Prior to 1900, Memphis had several parks where baseball was played.  These parks were named Olympic, Citizen, Cycle, Chickasaw, and Red Elm Bottom.  Memphis also had an array of amateur teams to play ball in these parks - the Red Stockings, the Blues, the Giants, the Riverdales, the Eckfords, and the first Chickasaws.  Out on Madison Avenue, at the edge of Memphis, was a piece of bottmland called Red Elm Bottom.  It was a favorite place for Memphians to have picnics.  Red Elm had a natural slope of land down to the flat bottom, where there was a stream, with Red Elms growing in the water.  It was a perfect spot to play ball and the slope of the hill provided fans good views of the game.

The natural slope of Red Elm Bottom 1912

By 1896 a wooden ballpark had been built here and was called Frank's Park after Charley Frank, the man who built the park.  Charley Frank is considered the founder of early Memphis baseball.  His park was built for amateur baseball, so when Memphis joined the Southern Association in 1901, Frank's Park  had a name change to Red Elm Park and the 3000 seat facility became the first home of pro baseball in Memphis and Frank was the first manager.

Red Elm Park

Red Elm Park

Red Elm Park

Red Elm Park

When Memphis entered professional baseball in 1901, their team was known as the Egyptians.  In 1907 their name was changed to the Turtles.  Their name came from the park's infield being a "turtleback" and dipped from 2 to 2 1/2 feet for drainage.  This was far more than most baseball fields of the period.   The team manager was Charley Frank and "Natch" the original bear at the Overton Park Zoo was the Turtle's mascot.  The team's owner was F. P. Coleman.

The Memphis entry in the Southern Association won pennants in 1903 and 1904.  It would be 20 years before they would win another pennant.

1903 Egyptians

1905 Egyptians

Charley Frank and the Egyptians

1906 Turtles

1907Turtles

1908Turtles

1910 Turtles

1911 Turtles

1912 Turtles

F. P. Coleman

1910 M. Whitey

In 1915 the name of the park changed to Russwood Park.  There was a new owner, Russell E. Gardner, and he had incorporated his name into the ball park.    After 8 years of really bad previous seasons, he also changed the name of the team to Chickasaws to honor an earlier amateur team of that name, but the fans and press shortened the name to "Chicks".  Gardner also increased the seating to six thousand (later, to eleven thousand).  He had ushered in the modern era of Memphis Baseball.  Russwood teams won pennants in 1921, 1924, 1930, 1953, and 1955 before the Southern Association disbanded in 1961.

Prootion 1925

First Night Game

               The last game at Russwood Park ... the last day ... one of the last photos ...April 16, 1960    >

In 1915, after eight years of really bad seasons,  new owner Russell E. Gardner changed the team changed the name of the team from the Turtles to Chickasaws.  He had resurrected the name from an earlier amateur team.  The press and the public shortened the name to "the Chicks".  Gardner had told the press in 1915 when he bought the Chicks that he would be a hands on owner.  And then he promptly turned over the Club Presidency to J. D. Martin and the day to day operations to his son-in-law Thomas R. Watkins.  The Chicks win pennants in 1921, 1924, 1930, 1953, and 1955 .

        The original Chickasaws

Russell Gardner

Thos R. Watkins

1978 Trivia

Vintage Chicks Team

Vintage Tray     

The final event at the old ballpark was a pre-season exhibition game between the Chicago White Sox and the Cleveland Indians on Easter Sunday, April 17.1960.  That night after the game, a fire of undetermined origin destroyed the ballpark.  The old structure was a relic and was constructed primarily of wood.  Winds up to 20 mph whipped the flames.  It was one of the city's most spectacular fires.  The blaze threatened the Baptist Hospital across the street, and patients had to be evacuated.   It took two or more hours to put out the fire.  The heat was so intense that it set fire hoses ablaze. 

One of best known non-baseball events held at Russwood was a concert featuring Elvis Presley on July 4, 1956.  It was a benefit concert for the Cynthia Milk Fund of the Memphis Press-Scimitar and the Variety Club's home for Convalescent Children.  It featured over 100 performers who performed in the 97 degree heat in a show that lasted more than three hours.  There were a reported 14,000 fans .

Ticket to Elvis concert        

They also had circuses at Russwood Park.  Billy Graham held a revival there.  Ole Miss, Tennessee, Arkansas, LSU all played their big football games there.  And on August 17, 1959, there was a fight between Billy Wicks and Sputnik Monroe. This fight drew the largest crowd attendance for wrestling in Memphis history.  The main event was Billy Wicks and Sputnik Monroe fighting to a no contest for Monroe's Tennessee Championship.  Attendance for the event was reported to be between 17,000 and 18,000 spectators.

Sputnik-Wicks match 1959