Municipal Park

Ticket gate entrance at Pompano Beach Memorial Park, Aug-2003.

A look at the seating from the left-field line.

A batter’s-eye view of the playing field.

• Location: 18 Avenue at 8 Street Northeast, Pompano Beach, Fla.
• Opened: 1957
• Demolished: 2009
• Home team: Pompano Beach Mets (1969-73), Cubs (1976-78), Miami Miracle (1990-91), Florida State League; Gold Coast Suns, Senior Professional Baseball Association (winter 1989-90, games not played at Miami Stadium); spring training, Washington Senators/Texas Rangers (1961-86)
• Capacity: 4,500 (est.)

A dozen years after the city built the stadium, the New York Mets moved in as part of an expanded Florida State League. They played there for five years; later, the Cubs moved a franchise from Key West and used the facility for three seasons. Finally, after the demise of Miami Stadium following spring training in 1990, the relocated Marlins, renamed the Miracle, played here for two years before taking the 2½-hour drive across State Road 80 to Fort Myers.

A fan watching an amateur Federal League game in August 2003 told me that the park did have a press box when it was used for professional ball. Today, the park is used for the Federal League as well as by a private baseball school.

I am now advised that while the ball fields still exist, the stadium was completely demolished in 2009.