John Hammer: "Greensboro's World War I Memorial Stadium" WTF?

One of the stadium's notable features is an ornate, triple-arched entrance,

which made a cameo appearance during the "road trip" segment

of the 1988 movie Bull Durham.

Wikipedia

"World War Memorial Stadium
– the old baseball stadium where the Greensboro Bats,
Greensboro Hornets, Greensboro Yankees and Greensboro Patriots all played
– was placed on the agenda without any prior discussion by the Perkins council.

By whom?

Did Robbie put the issue on the table without conferring?

Perkins lobbied hard to get a vote to tear it down,
but in the end a motion by Council member Trudy Wade to delay any action for 60 days
until further study could be completed passed on a 7-to-2 vote,
with Perkins and Councilmember Dianne Bellamy-Small voting against the motion.

Isn't this the same tactic Mr. Perkins used

when he tried to destroy some downtown businesses

he wasn't making any money from

the first go round with the noise ordinance?

...Perkins wanted to go ahead and take action to "renovate" the stadium,
so it was not postponed; and before the meeting
it looked like Perkins had the votes to tear the stadium down.

It was a cheap shot by Perkins.

There was no warning that this extremely controversial topic
was going to be on the agenda.

Who put it on the agenda?

If Robbie snuck the Noise Ordiance on the agenda

why wouldn't he do the same thing only different

with this?

...The information about the issue in the agenda packet was extremely misleading
because it was all about renovation.

...This so-called renovation project would have entailed tearing down everything
except the archways out front,
while inside the stadium not a single brick would have been left.

David Hoggard, who lives in the Aycock Historic Neighborhood,
...noted that what the city was discussing
was whether or not to demolish War Memorial Stadium.

He said, "Please don't call this renovation."

Hoggard said there is a term for what the city has done with the stadium
and that is "demolition by neglect." Hoggard said,

...[David] Wharton finally said that he was discouraged about the item,
which he described as the "eminent diminishment of this historic resource."

He noted that it is the oldest functioning athletic stadium in the state.

The "oldest functioning athletic stadium in the state."

Who wouldn't want to play a championship softball game

where Derek Jeter played?

Who wouldn't want to play a big game

at the oldest ballpark in North Carolina?

Could be a great place to play baseball and softball.

Weekend tournaments could have their final games there.

Opening days for Greensboro City Leagues

Charity Events

...Perkins was insistent that the council vote to demolish the stadium
and vote to demolish it at that meeting.

I still have a Bats bat somewhere.

My kids have a bunch of stuff.

...It is called World War Memorial Stadium
because when it was built in 1927 there had only been one world war.

I threw my back out there once.

...Perkins asked what the purpose of the second opinion would be.

My kids got their shirts autographed

and got to meet Crash Craddock.

He said, "We are not going to seat 7,000 people there ever again."

The stadium also received many seats from Philadelphia's old Shibe Park

after Shibe's demolition

Wiki

When asked a question, Kennerly responded, "Anything can be repaired."

Matheny noted that the council had not discussed the matter in three years
and was being asked to make a decision that night.

"the Patriots (later renamed the "Hornets" and then the "Bats")

along with the college teams..."

How many cool people have played there?

Councilmember Nancy Vaughan ...said,
"I do recall listening to the meetings that it wasn't an either-or,
that if we did build the new baseball stadium
that the old baseball stadium wasn't going to crumble into disrepair."

...Perkins said, "This stadium is in my opinion beyond repair."

Beverages several I have had there.

Perkins said that once professional baseball left War Memorial Stadium
that the crowds left and there was no need for it.

...Instead of spending $1.5 million to tear down the stadium
the city could spend $1.5 million to stabilize what is there
and see what use the creative minds of this city can come up with
for a historic 7,000 seat stadium."

John Hammer

Why not make it the size of a softball field,

put condos overlooking in Center field with a bar/restaurant somewheret

and have whoever play when ever.

Why not have a professional women's fast pitch softball team?

Pay for it with the Economic Development money Roy wants.

Let Greensboro's school kids get shares of the team

for good grades and behavior.

Most would think businesses looking to relocate or expand

would be interested in a city that would do something like that

for its kids.

It would fill the seats too.