Baltimore Memorial Stadium

Origins and Early Use as Municipal Stadium

The stadium's origins trace back to 1922 when it was built as Municipal Stadium in a previously undeveloped area north of the city's rowhouses. Designed by Pleasants Pennington and Albert W. Lewis, it was constructed in the former Venable Park at the urging of Mayor William F. Broening. The original facility was a large horseshoe-shaped football stadium with an earthen exterior and a stone colonnade at its open south end facing 33rd Street. It had a massive capacity, estimated between 70,000 and 80,000 spectators. In its early decades, the stadium hosted numerous high school and college football games, including the historic Thanksgiving rivalry between Baltimore City College and Baltimore Polytechnic Institute. It also occasionally hosted home games for the University of Maryland Terrapins and the United States Naval Academy Midshipmen, drawing national media attention to Baltimore. The stadium was operated by the city's Board of Park Commissioners and was sometimes known as Baltimore Stadium or Venable Stadium.

Transition to Professional Baseball and Reconstruction

The stadium's role expanded dramatically in July 1944 when the minor league Baltimore Orioles of the International League began using it after their Oriole Park was destroyed by fire. The Orioles won the league championship and the Junior World Series that year, with large postseason crowds at Municipal Stadium surpassing attendance at that year's Major League Baseball World Series. This success demonstrated Baltimore's viability as a major league city and caught the attention of professional team owners. The arrival of the Baltimore Colts of the All-America Football Conference in 1947 further spurred momentum for a modern facility. The city began a project to rebuild Municipal Stadium into a venue of major league caliber, renaming it Baltimore Memorial Stadium to honour the city's dead from World War II. Championed by Mayor Thomas D'Alesandro Jr, the reconstruction began in 1949. The new single-deck, horseshoe-shaped stadium was engineered to eventually support a second deck and was completed in stages while the Orioles and Colts continued to play. The old seating at the north end was retained for football that fall, and by the end of 1949 the horseshoe was complete enough to relocate the baseball infield to the south end for the 1950 season.

Major League Era and Expansion

The reconstructed Memorial Stadium opened fully for the 1950 baseball season, seating around 31,000 fans. That season, the Baltimore Elite Giants of the Negro American League also hosted four games at the venue, including a season opener on May 12 that drew over 10,000 fans. The drive for a second NFL franchise after the first Colts folded led to a successful season ticket campaign in December 1952, generating 15,000 presales in six weeks. Baltimore, then the sixth largest city in the United States, was awarded an expansion team for the 1953 season. With the NFL's return and rumours of a major league baseball team arriving, construction on a second deck began in the summer of 1953. The project accelerated in November 1953 when the St. Louis Browns announced their move to Baltimore to become the major league Baltimore Orioles, the city's first major league franchise in over 50 years. The expanded stadium, costing $6.5 million, was still under construction on opening day in 1954 but was completed by the start of summer. On April 15, 1954, a massive parade preceded the Orioles' first home game, where over 46,000 fans saw them defeat the Chicago White Sox and temporarily move into first place in the American League.

Peak Popularity and Design Limitations

Both the new Orioles and the Colts had success over the coming years, during the late 1950s and throughout the 1960s. The Colts sold out 56 consecutive games at Memorial Stadium during their peak years of popularity in Baltimore. Both Colt and Oriole fans were so wildly devoted to their teams, with as many as 60,000 attending Colts games during the streak, that the stadium was dubbed the world's largest outdoor insane asylum. The dual-use stadium was not without its critics, however. Traffic and a parking shortage made accessing the stadium difficult. Concrete poles blocked views, and unsheltered areas grew hot in the summer. Most of the seats were bench-style, with few having chair backs or more modern amenities. The NFL's Baltimore Colts were the first to express deep dissatisfaction and to seek a new venue. In addition to sub-optimal conditions at Memorial Stadium, capacity was a concern, with the Colts selling out every home game from the start of the 1964 season to the end of 1970 and unable to meet demand for season tickets.

