Talk:Sulphur Dell

There is considerable evidence that Union occupation forces actually used the site for baseball during the American Civil War and that this made it the first venue for baseball in the Southern United States. It was also later the site of Vanderbilt University's first intercollegiate American football game (against future subsidiary George Peabody College) and was occassionally used for American football for many years thereafter. Rlquall 11:06, 10 September 2005 (UTC)

The outfield slope
The outfield slope was equally steep from the left to right field lines. It was only "most dramatically in right and center fields" because right field was much closer to the infield. The left and right field fences paralleled the first and third base lines, making the field a perfect rectangle. Until the late 1950's, the slopes were very steep, and a path was created half-way up the right field slope for the right fielder to play on. Right field was then referred to as "the dump." Sometime in the late 1950's, the steep hill was converted to a more gradual slope, extending further toward the infleld. The appearance before and after the change can be seen in the pictures on the Sulphur Dell website, although I would like to find a closeup of "the dump" to add to that site. I am 66 years old and attended many Nashville Vol games there between 1948 and 1962.
 * Awesome! Did they ever post distances markers on the fences, or did they think that would give too much of a psychological edge to the batters? Wahkeenah 04:45, 9 December 2005 (UTC)

I have no memory of distance markers to the fences, but there was a high screen along the right field wall extending into center field, which meant that a lofty fly ball was needed for a home run. I saw many right field home runs in the Dell that would have been routine fly outs in most parks, and many screeming line drives off the screen that fell into the right fielder's glove for long singles that would have been 400+ foot home runs elsewhere.