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Goodbye to Greer Stadium

Nashville SoundsNo preservationists have stepped forward to demand its survival, and with a spiffy new ballpark on the way, we’re guessing there won’t be too many tears shed tonight during the last Nashville Sounds (Class AAA; Pacific Coast League) game at Greer Stadium.

Greer Stadium opened in 1978 as the home of the Sounds, and along the way hosted Class AA Southern League baseball as well. (Mark McCarter tells of those days in his book, Never a Bad Game: Fifty Years of the Southern League.) It was never regarded as a great ballpark, and over the years its shortcomings were increasingly apparent. It took over a decade and two sets of owners to get a new ballpark but it did get done, and fittingly the new First Tennessee Park will be located at the old Sulphur Dell ballpark site. Great story, great meeting of the new with the old.

Still, Greer Stadium succeeded on one level: it was the gathering place for many in the city’s leading industry, country music. There were country stars among Sounds owners (Jerry Reed, the Oak Ridge Boys), and you never knew who would show up in the ballpark’s grandstand. It’s no surprise the ballpark’s signature item was a giant scoreboard shaped like a guitar — a feature that will carry over into the new ballpark.

There probably will be a few sad souls tonight at Greer Stadium — Joe Biddle among them, counting his memories of the people who made Greer Stadium memorable, like the legendary Larry Schmittou — and we’re guessing the old place will receive a respectful goodbye.

RELATED STORIES: Yes, new Sounds ballpark will have iconic guitar scoreboard; New for 2015: First Tennessee Park; More development planned for new Sounds ballpark area; Artifacts discovered at Sulphur Dell site; History could be uncovered at new Sounds ballpark site; Nashville, Sounds break ground on new ballpark; Initial cost estimates for new Sounds ballpark come in high; New Sounds ballpark receives final approval; New Nashville Sounds ballpark moves forward; Nashville: We want to make sure there’s development with new Sounds ballpark; Nashville: We’ll save money building st Sulphur Dell; Nashville acquires land for new Sounds ballpark; Nashville contribution to new Sounds ballpark development: $65M; Nashville, Sounds reach agreement on new ballpark; Politicos: New Sounds ballpark would revitalize city core; Developer already anticipating Sulphuer Dell ballpark site; Key to new Sounds ballpark: Significant contribution from team owners; Nashville mayor: No financing plan yet for Sulphur Dell ballpark; Nashville: Bring baseball back to Sulphur Dell; Sounds extend Greer Stadium lease — but no new ballpark in sight; Sounds: We prefer East Bank for new-ballpark site; Nashville ballpark sites narrowed to three; Researching ballpark sites in Nashville; Nashville seeking community input for ballpark site; Nashville once again moving forward on new ballpark

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