Our Mission
Preserving the Past and Future of Engel Stadium.
Reflections on Engel Stadium
"There are over 8,000 seats in Engel Stadium and all but one was empty - mine. I sought refuge from the hot Friday afternoon sun in a shaded area back of first base and all was silent except for the monotonous hum of Third Street traffic, occasionally punctuated by the screeching of tires on the busy pavement... I could stretch my imagination and hear the crack of the bat, the thunderous applause, the smell of popcorn. I could almost see any number of Joe Engel's wild shenanigans, the circus or the shuffle of tired feet as they made their way along the almost endless soup lines of the great depression days."
-Buck Johnson
Chattanooga Times
June 23, 1968
Support the Stadium
Thanks to 42, the story of Jackie Robinson filmed on location at Engel Stadium, the old ballpark is in better shape now than it was just a short time ago. Repairs have been made to the roof, plumbing and electricity. The old wooden seats have a fresh coat of paint. The field is a dream, fresh and green with newly-laid sod. Let’s keep it that way! We need your help to make sure Engel is ready for baseball next spring. Please donate today!
1500 CLUB- JOIN HERE
In 1937, Joe Engel stood on a street corner in downtown Chattanooga offering shares of stock in the Chattanooga Lookouts for $5 a piece to passers by. More than 1,500 Chattanoogans responded, raising $20,475 to help Joe buy the team. For the next 53 years, baseball remained alive and well at Engel Stadium.
Today it's our turn. The Engel Foundation is offering "shares" of Engel Stadium for $100 a piece to help restore Joe's beloved ballpark and make it a thriving hotspot for baseball and community life once again. The names of the first 1,500 people to donate will be listed on a commemorative “1500 Club” wall plaque, which will be kept on permanent display at Engel Stadium.
Buy your “share” of Engel Stadium today! Complete and mail the attached form along with your check to The Engel Foundation at the address provided on the form. Those who donate $100 or more by credit card will automatically become members of the 1500 Club.
Corporate Donors
Companies that want to be become part of Engel Stadium history have two opportunities to participate.
Top 100 – The first 100 companies to donate $5,000 will secure space for your company’s billboard ad on the outfield wall for the next five years.
Starting 9 – The first nine corporate or individual donors who contribute $25,000 or more will receive one of nine spots on the starting lineup. These special supporters will be memorialized on the baseball diamond permanently displayed in the lobby of Engel Stadium. First base and centerfield are already spoken for; call today to secure your position.
Please contact The Engel Foundation office at 423.314.1378 to learn more.