Tenant Departures and the Move to Indianapolis

In 1970, Colts owner Carroll Rosenbloom announced he was seeking a 500-acre parcel in one of three suburban Baltimore counties for construction of a new football-only facility. Rosenbloom was adamant that the team would be leaving Memorial Stadium due to unhappiness with stadium conditions and ongoing irritation over a legal dispute with the city about hosting a Monday Night Football game. No stadium deal was completed by Rosenbloom. On July 13, 1972, businessman Robert Irsay purchased the Los Angeles Rams and immediately swapped franchises with Rosenbloom, becoming the controlling partner of the Baltimore Colts. Rosenbloom's stadium problem became Irsay's, and Memorial Stadium's limitations remained. A decade passed with no agreement on desperately needed improvements to the aging stadium. Irsay began to visit other cities, and Indianapolis was chosen. In the middle of a snowy night on March 29, 1984, under threat of a state measure to initiate condemnation proceedings, moving vans rolled in and the Colts left for their new Indiana home. The loss of the Colts left the Orioles as the sole major league tenant and increased the urgency for stadium upgrades.

Final Years of Sports Tenancy

The Orioles played their final game at Memorial Stadium on October 6, 1991, a 7-1 defeat by the Detroit Tigers. A postgame ceremony was held with 78 past Oriole players, ending with home plate being removed and transported under police escort to the new Oriole Park at Camden Yards. For the next decade, the stadium hosted a minor league baseball team and two new professional football teams. The Bowie Baysox, a minor league affiliate of the Orioles, played their inaugural 1993 season at Memorial Stadium while their permanent home was being built. The Baltimore Stallions played during the Canadian Football League's expansion to the United States for the 1994 and 1995 seasons. The team was originally known as the Baltimore CFL Colts but was forced to change its name after a legal injunction from the NFL. Owner Jim Speros exchanged tickets for renovations to bring the dilapidated stadium to a workable condition. The Stallions had winning records each season, advanced to the championship game both years, and won the Grey Cup in 1995. The CFL Stallions were forced out when Cleveland Browns owner Art Modell announced he was moving his team to Baltimore to become the Ravens. The Ravens were tenants until the end of the 1997 NFL regular season, when they moved to M&T Bank Stadium.

Community Advocacy and Redevelopment Process

When the decision to abandon Memorial Stadium became imminent, neighbourhood groups organized opposition. The surrounding communities were anxious about the impact of an abandoned white elephant, as no other use would generate funds for maintenance or demolition. The neighbourhoods formed the Stadium Neighborhoods Coalition and negotiated for an official redevelopment task force with public meetings and a written pledge from Mayor William Donald Schaefer for upfront funding for demolition and redevelopment. While this process continued, a proposal to stage rock concerts at the stadium led to the formation of People Against Concerts at Memorial Stadium. Public opposition was strong, and the city confirmed it would not lease the site for concerts. This group later reconstituted as People Advocating a Community Agenda for Memorial Stadium. The division between direct action tactics and quiet lobbying continued, but a large public meeting was held where several redevelopment proposals were presented. The community preference for a mixed-use development led to the successful project now on the site.

Demolition and Site Transformation

The City of Baltimore solicited proposals for development of the site. Most proposals preserved some or all of the stadium, including the memorial to World War II veterans and the words on the facade. One proposal had a school occupying the former offices with the field as a recreational facility. Mayor Martin J. O'Malley, however, favoured the proposal that resulted in the total razing of the stadium, an act that many fought and protested. Former mayor and governor William Donald Schaefer protested that the stadium was razed for political reasons. The stadium was demolished over a 10-month period beginning in April 2001. Approximately 10,000 cubic yards of concrete rubble from it was used to build an artificial reef over a 6-acre site in the Chesapeake Bay 3 miles west of Tolchester Beach in 2002. As of 2005, the former site housed Maryland's largest YMCA facility and the developing vision of Stadium Place, a mixed income community for seniors with four senior apartment complexes. The political wranglings, sports history, and the city's attachment to the landmark were captured in a documentary titled The Last Season.

