Richards Park
Waxahachie, TX
Review by Mike
As I approached the Dallas/Ft Worth area, headed for Globe Life Field and a Texas Rangers game, I took a chance and detoured to Waxahachie in hopes of gaining entry to Richards Park, a delightful little ballfield with a long and confusing history. It opened in 1916 as Jungle Park and played host to several MLB teams as spring training homes in the teens and early 20s.
002a5c
Then the stadium was washed away by a flood and rebuilt in a different location. Then it was torn down and rebuilt again in another location before eventually being built yet again in its original, and current, location. You following any of this? What stands there now, best I can determine was built in 1946 by local hero Paul Richards, who enjoyed a moderately successful playing career with the Detroit Tigers in the 1940s and a longer career as a coach, manager and executive.
The setting is bucolic, at the edge of a park, surrounded by lush green trees, with train tracks running along the 3rd base line. The three main grandstands are small, but very nicely maintained with green bench seating: one stand each behind home plate and along each baseline. A press box is perched atop the home plate stand.
The concourse behind the stands is very pleasantly designed with a monument to Mr. Richards, some landscaping, picnic tables, a concession stand and the clubhouse, all painted the same warm shade of green. The outfield fence, scoreboard and main entryway are all tastefully done, giving this diminutive ballpark a classic, traditional feel.
I can’t find reference to a professional or collegiate team playing here, but the spring training history alone at this location (Ty Cobb trained here) is certainly credential enough for me. Unfortunately, there was no one about when I stopped by, so I could not get inside. As a result, I cannot give an official rating, but rest assured that if I could, it would be enough hot dogs to feed a family out for a pleasant day at this most agreeable historic stadium.
2025
--
--
--
N/A
