Rest In Pieces: 50 Demolished Sports Stadiums We Love

On baseball's opening day, we look back at the places where some of sport's all-time great moments occurred.

Baseball's Opening Day is here, and across the country folks are trudging off to ballparks for the unofficial first day of spring (here's a hint: bring your gloves). A lot of those people are going to games at gleaming new stadiums, marvels of modern architecture and convenience. But most of those new sports palaces are lacking a little something, namely history.

So what if you can get five different kinds of sushi delivered to your plush, plus-size seat? Give us hard metal bleachers, hot dogs of unknown provenance, and steamy (not in the good way) bathrooms, but most of all, give us Jackie Robinson stealing home, Franco Harris intercepting a pass on offense, and the best introduction in sports history. Of course we all know we can't actually have those moments again, because the places where they happened are either rubble, parking lots, or the very same new stadiums we go to today. But we can still reminisce and imagine the good old days with this look at 50 Demolished Sports Stadiums We Love. Play ball!

By Patrick F. Albertson

#50. William A. Shea Municipal Stadium

Location: 123-01 Roosevelt Avenue, Flushing, New York

Opened: 1964

Demolished: February 2009

Current Status: Parking lot just Southwest of Citi Field (or as it's more lovingly known, Shea)

Nickname: "Shea"

Famed Tenants: New York Mets (MLB) (1964-2008), New York Jets (AFL/NFL) (1964-1983), New York Yankees (MLB) (1974-1975), New York Giants (NFL) (1975)

Iffy Neighborhood Hosted World Championship Multi-Sport Lovable Dump

Oh, the things that happened in that unremarkable blue shell. From the Beatles opening their North American tour in 1965 to the Miracle Mets, Shea had something special--definitely not its looks. One particularly notable year: 1975, when the Stadium hosted the Mets, Yankees, Jets and Giants. Yeah, it was a dump, but ask any Met fan, it was our dump.

#49. Estadio da Luz

Location: Av. General Norton De Matos 1500, Lisboa, Portugal

Opened: 1954

Demolished: 2003

Current Status: Replaced by the New Estadio da Luz

Nickname: "A Catedral"

Famed Tenants: S.L. Benfica, Portugal's National Team (1954-2003)

Hosted World Championship Multi-Sport Architectural Marvel

The open air, 120,000 seat stadium in Lisbon was home to soccer on a massive scale, but unfortunately it wasn't too big to fail. It's modern replacement now looms over the site.

#48. St. Louis Arena

Location: 5700 Oakland Avenue, St. Louis

Opened: 1924

Demolished: 1999

Current Status: The Highlands Business/Residential Development

Nickname: "The Barn"

Famed Tenants: St. Louis Flyers (AHA/AHL) (1929-1953), St. Louis Blues (NHL) (1967-1994)

Multi-Sport Architectural Marvel

Originally home to agricultural and dairy shows, "The Barn" was an ill pseudo-gothic indoor arena just south of Forest Park in downtown St. Louis. Host to the 1973 and 1978 Final Fours, as well as the 1975 Frozen Four, and the occasional home of the NBA's St. Louis Bombers/Hawks, it's best beloved for its raucous 27 years hosting the St. Louis Blues hockey team.

#47. Buffalo Memorial Auditorium

Location: 140 Main Street, Buffalo

Opened: 1940

Demolished: 2009

Current Status: Pavement

Nickname: "The Aud"

Famed Tenants: Buffalo Sabres (NHL) (1970-1996), Buffalo Braves (NBA) (1970-1978)

Iffy Neighborhood Multi-Sport Lovable Dump

Buffalo fans are very protective of their teams and their arenas, and this one was no exception. Host to the legendary "Fog Game" in the 1975 Stanley Cup Finals (short story: May heat + ice = spooky hockey (and one dead bat). One of the most intimate arenas in hockey, the Aud was left to rot after the Sabres moved to HSBC Arena in 1996, until recently when it finally came down. And yes, everyone in Buffalo cried into their wings that night.

#46. Huntington Avenue Grounds

Location: 400 Huntington Avenue, Boston

Opened: 1901

Demolished: 1912

Current Status: Northeastern University Campus

Nickname: n/a

Famed Tenants: Boston Red Sox (MLB) (1901-1911)

Hosted World Championship Architectural Marvel

Built on an old circus ground by the railroad tracks, this old school Boston ball field featured a partially sandy outfield and a tool shed in deep center that was also in play. When the Red Sox moved to Fenway, they took the grass with them and the home of the first World Series faded away.

