Cardinal Stadium

Cardinal Stadium was built in 1956, and the Louisville Colonels moved in in 1957. The team played there until the American Association folded in 1962. When the Colonels were revived in 1968, the team played there until 1972. The stadium was originally known as Fairgrounds Stadium due to its being built on the grounds of the Kentucky Exposition Center.

The Louisville Redbirds and Louisville RiverBats played in the stadium from 1982 until Louisville Slugger Field was built in 2000. In 1982, the Redbirds set a minor league attendance record, breaking a 36-year-old record by the San Francisco Seals, thanks in part to major renovations organized by A. Ray Smith, and the next year they became the first minor league club to draw over a million fans in a season. It hosted the 1991 AAA All-Star Game.

The stadium held 33,500 in its final year of use in 1999. The field has had artificial turf since 1982. For many years, the stadium was renowned for its short right field (312' down the line) with a huge wall blocking part of the seats, reminiscent of the Green Monster of Fenway Park.

Today the stadium sits unused. The University of Louisville football team moved into its own stadium in 1998. The Louisville Bats baseball team moved into Louisville Slugger Field in 2000. Currently, there is discussion of tearing down the stadium for more parking space.

Sources: MinorLeagueParks.com, The American Association by Bill O'Neal