ARLINGTON STADIUM

ARLINGTON, TX

Throughout its 28 years of existence Arlington Stadium was known as the hottest place to play baseball. Plans for a new stadium to serve the Dallas-Fort Worth area began in 1959. Owners of the local franchise hoped to attract a Continental League franchise. In fall 1959 voters approved a bond to build a new stadium. It was constructed on a 137 acre tract of land near the Six Flags amusement park. Final touches to the ballpark were not completed until opening day. Originally named Turnpike Stadium, it was home of the Double A Texas Spurs as they played the first game at the stadium on April 23, 1965. The stadium had 10,600 seats, and the playing field was 40 feet below the parking area enabling it to be enlarged to have a seating capacity of 50,000. One tier of stands stretched from the first base dugout to the third base dugout. A grassy knoll was on both sides of the stands.The first of many expansions came in 1970 when the capacity was increased to 20,000. Grandstands were added down both the first and third base sides. Major League Baseball came to Arlington in 1971 when the Washington Senators moved to the area. The team was renamed the Texas Rangers and Turnpike Stadium was renamed Arlington Stadium because Turnpike Stadium was thought to be an inappropriate name for a major league stadium. With MLB coming to Arlington, the capacity of the stadium increased for a second time to 35,649. The seating bowl was enclosed as the grandstands were extended into centerfield. A large scoreboard, part that was in the shape of Texas, was behind the stands in left field. The last addition to Arlington Stadium occurred in 1978 when the upper deck was added, bringing the capacity to 41,284. The upper deck was very small and was located mainly behind home plate.

Arlington Stadium remained basically the same until it closed. It was the hottest stadium in baseball as almost all the Rangers' home games, even Sunday games, were played at night due to the summer heat and humidity. By the 1990s, the Texas Rangers decided to build a new ballpark. The Ballpark in Arlington was built just a couple hundred yards away from Arlington Stadium. The last game played at Arlington Stadium was on October 3, 1993. Arlington Stadium was demolished in 1994.