College World Series at Johnny Rosenblatt Stadium in Omaha

 While visiting the zoo we parked by the Memorial to Rosenblatt Stadium.   The original stadium was built as a replacement for Vinton Street Park which was a mile up the road, 13th to the north.  Vinton Park stadium had burnt down in 1936.  It was built in 1947-1948 with the first game October 17, 1948.  In 1950 Rosenblatt became the site for the Collage World Series every year.  It hosted this even until 2010 when the location was moved to its current site, Charles Schwab Field in Omaha.  Rosenblatt Stadium also was the home field for four minor league teams.  It was the largest minor league stadium in the U.S. before its closure.  It was next to the Doorley Zoo and the zoo purchased the stadium to expand their parking lot.  Demolishing took place in 2012.  The new Memorial to Rosenblatt Stadium had a grand opening in June 2013.

ESPN Documentary:Jordan Rides the Bus: 30 for 30

I have often wondered why Michael Jordan gave up a year of play basketball for baseball.  He really wasn’t that good at baseball, because it was something he had not been doing every day.  After a year of playing ball, riding the bus, he was getting better.  He played right field, and played in the Autumn League.  This was a league for the best of double AA.   He really started to come into his stride.  He stole bases, fielded ok.  And brought his batting average up to 250.  It is possible for Michael Jordan to have made the majors in a couple more years if he continued to improve.  However a threatened baseball strike loomed large, and Jordan likely would have been in the middle.  He decided to return to basketball instead. 

An interesting point of Jordan’s baseball career centers around the murder of his father.  His father was murdered in a botched robbery.  Jordan’s father always wanted Michael to play baseball, and so he did.