The stadium lights are off for good at the former Fort Worth Cats ballpark. Earlier this week, the Tarrant Regional Water District (TRWD) contracted Dallas-based Lloyd D. Nabors Demolition to tear down the now-defunct LaGrave Field in mid-November.
Back in June — after public comment meetings — TRWD voted to demolish the baseball stadium due to concerns for public safety and maintenance costs. The removal will make way for new development as part of the Panther Island Project Vision 2.0.
The stands were filled for the Fort Worth Cats’ opening day in April 1928.
Photo courtesy of UTA Libraries.
Feeling familiar?
This isn’t the first razing the ballpark has experienced.
The first LaGrave Field opened in 1926 + held exhibition games featuring baseball legends Babe Ruth, Joe DiMaggio, and Jackie Robinson. It was torn down and rebuilt in 1950 after a fire and demolished a second time in 1967 when the club closed.
The current ballpark was reconstructed in 2002 when the Fort Worth Cats were revived, but it was only open for 15 years. After multiple attempts to revive the team and salvage the facility, the stadium faces the wrecking ball once again — this time as part of a $328,000 project that will repurpose the concrete waste for an erosion control project on Handley-Edderville Road.
Don’t miss your chance to memorialize the ballpark before it’s gone.
Photo by Nicolas Henderson/Flickr
Shag a piece of history
Before demolition, the water district will auction off stadium memorabilia to the public until Tuesday, Nov. 5 at 9 a.m. Over the next two weeks, bid online for:
- 15 handrails with Cats logos | Starting at $25 each
- 219 rows of stadium seats | 2-5 seats starting at $5, 20+ seats starting at $55
- A set of 1,210 pavers from in and around the ballpark | Starting at $25
Reader memories
City Editor Kate, here — my dad used to take me to games at LaGrave Field. We would sit behind first base, dance to the walk up music, and eat as many cheap hot dogs as we could. Keep reading to reminisce with our readers about their favorite memories of the ballpark.
“The first week I moved to Fort Worth, I made sure to attend a game. I plopped myself in the right field bleachers. A Cats player hit a homerun in the second inning, and I got the ball and gave it to the young family nearby. The Cats won, and I got great photos of downtown from the ballpark’s view.” — Vince V.
“Seeing the Cats win a Championship with my late dad.” — Barbara B.
“Carroll Beringer, Jack Lindsey, Mike Napoli — if you know, you know. " — Pam P.
Readers Anita B., Steven L., and John R. reminisced about Fourth of July games, company picnics and outings, and cheers-ing on Thirsty Thursdays, while reader Cole B. recalled snagging foul balls when he was a kid.
Gary W. took his son to the All-Star Game that was held at LaGrave Field. They sent a baseball to each of the dugouts for all of the players to sign.
Joe W., whose dad previously co-owned the team, used to run around the facility interacting with the players. “It was like living a dream,” he said.
