MLB Five Oldest Stadiums
The oldest MLB stadium Fenway Park was built in 1912. Below is a list of the five oldest MLB Stadiums categorized by age.
5. Oakland Coliseum (1966)
The fifth oldest MLB stadium by age is The Oakland Coliseum, established in 1966. The venue is home to the Oakland Athletics.
It was the former home of the Oakland Raiders of the NFL from 1966 to 1981 and again from 1995 to 2019. Since then, it has been primarily used for baseball games.
The venue was built as a multi-purpose stadium after city officials made the first proposal in 1940 to establish a professional baseball team in the town.
The Coliseum carries a seating capacity of approximately 63K, depending on its configurations. The upper deck got dubbed "Mount Davis" by the fans during the 1996 renovation.
In 2017, the playing surface was dedicated as Rickey Henderson Field, honoring the MLB hall of fame and former Oakland left fielder Rickey Henderson.
Over the past years, due to acquiring the rights by different companies, the stadium got its various names, including Network Associates Coliseum, McAfee Coliseum, and Ring Central Coliseum.
4. Angel Stadium of Anaheim (1966)
The 1966-built Angel Stadium in Anaheim is the fourth oldest MLB stadium by age. Since its opening 57 years ago, it has served as the Los Angeles Angels MLB home field.
The Big A hosted its first game on April 19, 1966. The fourth oldest stadium was formerly the home ground of the Los Angeles Rams of the NFL, where they played for 14 years till 1994.
The baseball stadium in California has hosted the All-Star games for three years. It is primarily used as a ground for baseball games, including MLB games.
The venue holds a capacity of 45,517 now and has a landmark, the "Big A" sign which initially operated as a scoreboard support in the left field inside the ground. Due to the landmark sign, the venue is referred to by its unofficial nickname, "Big A."
Located in Anaheim, several years after the Rams left, Walt Disney took control of the Angels and was renovated again. The fans later can enjoy a restored view of local mountain ranges and the 57 freeway after destroying the outfield section.
The venue was formerly named Anaheim Stadium (1966–1997) and Edison International Field of Anaheim (1998–2003) but later changed again into its original name as the Angels Stadium.
3. Dodgers Stadium (1962)
The Dodgers Stadium is the third-oldest MLB stadium and was established in 1962 in Los Angeles, California. It is home to LA Dodgers.
This venue hosted its first game on April 10, 1962. The Dodgers Stadium has been a home ballpark for the Dodgers of MLB since moving from Brooklyn in 1962.
This stadium is an open-air stadium with a grass field with its largest capacity of 56000 fans. Further, the venue has hosted ten World Series and seen 12 no-hitters.
Primarily made as a baseball field, it has hosted concerts, boxing, and several cricket matches. The Dodgers is one of the third oldest and most iconic stadiums to enjoy the game in use.
This stadium is one of the largest baseball stadiums in the world, with ample seating arrangements. The team set an MLB attendance record of 2,755,184 fans in their first season at the stadium breaking the record set by Cleveland in 1948. In 2019, Dodger Stadium gained a record attendance of fans during the 2019 season with 3,875,656 spectators.
The Dodgers Stadium is often referred to as "pitcher's ballpark and sometimes referred to as "Blue Heaven on Earth," coined by Dodgers manager Tommy Lasorda.
2. Wrigley Field (1914)
In terms of age, Wrigley Field in Chicago, Illinois, is the second-oldest stadium. It was erected for the Chicago Whales in 1914.
The Chicago Cubs took over Wrigley in 1916 after the Whales, later known as Cubs Park until 1927. Since then, it has been a home ground for Chicago Cubs.
The stadium hosted its first official game on April 23, 1914. The stadium was named Wrigley Field after William Wrigley Jr. of fortune and fame.
Like the Dodgers Stadium, Wrigley Field also supports an open-air roof with a grass field. The stadium is unique, with an ivy-covered outfield wall and hand-turned scoreboard.
This venue has a seating capacity of 41,649 spectators. It is known as one of the historical landmarks among all the baseball stadiums in the world.
Besides, the Cubs threw a centennial celebration of Wrigley Field during their 2014 season, completing the 100th-year mark. To mark the century, the stadium hosted the game between the Cubs and Arizona Diamondbacks in a throwback game.
1. Fenway Park (1912)
Fenway Park is the oldest MLB stadium and was built in 1912 in Boston, Massachusetts. The oldest baseball stadium is still in operation at 110 years old.
Fenway Park has been the home for the MLB team Boston Red Sox since its establishment. It is the oldest active ballpark in MLB history with unique features, including "The Triangle," Pesky's Pole, and the Green Monster in left field.
Though it is considered among the small ballpark in MLB, with a seating capacity of 37,755, it has hosted the World Series 11 times in which the home team won six times.
The first game was played on April 20, 1912, with the Red Sox defeating New York Highlanders 7-6 in 11 innings. Mayor John F. Fitzgerald threw the first pitch.
On March 7, 2012, the park joined the National Register of Historic Places, celebrating its century. The park is a well-known sports venue and Boston Landmark symbolizing Boston.
Besides baseball games, it hosted other sporting and musical events, including football games, concerts, soccer, and the 2010 NHL Winter Classic.
