Grayson Stadium, home to the Savannah Bananas, celebrated its 100th anniversary in April. The stadium, originally built in 1926, has hosted numerous significant baseball events and teams over the decades.
Key points
Grayson Stadium celebrated its 100th anniversary in April.
The stadium was originally built in 1926 as Municipal Stadium.
The Savannah Bananas are a popular team that plays at Grayson Stadium.
Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig played exhibition games at the stadium.
The stadium has hosted significant baseball events and teams over the years.
Mentioned in this story
Babe RuthLou Gehrig
Grayson StadiumSavannah BananasBoston Red SoxNew York Yankees
The old ballpark reached a milestone of its own as Grayson Stadium celebrated its 100th anniversary as a focal point in the history of Savannah sports in April.
In 1925, the city of Savannah started construction of Municipal Stadium in Daffin Park with a $100,000 project that was finished in 1926. The facility became the home of the Savannah Indians, who has previously played at the Savannah Athletic Field at Henry Street and Waters and at Bolton Street Park, according to the book "Baseball in Savannah" by Brian Harold Lee.
The Boston Red Sox held their spring training at Municipal Stadium in 1932, and it was frequently visited by Major League squads playing exhibition games. After losing the 1926 World Series to the Cardinals, the Yankees came to Savannah after spring training in Florida and played an exhibition game in front of a crowd estimated at 15,000 against the Cardinals, who won it 20-10, in 1927.
That game featured Hall of Famers in Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig, whose appearances at the stadium are remembered today with posters on the concourse in the Grayson Stadium Walk of Fame.
Included in the Walk of Fame is one of baseball's all-time greats in Jackie Robinson, who became the first African-American to play in the Major Leagues with the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947. He was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1962, 10 years after he made an appearance at Grayson Stadium in an exhibition game with the Dodgers.
New York Yankee Hall of Fame center fielder Mickey Mantle had three hits, including a towering home run, when the Yankees played an exhibition game against the Savannah Redlegs at Grayson Stadium in 1957.
As a 19-year old second baseman with the Class A Jacksonville Braves, Hank Aaron played a game at Grayson in 1953, a year where he hit .362 with 22 homers and 125 RBIs in his final Minor League season before joining the Milwaukee Braves.
Q&A
What year did Grayson Stadium open?
Grayson Stadium opened in 1926.
Which famous baseball teams have played at Grayson Stadium?
The Boston Red Sox and the New York Yankees have played at Grayson Stadium.
What milestone did the Savannah Bananas achieve in March?
The Savannah Bananas sold out their 500th straight game in March.
What notable players have played at Grayson Stadium?
Hall of Famers Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig have played at Grayson Stadium.
Related Articles
Soccer
'Difficult to accept' - Pochettino's sadness for relegation-threatened Spurs
Pochettino expresses sadness for Spurs' relegation battle
Sky Sports··1 min read
Sports
El 'banco de pruebas' del Chelsea se planta en Vallecas: "Es un símbolo de todo lo que está mal"
El RC Estrasburgo, vinculado al Chelsea, critica su modelo de multipropiedad.
Marca··1 min read
Sports
Nabiev busca ser el primero en coronar el Everest sin piernas ni prótesis
Rustam Nabiev intenta ser el primero en coronar el Everest sin piernas ni prótesis.
Marca··1 min read
Soccer·Feature
€47.3m youngster is huge BlueCo success story – he’s so good there are big questions for next season
Mike Penders, a €47.3m signing, is set to shine for Chelsea next season!
Yahoo Sports··1 min read
Sports·Preview
Late kicks and sad farewells - Ulster and semi-final drama
Ulster aims for European Challenge Cup final against Exeter Chiefs.
Yahoo Sports··1 min read
Soccer·Preview
Barcelona can clinch La Liga title with a win and another stumble by Real Madrid
Barcelona can secure La Liga title this weekend with a win and a Real Madrid stumble.
See every story in Sports — including breaking news and analysis.
In more recent history, Hall of Famer John Smoltz is recognized for his rehab appearance with the Macon Braves in 2001, while Brave great Dale Murphy also is in the Walk of Fame having played a season as a catcher with the Savannah Braves in 1974.
