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 - 412 ft (126 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 (SAL/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 Joe Tinker, a baseball legend who is in the Baseball Hall of Fame. The stadium was in the West Lakes area of Downtown Orlando.
In April 2015, the City of Orlando took down the main seating areas and other buildings. This happened because the nearby Orlando Citrus Bowl football stadium was being updated. Today, Tinker Field is remembered as the Tinker Field History Plaza.
The field was built in 1914. It was the spring training home for many famous baseball teams. These included the Brooklyn Dodgers, Cincinnati Reds, Washington Senators, and Minnesota Twins. It was also home to the Orlando Rays minor league team. They played there until 2000. The stadium was right next to the football stadium. It could hold up to 5,100 fans before its buildings were removed in 2015.
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A Look Back: Tinker Field's History
The area was first used for baseball games in 1914. The first stadium on the site was built in 1923. It was made of wood and could seat 1,500 people.
Early Baseball Teams at Tinker Field
For ten years, the Cincinnati Reds used Tinker Field for their spring training. This was from 1923 until 1933. After them, the Brooklyn Dodgers trained there in 1934 and 1935.
In 1936, Clark Griffith brought the Washington Senators to Orlando for spring training. The Senators later became the Minnesota Twins. They continued to train at Tinker Field until after the 1990 season.
Stadium Updates and Special Seats
The stadium was rebuilt in 1963. When Griffith Stadium in Washington, D.C., was torn down, almost 1,000 of its seats were moved to Tinker Field. The City of Orlando sold the remaining seats in 2015. The old press box, which was next to the home team's dugout, was very old. You can see it in photos from the 1920s.
More Than Just Baseball
Tinker Field also hosted some college football games. For example, the 1937 Orange Blossom Classic was played there.
In 2004, Tinker Field was added to the United States National Register of Historic Places. This means it was recognized as an important historical site.
One of the most important non-baseball events happened on March 6, 1964. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. visited Tinker Field. He gave a speech 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, work began to rebuild the Orlando Citrus Bowl stadium. It was announced that Tinker Field's grandstands and other buildings would be torn down. The reason was that the expanded football stadium would make Tinker Field's right field too short to use.
On March 9, 2015, the Orlando City Council agreed 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 civil rights and baseball in Orlando.
What's Happening at Tinker Field Now?
Today, the area where Tinker Field once stood is still a place for community events.
Music Festivals and Fun Days
Each November, Tinker Field hosts 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 was the location for the West Lakes Family Fun Day. This event was held by people from the neighborhoods around the field.
Every June or July, Tinker Field used to host the Orlando Vans Warped Tour. This was a one-day festival featuring rock music with popular bands from all over the world.
Images for kids
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Interior of the original Tinker Field
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Updated Entry that was added in 1990.
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View from Tampa Ave along the Left Field line.
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Looking down on Tinker field from The Florida Citrus Bowl.
