Nearly a year has passed since I exited Rosenblatt Stadium for the last time. They say time heals all wounds. It does. But sometimes memories open the wounds back up. Today on my news alert I saw the headline of an article entitled “Breakdown of the Blatt begins”. I clicked through to the article and it hit me again, that desperate feeling you get when you see a picture of a loved one who has passed and nothing you do or say will bring them back.
At the top of the article was a picture of the paver bricks being pulled up from the entrance to the front gate and stacked on pallets. The article revealed that the bricks will be offered for sale to help raise the $3 million needed for demolition. The seats will be sold at somepoint too, I found out.
- Demolition of Rosenblatt Stadium began with removal of entryway paving bricks June 5, 2011. Photo by Rebecca Gratz/The World-Herald.
Talk about a double-edged sword. Yes it would be nice to have a brick, or a seat, from Rosenblatt. But do I want to help pay for the demolition of the ballpark? I’ll need some time to think about that one.
Evidently I wasn’t alone in my feelings of sadness that the article brought on. Shortly after I posted a link to the article on Facebook and Twitter, other fans of Rosenblatt echoed the thoughts I was feeling:
- I’ll never forget the memories that I made at the Blatt. The games I saw, the people I met and the folks who live in the neighborhood. I’m so glad I experienced it.
- How terribly SAD! It will be missed. 😦
- Glad I got some pics of Rosenblatt last fall! I grew up going to games in that stadium. The pictures of the bricks being pulled out make me sad.
- What a tragedy!! So many memories…..all traded in for corporate profits. Sad!
- Will never forget the wonderful memories & friendships made over the years at & around Rosenblatt! The CWS will never be the same 😦
No chance of an encore
Recent flooding near downtown Omaha has some people speculating that the City of Omaha might have to reopen Rosenblatt if the new stadium gets flooded. Officials are saying there’s no chance of that happening. While I don’t want to see Omaha get flooded, part of me thinks that a flood would be the ultimate sign that the stadium decision was wrong.
Moving on
In a couple of weeks I’m driving back to Omaha for the 2011 College World Series at the new stadium. I have been assured by many people whose opinions I trust that things will be much better for the CWS and the City of Omaha. I’m hoping to leave Omaha this time with a real sense of closure, once and for all.
The next few months will be rough for a lot of us as we remember all of the “lasts” at Rosenblatt last year. We’ll be presented with more reminders that her end is for real. We’ll smile, we’ll cry and we’ll swear as the wounds we have endured will be reopened. A few years from now we will just remember.
ROMANCING THE BLATT 
Its crap how those “officals” can make a billion dollar decesion to buid a new stadium without a public vot…its even more crapper how its going to be a parking lot…i grew up going to games at this stadium…and i wanted my kids too..but i guess that wont happen….its all about the money…
TD Park cost $130 million, not $1 billion.
The College Baseball Hall of Fame is in Lubbock, Texas. I hope some artifacts from the old stadium are sent to the south plains of Texas so those memories are preserved.