Estadio Sixto Escobar
 | |
| Location |
Avenida Munoz Rivera San Juan, Puerto Rico 00901 |
|---|---|
| Capacity | 9,400 |
| Opened | November 12, 1935 |
| Tenants | |
|
Cincinnati Reds (Spring Training) (NL) (1936) Miami Marlins (IL) (1961) River Plate Puerto Rico (USL Pro) (2011-present) | |
Estadio Sixto Escobar is a multi-purpose stadium in San Juan, Puerto Rico. It is currently used mostly for soccer matches.
History
The stadium was opened on November 12, 1935. The Cincinnati Reds has conducted spring training at the stadium since 1936.[1] In April 1938, the Legislative Assembly of Puerto Rico voted to name the stadium and surrounding park in honor of Sixto Escobar, a Puerto Rican professional boxer who became Puerto Rico's first world champion.[2] A statue of Escobar stands on the grounds.
The Miami Marlins were transferred to San Juan for the 1961 season and opened the season at Sixto Escobar Stadium. Attendance was poor and the team was moved to Charleston, WV on May 19, 1961. The Cangrejeros de Santurce of the professional Liga de Béisbol Profesional Roberto Clemente moved out to the newly-constructed Hiram Bithorn Stadium in 1962.
Many events of the 1979 Pan American Games were held at the stadium.
In 2011 the stadium was repaired and improved to accommodate the new tenant soccer team River Plate Puerto Rico, [3] but the club never played there.
References
- ↑ Alan Gould (1936-02-11). "Majors' Spring Training Under Way Officially". The Meriden Daily Journal. p. 4. Retrieved 2011-03-06.
- ↑ "Escobar To Be Honored; Stadium in Puerto Rico Will Be Named for Champion". New York Times. 1938-04-14. p. 33. Retrieved 2011-03-02.
- ↑ http://rivercaribe.com/noticias/ago10.htm
Coordinates: 18°27′55″N 66°5′20″W / 18.46528°N 66.08889°W