Questions about Baltimore Memorial Stadium

What teams played at Baltimore Memorial Stadium?

Memorial Stadium was primarily the home of Major League Baseball's Baltimore Orioles from 1954 to 1991 and the National Football League's Baltimore Colts from 1953 to 1983. Notably, it was the home of the Canadian Football League's Baltimore Stallions in 1994 and 1995, the only American team to win the Grey Cup. Other tenants included the minor league Bowie Baysox in 1993 and, in its early years, the Baltimore Elite Giants of the Negro American League and various college football teams. The stadium also hosted high school rivalries and was briefly considered for NBA games by the Baltimore Bullets.

Why was Memorial Stadium demolished?

Memorial Stadium was demolished because the city's major league tenants had moved to newer, purpose-built facilities like Oriole Park at Camden Yards and M&T Bank Stadium. The aging dual-use stadium had deteriorating amenities, obstructed views, and was considered obsolete for modern sports. After the Orioles and Ravens departed, the city sought redevelopment proposals for the site. Despite community efforts and proposals that included preserving parts of the structure or converting it to a school, Mayor Martin J. O'Malley supported a plan for complete demolition to make way for a new senior living community and YMCA. This decision was met with public protest, including from former mayor William Donald Schaefer.

What is the Canadian connection to Memorial Stadium?

The Canadian connection to Memorial Stadium is primarily through the Baltimore Stallions of the Canadian Football League. The stadium was one of the few in the United States that could accommodate the full 65-yard width and 150-yard length of a regulation Canadian football field, likely due to its original design for baseball. The Stallions played there during the CFL's expansion into the United States for the 1994 and 1995 seasons, averaging over 30,000 fans per game. In 1995, the Stallions won the Grey Cup, making them the only American-based team to achieve this feat before the franchise relocated. The team's owner, Jim Speros, arranged renovations to the dilapidated stadium in exchange for tickets.

Where was Memorial Stadium located and what is there now?

Memorial Stadium was located on 33rd Street in Baltimore's Waverly neighbourhood, on an oversized block officially called Venable Park. The site was bound by Ellerslie Avenue to the west, 36th Street to the north, and Ednor Road to the east. After the stadium's demolition between April 2001 and February 2002, the land was redeveloped. As of 2005, the former site houses Stadium Place, a mixed-income senior living community with several apartment complexes, and Maryland's largest YMCA facility. Concrete rubble from the demolition was used to create an artificial reef in the Chesapeake Bay near Tolchester Beach.

What was the nickname for Memorial Stadium and why?

Memorial Stadium was nicknamed the world's largest outdoor insane asylum due to the intensely passionate and loud behaviour of fans for both the Baltimore Colts and Baltimore Orioles during the teams' successful periods. The Colts sold out 56 consecutive games, with crowds sometimes reaching 60,000, creating an overwhelming and raucous atmosphere. This wild devotion from the fan base, which was seen as uniquely fervent, inspired the colourful nickname that became a badge of honour for Baltimore sports enthusiasts. The tag was also referenced as the world's loudest outdoor insane asylum in some accounts.

How did the community influence the stadium's final years?

Community groups played a significant role in the stadium's final years after the departure of major league teams. Neighbourhoods formed the Stadium Neighborhoods Coalition to negotiate with the city over redevelopment plans, securing a community task force and funding pledges for demolition. When rumours surfaced about the stadium being used for rock concerts, residents organized as People Against Concerts at Memorial Stadium, which later became People Advocating a Community Agenda for Memorial Stadium. Their advocacy successfully pressured the city to reject the concert plan. This proactive community engagement helped shape the public meetings that ultimately led to the preference for a mixed-use redevelopment of the site, influencing the final outcome for the property.

Sources: Wikipedia and current public reporting, checked by the Garbutt Disposal desk. Last updated 2026-10-19.