#45. Memorial Stadium

Location: 900 East 33rd Street, Baltimore

Opened: 1950

Demolished: 2001

Current Status: YMCA

Nickname: "The Old Gray Lady of 33rd Street"; "The World's Largest Outdoor Insane Asylum"

Famed Tenants: Baltimore Colts (NFL) (1953-1983), Baltimore Orioles (MLB) (1954-1991)

Hosted World Championship Multi-Sport Lovable Dump

A relatively conventional mid-20th century horseshoe stadium, The Old Gray Lady had the unconventional distinction of being the home to two iconic and highly successful franchises (yes, Generation Text, the O's used to be good), only one of which packed up their bags and left like thieves in the night. Memorial Stadium was also the site of a plane crash immediately following an NFL playoff game, an event that it's safe to say nobody wants to see repeated.

#44. Union Grounds

Location: 355 Marcy Avenue, Brooklyn

Opened: 1862

Demolished: 1883

Current Status: New York Army National Guard

Nickname: n/a

Famed Tenants: Brooklyn Eckfords (1862-1872), New York Mutuals (1871-1876)

Inspired Copycats Iffy Neighborhood Multi-Sport Architectural Marvel

The oldest venue on this list, the Union Grounds opened during the Civil War and allegedly had the distinction of being the first baseball ground enclosed in a fence. Holy technology!

#43. McNichols Sports Arena

Location: 1635 Bryant Street, Denver

Opened: 1975

Demolished: 1999

Current Status: Parking lot at Invesco Field at Mile High

Nickname: "Big Mac"

Famed Tenants: Colorado Rockies (NHL) (1976-1982), Denver Nuggets (NBA) (1975-1999), Colorado Avalanche (NHL) (1995-1999)

Hosted World Championship Multi-Sport Lovable Dump

McNichols hosted the 1990 Final Four (that was the one where Duke got run out of the building by UNLV, right? Yes it was!), as well as the 1996 Stanley Cup, which the motherlovin' 'Lanche won to bring the Mile High City its first title. Its locker rooms also featured urinals too low for the players to effectively utilize. And then there was that Phish show in 1997. If you were there, you know what we're talking about.

#42. Charlotte Coliseum

Location: 100 Paul Buck Boulevard, Charlotte, North Carolina

Opened: 1988

Demolished: 2007

Current Status: Dirt

Nickname: "The Hive"

Famed Tenants: Charlotte Hornets (NBA) (1988-2002), Charlotte Bobcats (NBA) (2004-2005)

Multi-Sport Lovable Dump

Despite leading the NBA in attendance for their first seven seasons at the Hive, the Charlotte Hornets met with a spectacular decline (mostly because the entire city came to hate the owner) and shipped off to NOLA. But for a minute there, with stars like Larry Johnson, Alonzo Mourning, and Mugsy Bogues stinging the opposition, The Hive was definitely buzzing.

#41. Tulane Stadium

Location: McAlister Drive, Tulane University, New Orleans

Opened: 1926

Demolished: 1980

Current Status: Brown Field at Tulane

Nickname: "The Sugar Bowl"

Famed Tenants: New Orleans Saints (NFL) (1967-1974), Tulane Green Wave (NCAA) (1926-1974), Sugar Bowl (event) (1935-1974)

Hosted World Championship Multi-Sport Architectural Marvel

Speaking of NOLA, the brick and concrete "Queen of Southern Stadiums" held the Sugar Bowl for 39 years before it moved to the Superdome. It also hosted New Orleans' first three Super Bowls (IV, VI, and IX) and was the site of Tom Dempsey's 63-yard field goal. Of course it was probably a worse place than the Superdome to ride out a hurricane.

#40. The Hoosier Dome

Location: 100 South Capitol Avenue, Indianapolis

Opened: 1984

Demolished: December 2008

Current Status: Parking lot across the street from Lucas Oil Stadium

Nickname: n/a

Famed Tenants: Indianapolis Colts (NFL) (1984-2007)

Multi-Sport Lovable Dump Architectural Marvel

The host of the Final Four in 1991 (that's the one where Duke thumped UNLV, right? It is!), 1997, 2000, and 2006, the Hoosier Dome was one of the smallest NFL venues, but Colts fans could always make up for it in volume under the 257 ton domed fiberglass and teflon roof.

