Joe Davis Stadium
| "The Joe" | |
 |
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| Full name | Joe W. Davis Municipal Stadium |
|---|---|
| Location | 3125 Leeman Ferry Road Huntsville, Alabama 35801 |
| Coordinates | 34°41′58.49″N 86°35′18.59″W / 34.6995806°N 86.5884972°WCoordinates: 34°41′58.49″N 86°35′18.59″W / 34.6995806°N 86.5884972°W |
| Owner | City of Huntsville |
| Capacity | 10,488 |
| Field size |
Left Field: 345 feet (105 m) Center Field: 405 feet (123 m) Right Field: 330 feet (101 m) |
| Surface | Bermudagrass (Tifway 419) |
| Construction | |
| Broke ground | September 21, 1984 |
| Built | 1984–1985 |
| Opened | April 19, 1985 |
| Renovated | 2004–2007 |
| Closed | May 25, 2015 (final game) |
| Construction cost |
$7.6 million ($17.3 million in 2017 dollars) |
| Architect | Goodrum Knowles Inc. |
| Tenants | |
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Huntsville Stars (SL) (1985–2014) UAH Chargers (NCAA baseball) (1996–2010) Biloxi Shuckers (SL) (2015) |
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Joe W. Davis Stadium is a minor league baseball park in Huntsville, Alabama, United States, which hosted the Huntsville Stars of the Southern League from 1985 until 2014, and then served as a temporary home for the Stars' successor (the Biloxi Shuckers) in 2015.
Built in 1985, the stadium is located on the grounds of Huntsville's former airport, adjacent to Huntsville's main north–south thoroughfare, U.S. Highway 231 (S. Memorial Parkway). The stadium is a multi-purpose facility that seats 10,488 with 15 air-conditioned skyboxes. Ticket offices and the general office are located on the second floor of the stadium. Closed circuit television above the main concourse allows for viewing of the game while grabbing a bite at the concession stands. In addition to baseball, Joe W. Davis Stadium has been used for high school football, monster truck rallies, and concerts.
Nicknamed "The Crown Jewel of the Southern League" upon its construction, the stadium was the oldest venue in the league during its final year of operation.
The stadium is named for the longtime mayor of Huntsville, Joe W. Davis, who was instrumental in the city's efforts to construct the stadium. Construction came about in 1984 after Nashville Sounds owner Larry Schmittou purchased the Evansville Triplets with the intent of moving the team in 1985 to Nashville, Tennessee to effectively elevate his Double-A Sounds to the Triple-A level. As a result of this move, the existing Double-A franchise needed a new home. Schmittou considered a swap, which would have sent the Double-A team to Evansville, Indiana to replace the Triplets. Evansville city leaders balked at the requested stadium upgrades, leading Schmittou to seek alternate arrangements, which resulted in the franchise's move to Huntsville. The team became known as the Huntsville Stars, and Schmittou continued to own the franchise until selling it to a local ownership group in 1994.
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