$1.2 Million Field Renovation and Construction Project Provides New Baseball and Softball Fields for Student Athletes at Former Home of the St. Louis Stars Negro National League Team
ST. LOUIS, Mo., June 25, 2021 – Today the St. Louis Cardinals, in conjunction with Cardinals Care and Harris-Stowe State University, announced the dedication of Stars Park Field located on the southwest corner of the Harris-Stowe campus on the corner of Market Street and Compton Ave.
Cardinals Team President Bill DeWitt III was joined at the dedication by Cardinals pitchers Jack Flaherty and Andrew Miller, former Cardinals catcher and Hall of Famer Ted Simmons, former Cardinals pitcher Scott Terry, Cardinals Vice President of Community Relations & Executive Director of Cardinals Care Michael Hall, Cardinals Community Relations and Cardinals Care Director Meghan Essman, Harris-Stowe Interim President Dr. LaTonia Collins Smith, Harris-Stowe Athletics Director Dorianne Johnson, Vice President and Curator of the Negro League Baseball Museum Dr. Ray Doswell, and President & CEO of the Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis Michael P. McMillan.
“Today is the culmination of a lot of hard work by many individuals who collaborated on this project,” said Bill DeWitt III. “Cardinals Care is proud to partner with Harris-Stowe State University to celebrate the memory of the St. Louis Stars by helping the Harris-Stowe baseball and softball programs improve their facilities.”
“I would like to express my sincere gratitude and appreciation to the St. Louis Cardinals and Cardinals Care organizations for their generous donation to Harris-Stowe. Their continuous support of the University is appreciated,” said Dr. LaTonia Collins Smith. “Working together, we have fulfilled our commitment to provide our student athletes with the tools and resources they need to succeed at the highest levels.”
The $1.2 million field renovation and construction project led by Clayco is the result of a seven-figure investment by Cardinals Care and six-figure investment by Harris-Stowe that includes fully irrigated fields, seating for 200 at the baseball field and 100 at the softball field, enclosed press boxes, enclosed NAIA level dugouts, and new scoreboards. The new state-of-the-art baseball and softball facilities broke ground last July during the 100th anniversary or the Negro Leagues and sits on the site of that served as the home field of the Negro National League’s St. Louis Stars from 1922-31.
“I am proud to celebrate the dedication of Stars Park Field, the site where the three-time champions of the Negro National League St. Louis Stars played so many years ago,” said Jack Flaherty. “There is still work to be done, but it is important that we keep the legacy of the legendary athletes who played in the Negro Leagues alive for younger generations.”
“I am thrilled to be here today to celebrate the legacy of the St. Louis Stars and the Negro League teams here in St. Louis,” said Dr. Ray Doswell. “On behalf of the NLBM, we thank Harris-Stowe State University and the St. Louis Cardinals for ensuring this landmark will remain dedicated to our great sport and the memory of the great athletes who played here.”
Negro League championships were played at Stars Park in 1924, 1928, 1930 and 1931, with the home team winning three out of the four. Three National Baseball Hall of Famers including, James “Cool Papa” Bell, Willie “El Diablo” Wells, and George “Mule” Suttles, called Stars Park their home field.
Stars Park is the 25th field dedicated by Cardinals Care since its inception in 1997. Prior to Stars Park, the Cardinals dedicated Matt Carpenter Field in August 2019, at the Pagedale Family Resource Center in Pagedale, Mo.
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About Cardinals Care
Cardinals Care was established to give fans a way of teaming up with Cardinals players and the organization to help children in our community—both on and off the baseball field. Established in 1997, Cardinals Care has invested over $29 million to support St. Louis area children, built or renovated 25 ball fields in local under-resourced neighborhoods, and distributed over $15 million in grants to nonprofit organizations
About Harris Stowe State University
Harris-Stowe State University (HSSU), located in midtown St. Louis offers the most affordable bachelor’s degree in the state of Missouri. The University is a fully accredited four-year institution with 50 majors, minors and certificate programs in education, business and arts and sciences. Harris-Stowe’s mission is to provide outstanding educational opportunities for individuals seeking a rich and engaging academic experience. HSSU’s programs are designed to nurture intellectual curiosity and build authentic skills that prepare students for leadership roles in a global society.