#39. Hollywood Sportatorium

Location: 17171 Pines Boulevard, Pembroke Pines, Florida

Opened: 1970

Demolished: 1993

Current Status: Sedano's Supermarket

Nickname: "The Sporto"

Famed Tenants: Rock & Roll

Iffy Neighborhood Multi-Sport Lovable Dump

While by almost every measure the Sportatorium was a failure as a sports arena and venue, it somehow thrived as a rock music venue in the 1970s and 80s. Notorious for bad acoustics and a leaky roof, it was one of the only indoor venues in South Florida at the time. Nearly every major act of the era toured through the Sporto, from Led Zeppelin to the Beastie Boys to Neil Young to Elvis Presley to Thin Lizzy (a week after Elvis!).

#38. Wrigley Field (L.A.)

Location: 4211 Avalon Boulevard, Los Angeles

Opened: 1925

Demolished: 1966

Current Status: Kedren Community Mental Health Center

Nickname: n/a

Famed Tenants: Los Angeles Angels (PCL) (1925-1957)

Multi-Sport Architectural Marvel

Don't worry, Wrigley is still in Chicago; this is the lesser known L.A. sibling also owned by chewing gum magnate, William Wrigley Jr. While it was the original home of the now Anaheim Angels, it's probably more famous for its many television and film roles.

#37. Omni Coliseum

Location: 100 Techwood Drive, Atlanta

Opened: 1972

Demolished: 1997

Current Status: Phillips Arena

Nickname: "The Omni"

Famed Tenants: Atlanta Flames (NHL) (1972-1980), Atlanta Hawks (NBA) (1972-1997)

Multi-Sport Lovable Dump Architectural Marvel

Until 1992 the Omni had the largest indoor seating capacity in Georgia at just over 16,000. Known for its rusty (by some accounts too rusty) roof, the the unique egg crate-shaped arena served as home to the long lost Atlanta Flames of the NHL and more famously, the Human Highlight Reel, Dominique Wilkins.

#36. Riverfront Stadium

Location: 201 East Joe Nuxhall Way, Cincinnati

Opened: 1970

Demolished: 2002

Current Status: Entryway for the Great American Ballpark and the Reds Hall of Fame Museum

Nickname: n/a

Famed Tenants: Cincinnati Bengals (NFL) (1970-1999), Cincinnati Reds (MLB) (1970-2002)

Hosted World Championship Multi-Sport Lovable Dump

The Reds reached the World Series in the inaugural 1970 season at Riverfront and that seemed to be a good omen (they went on to win it three times later in the decade). The all-turf field was fast and unforgiving, and the Reds played it better than anyone. The Bengals on the other hand? Not so much.

#35. Fulton County Stadium

Location: 521 Capitol Avenue, Atlanta

Opened: 1965

Demolished: 1997

Current Status: Parking lot for Turner Field

Nickname: "The Launching Pad"

Famed Tenants: Atlanta Braves (MLB) (1966-1996), Atlanta Falcons (NFL) (1966-1991)

Hosted World Championship Multi-Sport

An all-purpose stadium with an up-and-coming team that started winning and got a new stadium. This will be a common theme. Fulton County did see one Braves World Series victory, as well as Hank Aaron's record-breaking 715th home run in 1974.

#34. Veterans Stadium

Location: 3501 South Broad Street, Philadelphia

Opened: 1971

Demolished: March 2004

Current Status: Parking lot for the new generation of Philly stadiums

Nickname: "The Vet"

Famed Tenants: Philadelphia Phillies (MLB) (1971-2003), Philadelphia Eagles (NFL) (1971-2002)

Hosted World Championship Multi-Sport Lovable Dump

Philly Phandom has never fully recovered from the loss of the 700 Level at the Vet which held the most loud, impolite ("Santa Claus? You go to hell!"), and often bizarre displays of professional sports fans anywhere in the world. But they're trying, so please be careful.

#33. South Side Park

Location: 245-299 West 38th Place, Chicago

Opened: 1890

Demolished: 1940

Current Status: Wentworth Gardens Housing

Nickname: n/a

Famed Tenants: Chicago White Stockings (MLB) (1891-1893), Chicago White Sox (MLB) (1901-1910)

Iffy Neighborhood Hosted World Championship Architectural Marvel

The sprawling wooden grandstand of the park played home to the White Sox until their new home at Comiskey was completed in 1910. The Negro League's American Giants played on in the Southside until Christmas Day 1940 when the park burned to the ground.