Grayson Stadium, 1959, Yankees v. Reds
Grayson Stadium, 1959, Yankees v. Reds
Grayson Stadium, 1959, Yankees v. Reds
Grayson Stadium, 1959, Yankees v. Reds
Grayson Stadium, 1959, Yankees v. Reds
Grayson Stadium, 1959, Yankees v. Reds
Grayson Stadium, 1959, Yankees v. Reds
Fans in the stands at Grayson Stadium.
Savannah Braves from the Savannah Morning News Archives.
Savannah Indians from the archives.
Savannah Indians from the archives.
Savannah Indians from the archives.
April 11, 1959
Savannah Reds
May 1975
Savannah Braves v. Knoxville
May 1983
Savannah Braves
Savannah Morning News archives.
Savannah Indians from the archives.
Savannah Morning News archives.
The old ticket booths at Historic Grayson Stadium.
A die hard Gnats fan awaits the start of the new season at Grayson Stadium.
The old sign outside Grayson Stadium.
Signage at Grayson Stadium.
Signage at Grayson Stadium.
Gnate the Gnat
Grayson Stadium field.
A line forms outside Grayson Stadium before a Sand Gnats game.
Three year old Gary Herb hugs Nate, mascot of the Savannah Sand Gnats, at his first opening day game.
Fans walk around outside of Historic Grayson Stadium before the start of Friday night's game against Augusta.
Left-field bleachers at Grayson Stadium.
Demolition of the condemned left field bleachers at Grayson Stadium began Tuesday as a part of the five million dollar renovations to the historic ballpark.
Grayson Stadium Connect Grill.
Brickwork and arches, similar to those at the entrance to Historic Grayson Stadium, are planed for the new locker room facility so that it will look like it was built in the 1940s.
Demolition of the condemned left field bleachers at Grayson Stadium began Tuesday as a part of the five million dollar renovations to the historic ballpark.
Fireworks over Historic Grayson Stadium.
Fans sign the outfield wall before the start of Banana Fest at Grayson Stadium.
Close to 4,500 fans were in attendance for Banana Fest at Grayson Stadium.
Lightning strikes in the distance before the start of a Savannah Bananas game at Grayson Stadium.
Savannah Bananas players watch the post game fire works from the field following a Saturday night game at Grayson Stadium.
Savannah Bananas owner Jesse Cole keeps the crowd pumped up during a rain delay.
Fans gather outside of Historic Grayson Stadium before the start of the Savannah Bananas game against the Aussie Drop Bears on Thursday, July 18, 2024.
Malachi Mitchell dances with fans as they enter Historic Grayson Stadium before the Savannah Bananas take on the Aussie Drop Bears on Thursday, July 18, 2024.
The pep band leads a parade through the stands at Historic Grayson Stadium before the start of the Savannah Bananas game against the Aussie Drop Bears on Thursday, July 18, 2024.
The city has proposed including $7.5 million for Grayson Stadium improvements in the Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax referendum going before voters this fall, but the improvements are unlikely to be included due to a limited amount of funding and other priorities.
Savannah Bananas tickets have been selling quickly ahead of the season opener on May 30.
Savannah Bananas owner Jesse Cole celebrates with the fans during the first game of the Banana Ball Championship series on Thursday, October 2, 2025 at Historic Grayson Stadium.
Tiny rubber pellets from the new artificial turf at Historic Grayson Stadium can be seen on top of first base.
Fans watch the game from the new outfield stands during the Savannah Bananas first home game of the season on Friday, February 23, 2024 at Historic Grayson Stadium.
The Savannah logo at the entrance to Historic Grayson Stadium is reflected in the glass of a window that used to provide natural light to the original clubhouse.
Footprints can be seen in the concrete just inside the entrance to Historic Grayson Stadium. It is believed that the footprints have been there since the stadium was rebuilt in 1941.
Original signage that once hung at Historic Grayson Stadium between 1956 and 1958 when the Savannah Redlegs played at Historic Grayson Stadium.
Ret Weeks, Savannah Bananas director of Capitol Projects, talks about signage he found that was used between 1956 and 1958 at Historic Grayson Stadium.
The manual scoreboard in the outfield at Historic Grayson Stadium.
