Map of Rourke Park circa 1918 |
In 1900, the park on Vinton Street was completed. This park was located between 13th and 15th with Vinton Street to the south of the park. Entry gates were on 15th Street and Vinton Street. Even the name of the park depended on the whim of the newspaper. Usually it was refered to as the "Vinton Street Park". Sometimes it was called Rourke Park and later in the twenties League Park became the most common moniker.
In 1911 a major overhaul of the Vinton Street Park was accomplished. A new grandstand was constructed. It was twenty seven feet from base to top of roof. It was seventy feet deep and 450 ft. long when all the segments were added together. It had a capacity of 7,500 with 800 box seats, 1,200 chairs and 4,100 other seats. The rest of the 7,500 was standing room. An additional 2,500 bleacher seats were in past first base, down the right field line. The outfield fences were moved further back during this reconstruction of the park.
In 1926 Cincinatti installed lights on their college football stadium and by 1939 at least 25 college stadiums had lights including Creighton.
In 1930 Rourke park was upgraded with lights from the Giant Company of Council Bluffs Iowa Des Moines had installed the first permanent lights and it was so successful that other cities soon followed. The Omaha park had 8 seventy foot high towers each with a bank of either eight or five lights. Denver won the first game under the lights by a score of 4-0.
Light tower at Rourke Park circa 1930 |
Lights at Rourke Park circa 1935 |
The park burned down in 1936.
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