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Interesting Ballpark Facts

Satchel Paige played here. More than once!

Our ballpark was built in 1937, with WPA funds.

Over one hundred major league ballplayers played here! (we are researching to get an entire list)

The Grand Rapids Black Sox, who played here, were owned by GR native Ted Raspberry, who also owned two teams in the Negro Leagues - the Kansas City Monarchs and the Detroit Stars.

The Sullivans, our hometown team who called this place home, won four National Amateur Baseball Championships.

Sullivan Field - originally known as Valley Field - is a historic neighborhood ballpark located at 650 Valley Ave. NW on the WestSide of Grand Rapids, Michigan. Built in 1937, the field stands as a legendary hub of West Michigan sports heritage, famous for hosting Major League legends, Negro League games, and local industrial league matchups. 
The rich history of the park spans several key eras:

🛠️ The WPA Era and Early Beginnings (1930s)
• WPA Roots: The stadium was built in 1937 as a public ballpark funded by the Works Progress Administration (WPA) during the Great Depression. 
• Inaugural Game: The park was designed to give the city's rapidly growing amateur baseball community a permanent home. Its very first game featured two local factory teams, the American Cedars and Dutch Craft Paint.
• Industrial Leagues: The nearby American Seating Company sponsored its own highly competitive team, the Seaters, who regularly played on the neighborhood diamond. Ironically, American Seating went on to manufacture stadium seating for major league ballparks across the country. 

⚾ Major League Talent & The Negro Leagues:

Over the decades, Valley Field became a premier destination for top-tier baseball talent. It is estimated that over 100 future/ former Major League Baseball players played on this diamond - most early in their careers - four of whom went on to become big-league managers. 
• Famous Names: Hall of Famers and MLB icons like Satchel Paige, Al Kaline, Kirk Gibson, Mickey Stanley, Jim Kaat, and Dave Rozema all graced the field.
• The Negro Leagues: The field served as a vital home for Black baseball in West Michigan, hosting the Grand Rapids Colored Athletics and the Grand Rapids Black Sox (managed by local sports figure Ted Raspberry). It also saw many barnstorming teams play here, including the Detroit Stars, Kansas City Monarchs and Indianapolis Clowns.

🧢 The Sullivans Era & Renaming (1950s–1990s):

• The Grand Rapids Sullivans: In 1953, local businessman and former Detroit Tigers scout Bob Sullivanfounded the Grand Rapids Sullivans. The amateur team called Valley Field their home and became a national powerhouse, playing in every National Baseball Congress (NBC) World Series tournament from 1955 to 1987 and winning four national championship titles.
• Renaming: In 1996, the City of Grand Rapids officially renamed the park Sullivan Field to honor Bob Sullivan's decades of philanthropy and devotion to amateur youth baseball. 

🏗️ Decay and the Modern Renaissance (2020s–Present):

After the Sullivans disbanded, the historic wooden grandstands faced decades of decline due to a lack of maintenance funding. 
• Grassroots Rescue: At the end of 2020, a volunteer non-profit group called Fans of Valley Fieldstepped in to partner with the city to save the park.
• The Renovation: The group successfully launched a $5.28 million capital campaign. The ongoing revitalization project includes structurally restoring the vintage 1937 grandstands, updating the dugouts, adding new concession spaces, and expanding the park to host community events, concerts, and movie nights.
• Artifacts & Museum: During construction, crews unsealed long-forgotten rooms beneath the grandstands, uncovering decades-old artifacts—including straw-stuffed bases, vintage bats, and a historic chalk-line maker. The renovations include a dedicated onsite museum space to showcase these pieces of Grand Rapids baseball history.



Many players from the Grand Rapids Sullivans went on to make Major League Baseball rosters. Bob Sullivan - founder of the team - was a scout for the Detroit Tigers. Because the Sullivans were a powerhouse amateur team, many future stars played for them during the summer college months, while others were MLB veterans who occasionally suited up. 
The most notable Grand Rapids Sullivans alumni who went on to play or coach/manage in the MLB include:

🏆 National Baseball Hall of Fame Alumni:

Al Kaline: The legendary Detroit Tigers icon and Hall of Fame outfielder played briefly for the Sullivans before embarking on his 22-year MLB career.

Jim Kaat: The Hall of Fame pitcher won 283 major league games and 16 consecutive Gold Gloves over a 25-year career. He later became a widely respected MLB broadcaster and coach.

📋 MLB Managers (Former Sullivans):

Three distinct alumni went from the Sullivans diamond all the way to managing an MLB dugout: 

Kirk Gibson: The 1988 NL MVP and legendary Tigers/Dodgers outfielder played for the Sullivans while starring at Michigan State University. He went on to manage the Arizona Diamondbacks from 2010 to 2014.


John Farrell: A former MLB pitcher who played summer ball for the Sullivans. He later managed the Boston Red Sox to a World Series championship in 2013, as well as managing the Toronto Blue Jays.


Phil Regan: A Grand Rapids native and longtime MLB pitcher who played for the Sullivans. He managed the Baltimore Orioles in 1995 and served as a veteran pitching coach for multiple MLB franchises, including the New York Mets as late as 2019. 

⚾ Notable MLB Standouts & World Series Champions:

Willie Horton: A 4-time MLB All-Star and crucial part of the 1968 World Series Champion Detroit Tigers.

Mickey Stanley: A Grand Rapids native and core outfielder for the 1968 Detroit Tigers championship team.

John Vander Wal: A native of Grand Rapids who went on to play 15 seasons in the big leagues, becoming one of the most prolific pinch-hitters in MLB history.

Dave Hollins: An MLB All-Star third baseman who played 12 seasons in the majors, most notably helping lead the Philadelphia Phillies to the 1993 World Series.

Paul Assenmacher: A standout MLB relief pitcher who made 852 major league appearances across 14 seasons with the Braves, Cubs, Yankees, and Indians.

Jack Kralick: An MLB left-handed pitcher who threw a no-hitter for the Minnesota Twins in 1962 and was named an All-Star. 

🧢 Other Notable Major Leaguers on the Roster

• Bill Landrum (MLB Pitcher)

• Daryl Spencer (MLB Infielder)
• Rob Ellis (MLB Outfielder/Brewers)
• Mike Cubbage (MLB Player & Interim Manager)
• Dave Rozema (MLB Pitcher/Tigers)
• Jim Command (MLB Player/Phillies)
• Rick Kreuger (MLB Pitcher/Red Sox)