#32. Arlington Stadium

Location: 1500 South Copeland Rd., Arlington, Texas 76011

Opened: 1965

Demolished: 1994

Current Status: Dirt

Nickname: Previously known as Turnpike Stadium

Famed Tenants: Texas Rangers (MLB) (1972-1993)

Architectural Marvel

Originally a minor league park, Arlington Stadium was reborn as a refuge for the fleeing Washington Senators who became the Texas Rangers. With the largest bleachers in the majors (they originally went foul pole to foul pole), the park was fan friendly, but the Texas heat combined with the unsheltered stadium was always an obstacle to attendance.

#31. Eastern Park

Location: 1900 Pitkin Avenue, Brooklyn

Opened: 1897

Demolished: Appx. 1898

Current Status: St. Vincents Medical Center and the Gershow Recycling Center

Nickname: n/a

Famed Tenants: Brooklyn Dodgers (1891) (1892-1897)

Iffy Neighborhood Multi-Sport Architectural Marvel

One time home of the Brooklyn Dodgers and site of the 1890 Princeton-Yale football game, this park was deemed too difficult to reach and the Dodgers moved to Ebbets Field. The "too difficult to reach" designation is still accurate. Currently it's a recycling yard.

#30. Market Square Arena

Location: 300 East Market Street, Indianapolis

Opened: 1974

Demolished: July 7, 2001

Current Status: Parking lots

Nickname: n/a

Famed Tenants: Indiana Pacers (NBA) (1974-1999)

Multi-Sport Lovable Dump

This arena was the home of the Pacers in the basketball-crazed state of Indiana. They didn't win any chips...but they did righteously fuck up the Knicks on a few occasions (mostly in New York though, oddly enough). Let's just end it on a positive note: Market Square was also the site of the final concert held by Elvis Presley on June 26, 1977.

#29. Sportsman's Park

Location: 3625 Dodier Street, St. Louis

Opened: 1902

Demolished: 1966

Current Status: Herbert Hoover Boys and Girls Club

Nickname: n/a

Famed Tenants: St. Louis Brown Stockings (NA / MLB) (1875-1877), St. Louis Brown Stockings (AA) (1882-1893), St. Louis Browns (MLB) (1902-1953), St. Louis Cardinals (MLB) (1920-1966)

Hosted World Championship Architectural Marvel

A great park for lefty sluggers like the amazing Stan Musial (who spent his whole career in the 'Lou), Sportsman's Park was the Cards original home field. This was also the beginning of a long relationship of St. Louis sports with Anheuser Busch and the Busch family, but came long after beer and baseball first mixed. Our estimate for that? The bottom of the first in the sport's first game.

#28. Bennett Park

Location: 2095-2161 Trumbull Street, Detroit

Opened: 1896

Demolished: 1912

Current Status: Dirt

Nickname: n/a

Famed Tenants: Detroit Tigers (MLB) (1901-1912)

Hosted World Championship Architectural Marvel

Bennett Park was the Tigers original home, and the site of the first nighttime baseball game in Detroit (in 1896, when workers hand-strung lights above the field. The next night game in Detroit was 52 years later). The relatively small 3.2 acre park held 8,500 people, which was a lot considering Detroit had yet to become the Motor City, and the population was small (like today).

#27. Greenlee Field

Location: Bedford Avenue b/w Chauncey and Duff, Pittsburgh

Opened: 1932

Demolished: December 1938

Current Status: Bedford Dwellings housing development

Nickname: n/a

Famed Tenants: Pittsburgh Crawfords (1932-1938)

Inspired Copycats Hosted World Championship Architectural Marvel

Groundbreaking black entrepreneur Gus Greely built this stadium for his Pittsburgh Crawfords Negro League team in the Hill District of Pittsburgh. Unfortunately, he was forced to lock out black workers from ballpark jobs in the 1938 season, angering fans and eventually leading to the end of the stadium and the team shortly thereafter.

