Jacksonville's Historic Ballpark: Durkee Field

[Metro Jacksonville]

Jacksonville's Historic Ballpark: Durkee Field



Long before the Baseball Grounds of Jacksonville or Wolfson Park, J.P. Small Memorial Stadium was the home of Jacksonville's professional baseball community.  Amazingly, it's still standing today.

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http://www.metrojacksonville.com/content/view/545

[soxfan]

I've played and watched a few games on this field. It really is a nice field and totally underused. It is a great place to watch a game, really has the old time feel to it. I'm glad you guys did a story about it. Maybe if we can get other teams together for the throwback games we do in Springfield, we could play there too. I know that they do have fast pitch leagues that currently play there.

[downtownparks]

Jimmy, I already looked into it. They want a million dollars of insurance to play there, and they wont allow "practice games".

[thelakelander]

Who is they and why a million dollars of insurance?

[downtownparks]

The City, who owns the park, and liability of injury. Apparently they are requiring this in all city leagues and sanctioned games now, at least thats what the coordinator told me when I tried to set up the July 4th throwback game at Durkee Field.

[Dapperdan]

A million of liability isn't that much. I have some for my side job business. Its about 800-1000 per year, if you shop around. Maybe everyone on the team could split it?

[downtownparks]

Be that as it may, when you don't have any income, its hard to get a grand together. :-)

[Lunican]

Isn't Klutho Park city land? Whats the difference?

[downtownparks]

What they don't know doesn't hurt them? I didn't want to go down that road or reasoning with them for fear they would pull the carpet out from underneath us.

[soxfan]

Good thinking Danny!!! But don't you think that sooner or later it will happen? Although this is Jacksonville we're talking about.. Oh, wait, does that mean that I could've sued the city for breaking my hand playing baseball on their property? Maybe I need to talk to Eddie Farrah and his little brother..

[downtownparks]

In short... yeah, thats what they are afraid of. The baseball field coordinator told me they get hit with lawsuits all the time for accidents that have nothing to do with the quality of the field.

Interesting to note, they don't require insurance for practices, but they don't allow practices at Durkee field.

[big ben]

i think i kinda liked it at klutho park more than i would here.  you could spread out more, the dogs could come and mill about, the kids could play on whatever it was they were playing on, shantytown could sell beer from a tent.

then again, it'd be more old-timey if it were at durkee field.  i think if it would draw a bigger crowd it could work better.  i still think springfield needs to play riverside/avondale and san marco in old-timey baseball.  maybe set up a couple of games throughout the day and advertise it as a whole day of baseball.  i think you could draw some bigger crowds. 

[Coolyfett]

I keep reading that teams dont practice here. I see Stanton's team practicing at that park all the time.....really.

[fsujax]

I keep reading that teams dont practice here. I see Stanton's team practicing at that park all the time.....really.

you're right Stanton's baseball team does practice there.  I see them in the afternoons driving home from work.

[downtownparks]

Yup. My Daughter goes to school at Susie Tolbert just down the street from Stanton, and I about ran into a telephone pole when I saw them using the field too. So much for the "no practices" deal I guess.