Joe Davis Stadium
Huntsville, Alabama
Year Opened
1985

Current Team
None

Affiliate
N/A

League
N/A

Capacity
10,200

Location Map

My Grades
Stadium C-
Atmosphere C
Concessions A-

Photos taken in 2006
Joe Davis Stadium is one of those oddball sports venues built in the 1980s, predating the new wave of minor league stadiums. What Huntsville ended up with was a large, concrete, sterile facility (not exactly a “ballpark”), and it didn’t help that the team made no significant effort to spruce it up. The park’s odd seating configuration was influenced by its dual use for football, with seating extending all the way down the left field corner—leaving many of the seats far from the field. However, with the small crowds Huntsville often drew, most of those seats rarely saw use.

The seating was divided into three types: lower box, upper reserved, and general admission (bleachers). While the box and reserved seats—green fold-down chairs—were replaced shortly before the team’s departure, this seemed to be the only notable renovation since the stadium opened in 1985. The concourse, situated under the seating area and out of view of the field, added to the sterile feel of the venue.

Concessions, however, were a bright spot at Joe Davis. Fans enjoyed a good variety of options, including BBQ, brats, Philly steaks, and chicken sandwiches, with combo plates (including fries and soda) offering good value at $7-$8. The laid-back atmosphere was a double-edged sword—it was pleasant for purists but also somewhat gloomy due to sparse crowds, earning the stadium the nickname “the mausoleum.” The team mascot, Homer the Polecat (resembling Mickey Mouse), was a rare source of activity, notably signing kids’ heads in the later innings.

Despite these quirks, the location didn’t help the stadium’s case. Situated on the outskirts of town with no scenic views to enhance its appeal, Joe Davis Stadium felt isolated and uninspiring. Maintenance issues like a malfunctioning scoreboard and missing program inserts further illustrated the lack of effort in making the venue more inviting. Built at the wrong time and with dwindling attendance, it was clear that professional baseball was nearing its end in Huntsville unless a new facility was built.

As predicted, 2014 marked the final season for pro baseball at Joe Davis Stadium. The team relocated to a new ballpark in Biloxi in 2015, becoming the Biloxi Shuckers. Since then, Joe Davis Stadium has undergone a transformation, now serving as a soccer facility. Meanwhile, baseball returned to the area in 2021 with the construction of a new, state-of-the-art ballpark in nearby Madison.

Though its baseball days are long over, Joe Davis Stadium continues to serve the community in its new role, offering a fresh chapter for the once “mausoleum” of Huntsville sports.

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