The section number can still be seen in the tunnel, that was once an entrance to the original 1926 grandstands at Historic Grayson Stadium.
The base of the 1st base grandstands are one of the few remnants from the 1926 stadium.
The entrance to Historic Grayson Stadium was rebuilt in 1941.
1 / 55
A look back as Historic Grayson Stadium reaches its 100-year anniversary
Grayson Stadium, 1959, Yankees v. Reds
1 / 55
A look back as Historic Grayson Stadium reaches its 100-year anniversary
Grayson Stadium, 1959, Yankees v. Reds
2 / 55
A Century at the Plate: Grayson Stadium Celebrates 100 Years
Grayson Stadium, 1959, Yankees v. Reds
3 / 55
A Century at the Plate: Grayson Stadium Celebrates 100 Years
Grayson Stadium, 1959, Yankees v. Reds
4 / 55
A Century at the Plate: Grayson Stadium Celebrates 100 Years
Grayson Stadium, 1959, Yankees v. Reds
5 / 55
A Century at the Plate: Grayson Stadium Celebrates 100 Years
Grayson Stadium, 1959, Yankees v. Reds
6 / 55
A Century at the Plate: Grayson Stadium Celebrates 100 Years
Grayson Stadium, 1959, Yankees v. Reds
7 / 55
A Century at the Plate: Grayson Stadium Celebrates 100 Years
Grayson Stadium, 1959, Yankees v. Reds
8 / 55
A Century at the Plate: Grayson Stadium Celebrates 100 Years
Fans in the stands at Grayson Stadium.
9 / 55
A Century at the Plate: Grayson Stadium Celebrates 100 Years
Savannah Braves from the Savannah Morning News Archives.
10 / 55
A Century at the Plate: Grayson Stadium Celebrates 100 Years
Savannah Indians from the archives.
11 / 55
A Century at the Plate: Grayson Stadium Celebrates 100 Years
Savannah Indians from the archives.
12 / 55
A Century at the Plate: Grayson Stadium Celebrates 100 Years
Savannah Indians from the archives.
13 / 55
A Century at the Plate: Grayson Stadium Celebrates 100 Years
April 11, 1959
Savannah Reds
14 / 55
A Century at the Plate: Grayson Stadium Celebrates 100 Years
May 1975
Savannah Braves v. Knoxville
15 / 55
A Century at the Plate: Grayson Stadium Celebrates 100 Years
May 1983
Savannah Braves
16 / 55
A Century at the Plate: Grayson Stadium Celebrates 100 Years
Savannah Morning News archives.
17 / 55
A Century at the Plate: Grayson Stadium Celebrates 100 Years
Savannah Indians from the archives.
18 / 55
A look back as Historic Grayson Stadium reaches its 100-year anniversary
Savannah Morning News archives.
19 / 55
A Century at the Plate: Grayson Stadium Celebrates 100 Years
The old ticket booths at Historic Grayson Stadium.
20 / 55
A Century at the Plate: Grayson Stadium Celebrates 100 Years
A die hard Gnats fan awaits the start of the new season at Grayson Stadium.
21 / 55
A Century at the Plate: Grayson Stadium Celebrates 100 Years
The old sign outside Grayson Stadium.
22 / 55
A Century at the Plate: Grayson Stadium Celebrates 100 Years
Signage at Grayson Stadium.
23 / 55
A Century at the Plate: Grayson Stadium Celebrates 100 Years
Signage at Grayson Stadium.
24 / 55
A Century at the Plate: Grayson Stadium Celebrates 100 Years
Gnate the Gnat
25 / 55
A Century at the Plate: Grayson Stadium Celebrates 100 Years
Grayson Stadium field.
26 / 55
A Century at the Plate: Grayson Stadium Celebrates 100 Years
A line forms outside Grayson Stadium before a Sand Gnats game.
27 / 55
A Century at the Plate: Grayson Stadium Celebrates 100 Years
Three year old Gary Herb hugs Nate, mascot of the Savannah Sand Gnats, at his first opening day game.
28 / 55
A Century at the Plate: Grayson Stadium Celebrates 100 Years
Fans walk around outside of Historic Grayson Stadium before the start of Friday night's game against Augusta.
