MIAMI – An online petition has been created to erect an historical marker at the site of the defunct Bobby Maduro Miami Stadium.
Miami resident Abel Sanchez created the GoFundMe page May 8 to raise awareness for the stadium where he grew up watching spring training games.
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"A healthy portion of my childhood was spent at Miami Stadium," Sanchez wrote in the GoFundMe listing. "Back in the '80s, I saw countless games there and even ended up as an Orioles spring training batboy, clubhouse kid."
The stadium, which was located at 2301 NW 10th Ave., was the spring home to Jackie Robinson and the Brooklyn Dodgers (1950-57) and later the Baltimore Orioles (1959-90). The original Miami Marlins, a Triple-A team in the International League, played there from 1956-60.
Built in 1949 by Cuban millionaire Jose Aleman Sr., the stadium was renamed in 1987 in honor of Roberto “Bobby” Maduro, the former owner of the Havana Cubans.
The stadium was demolished in 2001 and replaced by the Miami Stadium Apartments.
Sixteen years later, Sanchez believes that a historical designation is a well-deserved, long overdue recognition for the site.
Sanchez, who shared a picture that he took outside the stadium shortly before it was razed, said his GoFundMe campaign is intended to raise money for the shipping and installation of a state designation.
As of Monday, Sanchez had raised $1,500 of his $2,500 goal.