For three and a half decades, from 1966 through 2000, the Double-A affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals was the Arkansas Travelers. For almost twice as long, starting in 1932, Little Rock’s Ray Winder Field was the home of the Travs.
Soon, it will be gone forever.
The last of the Cardinals five championships in Arkansas was in 1989. The manager was Gaylen Pitts, now a special minor league instructor in the Cardinals organization. The Travs’ skipper in their last Texas League playoff season under the Cardinals flag in 1998 was none other than current Memphis manager Chris Maloney. Washington Nationals manager Jim Riggleman led the 1985 Travs into the playoffs.
Countless future Cardinals players donned the Travelers uniform over the years. Then-pitcher Rick Ankiel, a Trav for part of the 1999 season, was the last to still be active in the system. Among the first Cardinals-supplied Travelers in 1966 were future major league pitchers Mike Torrez, Wayne Grainger and Dick Hughes.
After the Cardinals departed for New Haven, CT, then Tennessee and in 2005, Springfield, MO, the Travelers affiliated with the Angels and a new stadium was built in North Little Rock. Dickey-Stephens Park opened in 2007, ending the effective life of Ray Winder Field. Ironically, the Springfield Cardinals participated in the last-ever series at Ray Winder to close the 2006 Texas League season.
After five years of disuse and no viable preservation plan presented, the City of Little Rock decided to sell the old park to the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, reports the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. All the structures are to be torn down and the land cleared initially for a parking lot and potential future expansion.
Earlier sales were held for baseball fans to purchase artifacts. Last Saturday, the park was opened for what may be its final time. The city offered to give away the remaining wooden and iron seats, dating from 1920 and 1932, to 500 people on a first-come, first-served basis.
Fans lined up outside the park hours in advance for the chance to take home a souvenir, reported the Arkansas Times. The long-time and former general manager of the Travs, Bill Valentine, also an ex-American League umpire, was on hand to autograph the seats. Oddly, a decision was made to destroy one seat for every one given away, a decision that left a number of people disappointed and without their piece of memorabilia.
A gentleman named Brian Chilson captured the proceedings, then posted the video on YouTube.
While progress must be made, a part of me wishes this significant part of Cardinals minor league history could somehow have been preserved.
(For more details on the Cardinals’ history in Double-A, refer to “Cardinals in Double-A – 1966 to 2008”.)
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Long time reader, first time poster.
Having gone to college in the central Arkansas area during the late 90s, early 2000s, I went to quite a few Travelers’ games at Ray Winder Field-especially when they were a Cardinals affiliate.
This was back in the days of Rick Ankiel (the dominant pitcher), Chad Hutchinson, a very brief appearance by JD Drew, Brent Butler, Luis Saturria (extremely toolsy), Bill Ortega, Jason Woolf, Bud Smith, Jose Jimenez, Clint Weibl, Cordell Fairley, and no telling how many others which are not immediately coming to mind at the moment. Sparked my love for minor league baseball during this time.
To be a bit kind, Ray Winder Field was, well, a dump, especially compared to many of the new minor league parks which have opened over the past decade. It did have a bit of an old time feel to it, and a very intimate/close up feel to all the action taking place on the field. Also, the seats right next to the Travs dugout allowed the fan to get a very good look as to what would go on inside the dugout during a game. Many nights I would sit next to the dugout and be able to carry on conversations with a player during the course of a game. Very easy to relate somewhat to a lot of these players since we were very close to the same age.
The old owner, Bill Valentine was something else at times. He was what you would envision owners of the early 20th century to be like. Anything to pinch a penny. He would also become critical of players, at times, being very belligerent towards them during the middle of games. One incident in particular led to big disagreement between him and one group of regulars at games who used to run a good Travelers website. Towards the end of the Cardinals run in Little Rock, one could gather that player treatment as well as the Cardinals not having many high ranking prospects lead to a separation desired by both parties.
Sad day for me personally when the Cardinals pulled out of Little Rock, but it gave me a chance to see many Angels prospects who would take part on some really good Angels teams. All in all, many a fun nights at the old ballpark a little over a decade ago.
Welcome, Matt. I guess I need to continue to be creative in my subjects to get some of you many readers to join in the discussion. I am glad you commented today.
It is too bad the field could not have been kept for youth games, if nothing else. Anytime a ball field is turned into a parking lot, I cringe.
By the way, on the main site, I have an article up about the Punto-Kozma transactions today.