29 / 55
A Century at the Plate: Grayson Stadium Celebrates 100 Years
Left-field bleachers at Grayson Stadium.
30 / 55
A Century at the Plate: Grayson Stadium Celebrates 100 Years
Demolition of the condemned left field bleachers at Grayson Stadium began Tuesday as a part of the five million dollar renovations to the historic ballpark.
31 / 55
A Century at the Plate: Grayson Stadium Celebrates 100 Years
Grayson Stadium Connect Grill.
32 / 55
A Century at the Plate: Grayson Stadium Celebrates 100 Years
Brickwork and arches, similar to those at the entrance to Historic Grayson Stadium, are planed for the new locker room facility so that it will look like it was built in the 1940s.
33 / 55
A Century at the Plate: Grayson Stadium Celebrates 100 Years
Demolition of the condemned left field bleachers at Grayson Stadium began Tuesday as a part of the five million dollar renovations to the historic ballpark.
34 / 55
A Century at the Plate: Grayson Stadium Celebrates 100 Years
Fireworks over Historic Grayson Stadium.
35 / 55
A Century at the Plate: Grayson Stadium Celebrates 100 Years
Fans sign the outfield wall before the start of Banana Fest at Grayson Stadium.
36 / 55
A Century at the Plate: Grayson Stadium Celebrates 100 Years
Close to 4,500 fans were in attendance for Banana Fest at Grayson Stadium.
37 / 55
A Century at the Plate: Grayson Stadium Celebrates 100 Years
Lightning strikes in the distance before the start of a Savannah Bananas game at Grayson Stadium.
38 / 55
A Century at the Plate: Grayson Stadium Celebrates 100 Years
Savannah Bananas players watch the post game fire works from the field following a Saturday night game at Grayson Stadium.
39 / 55
A Century at the Plate: Grayson Stadium Celebrates 100 Years
Savannah Bananas owner Jesse Cole keeps the crowd pumped up during a rain delay.
40 / 55
A Century at the Plate: Grayson Stadium Celebrates 100 Years
Fans gather outside of Historic Grayson Stadium before the start of the Savannah Bananas game against the Aussie Drop Bears on Thursday, July 18, 2024.
41 / 55
A Century at the Plate: Grayson Stadium Celebrates 100 Years
Malachi Mitchell dances with fans as they enter Historic Grayson Stadium before the Savannah Bananas take on the Aussie Drop Bears on Thursday, July 18, 2024.
42 / 55
A Century at the Plate: Grayson Stadium Celebrates 100 Years
The pep band leads a parade through the stands at Historic Grayson Stadium before the start of the Savannah Bananas game against the Aussie Drop Bears on Thursday, July 18, 2024.
43 / 55
A Century at the Plate: Grayson Stadium Celebrates 100 Years
The city has proposed including $7.5 million for Grayson Stadium improvements in the Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax referendum going before voters this fall, but the improvements are unlikely to be included due to a limited amount of funding and other priorities.
44 / 55
A Century at the Plate: Grayson Stadium Celebrates 100 Years
Savannah Bananas tickets have been selling quickly ahead of the season opener on May 30.
45 / 55
A Century at the Plate: Grayson Stadium Celebrates 100 Years
Savannah Bananas owner Jesse Cole celebrates with the fans during the first game of the Banana Ball Championship series on Thursday, October 2, 2025 at Historic Grayson Stadium.
46 / 55
A Century at the Plate: Grayson Stadium Celebrates 100 Years
Tiny rubber pellets from the new artificial turf at Historic Grayson Stadium can be seen on top of first base.
47 / 55
A Century at the Plate: Grayson Stadium Celebrates 100 Years
Fans watch the game from the new outfield stands during the Savannah Bananas first home game of the season on Friday, February 23, 2024 at Historic Grayson Stadium.
48 / 55
A Century at the Plate: Grayson Stadium Celebrates 100 Years
The Savannah logo at the entrance to Historic Grayson Stadium is reflected in the glass of a window that used to provide natural light to the original clubhouse.
49 / 55
A Century at the Plate: Grayson Stadium Celebrates 100 Years
Footprints can be seen in the concrete just inside the entrance to Historic Grayson Stadium. It is believed that the footprints have been there since the stadium was rebuilt in 1941.
