Dudley Field (El Paso)

Dudley Field was the home of several El Paso baseball teams since its construction in 1924. The field was named after then-Mayor R. M. Dudley, and originally hosted the El Paso Texans team. Later the stadium played home to the El Paso Sun Kings, which later became the El Paso Diablos. The Diablos called Dudley home until 1989, when they relocated to a new facility, Cohen Stadium, in the northeast of town. Though an open stadium, it was long jokingly referred to as the "Dudley Dome" by the stadium announcers. Dudley Field had bleachers running down each foul line to complement the covered grandstand, which was made of adobe bricks, and sat behind home plate. It was located on the south side of the city directly next to the El Paso Zoo. Dudley was also the former home of the El Paso Patriots soccer team, which now play in Patriot Stadium. Mickey Mantle and other prominent stars of the era played in Dudley in the 1950s as a member of the New York Yankees. Many had hoped to find a new use for the old facility, but none was forthcoming. Demolition was completed on November 5, 2005. The land was given to the El Paso Zoo for further expansion.