That will make the Schumaker transition easier……….. for some…………. Kosma goes down and then likely Greene I’d think when Punto returns……….all role expectations established and resolved…..
Colby was hurt in the weight room……….. is this a weight room hack job? or one of those dives he’s been making?
I doubt Colby was doing much more than some core work when he pulled something. You don’t do much damage when you are just playing with the medicine balls.
Where’s the HR total at for Colby by the way? Is it 3 now in just about 2 months? Hitting .300 though, right? Things that make you go hmmmmm.
Got to pound the heavy metal if you want to hit the bombs. Medicine ball work won’t do it.
I think its a timing issue………. he is one of the 3 feared batters the Cardinals have………. if he uses the whole field with his Brain……not just his swing……..he will know where to look and when………….
They know he likes the ball down……..and in………so they show him lots of lookalike crap to keep that swing plane in his mind……….and then they beat him with its holes……..over and over again. We are scouted by knowledgeable people……….look what they’ve done to AP………they just use him. He hit a few pretty good pitches lately……..thats going to earn him a few mistakes as the pitchers are challenged to find weakness. Its the game.
It appears that most Cardinals fans are not concerning themslves with Colby’s lack of HRs at this point because he is otherwise hitting well, and they are all fixated on Albert.
I will pass along for your edification the general consensus among Cardinal fans that I encounter online that Colby will never be an acceptable CFer until he concusses himself crashing into the CF wall. I will leave it up to you whether you pass on this bountiful wisdom to Colby.
Over the winter we heard a lot about Colby buying into the system, new approach etc. So far his BA and OBP are up, Ks down, BBs up, and he has reversed the previously lopsided split. His hitting against lefties has been great, so there is no pressure to platoon. Unbelievable job turning himself into an everyday top of the order hitter, which I presume, is what he was asked to do.
As to the high risk diving catches and bouncing off the wall, I guess they don’t make outfielders like they used to, and the clubhouse guy appreciates not having to deal with grass stains.
I’ll be honest with you, I’ve said this for a while now, Colby plays the OF now like he is trying to make the safe play. When he approaches the wall he pulls up to prepare to play it off the wall, he doesn’t dive for balls because he is worried about what will be said if it gets past him. I’m telling you when he was in high school he was a monster in CF. He is a shell of the CF he was in 2005. Now I do believe he will get better once he stops worrying about trying to please everyone but he does play CF very passively imo. Heck when he was in Springfield he played the OF like a stud. Funny how that same type of get-after-it he had has disappeared.
Well my opinion means absolutely nothing (and shouldn’t) but perhaps Colby should stop worrying about what would be said, because something is going to be said by someone no matter what he does. Trying to please people is a losing proposition for the most part because it is my experience that many fans at least don’t think rationally anyway. I could write a treatise about why that is but I will spare everyone my rantings on that subject.
Well that first sentence is not clear. My meaning was that my opinion shouldn’t mean anything. Okay, moving on.
Colby doesn’t worry about what fans think….but he does worry about what TLR thinks. He, unfortunately is a person of extremes. You tell him you will fine him if he misses the cutoff man and he bounces the thing in there so bad it is rolling on the ground when it gets to the infield. You tell him that he has to keep the runner on first base to keep the double play in order and he will never dive at a ball because he is constantly trying to get in position to keep the runner on first base thinking if I try to make a great play and miss then I’m gonna get scolded. I could go on and on with the different scenarios that I have heard him go over but its meaningless. Bottom line is he is trying to do what he is told….to the nth degree.
It goes back to my thoughts on taking the aggressiveness away from some of the younger players by focusing on what not to do rather than focusing on what they should be doing.
I don’t blame him for not caring what fans think because some of them are pretty out there. Hell, I don’t care what I think some of the time.
An article about why fans don’t think rationally would be great, crd.
Uh, I think Brian would pass BB. It might start World War III.
Punto goes down again. Who’s next? I don’t even want to think about it.
As I said before CRD…………the baseball move was to move Descalso to second…..bring up Matt Carpenter…………… by bringing a Kousma…a light hitter………he will make Skip look that much more welcome……..Skip will be here by the weekend….. Tony has an excuse now to play Craig wherever…out of necessity………I’m guessing 3rd base.
As much as I would like to have seen Carpenter get the call up, the thought of Theriot and Greene as the only shortstops on the roster makes me cringe.
However, with Hamilton simply rotting on the bench, I don’t see why Carpenter couldn’t get his shot that way.
