Boulevard Field was used heavily as an alternate (or, sometimes, primary) home venue by Richmond from 1917-1921; it replaced Broad Street Park (II) as an alternate home field and was replaced by Mayo Island Park. The Spiders had an on-campus venue, built in 1914, during this time, but for much of the 1910s and 1920s, very few of their home football and baseball games were played there, with most using the more spacious and centrally-located aforementioned venues. Though the location is best known for hosting Boulevard Field, it first opened as Lee Park in 1912.

Overall, NC State had a record of 1-0 at this field, playing their sole game as a neutral-site game against VMI.

  * Non-conference games

Lee Park opened in a whirlwind, built in just 28 days. Part of the reason for the tight schedule is that the site was not selected until January 1912, and construction delayed another several months while funding was secured. By May, however, a plant with seats for about 7,000 persons (2,200 in the grandstand and 4,500 in the bleachers) opened. Home to the Richmond Rebels of the short-lived United States League, the field hosted professional action for little more than a month; the USL began hemorrhaging teams after seeing poor financials in most cities, and formally folded in mid-June 1912 [1] [2].

Despite their loss of a formal league, Lee Park remained a popular spot for local amateur ballgames for the next half decade. Though predominantly used for baseball, the field did see some action for other usages, in particular soccer; it hosted a game between players of Scottish and English extraction on Thanksgiving Day 1913, as well as games by Richmond's local team from about September through mid-December 1913 before it was abandoned in favor of the larger Byrd Park. There was also at least one game of football played on the grounds, when Richmond's University College of Medicine played a scoreless tie against the Richmond Light Infantry Blues on October 26th, 1912 [3].

Not many details were given about the location of Lee Field; in fact, most knowledge of its current location comes from the fact that the entire property was purchased to make Boulevard Field five years after it closed. The only real detail published at the time it opened was that it was located "immediately opposite the Richmond Forgings Corporation, which is on the [street car] loop running to the Fair Grounds." Richmond Forgings Corporation was located at about the present spot of Liphart Steel Co, near where Westwood Avenue intersects several railroad tracks [1] [2].

In mid-1916, when plans were first fomenting to move the Richmond Climbers from Broad Street Park (II) and open Boulevard Field, fixing up the dilapidated older park was floated as an early option. This shouldn't be terribly surprising, since some members of the Climbers' ownership group -- in particular the future grounds' majority, owner Ben W. Wilson -- had been eyeing the land of Lee Park back in 1912* when they first opened the venue. In January 1917, it was announced that the land purchased would comprise the entirety of the former Lee Park, as well as another parcel of land adjoining it to the north. After some debate about whether Moore Street could be closed to expand the park (local property owners in the area opposed this, fearing the limited access would devalue their land), the city approved the plans, and in March 1917, the Boulevard Athletic Field Corporation closed the deal [1] [4].

Work began on constructing Boulevard Field the next week, but was delayed due to inclement weather. Grandstands to seat 3,000 spectators, including 12 private boxes, were built, with all of the stands being covered; a combination of bleachers and standing room was capable of holding another 7,000 persons, for a total field capacity of approximately 10,000, according to early construction reports. The grandstands were painted green, except for the roof, which was made light blue. Kentucky Bluegrass turf sourced from a local golf course being demolished became the field's playing surface [5].

Weather continued to delay construction throughout March, though enough work was done by March 31st that the venue was able to host an exhibition game between Richmond's AA team and the Washington Senators' scrub "yannigans." Most of the grandstand was complete, though without a roof, as well as almost all of the left field bleachers and fencing; the right field bleachers were not ready in time for the game, and all of the outfield lacked turf. A post-game description of the condition of the field was as follows:

"There were signs of newness aplenty, and there were evidences that some of the work had been rushed for the game, while other work had been allowed to rest until a later date. But the park was adequate to all of the demands made of it and it looked good. All of the grand-stand top was up, and there were sufficient seats for every one. The diamond had been sodded, the outfield was bright and apparently without holes, while the completed fencing shown under the coating of fresh green and white paint.

"The wire netting over the grand stand will be put up probably this week, and the contractors are of the opinion that the right-field bleachers will be ready by Saturday. Additional work will be done on the diamond and the outfield, and the other smaller details will be completed as rapdily as possible.

"But there was nothing concerning the park that deserved knocks yesterday. Rather those who have had the work in charge deserved praise, and there now is excellent guarantee that Richmond will have one of the best ball grounds in its history by the time the regular season opens on April 17 [6].

The venue fully opened as expected shortly thereafter, and continued to host football and baseball games from a variety of levels without significant modification for the next two seasons. There was some drama in late 1919 about the removal of the stands and bleachers if the Richmond Colts relocated to the Fair Grounds, and a seperate incindent involving a potential prohibition on football being hosted in the stadium, but both events were eventually sorted out. This was probably posturing by Wilson for stadium improvements, which the venue received the following March. Press reports are short on specifics, but did state that "The park has been overhauled and the grounds have been placed in first-class condition" [7].

