CALGARY — Fourteen summers ago, professional baseball made its final appearance

CALGARY — Fourteen summers ago, professional baseball made its final appearance at Foothills Stadium.

The Calgary Vipers, part of the North American League, ended their season with a 12-6 loss to the Edmonton Capitals in Game 5 of the North Division Championship Series, just before seeing their season conclude the following day, a mere three hours north. Almost nine years earlier, the triple-A Calgary Cannons bid farewell to the city in a thrilling 14-13 victory over the Edmonton Trappers, which concluded with a 21-gun salute at the venue, once known as Burns Stadium. As of late February, the memories of Foothills Stadium will have to sustain Stampede City's professional baseball legacy, as Calgary has officially initiated its demolition.

This action is part of a long-term plan for a new $380 million multi-sport fieldhouse to replace the aging structure. Regardless of the name it was known by, Foothills Stadium has been an important part of Calgary's sporting heritage for over 50 years. Even without a professional tenant since 2011, the site that nurtured the development of future stars like Edgar Martinez, Jay Buhner, and Alex Rodriguez has remained significant within the local baseball community. Since the departure of the Vipers, the stadium has continued to host the University of Calgary Dinos from the Canadian Collegiate Baseball Conference (CCBC) and various youth baseball organizations, ensuring that the spirit of the sport lives on amidst its towering outfield walls.

However, the stadium has experienced neglect in the absence of a full-time tenant, with minimal field maintenance conducted. "I will never forget what we had there and seeing the stadium rise," Russ Parker, the former owner of the Cannons, reflected in a recent interview. "Watching it get demolished is quite emotional. I knew it would happen... but witnessing it being torn apart is truly sad." Affectionately regarded as Calgary's "Mr. Baseball," Parker was instrumental in bringing professional baseball to the city. Foothills Stadium, which opened its doors in 1966, underwent significant renovations before it could welcome its first affiliated team, the rookie-level Cardinals of the Pioneer League, in 1977.

Parker was pivotal in ensuring the stadium met the professional standards. The Cardinals were the first of many teams to call Calgary home, with the Expos, Cannons, Outlaws, Dawgs, and Vipers following suit throughout subsequent decades. "Foothills represented an entire era of baseball so closely linked to Major League Baseball," said Joe McFarland, co-founder of Alberta Dugout Stories and podcast host. "Its demolition marks the end of an era, a lost opportunity, and it feels like a blow to the heart." The Cannons' 18 seasons in Calgary defined the local experience of affiliated baseball.

Parker acquired the Pacific Coast League's (PCL) Salt Lake City Gulls in 1983 and relocated the team, leading to the Cannons' debut in Calgary in 1985. The Cannons began as the triple-A affiliate of the Seattle Mariners, which brought notable players like Martinez, Danny Tartabull, and Harold Reynolds to Calgary.

Seattle maintained its affiliation for a decade, leading the Cannons to the PCL finals in both 1987 and 1991. However, after 1994, the team switched affiliations multiple times, experiencing stints with the Pirates, White Sox, and Marlins, before relocating to Albuquerque, N.M., after the 2002 season. "The lasting memory of Foothills Stadium for me is seeing the joy it brought to fans," Parker recalled.

"The presence of Hall of Famers like Alex Rodriguez and Barry Bonds made it unforgettable. We should feel proud and grateful for the baseball legacy we had." Rising costs, a weak Canadian dollar, Calgary's unpredictable early spring weather, and the decline of Foothills Stadium itself were all factors in the decision to sell the Cannons franchise. "It's mind-boggling," McFarland lamented while envisioning the stadium in its prime. "That cool era is gone, and the last remnants of those memories are being demolished." While the Cannons were the most significant team to play at Foothills, the teams and players that followed worked hard to continue Calgary's baseball tradition despite lacking major league affiliation.

"When I came here in 2007, learning about the stadium's history was incredible," said Jordy Alexander, a former professional pitcher with the Vipers and current pitching coach for the University of Calgary. "It's sad to see what has happened, especially knowing how many enjoyed it when it was properly maintained." In a statement to Sportsnet, the City of Calgary cited safety concerns as the reason for the stadium's demolition, even though the proposed fieldhouse is yet to be funded. "We acknowledge that Foothills Stadium has been an important community hub," the statement read. "The decision to decommission it is based on safety, lifecycle considerations, current building conditions, and the facility's effectiveness." Once demolition is complete, a baseball diamond will remain until construction begins on the new Foothills Multi-sport Fieldhouse, but it will change the essence of the area without the stadium's infrastructure. Since the Vipers ceased operations in 2011, Calgary's baseball landscape has shifted dramatically, lacking a team or well-maintained facility. The Okotoks Dawgs have flourished just outside city limits with their youth academy and Western Canadian Baseball League team, while Webber Academy recently opened a $22 million facility in nearby Springbank. Both initiatives required dedicated individuals in the private sector to advocate for the construction and maintenance of quality baseball facilities. "It's disheartening, as this limits opportunities for kids in the community," Alexander expressed. Despite the near disappearance of affiliated minor-league baseball in Canada — with the exception of the Toronto Blue Jays' high-A affiliate, the Vancouver Canadians — other major cities in the West continue to support baseball beyond the collegiate level, a prospect that seems unlikely for Calgary anytime soon. Edmonton boasts the West Coast League's Riverhawks, who saw five players selected in the 2024 MLB Draft, while Vancouver continues its long association with the aforementioned Canadians and the Winnipeg Goldeyes maintain a presence in the independent American Association of Professional Baseball. "I want to believe it could work here, but it's a tough sell," Alexander noted regarding the return of high-level baseball to Calgary without a proper stadium. "As unfortunate as it is, the unpredictable weather certainly complicates things." With no plans for constructing a new facility on the horizon, local academies and the collegiate Dinos will strive to keep the passion for baseball alive in Calgary, even in the absence of Foothills Stadium as a backdrop for the next generation. Parker expressed interest in preserving the legacy of the stadium, even offering to donate the original home plate from Foothills, which he has kept for years.
"It would be nice to have something to commemorate what we had," he said. "For everyone in Calgary with a passion for baseball, it's important to remember that it was a fun place to be. The atmosphere in the ballpark was electric on most nights." In the coming months, city workers will systematically dismantle the bleachers and press box. Eventually, Foothills Stadium will vanish, leaving behind only the memories of those who filled the stands or took the field at Calgary's baseball home for nearly 60 years.