I’d prefer Matt as well. This takes me back to Colby at triple A when someone said is Colby getting called up and TLr stated than you need to reward players for good play, not for bad play. What is Pete hitting? .240. Matt proved himself in spring training and should be here now swinging the stick. Just my take.
Crdswmn-really Pete kozma? Damn that is a shocker. Kozma is on the 40 man roster.Matt Carpenter isn`t yet.
BW is you are going to attack me, at least do it based on something I actually said.
Crdswmn-not attacking you.Just surprised Kozma got the call.You where expressing anger over who would be hurt next.I was agreeing and saying we should be surprised Kozma got the call.
Lighten up Crdswmn.However since you fire opinions like thunderbolts don`t be angry when you get the same returned to you.This time that was not the intention.
Okay, where did I nention either Kozma or MCarp? I was expressing generic feelings about another injury. I think you must have read WC’ s reply about why Kozma and not MCarp and thought it was me talking, hence my reply. Look again BW.
Crdswmn-lighten up Crdswmn. Never said you mentioned Kozma. I WAS EXPRESSING AGREEMENT WITH YOU ABOUT THE INJURIES AND THEN I WAS EXPRESSING SURPISE KOZMA GOT THE CALLUP.
1. Ryan Theriot, SS
2. Jon Jay, CF
3. Albert Pujols, 1B
4. Matt Holliday, LF
5. Lance Berkman, RF
6. Allen Craig, 2B
7. Yadier Molina, C
8. Daniel Descalso, 3B
9. Kyle Lohse, P
Tony is funny……….he just said again……..no more Craig at second…….and there he is. With Lohse pitching…………that is an explosive decision. The guy just to a shutout defeat…and a no decision on a blow save…………. touch is what your going to see…………… and I will make this point again….Craig’s bat in no way justifies the defensive gamble…….Tony is trying to compensate for the A:P power vacuum…………plain and simple.
I don’t understand this at all. Why play both Descalso and Craig out of position with a right hander on the mound? Is he waiting for Pujols to volunteer to play 3B again?
I’m with you 100%, WC, on Craig and his off-speed troubles, but they have to put someone reasonable behind Berkman.
TLR does not like Craig at 3B. He will use Descalso there.
This is an interesting article framed around the Yankees recent troubles with aging Posada and Jeter, but it recaps a number of similar situations from the past. Check out #1 on the list:
http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/columns/story?columnist=crasnick_jerry&page=starting9/110518
Typical Ozzie being a ahole.So whats new with that.
Two a-holes butting heads, what is new with that?
Yah, I thought Tony did the right thing going with Clayton. I wanted to remember Ozzie as he had been, not as he was at 41. Oz just wouldn’t go gracefully. As to whether he had been misled, I don’t know who to believe, but its possible Ozzie heard what he wanted to hear.
Kozma can do one thing Carpenter can’t, replace Greene. I’d say he’s auditioning for the job, and Greene hasn’t set the bar very high.
Does Todd take Augenstien’s spot on the 40 man?
Does that hot SS at AA move up to AAA to take Kozma’s spot?
Todd took Augenstein’s spot for now. I think Blake King’s spot is at more risk when Augenstein is ready.
On SS, no, I don’t think so. If Skip is back soon, there is no need. Jackson isn’t much more ready for Triple-A than Kozma is for the bigs.
Brian-hasn`t Ryan Jackson stepped up at the plate this year and generally improved.He seems to be doing well at AA.
Jackson is very sound defensively. He had a hot first three weeks with the bat, which is why the organization named him the April Player of the Month, even though his slump was already underway. (I picked Alex Castellanos for our award at The Cardinal Nation instead.)
Jackson has fallen off the table offensively since that hot start, batting 11-for-58 (.190) in May. He is mashing left-handed pitching, but is struggling against righties. He needs more time in Double-A as Kozma needs in Triple-A.
Now if we can just get Perez back too. . .
Wonder how the Astros like having to IBB a guy they kicked to the curb.
Clubhouse guy: “What’s this green stuff on your uni Lance?”
Out of the game with a hurt wrist too. Great play but I hope he’s not out for an extended period of time. The wrist is a delicate area for an old hitter.
How awesome for Pete Kozma? First big league at bat, double and a RBI. Good stuff.
Holiday out of the game with a quad and Berkman with a wrist. yikes.
