This Park Was Just Fair

Approaching Fair Grounds Field, Aug-1998.

I would appreciate more seating behind the plate.

Looking out over the fairground entrance and the freeway from the third-base side.

Chronological Tour: Stop 145

• Location: Louisiana State Fairgrounds, Pershing Boulevard at McGowen Street, Shreveport, La. (map it using Google Maps)
• Opened: 1986
• Demolished: 2024
• Home team: Shreveport Captains (1986-2000), Swamp Dragons (2001-02), Texas League; Shreveport Sports, Central League (2003-2005); Shreveport Sports (2006-08), Captains (2009-11), American Association
• Capacity: 6,200

Rating: 2 baseballs

As the name implies, the field was built on a fair grounds; a few of the fair buildings were visible from the park. One drawback, though, was a severe lack of behind-the-plate seating.

The place was serviceable, but not spectacular. Seems the Swamp Dragons agreed. They abandoned Fair Grounds Field and took off for what they believed were greener pastures in Frisco, Texas (north of Dallas) for 2003. The relocated Roughriders have been a mainstay in that fast-growing suburban region ever since.

The good news for fans in Caddo and Bossier parishes, at least for a while, was that the independent Central League expanded into Shreveport. The new club was called the Sports, a name that was used by Shreveport teams in the 1950s. The club joined the new independent American Association in 2006, and restored the Captains name for 2009, but they went dormant after the 2011 season.

The field itself lingered and saw amateur use through 2019, but was then mothballed. Demolition started in late 2024.