More drama came ahead of the 1921 baseball season after Wilson and Colts ownership came to a disagreement about their status in the state league; the disagreement seems to have boiled down to Richmond being guaranteed an above-average number of weekend home games (the argument being that the most populous city in Virginia should get the biggest games to maximize profits), as well as not participating in the leasing of players. Wilson refused to allow the league to use Boulevard Field unless his demands were met. At an impasse, the Colts, under new ownership, decided to move ahead with a new field; Mayo Island Park was improved to become the Colts' new home field. Without the Colts, the field saw action the following spring primarily as an amateur and high school athletic venue, mostly hosting games for Richmond's so-called Commercial League, composed of local company teams, and John Marshall High School (who had also used Lee Field often from 1912-1916), though it did also host an exhibition game for the New York Americans (Yankees) and the Brooklyn Nationals (Dodgers) [8].

The Commercial League was ejected after the 1921 season in favor of a new league, called the Tobacco League. Though largely similar in form and fashion in that it was an amateur league independent from major league baseball with teams sponsored by local interests, this league was sponsored by the more well-endowed tobacco companies -- hence the name. Additionally, players now could be drawn from anyone interested in participating rather than strictly from employees of the business interest sponsoring a team [9].

Late in 1922, Boulevard Field came under fire once again. The figures who opposed the closure of Moore Street back in 1917 brought their complaints back to the city, complaining that their business district could not be connected to the city's main thoroughfares because of the park. Though denied 5 years ago, their request was more well-received this time around: the park's lease was close to expiring and, without prospects of drawing a major league affiliate, was unlikely to drive much investment or money to the city. The petition by Wilson and other lessees to extend the existing lease by three years was refused, and the stands razed in November-December 1922 [10] [11].

More than just an opportunity to improve Richmond's business districts, it was hoped that the destruction of the park would help harmonize local athletic interests: area sports writers opined that "As long as Boulevard Field stands it is a reminder of the treatment Ben Wilson received at the hands of the Virginia League, and as such will keep fans away from Mayo Island Park." The article went on to state that "The Virginia League has regretted many times the action that drove Mr. Wilson out and the magnates now are ready to admit that he was right in his contention that the salvation of the circuit depends on week-end games in the largest city." Such statements were important because Ben Wilson's boycot of the Richmond Colts and the Virginia League extended beyond just him: his influence on Richmond baseball was large enough that news of his treatment apparently caused a large number of locals to boycot their games as well. It was hoped that such a public apology would open up his heart and his checkbook to renew support of Richmond baseball [12].

Though the grandstands and bleachers were gone, Boulevard Field continued to see use as a local minor league venue, with the Commercial League of 1921 planning to return to the field and construct their own, more modest bleachers. Though action continued to happen in the park through the 1920s, it's difficult to tell when games stopped taking place due to the emergence of an athletic park on Brookland Boulevard about three miles to the east; it is now the location of Hotchkiss Park. Part of the Boulevard Field land was sold to developers in 1925, though a group called the Richmond Internationals still owned the bulk of the land early in 1926.

In 1930, Ben Wilson requested $730 (over $13,000 in 2023) in rent from the city, which had apparently been using the grounds as a storage place for "city property," but otherwise, no attempts to improve the land have been noted. The Boulevard Athletic Field Corporation retained the land for several years, but was finally reported delinquent on their taxes in 1938, running out of funds eight years after Wilson ended his own life on October 31st, 1930. The property, a prime, effectively-undeveloped spot in an industrial hub, sold at public auction and was likely developed in short time. The last formal games at Boulevard Park are believed to have been Inter-City League baseball matches in 1926 between teams like the Highland Park Bees, Red Sox, Olympians, and Quality Press, while the last major football game was the Thanksgiving 1921 game between Richmond and William & Mary; John Marshall High School continued to use the field until its destruction [13].

Unfortunately, the park was not captured in any of the maps of Richmond which have been digitized. Instead, its location has been determined by a number of descriptions of its location. The plans of extending Moore Street in 1922 are the most useful, with one plan stating the expansion would take place "between Altamont and Summit Avenues." Other text which helps locate the field comes from around the time of its sale; the corporation purchased lots 12 through 22 in block 9 and lots 1 to 22 in block I of Scott's Addition. Finally, the Boulevard Corporation requested permission to build "four frame buildings on west side of Altamont Avenue, between Henrico [now Norfolk St] and Leigh Streets [10] [14].

It's worth briefly dispelling the myth that Boulevard Field became The Diamond, Richmond's current Double-A affiliate ballpark. That park is on the former location of Parker Field, a football field which opened in 1950 on the location of the former Fair Grounds' racetrack. That football field was built adjacent to a two-diamond softball field, also called Parker Field, which opened in 1938. The softball fields, which were located in the northernmost corner of the State Fair Grounds property (at the corner of what is now Robin Hood Rd and Hermitage Rd), replaced old horse stables, which were torn down that year as the popularity of horse racing declined in favor of automotive racing. Parker Field was named for Dr. William H. Parker, a prominent figure in local baseball [20].

* For slightly more context on Wilson's flirtation with Lee Park in 1912, see the Broad Street Park (I) page.

Photos of Boulevard Field