Met Park (1970-1992)

Minor league baseball returned to Norfolk for the first time in fifteen years when Met Park made its debut.  The community had been waiting for this moment ever since the Norfolk Tars (see local wiki: Norfolk Tars) folded in July 1955.  Following an inaugural 1969 season hosted by Portsmouth’s Frank D. Lawrence Stadium, the Tidewater Tides moved into Met Park, which was their home for the next two decades.  International League opponents included the Richmond Braves (Atlanta Braves affiliate), Toledo Mud Hens (Detroit Tigers affiliate), and Rochester Red Wings (Baltimore Orioles affiliate).  Work crews rushed to make the stadium ready for Opening Day in 1970 and put on the finishing touches just hours before game time.  The Tidewater Tides began their IL schedule on Friday, April 17, 1970, with a 4-1 win over the Buffalo Bisons, a Montreal Expos affiliate.  Mayor Roy B. Martin kicked off this new era of Norfolk baseball by throwing out the ceremonial first pitch.  A crowd of 5,029 cheered the home team to their first victory at Met Park.  Tidewater manager Chuck Hiller watched as his team broke a scoreless tie with Don Engber’s fifth inning double to right field that put the Tides in front 1-0.  Then they added some insurance runs during the seventh inning, which proved decisive in such a close game.  The Tides enjoyed a successful first year at their new ballpark by finishing with a 74-66 record and qualifying for the IL Playoffs.  Even an early postseason exit could not put a damper on Norfolk’s outlook going into next season.  The Syracuse Chiefs who were affiliated with the New York Yankees blanked Tidewater 10-0 at Met Park to complete a three-game sweep.  During the 1970 regular season, Met Park welcomed over 142,000 paying customers and averaged 2,033 per game.[3]

The Tidewater Tides played some exciting baseball at Met Park and many of their players would go on to have success at the Major League level as well.  Dwight Gooden, Darryl Strawberry, and Lenny Dykstra are just a few of the standout players to suit up in Norfolk during this period.  Contending for an International League championship became a regular occurrence for the Tides.  Tidewater teams hoisted the Governor’s Cup five times in 1972, 1975, 1982, 1983, and 1985.  The 1983 club followed up its IL Championship by winning the Triple-A World Series in Louisville, Kentucky against three other playoff opponents.  They could then rightfully be called Triple-A Champions.  Norfolk fans also witnessed playoff appearances in 1971, 1973, 1977, 1979, and 1981.[4]   

As the 1980s ended, it was clear that the small seating capacity needed to be addressed.  Other International League stadiums could accommodate several thousand more baseball fans than Met Park.  The Triple-A governing body had recently notified member franchises that any expansion teams must abide by newly implemented stadium specifications, which included a minimum of 10,000 seats.  Met Park fell far short of these up-to-date standards and had simply become obsolete in a modern age of luxury boxes and technological innovations.  Economic concerns remained a limiting factor too with attendance figures lagging the IL on a year-to-year basis.  Norfolk risked losing professional baseball once again unless the Tides got a new facility.  Although the New York Mets hoped to keep its top farm club in Norfolk, they also realized the current stadium situation was no longer tenable.  In 1992, the Tidewater Tides played their final season at Met Park, which was demolished less than a year later.  They moved into their brand-new waterfront ballpark by the following April.  Now known as the Norfolk Tides, they continue to entertain fans at Harbor Park during baseball season.[5]