Luhnow getting some love tonight. He’s taken a beating over the years by the old school crowd. He has that chest poked out a little bit tonight. Good for you Jeff.
Do they have Kozma jerseys in the store yet?
Right, Tony sending a message. Make an aggressive exciting play, ride the pine. No way Lance wanted to come out. “Wrist discomfort”, bwaaa-ha-ha-ha. I was no good as a youngster playing ball, but anybody saying I should sit because of wrist discomfort would have got a fat lip.
I like how the Astros saved the ball for him. That is a really cool thing about baseball.
I feel like I’m watching the Memphis Redbirds.
clubhouse guy: “Jon, not you too?”
Tony: “Take a seat Mr.”
Ugh. The Colby hater on Twitter is having a field day with that catch by Jon Jay.
It was a great catch and I like Jay but this guy’s hatred is really out there.
I wonder if Lohse looks around and wonders if he got sent down?
Minor league 1B playing LF, minor league SS playing RF, minor league 2B playing 3B, minor league SS playing 2B. Rookie backup in CF, and ham handed utility guy at SS. You couldn’t make up something like that. Albert and Yadi are standing tall.
We know how Tony is about preferring veterans over young guys.
What a great win tonight. Another strong start by Lohse. The last couple of years, fickel fans hated him, now a healthy Kyle is the toast of the town. Jon Jay is having a nice season; its hard for a part-timer to be productive, but he is. More hits by Molina.
Pete Kozma, auspicious debut. I remember when Rasmus began his AAA season below .200; Kozma has been lifting his average and now is in the Show.
Jay’s aggressive feats the last few days spurred Matt and Lance to bump it up a notch. They are not used to such athleticism. Tony will rush Colby back into the lineup before anything else happens. With all these hungry youngsters hustling around, the veterans are dropping like flies.
Boggs and Motte have been outpitched by the youngsters, and have lost their jobs.
SI Sports video about aging veterans talks about the Cards/Albert contract issue.
The interesting thing is that the national media is talking about it now.
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/video/mlb/2011/05/18/051911.verducci_age_fatigue.SportsIllustrated/index.html
If the Cards score in the 8th………you would have seen Franklin………… the movement of players by Tony I found very unusual………… He sure figured Lohse had the game under control it would seem…
I thought Kozma’s approach at the plate was worth noting………… I’m guessing he starts at second tomorrow………….. Craig in the outfield…………
I am very much unable to see……..how Craig’s bat has anything to these Lineup distortions……….I would place him just in front of AP for the worst swings on the team……………
I’m not so sure about Franky, Westy. The guys we need aren’t all getting much work. Maybe McClellan will only go 7 so somebody can knock the rust off.
Tonight’s starting lineup will be interesting. I challenge anybody to guess it before its posted. What does Westradamus think?
Sadly, I’ll miss it, being at work.
Afternoon game today…
I’ll take a crack at it…..Quad or not, mired in a 1 for 17 mini, mini slump I thought Matt would sit todays game. All these injuries hurt us with Riot as well. He probably would have sat today, but not now. Day game after night game Yadi sits normally, not for this one, but he doesn’t catch.
Against Happ (LHP so that makes it super hard):
Riot SS
Jay RF
Albert 3B
Colby CF
Craig LF
Yadi 1B
Greene/Kozma 2B
Laird C
KMac P
Half way through the game, KMac will say to himself “I thought these guys normally spotted me 7 runs”
Couldn’t put Yadi and Laird back to back….that would have seemed silly, no? Jay in the 2 spot of the order might be a stretch vs. a Lefty, but I don’t think TLR will put Greene/Kozma there.
Also, I saw no way more than 2 LH batters would be in this lineup vs. Happ. Colby swung the bat last night, I hope he felt fine. If he didn’t, well……lol to the lineup then:
Riot SS
Greene RF
Albert 3B
Craig LF
Jay CF
Yadi 1B
Kozma 2B
Laird C
KMac P
Pretty good stab T8. Like your rationalle. I doubt anybody could have come closer.
Here’s the lineup from today for ease of comparison.
1. Theriot, SS
2. Jay, RF
3. Pujols, 1B
4. Craig, LF
5. Rasmus, CF
6. Laird, C
7. Greene, 2B
8. Descalso, 3B
9. McClellan, P
Here is a link to some pretty good photos of Ray Winder Field
http://www.ballparkreviews.com/lr/lr.htm
Excellent photos and writeup of the atmosphere. Thank you for sharing.