#26. Madison Square Garden(s)

Location: 8th Avenue b/w 49th & 50th Streets, New York (MSG III), East 26th Street and Madison Avenue, New York (MSG I & II)

Opened: 1879, 1890, 1925

Demolished: 1925, 1968

Current Status: New York Life Building (MSG I & II), World Wide Plaza, Inc. (MSG III)

Nickname: n/a

Famed Tenants: New York Rangers (NHL) (1926-1968), New York Knicks (NBA) (1946-1968)

Inspired Copycats Hosted World Championship Multi-Sport

Originally known for P.T. Barnum's circuses and cycling races, the original open air Garden left much to be desired. The second incarnation at the same location on 23rd St. was the one that put the name on the map becoming the place for boxing matches, featuring 32 world championship fights between 1925 and 1945. While maybe best known as the place where Marylin Monroe sang "Happy Birthday" to JFK, MSG III brought in the now standard hockey and basketball tenants more widely known in the modern era.

#25. The Colosseum

Location: IV Templu, Pacis, Rome

Opened: 80 AD

Demolished: Gradually, over a millennia

Current Status: Tourist and archaeology mecca

Nickname: n/a

Famed Tenants: The Romans

Inspired Copycats Hosted World Championship Multi-Sport Architectural Marvel

One of the first, and one of the best, there was very little in the way of "refereeing" here, making it a fan favorite for bloodshed and man vs. beast violence. Much like the empire that built it, the stadium unfortunately entered a long decline and the teams have never relocated.

#24. Kingdome

Location: 201 South King Street, Seattle

Opened: 1976

Demolished: March 26, 2000

Current Status: Qwest Field

Nickname: n/a

Famed Tenants: Seattle Seahawks (NFL) (1976-2000), Seattle Mariners (MLB) (1977-1999), Seattle SuperSonics (NBA) (1978-1985)

Multi-Sport Lovable Dump Architectural Marvel

Far better suited for football than baseball (which put some spectators 617 feet from home plate), the Kingdome was known for its loud home team fans echoing under the cavernous dome. It was also known for giving everyone in Seattle something to do when it rained, which was all the time.

#23. Gator Bowl

Location: Gator Bowl Boulevard, Jacksonville, Fla.

Opened: 1928

Demolished: 1994

Current Status: Replaced by EverBank Field

Nickname: n/a

Famed Tenants: Jacksonville Tea Men (NASL) 1981-82; Jacksonville Bulls (USFL) 1984-85; The Gator Bowl (event)

Inspired Copycats Architectural Marvel

A historic stadium that grew along with the state's booming population and kicked off a long love affair with football in Florida, the Gator Bowl hosted the postseason college game of the same name, as well as numerous massive ("World's Largest!") outdoor cocktail parties (a.k.a. the Florida-Georgia game). The Beatles refused to play a segregated concert there in 1964; the powers that be relented, and the Fab Four played to a desegregated audience.

#22. Mile High Stadium

Location: 2755 West 17th Avenue, Denver

Opened: 1948

Demolished: 2001

Current Status: The parking lot of Invesco Field at Mile High

Nickname: n/a

Famed Tenants: Denver Broncos (AFL / NFL) (1960-2000), Colorado Rockies (MLB) (1993-1994), Colorado Rapids (MLS) (1996-2001)

Iffy Neighborhood Multi-Sport Lovable Dump

Built on the site of an old landfill, Mile High grew to greatness along with the city of Denver and their most beloved franchise, the Broncos. It also served as the original home of the expansion Rockies who drew the record home attendance crowd at an MLB game.

#21. Foxboro Stadium

Location: 1 Patriot Place, Foxborough, Mass.

Opened: 1971

Demolished: 2002

Current Status: Replaced by Gillette Stadium

Nickname: n/a

Famed Tenants: New England Patriots (NFL) (1971-2001), New England Revolution (MLS) (1996-2001)

Multi-Sport Lovable Dump

With its endless alumimum bench seating, lack of amenities, and over-flowing toilets, Foxboro was never ready for the New England hordes that descended on it every week. No one really misses it, but it is often sited in stories used to scare children: "Back when we had to go to Foxboro..."

#20. Crosley Field

Location: Findlay Street and Western Avenue, Cincinnati

Opened: 1912

Demolished: April 1972

Current Status: Cincinnati Wholesale Florist

Nickname: "The Old Boomerang"

Famed Tenants: Cincinnati Reds (MLB) (1912-1970), Cincinnati Reds (NFL) (1933-1934), Cincinnati Bengals (AFL) (1937) (1941-1943)

Inspired Copycats Hosted World Championship Multi-Sport Architectural Marvel

This small, hitter-friendly ball park was also know for "The Terrace," a sloping incline in left field. It was also known as, "Why the hell is there a hill in the outfield, Cincinnati?" Still, it was better than astroturf.

