In its more than 35 years of existence, Cashman Field has seen it all. The old stadium has hosted everything from Hall of Famers like Tony Gwynn to hoards of dollar beer-drinking Las Vegans. After almost leaving nearly 16 years ago, the time has finally come for the team formerly-known as the Las Vegas 51s plays its final game ever at Cashman on Labor Day.
Not only is the team leaving Cashman, it is changing its name as well as its parent organization during the offseason, all while building a state-of-the-art minor league stadium out in Summerlin for the 2019 season. Change is here as Vegas continues to grow as a legitimate professional sports city and the move from Cashman was a long time coming.
The stadium will continue to serve as the home field for the Las Vegas FC Lights soccer team.
Today marks the final game for the @LasVegas51s at Cashman Field. Next season the franchise will move to a new $150MM, 10,000-seat stadium in @DTSummerlin, w/ a new team name & new MLB affiliation. The @lvlightsfc will reconstruct Cashman to a soccer-friendly venue. #vegas #lv51s pic.twitter.com/WiSSs9nyC3
— Mick Akers (@mickakers) September 3, 2018
Sure it’s sad to see an end to an era. As host first to the Las Vegas Stars then the 51s, Cashman has been a baseball mainstay in this community for a long time. Some say too long. While the playing surface has improved an incredible amount under head grounds keeper Kevin Moses, the facility itself is horrible for player development. With a tiny locker room and less-than-adequate training facilities, the appeal to Major League franchises was minimal. Cashman was hurting the 51s when it came to finding a parent club.
The new stadium, to go along with the new name, should be a welcome bullet point as president Don Logan and his staff pitch potential suitors this offseason. Built out in Summerlin, the new ballpark will be cutting edge and feature state-of-the-art amenities for both players and fans. It will also be right next door to the Vegas Golden Knights practice facility. Like, literally ‘backing that ass up’ to the back door of City National Arena.
Oh, and AirFlow mesh seats. No more third-degree cheek burns during those hot afternoon games. No more sweat butterflies on the back of your khaki shorts. Better yet, no more traffic exiting US-95 at Las Vegas Blvd.
The 51s new ballpark in Summerlin will have AirFlow Mesh seats throughout. Supposed to be a lot better, especially in the summer heat. It will be the only stadium in the country with 100% breathable mesh seats, according to the team. pic.twitter.com/8BEwZOHEAQ
— Jesse Granger (@JesseGranger_) August 30, 2018
New stadium to bring a whole new experience to Vegas fans
The new stadium is rising from the desert just as Major League Baseball has gone public with a desire to bring a Major League team to Vegas. That would make things interesting as the stadium isn’t fitted for expansion. Here is Don Logan talking about the stadium and how it is specifically built as a Triple-A stadium with no plans for Major League expansion.
The 51s aren’t just changing the home in which they live. They’re changing their name and parent organization too. The 51s reportedly have settled on the Las Vegas Aviators as their top choice. First reported by detroithockey.net along with sportslogos.net, a lawyer with the Howard Hughes Corp. — which owns the 51s franchise as well as the new ballpark — has filed for 16 domains related to the Aviators name as well as the Twitter handle, @LVAviators. The team has not confirm a decision on the name, only going on record that it is a “contender.”
“Aviators is among the names with the most submissions and we think its a contender,” Las Vegas 51s Media Relations Director Jim Gemma told Sin City Sports Mockery. “We moved to protect it in order to make sure it remained an option rather than fall prey to cyber-squatters.”
Vegas says goodbye in its own way
Many local fans will speak with reverence about Cashman but most of it is akin to stories about their favorite dive bar they visit maybe once or twice a year. Attendance wasn’t great, the area is tough to maneuver and it felt like you were going to an aging relatives house every time you walked the winding ramp up to the stadium.
but Everyone has their Cashman stories.
Las Vegas Sun writer Ray Brewer has been going to Cashman since childhood. As ingrained in the Vegas sports scene as any sportswriter in town, saying goodbye to Cashman is saying goodbye to an old friend. A friend who never changes, at all, for 35 years.
End of an era: For one last game, the 51s will call Cashman Field their home . https://t.co/IHRO5Y0T8m via @LasVegasSun pic.twitter.com/6FKEYD5W9C
— Las Vegas Sun Sports (@lvsunsports) September 3, 2018
Other members of the community said goodbye in their own way via social media.
Section 17 Row A Seats 7,8. I've been sitting in these seats since 1983. I was 4 1/2 years old. Stars, 51's, Padres, Dodgers, Bluejays, Mets. Today is the last day we will ever come to a ballgame at Cashman field. It's been part of our family for 36 seasons. We'll miss you 😢😭 pic.twitter.com/OTSw5I3RAh
— Matt Gutierrez 🥃 (@SportsAdrenalin) September 3, 2018
Gonna get this last game at Cashman Field underway. Exciting day and looking forward to our next chapter. pic.twitter.com/liBXopH2E6
— Las Vegas Aviators GM (@AviatorsLVGM) September 3, 2018
Getting ready to open the gates on the final 51s game ever at Cashman Field. There’s still time to get here. Game starts at 12:05 p.m. #RJnow pic.twitter.com/GyUKNOlsLi
— Kevin M. Cannon (@kmcannonphoto) September 3, 2018
My favorite memory of Cashman Field was from back in February of 2000. It was one of the couple of years the "Big League Challenge" was held in Las Vegas. It was a two-day home run derby… https://t.co/d0QCJje5Y3
— Ted Pretty (@tedpretty) September 3, 2018
I have plenty of “forever” memories at Cashman. I also have many ‘Dollar Beer Night” forgets. It was a place you could simply let loose away from the typical Vegas scene nearby on Fremont Street. Reminded me of a weekend jaunt to Mesquite for locals. Kind divey but a blast nonetheless.
So many special memories, like watching one of my former players, Kris Bryant, get his first “Big League Weekend” at-bat while one of the other members of our coaching staff bobble-headed from the bottle of Fireball we smuggled inside a water bottle. Or riding with a Little League teammate to the park to watch his dad, current Chicago White Sox manager Rich Renteria, who coached our team while he rehabbed, return to pro ball against the Las Vegas Stars with the Albuquerque Dukes.
Many a young ball player has thrown out their arm back in the day playing the “Fastest Gun in the West.” Without warming up, contestants would throw three baseballs as hard as they could and, if they could guess their velocity on the final throw, they won a prize. I remember always rolling down the grassy hill down from the upper parking lot, itching and sneezing before we even walked into the park (much to my mom’s ire).
Time spent with my dad, with family, with friends, at Cashman was never wasted, even if we were (on occasion). It might be considered a dump by some but it’s our dump. It’s our baseball version of the Huntridge Theater for music buffs, or Ellis Island for karaoke jammers. It’s time has come and gone, much like life for us all, and it’s time to say goodbye.
Thank you for the memories, Cashman Field. You will always have a special place in the heart of this city as our longest-running pro sports haven. We will toast to you at the new Summlerin ballpark on Opening Night and — if someone wants to give it a go — we can set up our own makeshift “Fastest Gun in the West” outside so we can ruin a whole new generation of arms.
