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Dan Pelle
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Professional Baseball in Spokane:
1890: Professional baseball came to Spokane and was first played at Twickenham Park, which was northwest of Boone and A Street in northwest Spokane.
1901: The pros moved to Natatorium Park’s field at the end of Boone Avenue, along the Spokane River and picked up their new name, the Spokane Indians in 1903.
1905: New ownership moved them to a new field, Recreation Park, near Regal and Boone in East Spokane. It was just a few blocks from the new Spokane Interstate Fairgrounds, which had opened in 1901. Recreation Park was the first ballpark in Spokane to have a grass infield and outfield fences at 400 feet, which limited home runs. Baseball’s popularity boomed and the grandstands at Recreation Field were expanded to 7,000 seats.
1921-1936: Interest wanes and Spokane has no professional team for 15 years.
1937: The Indians resume play at Ferris Field, built with Works Progress Administration funds.
1946: Tragedy strikes when the team bus crashes on Snoqualmie Pass and nine men are killed.
1958: The Indians begin play at their current home, now called Avista Stadium, at the Spokane County Fairgrounds.
1970: Arguably the greatest team in minor league history wins the Pacific Coast League as a Dodgers’ farm club with future Major League stars Steve Garvey, Charlie Hough and Coach Tommy Lasorda.
2012: Today’s Indians are a Northwest League Class A short season team affiliated with the Texas Rangers.
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