Ballparks Around The World: Sullivan Field
In today’s episode of “Ballparks Around The World” we pay attention to Sullivan Field in Grand Rapids MI. This ballpark was renamed in 1996 after a person who had big ties with Dutch baseball.
Sullivan Field is a neighborhood ballpark on the corner of Sixth Street and Valley Avenue on Grand Rapids’ west side. The park has been a walhalla for baseball in Grand Rapids since the 1930s, but over the years, the park began to show decay due to age and limited upkeep.
Four days ago, it was announced that a $5MM restoration is underway. The wooden grandstand, created in 1937, will be fully rebuilt. Part of the restoration will be new entrances, restrooms, and community spaces. Below are some renderings showing the future situation. The organization Fans of Valley Field are partially responsible for the restoration of the ballpark as it was established to collect money for the restoration.
The design plans of the historic grandstand will maintain its traditional look and feel, while upgrading the park to ensure that current and future generations can enjoy it to its fullest potential.
When Sullivan Field opened in 1937, it was called Valley Field. But in 1996, the ballpark was renamed after Bob Sullivan. Sullivan was an owner of a big furniture store and had his own semi-pro baseball team, named the Grand Rapids Sullivans. Next to running his furniture store and managing his baseball team, Sullivan was a scout for the Detroit Tigers. His team played in every NBC World Series tournament from 1955 to 1987, winning four championship titles.
Next to this competition, the Sullvians participated in the Haarlem Baseball Week several times, the first time in 1963. To the Dutch fans it was quality baseball, something we didn’t see that much back then. But next to this quality baseball, the Sullivans also entertained the fans, especially Carl Angelo with his trumpet.
Beside the Grand Rapids Sullivans, this ballpark was home to a team name The Dutch Krafts, the Grand Rapids Black Sox (a negro league team) and many others.
As a Dutch baseball fan, it is nice to know that a ballpark with indirect ties to Dutch baseball, is preserved for future generations.
Here is a website dedicated to Bob Sullivan and his teams.
Here are some photos of the current situation of the ballpark:
Here is a nice video of The Ballpark Hunter about this little gem of a ballpark: