Ray Winder Field - Thanks for 74 Years

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