Front:
WATT POWELL PAR K
CHARLEST O N, WEST VIRGINIA
Back:
Watt Powell Park
CHARLESTON, WEST VIRGINIA
COUNTRY BACKDROP. Lush hills and railroad tracks
beyond the outfield fence provide a picturesque back-
drop to the action at Watt Powell Park, rebuilt in
1948 and named for a former minor league player
turned baseball promoter and manager of the nearby
Kanawha Hotel pool hall. The largely covered grand-
stand is constructed of metal, and the seating capacity
is about 6,800. For years power hitters have tried to
clout one far enough to land in a passing rail car. It
isn't clear if anyone actually did it, but Luke Easter and
Dave Parker are among those who reportedly came
close. Since 1987 Charleston has been a member of
the single-A South Atlantic League and a Cincinnati
affiliate. This scene: 1989.
WRITTEN & PUBLISHED BY VIC PALLOS, GLENDALE, CALIFORNIA
PHOTOGRAPHED BY CHRIS NICHOL, MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA
A Century of Ballparks
98-029
2.