MUSIC - Roll with the changes by REO Speedwagon

Bush Stadium - still standing

Location: 1501 W. 16th St., Indianapolis Indiana -- Bounded by E. Riverside Dr., N. Harding St., and Waterway Blvd.

If someone mentions Indianapolis, thoughts usually turn to the old brickyard, the Indianapolis motor speedway. Just about 3 miles due east of the speedway on 16th Street is the former AAA home of the Indianapolis Indians. Bush stadium is that venue, and is located at 1501 West 16th Street, just to the northwest of downtown Indianapolis. Bush stadium is a park from a bygone era.

Bush stadium started out life in 1931 as Perry stadium, named after team owner Norm Perry who had the park built. In 1942 it was renamed Victory field in reference to World War II. The city of Indianapolis bought the park in 1967 and renamed it Bush stadium in honor of Donie Bush. Bush was a native of Indianapolis and played in the major leagues for 14 years. His playing career was with the Detroit Tigers, and Washington Senators. After he retired as a player, he became a manager. He managed in the majors for 15 years, guiding the Washington Senators, Pittsburgh Pirates, Chicago White Sox, and the Cincinnati Reds. In 1939, Bush became part owner of the Louisville Redbirds. Two years later, he bought his hometown Indianapolis Indians, which he was part owner of for 10 years. All in all Bush had a 65 year career in baseball. In 1972 he was working as a scout for the Chicago White Sox. He was down in Florida for spring training. Bush became ill and returned to Indianapolis. Three weeks later, on March 28, 1972, Bush passed away at the ripe old age of 84.

Bush stadium had its quirks about it. They had a teepee in centerfield, manually operated scoreboards, and like Forbes Field in Pittsburgh and Wrigley Field in Chicago, ivy grew on it's walls. It was by all means a ballpark. It took you back to a simpler time of baseball. I swear if you went inside the park right now, you would still smell the hot dogs, beer, peanuts and fresh cut grass.

Bush stadium saw it's share of great players. Thru out it's life, it was a AAA ballpark. The Indians won 9 league titles at Bush stadium. They also had their fair share of hall of famers play there too. Grover Cleveland Alexander, Old aches and pains Luke Appling, Gabby Hartnett, Harmon Killebrew, Nap Lajoie, Al Lopez, Rube Marquard, Joe McCarthy, Bill McKechnie, and Ray Schalk all played or managed in Indianapolis. They had a future hall of famer too. Some pitcher called the Big Unit, Randy Johnson. Other stars played in Indianapolis, most notably when it was a triple A team for the Montreal Expos. The likes of Delino DeShields, Larry Walker, Marquis Grissom, Andres Galarraga, Ken Griffy, Sr., Filepe Alou (as a manager) and his son Moises Alou and Bernie Carbo, were all players in Indianapolis. Bush was also home to the Indianapolis Clowns of the old Negro leagues. They had a player you may have heard of.....Hank Aaron. The "hammer" played for the Clowns for one season in 1952, and they went on to win the Negro world series. Later on that year, Aaron was sold to the Boston Braves for $10,000. And the rest is history.

The Indians moved out of Bush stadium on July 11, 1996. The team moved downtown into a brand new ballpark called Victory Field. The park was built right in back of the RCA dome, which was the home of the Indianapolis Colts up until the end of the 2007 season. Victory field has all the comforts of a new park. Good site lines, concessions, restrooms et al. but like just about all the other parks and arenas I have seen, it doesn't have that old time ballpark feel. You can't get it with the new parks.

After the Indians left in 1996, the park was turned into of all things, a dirt track. The same thing happened to Baker Bowl in Philadelphia after the Phillies left in 1939. Just like Baker Bowl, this incarnation of the park failed after two years. Today, the park sits basically abandoned. There is talk about tearing it down, or renovating it. Costs could run around 10 million dollars for renovation.

On June 26, 1995, Bush stadium was placed on the national register of historic places. Let's hope that they can preserve this shrine and bring it back to life in some capacity as what it was MEANT to be ..... a BALLPARK!