#19. Griffith Stadium

Location: 2041-2121 Georgia Avenue NW, Washington D.C.

Opened: 1911

Demolished: January 1965

Current Status: Howard University Hospital

Nickname: "National Park"

Famed Tenants: Washington Senators (I) (MLB) (1911-1960), Washington Senators (II) (MLB) (1961), Washington Redskins (NFL) (1937-1960)

Iffy Neighborhood Hosted World Championship Multi-Sport Architectural Marvel

Despite a few championships (two by the Redskins and one from the Senators) this stadium was noted for being the home of the hapless Senators for nearly half a century. One kinder footnote to history though is the fact that it was here in 1910 that William Howard Taft began the Presidential tradition of throwing the first pitch of the season.

#18. Giants Stadium

Location: 50 Route 120, East Rutherford, New Jersey

Opened: 1976

Demolished: August 10, 2010

Current Status: Parking lot next to New Giants Stadium

Nickname: "The Meadowlands"

Famed Tenants: New York Giants (NFL) (1976-2009), New York Jets (NFL) (1984-2009)

Multi-Sport

As if being home to two NFL teams wasn't enough, Giants Stadium was also known for its unpredictable winds, massive tailgate parties, and having Jimmy Hoffa under the end zone (not true). The good news was that they built the new one right next door and it looks the same; everything is just much more expensive.

#17. White City Stadium

Location: 1-37 Dorando Close, Hammersmith, London

Opened: 1908

Demolished: 1985

Current Status: BBC Worldwide

Nickname: "The Great Stadium"

Famed Tenants: Queens Park Rangers F.C. (1931-1933) (1962-1963)

Inspired Copycats Hosted World Championship Multi-Sport Architectural Marvel

Built originally for the 1908 Olympics (and memorialized in a pretty great Pogues song) White City was considered the first "modern-seater" stadium and hosted races, boxing matches, and soccer matches (including one in the 1966 World Cup) as well.

#16. Baker Bowl

Location: 2622 North Broad Street, Philadelphia

Opened: 1887

Demolished: 1950

Current Status: Among other things, a carwash

Nickname: "The Cigar Box"

Famed Tenants: Philadelphia Phillies (NL) (1887-1938), Philadelphia Eagles (NFL) (1933-1935)

Multi-Sport Architectural Marvel

This intimate ballpark was famous (or infamous) for its 300 foot long, 60 foot high wall in right field, an insurmountable obstacle that doomed the Phillies to only one pennant in 51 seasons (well that and some pretty awful teams). The field was eventually abandoned after years of ridicule and disrepair.

#15. Polo Grounds

Location: West 155th Street and Eighth Avenue, New York

Opened: 1890

Demolished: April 1964

Current Status: Polo Grounds Towers housing complex

Nickname: n/a

Famed Tenants: New York Giants (MLB) (1891-1957), New York Yankees (MLB) (1913-1922), New York Mets (MLB) (1962-1963), New York Giants (NFL) (1925-1955), New York Titans/Jets (AFL) (1960-1963)

Iffy Neighborhood Hosted World Championship Multi-Sport Lovable Dump Architectural Marvel

Originally built in 1876 for polo, there were four different incarnations of the Grounds. The most famous, known for its short left and right fields and unusually deep center field, was one of baseball's most unique and beloved ballparks for almost 75 years, and was host to a famous game you may have heard of.

#14. Texas Stadium

Location: 2401 East Airport Freeway, Irving, Texas

Opened: 1971

Demolished: April 2010

Current Status: Dirt

Nickname: n/a

Famed Tenants: Dallas Cowboys (NFL) (1971-2008)

Inspired Copycats Architectural Marvel

The famous hole in the stadium's roof was supposed to be covered by a retractable component, but the weight was too much and the field remained uncovered (an engineering snafu that turned into a design element at the new Cowboys Stadium). The old stomping ground of America's Team (back when they were still stomping) was imploded in 2010.

