Mecca of Caribbean Ball in USA to Shut its Doors

Mecca of Caribbean Ball in USA to Shut its Doors

 I am sure you all guessed it, and Latin baseball fans everywhere will be shedding a tear as the Orange Bowl will never again host a baseball game. 

 One of the most storied football stadiums in the USA is hosting its last event shortly and will then face the wrecking ball. Miami’s Orange Bowl, after 80 years of memorable college football moments will cease to exist. Best remembered for hosting the New Year’s Classic that bears it name, 5 Super Bowls and Olympic Soccor also hosted the 1990 Carribean World Series.While primarily a football stadium there is a history and a future in baseball at the Orange Bowl.

The first game of any significance was held in 1951 with the Cab Calloway Orchestra playing in the pregame and 51,000 showing up to see Satchel Page pitch into the 8th inning for the IL Miami Marlins.  The Orange Bowl was used for exhibition ballgames and overflow crowds for minor league games.In 1990 and 1991 the CWS was held in Miami. This is the only time the event was not held in the competing nations. The winter ball tournament was held at the Orange Bowl in 1990 to terrible reviews. The old stadium does not have moveable seats resulting in a short left field fence that threatened the integrity of the tournament. This is much the same as the Memorial Coliseum in LA was (the field area at the Orange Bowl is even smaller than the Coliseum).

The 1991 CWS was held at the more suitable Miami Stadium.In the late 1980s the NFL Miami Dolphins moved into state of the art Joe Robbie Stadium. The Miami U Hurricanes continued to use the city owned stadium. A botched renovation in the early 1990s cost the city millions and has scared local politican from dealing with stadium developers ever since; much to the dismay of the Florida Marlins. While holding about 80,000 the old stadium has no luxury suites, has small seats or just benches in the end zones.

It has support beams obstructing views and has even lost its annual “Title Track” game to the newer Dolphin Stadium.The site of the Orange Bowl is being considered as the probable future site of a baseball only stadium for the Marlins. Some designs will incorporate parts of the historic stadium into the new structure. It is unlikely the Marlins will play at Dolphin Stadium past 2010.The Miami University Hurricanes played their final game at the Bowl last week. Florida International U still has some games scheduled before the lights go out for the last time.