Engel Stadium

Across the street from Engel Stadium, Aug-1997.

Shave and a haircut, a little more than two bits by then.

Where it says “Lookouts”, in center field, is actually in play – 471 feet away.

Chronological Tour: Stop 117

• Location: East Third Street at O’Neal Street, Chattanooga, Tenn. (map it using Google Maps)
• Opened: 1909 (stadium built 1930, renovated 1989)
• Closed: 1999 (for pro baseball)
• Home team: Chattanooga Lookouts, Southern Association (1930-61 except second half of 1943), South Atlantic/Southern League (1963-65, 1976-99); Chattanooga Choo Choos, Negro Southern League (1945-46)
• Capacity: 7,500

Rating: 4 baseballs

They have played baseball on this site for just about the entire century, starting out with home plate where left field is today. The Lookouts (named for nearby Lookout Mountain) played here almost continuously since 1930, and the facility also hosted the Negro League Chattanooga Choo Choos in 1947 (Willie Mays once played for them).

I got to a Wednesday afternoon game here in 1997, before heading down to Atlanta for a night game at Turner Field. I got to see this park in all its glory.

In the third photo above, you’ll see a terrace with the word “Lookouts”. That’s actually a rise of grass, and the ball is in play there, 471 feet (144 m) from home plate. Another stadium feature is a working barbershop high above home plate.

Since 2011, the ballpark and surrounding land has been owned by the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. The school plans to preserve the 27-acre stadium grounds as part of an intramural sports complex.