Wrigley Field
Former home of the Los Angeles Angels (1961)

So you thought Wrigley Field was in Chicago? Yes, but there was also a minor league Wrigley Field in Los Angeles, located about a mile east of Memorial Coliseum. Like Seals Stadium (San Francisco), Colt Stadium (Houston), and Sick's Stadium (Seattle), this was one of those forgotten temporary venues for expansion franchises, pending construction of a more permanent home. It was named after the owner, chewing gum magnate William Wrigley who owned both the Cubs and the (minor league) Angels franchises. Wrigley Field (L.A.) was probably the finest minor league stadium ever built, with a double-decked grandstand. There were palm trees and residential homes across the street in back of the left field wall. There was a big clock tower on the back of the grandstand, which held office space for the Pacific Coast League. The Dodgers considered moving into this stadium when they relocated to L.A. in 1958, but there just wasn't enough room to build the extra seats that Walter O'Malley wanted to fill.

CINEMA: Being just a few miles from Hollywood, it was only natural that Wrigley Field was featured in baseball movies such as Damn Yankees (1958), and It Happens Every Spring (1949), starring Ray Milland. It also was the setting for the TV show Home Run Derby in the late 1950s.

Indeed, as the diagram shows, there was barely enough room for the playing field itself. Wrigley Field (L.A.) resembled the Chicago original in many ways (such as having ivy-covered outfield walls), but the power alleys were much shorter, only 345 feet. It was symmetrical but had very little foul territory. That was fine for minor leagues, but when major league teams played here in 1961 there was a flood of home runs. The Angels moved out of Wrigley Field after the 1961 season, then played as tenants in brand new Dodger Stadium for four years, and finally moved into their own stadium in 1966. The "Home Run Derby" television series of the early 1960s was filmed in this ballpark, as was one episode of "The Munsters." Wrigley Field (L.A.) was demolished in 1966, and a public park and community center now occupy the land where it once stood.

SOURCES: Lowry (2006), Ritter (1992), Gershman (1993)

Vox populi: Fans' impressions

Have you been to this stadium? If so, feel free to share your impressions of it with other fans! (Registration is required.) Also, I welcome submissions of original stadium photos that fans have taken, and will make sure they get properly credited. Just send me an e-mail message by clicking on the Contact link below.