Tinker Field facts for kids
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| Location | 287 South Tampa Ave, Orlando, Florida |
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| Coordinates | 28°32′19″N 81°24′17.2″W / 28.53861°N 81.404778°W |
| Owner | City of Orlando |
| Operator | City of Orlando |
| Capacity | 5,014 (1965–2015) 4,000 (1933–1964) 1,500 (1923–1932) |
| Field size | Left Field - 340 ft (104 m) Center Field - 425 ft (130 m) Right Field - 320 ft (98 m) |
| Surface | Grass |
| Construction | |
| Broke ground | 1914 |
| Built | 1914 |
| Opened | 1923 |
| Demolished | June 2015 |
| Tenants | |
| Cincinnati Reds (MLB) (spring training) 1923–1933 Brooklyn Dodgers (MLB) (spring training) 1934–1935 Washington Senators/Minnesota Twins (MLB) (spring training) 1936–1990 Orlando Rays (SL) 1963–1999 Orlando Suns (FCSL) 2008 |
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Tinker Field
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| Lua error in Module:Location_map at line 420: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value). | |
| Location | 1610 W. Church St., Orlando, Florida |
| Area | 7 acres (2.8 ha) |
| Built | 1922 |
| NRHP reference No. | 04000456 |
| Added to NRHP | May 14, 2004 |
Tinker Field was a famous outdoor baseball stadium in Orlando, Florida. It was named after Baseball Hall of Fame player Joe Tinker. The field was located near the Camping World Stadium in Downtown Orlando. In April 2015, the City of Orlando decided to take down the main seating areas and other buildings.
Tinker Field was built in 1914. It became a special place for many professional baseball teams to practice in the spring. Teams like the Brooklyn Dodgers, Cincinnati Reds, Washington Senators, and Minnesota Twins all used it for their spring training. It was also the home field for the Orlando Rays, a minor league baseball team, before they moved in 2000. The stadium could hold about 5,100 fans before its main stands were removed.
Contents
Tinker Field: A Historic Baseball Park
Tinker Field first started being used for baseball games in 1914. The first stadium built on the site was finished in 1923. It was made of wood and could seat 1,500 people.
Early Days and Famous Teams
For ten years, the Cincinnati Reds used Tinker Field for their spring training, from 1923 until 1933. After that, the Brooklyn Dodgers trained there in 1934 and 1935.
In 1936, the Washington Senators moved their spring training to Orlando. Later, this team became the Minnesota Twins. They continued to train at Tinker Field until 1990. The stadium was rebuilt in 1963. When Griffith Stadium in Washington, D.C., was taken down, almost 1,000 of its seats were moved to Tinker Field. The old press box, where reporters worked, was also very old. Photos show it was there as early as the 1920s.
A Special Visit: Martin Luther King Jr.
Tinker Field was added to the United States National Register of Historic Places in 2004. This means it was recognized as an important historical site.
One of the most important events at Tinker Field, not related to baseball, happened on March 6, 1964. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. visited and gave a speech. He spoke to thousands of people from the pitcher's mound. This was his only public speech in Orlando.
Why Tinker Field Was Demolished
On January 28, 2014, there was an announcement about rebuilding the Orlando Citrus Bowl Stadium. It was decided that the main stands and other buildings at Tinker Field would be torn down. The reason was that the expansion of the Citrus Bowl would make the right field area of Tinker Field too short to use.
On March 9, 2015, the Orlando City Council approved the plan to demolish the buildings. They also set aside money to create a new area around the field. In September 2015, the city shared plans to remember Tinker Field. The Tinker Field History Plaza opened in May 2018. It celebrates both civil rights and baseball history in Orlando.
What's There Now?
Even though the stadium is gone, the area around Tinker Field still hosts big events.
Each November, Tinker Field is home to the Electric Daisy Carnival. This is a three-day festival with electronic dance music, famous DJs, cool visual effects, rides, and art.
On September 6, 2015, Tinker Field hosted the West Lakes Family Fun Day. This event was held by people from the neighborhoods around the field.
Also, each June or July, Tinker Field hosts the Orlando Vans Warped Tour. This is a one-day festival featuring rock music with popular bands from all over the world.
Gallery
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Inside the original Tinker Field
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A newer entry added in 1990
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View from Tampa Avenue along the left field line
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Looking down on Tinker Field from the Florida Citrus Bowl
