The Fort Worth Cats started playing at the original LaGrave Field in 1926, first as an independent team and eventually as a part of the Brooklyn Dodgers farm system. Baseball legends like Babe Ruth, Jackie Robinson and Lou Gehrig all took their turns gracing the base paths during the Cats’ nearly 40-year stint in Fort Worth.
LaGrave Field on Friday, June 21, 2024, in Fort Worth. The field has been vandalized over the years since being abandoned in 2014. Amanda McCoy amccoy@star-telegram.com
The existing ballpark was built in 2002 by Fort Worth businessman Carl Bell. It reincarnated the Fort Worth Cats as part of a Texas independent baseball league.
The Cats played there until 2014. It has remained abandoned for the last 10 years.
The Tarrant Regional Water District took ownership of the field in July 2018 and there were hopes of restoring the field. Those hopes ended when the water district’s board voted 5-0 in mid-June to tear down the 4,100-seat stadium.
Here’s an inside look at how LaGrave Field looks today.
LaGrave Field on Wednesday, June 26, 2024, in Fort Worth. The Tarrant Regional Water District board voted 5-0 to tear down the stadium a consultant’s recommendation. Amanda McCoy amccoy@star-telegram.com
The scoreboard at LaGrave Field on Wednesday, June 26, 2024, in Fort Worth. The current ball field was built in 2001 by Fort Worth businessman Carl Bell and home the Fort Worth Cats, who were part of a now disbanded independent baseball league in Texas. Amanda McCoy amccoy@star-telegram.com
A dugout at LaGrave Field on Wednesday, June 26, 2024, in Fort Worth. The field has been vandalized over the years since being abandoned in 2014. The Tarrant Regional Water District board voted 5-0 to demolish the stadium, but said the dugouts should be preserved. Amanda McCoy amccoy@star-telegram.com
A dugout storage unit at LaGrave Field on Wednesday, June 26, 2024, in Fort Worth. Amanda McCoy amccoy@star-telegram.com
Graffiti marks seats at LaGrave Field on Wednesday, June 26, 2024, in Fort Worth. The Water District took ownership of the field in 2019 and has spent upwards of $200,000 annually to maintain and secure LaGrave. Amanda McCoy amccoy@star-telegram.com
LaGrave Field in Fort Worth on Friday, June 21, 2024. Amanda McCoy amccoy@star-telegram.com
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Amanda McCoy is a visual journalist that produces daily and documentary videos. Before moving to Fort Worth in 2018, she spent 11 years telling the stories of the Mississippi Gulf Coast, including the recovery from Hurricane Katrina and the BP oil spill. She is a native of Michigan and graduate of Michigan State University.