#13. Forbes Field

Location: 230 South Bouquet Street, Pittsburgh

Opened: 1909

Demolished: 1971

Current Status: Posvar Hall

Nickname: "The House of Thrills;" "The Old Lady of Schenley Park;" "The Orchard of Oakland"

Famed Tenants: Pittsburgh Pirates (1909-1970), Pittsburgh Steelers (1933-1963)

Hosted World Championship Multi-Sport Architectural Marvel

Home to Honus Wagner and the golden era of baseball, Forbes Field had, when it opened, the highest seating capacity of any at 25,000. The storied site with the rock-hard infield played host to many memorable moments for the Pirates and the nascent Steelers.

#12. Wembley

Location: Brent, London

Opened: 1923

Demolished: 2003

Current Status: New Wembley

Nickname: "The Twin Towers"

Famed Tenants: England national football team (1923-2000), Olympics (1948)

Hosted World Championship Multi-Sport Architectural Marvel

The Twin Towers was the sporting centre of the Empire and hosted several famed soccer matches and every British rock act worthy enough to grace the stage. Queen!

#11. Connie Mack Stadium a.k.a. Shibe Park

Location: 2001 West Lehigh Avenue, Philadelphia

Opened: 1909

Demolished: 1976

Current Status: Deliverance Evangelistic Church

Nickname: n/a

Famed Tenants: Philadelphia Athletics (MLB) (1909-1954), Philadelphia Phillies (MLB) (1938-1970), Philadelphia Eagles (NFL) (1940, 1942-1957)

Inspired Copycats Hosted World Championship Multi-Sport Architectural Marvel

The first concrete and steel stadium built in the U.S., Connie Mack, or Shibe Park as it was better known, was home to the Philly Athletics and saw them in seven World Series, of which they won three. Demolished in 1976, it was commemorated on a stamp in 2001 (uh, late pass?) for its historic merit citing, among other things, its 34-foot right field wall and French Renaissance cupola.

#10. Three Rivers Stadium

Location: 600 Stadium Circle, Pittsburgh

Opened: 1970

Demolished: 2001

Current Status: A construction site adjacent to Heinz Field

Nickname: n/a

Famed Tenants: Pittsburgh Pirates (MLB) (1970-2000), Pittsburgh Steelers (NFL) (1970-2000)

Hosted World Championship Multi-Sport Lovable Dump

Despite its uninspiring, uniform architecture, the birthplace of the Terrible Towel will always hold a spot close to the hearts of Steelers and Pirates fans, if for nothing other than its scale and the memories that filled it.

#9. Ebbets Field

Location: 55 Sullivan Place, Brooklyn

Opened: 1913

Demolished: February 23, 1960

Current Status: The Jackie Robinson Apartment Buildings

Nickname: n/a

Famed Tenants: Brooklyn Dodgers (MLB) (1913-1957)

Inspired Copycats Iffy Neighborhood Hosted World Championship Architectural Marvel

One of the most beloved and storied ballparks of all time, Ebbets Field would rate a lot higher on this list if anybody writing it had actually been alive when the venerated ballpark was still around. As it is, Ebbets gave rise to the Brooklyn Dodgers and countless references in American popular culture. Most recently, the Mets tried to bring some historic character to their Citi Field with an architectural nod to the Ebbets entryway. Now if only we could get Jackie Robinson back from the dead...

#8. The Spectrum

Location: 3601 South Broad Street, Philadelphia

Opened: 1967

Demolished: November 23, 2010

Current Status: Being torn apart, brick by brick

Nickname: n/a

Famed Tenants: Philadelphia Flyers (NHL) (1967-1996), Philadelphia 76ers (NBA) (1967-1996)

Hosted World Championship Multi-Sport

Home to the famed pummelings of the Broad Street Bullies and the magic moves of Dr. J, the Spectrum's long run is finally drawing to a close. You weren't much to look at from the outside, but we'll miss you, Spectrum.

#7. Arsenal Stadium

Location: Highbury, London

Opened: 1913

Demolished: 2006

Current Status: Redeveloped as housing

Nickname: "Highbury;" "The Home of Football"

Famed Tenants: Arsenal (1913-2006)

Architectural Marvel

The Gunners' home field underwent many changes over the years as stands were added and renovated on all four sides, finally resulting in an all-seater stadium that fenced in the pitch from the outside. Eventually though, the historic designation of the grounds and the dense residential neighborhood all around it made it nearly impossible to expand, so the team built Emirates Stadium, which opened in 2006.

