small Memorial Stadium. This honored J. P. Small, who was a beloved teacher, band director, coach, and athletic director at Stanton High for many years.
The renovations included fixing the structure, adding a new roof, press box, and dugouts. They also paved the parking lot and added new play areas and lights for the fields.
Recognized for its History
After Wolfson Park was torn down in 2002, J. P. Small Ballpark became the last historic baseball park in Jacksonville. In May 2003, the Jacksonville City Government worked to give the ballpark a permanent historical marker. More renovations in 2006 added a small museum.
In July 2013, the park was added to the National Register of Historic Places. It was listed under its former name, Joseph E. Durkee Athletic Field.
Today, the ball field is bordered by 8th Street West (north), Wilcox Street (east), 7th Street West (south), and Myrtle Avenue North (west).
