Shoeless Joe Jackson's Greenville SC Memorial Ballpark. Map & Photos. Baseball history.

This is the front page of GreenvilleSouth.com's Shoeless Joe Jackson pages ---Items of interest will be posted to this page as time goes by and as news breaks here in Greenville, Joe's hometown

Baseball legend Shoeless Joe Jackson's house moved to a new location
Greenville SC --- In April 2006, Joe's house was moved by wide-load truck through the streets of Greenville to a new location across from the new baseball field in downtown. The new ball park is called West End Field and is the home of The Greenville Drive, but that might change if a sponsor buys naming rights. A newspaper story published by the Greenville News about the opening of the baseball stadium described the figure of Shoeless Joe making an appearace. Photos of Joe's house before and after the move will be posted here soon, so please visit again.

About the Shoeless Joe Jackson sculpture (statue)

Greenville SC --- The Shoeless Joe Jackson memorial sculpture, which stands in downtown Greenville, was created first in clay by Greenville sculptor Doug Young in the lobby of Greenville City Hall where the public could watch its progress from the beginning. The work took many months.
When finished in clay and after being shipped to a foundry in North Carolina for bronze casting, the statue was complete. A dedication & unveiling ceremony held July 13, 2002 included guest speaker Tommy Lasorda and University of SC baseball coach Ray Tanner. Also, there were various displays, games, a pitching cage, autograph opportunities, book signings, souvenirs, music, and a play starring Tom McDowell as Joe, at the Warehouse Theatre.
For info about the City of Greenville's Shoeless Joe Jackson programs, call Arlene Marcley, (864) 467-4590, or e-mail marclea@greatergreenville.com

Photos of the statue during and after its sculptural process follow this page. Please read on.

About the Shoeless Joe Jackson Memorial Ball Park

At the brick gateway a plate has the following message:

Joseph Jefferson Wofford Jackson:
As a thirteen year old. Joe Jackson earned a position on the Brandon Mill Team. He possessed a talent so uncommon that legends grew from his deeds. His home runs were known as "Saturday Specials", his line drives "blue darters". His glove "a place where triples die". Shoeless Joe was the greatest natural hitter ever to grace the diamond, and was such an inspiration that Babe Ruth chose to copy his swing. He was banished from baseball for his complicity in the 1919 Black Socks scandal, yet his memory still moves across the conscience of America.

Shoeless Joe Jackson never had to say it wasn't so, for the people who knew him best never questioned his integrity. Textile Baseball: The industrial cotton mills were chiefly responsible for the south's recovery from The Civil War. Collectively, the mills brought the "true grit" American working class together. The timeless competitive spirit of work and play, from scratch to scrap teams, evolved into a baseball era of unyielding desire, aspiration, and anticipation to excel. Textile baseball produced many great legendary ball players. Mill workers by the thousands once swarmed out of drudgery when the whistles blew on Saturday afternoons, to their village ballparks to enjoy the thrill of America's favorite pastime - baseball. For the best up-to-date coverage of news about Shoeless Joe, remember to visit Shoeless Joe Jackson's Virtual Hall of Fame at www.blackbetsy.com.

Below: Map showing location of the Memorial Ball Park.

The Shoeless Joe Jackson Memorial Park is approximately 2 1/2 miles from downtown Greenville. Take Academy Street out of downtown and continue over Pendleton Street where Academy St. becomes Easley Bridge Road. Continue straight until you see a small community church (formerly known as Judson Baptist Church). Look for West Avenue, directly across from the church. Take West Avenue and it will lead you to the ballpark.

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--gs