50 / 55
A Century at the Plate: Grayson Stadium Celebrates 100 Years
Original signage that once hung at Historic Grayson Stadium between 1956 and 1958 when the Savannah Redlegs played at Historic Grayson Stadium.
51 / 55
A Century at the Plate: Grayson Stadium Celebrates 100 Years
Ret Weeks, Savannah Bananas director of Capitol Projects, talks about signage he found that was used between 1956 and 1958 at Historic Grayson Stadium.
52 / 55
A Century at the Plate: Grayson Stadium Celebrates 100 Years
The manual scoreboard in the outfield at Historic Grayson Stadium.
53 / 55
A Century at the Plate: Grayson Stadium Celebrates 100 Years
The section number can still be seen in the tunnel, that was once an entrance to the original 1926 grandstands at Historic Grayson Stadium.
54 / 55
A Century at the Plate: Grayson Stadium Celebrates 100 Years
The base of the 1st base grandstands are one of the few remnants from the 1926 stadium.
55 / 55
A Century at the Plate: Grayson Stadium Celebrates 100 Years
The entrance to Historic Grayson Stadium was rebuilt in 1941.
Ret Weeks is the Bananas Director of Capital Projects. The Calvary Day grad grew up in Savannah and attended his first of many baseball games at Grayson watching the Mets Class A affiliate the Savannah Sand Gnats as a youngster. The Sand Gnats were the last in a long line of minor league franchises that called Historic Grayson Stadium their home.
Weeks is a history buff who minored in the subject at Georgia Southern while majoring in business. So working at Grayson Stadium for the Bananas as been a perfect fit.
Weeks notes that FDR spoke at the stadium in 1933 and can rattle off all the players that graced the field. In 1940, a summer hurricane wiped the stadium out, and the rebuilding process was led by General William L. Grayson, a veteran of the Spanish-American War, who helped raised the $150,000 to get reconstruction started. When World War II began in December of 1941, the construction stopped, leaving just 5,000 seats instead of the 8,800 that were in the plans, he said.
Grayson Stadium, 1959, Yankees v. Reds
Grayson Stadium, 1959, Yankees v. Reds
"We're one of the oldest active stadiums in the country, and to have guys like Mickey Mantle, Babe Ruth, Henry Aaron and Jackie Robinson to have played here is so cool," said Weeks, 27. "When you come into Grayson Stadium, there's just not many places where you get an experience like this anymore. In the age of new, flashy, multi-billion dollar stadiums ― you come here and walk through the same archways that baseball fans have come through for the last 100 years and you feel like you're stepping back in time. It feels like home."
Weeks noted multi-million dollar projects the Bananas have implemented to modernized Grayson Stadium as they have added outfield bleachers with 1,000 seats to increase the seating capacity to 5,000 along with a brand new turf field, and a top-of-the-line Jumbotron. New fold down seats have replaced most of the old school benches, although some of the benches remain to remember the rich history of the park. There is also a state-of-the-art locker room and weight lifting facility for the Banana League players just beyond the centerfield wall. He said Bananas owner Jesse Cole wanted to combine the old and the new with his approach to the work at Grayson Stadium.
Savannah Morning News archives.
Savannah Morning News archives.
"I love that here in this spot that's so rich in Savannah history and sports history, that Banana Ball was born," Weeks said. "The goal was to never take away what this is, and that's a piece of history. So you have to balance the history and the modern amenities ― things like redoing the lights, the field, the bathrooms and concession stands. That all enhances the fan experience here, but you're still sitting under a 100-year old roof in the main grandstand."
Weeks has that personal connection to the ballpark, having been to Grayson so many times growing up. He appreciates the history of Grayson, while looking toward its future, with all the memories it will create for today's fans.
"There's been 100 years of sports history here," he said. "But you also have 100 years and family and friends coming here for celebrations ― so you have 100 years of memories in the concrete here at Grayson Stadium, and you just can't find that in many other places."
Dennis Knight covers sports for the Savannah Morning News. Contact him at Dknight@savannahnow.com. Twitter: @DennisKnightSMN