#5. Comiskey Park

Location: 324 West 35th Street, Chicago

Opened: 1919

Demolished: 1991

Current Status: Parking lot for US Cellular Field

Nickname: "The Baseball Palace of the World"

Famed Tenants: Chicago White Sox (MLB) (1910-1990), Chicago Cubs (MLB) (1918 World Series), Chicago Cardinals (NFL) (1922-1925), (1929-1959)

Iffy Neighborhood Hosted World Championship Multi-Sport Architectural Marvel

From the '70s until its demolition in 1991, Comiskey was the oldest MLB park in use and had all of the charm, small seats, and cramped concourses that go with that title. But for over 6,000 major league games, White Sox fans still love Old Comiskey, one of the last great family-owned ballparks.

#5. Tiger Stadium

Location: 2121 Trumbull Avenue, Detroit

Opened: 1912

Demolished: 2009

Current Status: Dirt

Nickname: "The Corner"

Famed Tenants: Detroit Tigers (MLB) (1912-1999), Detroit Lions (NFL) (1938-1974)

Iffy Neighborhood Hosted World Championship Multi-Sport Architectural Marvel

The Corner, entered into the National Register of Historic Places in 1989, featured a 125-foot flagpole in center field (fair territory). In its majestic run, the old park was the site of 11,111 home runs (including a handful that landed on the left and right field roofs), one upper deck overhang, and countless memories. It was left to die a slow, 10-year-long death in 1999, but no other stadium can claim to have its last moments documented in an Eminem video.

#4. Miami Orange Bowl

Location: 1501 NW 3rd St., Miami

Opened: 1937

Demolished: May 14, 2008

Current Status: Marlins' Ballpark (under construction)

Nickname: n/a

Famed Tenants: Miami Hurricanes (NCAA) (1937-2007), Miami Dolphins (AFL/NFL) (1966-1986)

It started out as a jewel and ended as a creaky dump, but that space between the Orange Bowl's open end zone and notoriously loud steel structure was home to Super Bowl III (Joe Namath's guarantee), the Dolphins' perfect '72 season, and the U's 58-game home winning streak in the '80s and '90s. Face it, running through the smoke machine just isn't the same anywhere else.

#3. Boston Garden

Location: 150 Causeway Street, Boston

Opened: 1928

Demolished: November 1997

Current Status: TD Garden and TD Garden parking lot

Nickname: "The Garden"

Famed Tenants: Boston Bruins (NHL) (1928-1995), Boston Celtics (NBA) (1946-1995)

Hosted World Championship Multi-Sport Lovable Dump

Famed for practically having its own climate during late spring playoff games for the Bruins and Celtics and countless "obstructed view" seats, the Gah-den was hallowed ground for Boston sports for almost 70 years. Dead spots on the basketball court and a cramped, un-air conditioned visiting locker rooms gave the home town squads a distinct home garden advantage that's noticeably absent at the antiseptic TD Bank Garden.

#2. Chicago Stadium

Location: 1800 West Madison Street, Chicago

Opened: 1929

Demolished: 1995

Current Status: Parking lot for the United Center

Nickname: "The Mad House on Madison"

Famed Tenants: Chicago Black Hawks (NHL) (1929-1994)

Chicago Bulls (NBA) (1967-1994)

Iffy Neighborhood Hosted World Championship Multi-Sport

From the same era as the Boston Garden and MSG III, Chicago Stadium was a spectacular old venue that finally ran out its storied carrer in the mid '90s. Fortunately, its last years were some of its best, with MJ killing it for the Bulls. CNN broadcast the demolition live and people were crying—we're pretty sure that didn't happen at McNichols Arena.

#1. Yankee Stadium

Location: East 161st Street and River Avenue, The Bronx

Opened: 1923

Demolished: September 2008

Current Status: Eventually a park; currently a hole

Nickname: "The House that Ruth Built"

Famed Tenants: New York Yankees (MLB) (1923-1973) (1976-2008), New York Giants (NFL) (1956-1973)

Iffy Neighborhood Hosted World Championship Multi-Sport

Yes, half the world hates the Yankees (the other half loves them), and yes, it was cramped and lacking in pretty much every modern amenity. Nonetheless, from the greatest NFL game ever played to classic boxing matches to a World Series victory or 27 for the Yankees, the Stadium had more history than the Pyramids. The first three-tier stadium built in North America, the park underwent numerous renovations and improvements over the years, but always remained true to the pinstripes until finally giving way to the new Yankee Stadium. You take your luxury skyboxes and jumbotrons, we'll keep "Box seats suck!" and the memories.

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