I spent many nights listening to the Arkansas Travelers play…

on KARN Newsradio 920 in my youth. I spent far fewer nights actually at the stadium, but I did get there once or twice over a number of years. The games are no longer broadcast on KARN and the Travelers have a new home across the river at Dickey Stephens Park, so it became time for the old to finally be taken down.

Throughout my youth, whenever I’d pass through I-630, I’d see the landmark sky-high wooden wall and fence to keep homers from playing with traffic. I’ll never forget the summer evening in 1986 when I got to see the other side of that barrier during an actual game.

The barrier is gone. The bases are gone.  The field is gone. The grandstand is gone. The Dugout is gone. All that remains now is the old scoreboard, and there is some debate on keeping it too.  But I have my memories of the boys of summer in their shrine to the sport of minor league baseball.

Life will pass you by if you let it, but the impressions it makes upon you stay with you. Cherish your special memories for the places you made them are not forever.  If you live in Central Arkansas, go visit the Travelers at Dickey Stephens in North Little Rock, before their season ends.