September 3, 2006 was an emotional day for many Arkansas Traveler fans as our team played its final game in our beloved stadium. Long lines stood in the heat of the September sun for hours waiting for the gates to open at noon for the 2:00 p.m. game. And many from the second largest crowd in stadium history lingered long after the game was over and the teams had left the field.
We drove over to the new stadium construction site as the day, like Ray Winder Field, began to fade into twilight, and we found numerous fans parked on the street to say hello to the new facility and to begin getting familiar with the 2007 venue. A ballpark develops its personality from its fans, and Arkansas Traveler fans are the best around. The new park will be okay.
General Manager Bill Valentine, normally a man of many words, echoed the sentiment of the day as he barely said more than, "Play Ball."
Fans waiting for the gates to open |
Goodbye Ray Winder Emblem - 3rd Base Line |
Stands Fill 90 Minutes Before the Game |
Watering the Infield One Last Time |
Celebrities Gather for Opening Ceremony |
Colors Presented for National Anthem |
Fans Take Seating in the Outfield |
Springfield Lines Up Before Their Loss to Travs |
Coaches & Umpires Meet Before Trav Victory |
Arkansas Travelers Begin Warmup |
Arkansas Pitchers Prove Too Much for Cardinals |
Kids & Hotdogs Are a Winning Combination |
Bleacher Crowd Takes it to the Outfield |
Travs Score 5 Runs in First Inning |
Box Seats Were Full with Sell Out Crowd |
Concession Area Did
a Brisk Business |
Long After the Game Bleachers Begin to Clear |
Flurry of Photo-taking After the Game |
Stragglers Finally File Out for the Last Time |
Future Home of the Arkansas Travelers |
