Baseball fans can bid official farewell to Capital City Stadium

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On April 4, area baseball fans can bid a final farewell to Capital City Stadium, former home of the Capital City Bombers and other teams throughout its storied history.

Historic Columbia will host Closing Day at the stadium, located at 301 Assembly St., from 11 a.m. until 5 p.m. The free event will feature entertainment including appearances by local baseball mascots and players, food trucks serving traditional ballpark fare and popsicles, and adult beverage options from Craft and Draft.

Built in 1927, Capital City Stadium has been home to professional teams including the Columbia Comers, Columbia Reds, the Bombers, and the Columbia Blowfish, as well as to Benedict College’s baseball team. Hall of Famer Frank Robinson starred for the Reds in 1954 and 1955, while future New York Mets stars David Wright, Jose Reyes and Todd Hundley passed through Columbia with the Bombers, who won three South Atlantic League championships in their 21 years in the capital city.

The April 4 celebration will feature venue tours that will highlight memorable moments in the stadium’s history, including the racial integration of baseball in the town. Free parking will be available behind the stadium by entering through the gate on Assembly Street.

Historic Columbia is partnering with independent filmmaker Lee Ann Kornegay for a documentary chronicling the stadium’s history. Kornegay will be on hand April 4 for visitors who want to share their stadium memories.

Since the Bombers left town in 2004, the Capital City Stadium site has been through several redevelopment iterations, including a planned mixed-used development anchored by a Kroger grocery store. In June 2019, Columbia City Council voted to extend a contract on the purchase of the stadium site, giving developer Weddle Real Estate Investment until May 20 to fulfill several obligations related to plans for a mixed-use development featuring market-rate apartments and retail space.

Part of that contract included a contribution to Historic Columbia to document the stadium’s history.