Busch Memorial Stadium
Former stadium in St. Louis, Missouri
Busch Stadium II | |
![]() ![]() April 2005 (above) and September 1977 | |
![]() | |
Former names | Civic Center Busch Memorial Stadium (1966–1981) Busch Stadium (1982–2005) |
---|---|
Location | 250 Stadium Plaza St. Louis, Missouri |
Coordinates | 38°37′26″N 90°11′33″W / 38.62389°N 90.19250°W / 38.62389; -90.19250Coordinates: 38°37′26″N 90°11′33″W / 38.62389°N 90.19250°W / 38.62389; -90.19250 |
Owner | St. Louis Cardinals |
Operator | St. Louis Cardinals |
Capacity | Baseball: 49,676 (1997–2005) 57,676 (1966–1996) Football: 60,000 |
Field size | Left Field – 330 ft (101 m) Left-Center – 372 ft (113 m) Center Field – 402 ft (123 m) Right-Center – 372 ft (113 m) Right Field – 330 ft (101 m) Backstop – 64 ft (20 m) Original Dimensions (1966) Left Field – 330 ft (101 m) Left-Center – 386 ft (118 m) Center Field – 414 ft (126 m) Right-Center – 386 ft (118 m) Right Field – 330 ft (101 m) Backstop – 64 ft (20 m) |
Surface | Natural grass (1996–2005) AstroTurf (1970–1995) Natural grass (1966–1969) |
Construction | |
Broke ground | May 25, 1964 (May 25, 1964)[1][2] |
Built | 1964–1966 |
Opened | May 12, 1966 (May 12, 1966)[1] |
Closed | October 19, 2005 (October 19, 2005) |
Demolished | November 7 – December 8, 2005 |
Construction cost | US$24 million[1] ($189 million in 2019 dollars[3]) |
Architect | Sverdrup & Parcel Edward Durell Stone Schwarz & Van Hoefen, Associated |
General contractor | Fruin–Colnon/Millstone[4] |
Tenants | |
St. Louis Cardinals (MLB) (1966–2005) St. Louis Cardinals (NFL) (1966–1987) St. Louis Stars (NPSL / NASL) (1967–1974) St. Louis Rams (NFL) (1995) |
Busch Memorial Stadium, also known as Busch Stadium II, was a multi-purpose sports facility in St. Louis, Missouri, that operated for 40 years, from 1966 through 2005.[5]
The stadium served as the home of the St. Louis Cardinals National League baseball team for its entire operating existence, while also serving as home to the National Football League's Cardinals team for 22 seasons, from 1966 through 1987, as well as the St. Louis Rams during part of the 1995 season. It opened four days after the last baseball game was played at Sportsman's Park (which had also been known since 1953 as Busch Stadium).
The stadium was designed by Sverdrup & Parcel and built by Grün & Bilfinger.[6] Edward Durell Stone designed the roof, a 96-arch "Crown of Arches".[7] The Crown echoed the Gateway Arch, which had been completed only a year before Busch Stadium opened. It was one of the first multipurpose "cookie-cutter" facilities built in the United States, popular from the early 1960s through the early 1980s.
Its final event was the sixth game of the 2005 NLCS on October 19.[8] The stadium was demolished by wrecking ball in late 2005 and part of its former footprint is occupied by its replacement stadium—the new Busch Stadium (a.k.a. Busch Stadium III), located just south.
- ^ a b c Cite error: The named reference
alookback
was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ "Football Cards remain undecided on Atlanta". St. Petersburg Times. Florida. Associated Press. May 26, 1964. p. 2C.
- ^ Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. "Consumer Price Index (estimate) 1800–". Retrieved January 1, 2020.
- ^ O'Neil, Tim (May 11, 2013). "In 1966, New Busch Stadium Was a Tub-Thumping Civic Cause". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Retrieved February 28, 2015.
- ^ Newberry, Paul (October 13, 2005). "Cardinals want to close out old home with title". Southeast Missourian. Cape Girardeau. Associated Press. p. 4B.
- ^ Bilfinger Berger Corporate history animation Archived 2010-03-24 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Save the Arches – jbauer.com – Retrieved January 22, 2008 Archived February 27, 2008, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Fitzpatrick, Mike (October 20, 2005). "Busch stadium closes in disappointing fashion". Southeast Missourian. Cape Girardeau. Associated Press. p. 1B.
Where can I visit?
St. Louis
City in Missouri, United States
Gateway Arch National Park
American National Park in St. Louis, MO
Busch Memorial Stadium
Former stadium in St. Louis, Missouri (1966–2005)
Basilica of St. Louis, King of France
Church building in St. Louis, Missouri, US
Wainwright Building
United States historic place
Busch Stadium
Baseball stadium in St. Louis, MO, US
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Battle of St. Louis
One Metropolitan Square
Ambassador Theatre (St. Louis)
Former movie theater in St. Louis
What's On?
Real-time, up-to-date listings for the best in music, sports, theatre and family events.