Throughout the years, this ballpark hosted all sorts of amateur tournaments and
play... and somehow managed to avoid playing host to any of the Akron Minor League
teams that existed in the late 20's-early 30's. That almost wasn't the case
as the Yankees had problems moving from Wheeling W.V. to League Park II in Akron
during the early 20's. According to his book "A Fine Bunch of Ball Tossers"
by Richard McBane, The Yankees actually did attempt to secure a lease for Firestone
Park, but in the end were able to legitimately pay off all of the former Negro
League teams that had called League Park home, and they finally made that
stadium their home ballpark. As WWII drew upon the nation, the Central League which
had been utilizing League Park suspended operations. League Park was never
to be utilized again, but that didn't increase any chances of professional baseball
coming to Firestone Stadium. That was because professional baseball was done
in Akron, and wouldn't return again for 50 years. Even Canton... Akron's sister
city went without a team until 1989, when Thurman Munson Stadium was built.
Of course that all changed in 1997 when the Akron Aeros came to town to play
Double-A ball for the Eastern League. With the Akron Aeros however came a brand
new multi-million dollar downtown ballpark, thus ending any chance whatsoever
for professional baseball to come to Firestone Stadium. |