Gone But Not Forgotten in San Antonio! - Part II (Houston: move, stadium)

[SATX56]

Originally Posted by RGJ

I went to a couple of baseball games at that stadium. I think it was owned by the same guy that eventually built the Astrodome. I believe the story goes that he had this one torn down so as not to compete with the Houston Astros.

I also attended some games there as a child. Had no idea who owned it though. It was still standing in early 70's as I recall. Then leveled I guess for the Juvenile Detention Facility or maybe something else prior. Sad that it sat idle for so many years!!

[Willsatx]

Originally Posted by tclhd

Unfortunately Colonna's did not last long and closed several months ago. Some other restaurant opened after them and has also closed.

Thanks for the news and did not know that.

[Willsatx]

Originally Posted by DickZ

I recently bought on eBay a silver tureen dating back to 1913 that was used at Wolff and Marx. Here is part of the history that the guy selling the tureen had put together.

Abraham Wolff (followed by Albert Wolff) originally had a dry goods and clothing store in San Antonio ca. 1874 on the corner of E. Commerce and Alamo. In 1913, Albert Wolff along with his partner Daniel Marx expanded into a major department store in the Rand Building at 210 W. Houston Street and called it 'The Wolff & Marx Company'. This was an impressive 7-story tall store that included a fancy Tea Room where many luncheons, fashion shows and community events & celebrations were held.

The Wolff & Marx Company was a famous department store whose flagship store was located in San Antonio Texas at Houston, Soledad and Veramendi Streets and Main Avenue. The building was designed by "skyscraper architects" Sanguinet and Staats of Fort Worth - this was the tallest building in San Antonio when constructed in 1913. In those days department stores held all kinds of merchandise, including linens, notions, millinery, clothes, fancy goods, furniture, tools, horse supplies, plants, food, books, antiques, gifts. This flagship San Antonio store had a Tea Room ca. 1913 - 1930's, when it was updated to another restaurant, which I think was called the "Bright Shawl". A San Antonio Light (newspaper) article dated August 10, 1913 highlights a major event - Wolff & Marx were going to use motor cars and not horses to deliver parcels! The SAL on October 14, 1913 gushes about the glove sales at W&M breaking records. The SAL and also the San Antonio Express newspapers continued to document the Wolff & Marx history up until 1965.

I ran into a lot of interesting facts about Wolff & Marx. W&M thanked their customers for the 'demobilization of suits' - another word for sale? March 3 - 8 1919 W&M held a 'Domestic Science and Culinary Arts Course' on their 7th floor. W&M's Basement Sales were legendary, and they advertised mail order as an option. In 1920 W&M closed the Tea Room July 1 to move it up to the 7th floor, where it was to re-open in August 1920. In 1927 W&M held a children's book contest with the Carnegie Library. In 1930 W&M advertised a "Fountain" where patrons could buy sodas and food. A Jan. 18th 1931 advertisement touted "Our six big Houston Street Windows are fill with silk underwear! See this display! (I thought that daring for the times.) A June 2, 1935 notice said "Notice to the Public: It is the Desire and the Intent of the Wolff & Marx Co. to follow to the letter the regulations of the NRA..." (must've been an interesting controversy going on.)

In February of 1938 the W&M began a modernization project. In August 1938 during San Antonio's Texas Day Event, Douglas "Wrong Way" Corrigan, a famous aviator who made a solo flight from NY to Ireland when he was supposed to fly to California, was to make a personal appearance at Wolff & Marx. In March of 1945, W&M confirmed their policy was to keep their prices down to Help Fight Inflation in full cooperation with the OPA (war effort?). In 1957, the Alamo Orchid Society held its first orchid exhibition at the Wolff & Marx department store. Many of the W&M advertisements in the 1950s and early '60's announced sale after sale, seeming to indicate business problems.

The New York Times reported on Nov. 27, 1964 that Allied Stores Corporation announced that it was offering to purchase the stock of Wolff & Marx, Inc., a San Antonio department store, for $11 a share. In January 1965, Wolff & Marx was purchased by rival Joske's (owned by Allied); in less than a month, against specific promises to the contrary, the seven-story Wolff & Marx flagship store downtown was closed (reason given: no escalators). The building was sold in 1968 and is now known as the Rand Building. (sources: wikipedia)

Dick thanks for the information, now is E.Commerce and Alamo where Joske's was?

[Dwangle]

Does anybody have any memories of Alamo Downs or the Soap Box derby track that was next to it. I passed by it a million times but I was too young to have been there when it was active.

[RGJ]

YEARS: LEAGUE: TEAM NAME: AFFILIATION: [/LEFT]
1964-1963 Texas League San Antonio Bullets Houston Colt 45's
1962-1959 Texas League San Antonio Missions Chicago Cubs
1958-1954 Texas League San Antonio Missions Baltimore Orioles
1953-1946 Texas League San Antonio Missions St. Louis Browns

The old Mission stadium was built in 1947 and torn down in 1974. It looks like the Houston Colt 45's/Bullets were the last to use it. Still believe the owner, Judge Roy Hofheinz of the Colt 45's eventually built the Astrodome and closed Mission Stadium so he could get the San Antonio audience.

[RGJ]

Another pic of old Mission Stadium

[RGJ]

link to an article about Old Mission Ballpark Stadium
Places of the Heart: Missions Stadium (http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/MYSA080507_PlacesoftheHeart_Missions_en_27d4920_ht ml.html - broken link)

[SATX56]

Originally Posted by RGJ

YEARS: LEAGUE: TEAM NAME: AFFILIATION: [/LEFT]
1964-1963 Texas League San Antonio Bullets Houston Colt 45's
1962-1959 Texas League San Antonio Missions Chicago Cubs
1958-1954 Texas League San Antonio Missions Baltimore Orioles
1953-1946 Texas League San Antonio Missions St. Louis Browns

The old Mission stadium was built in 1947 and torn down in 1974. It looks like the Houston Colt 45's/Bullets were the last to use it. Still believe the owner, Judge Roy Hofheinz of the Colt 45's eventually built the Astrodome and closed Mission Stadium so he could get the San Antonio audience.

Thanks RGJ . I found a lot of this info last year looking into it. Was wondering if Babe Ruth had played here. He passed the year after it opened so not likely. I remember the Hofheinz name but not anything about him. As far as closing the stadium to get the audience to the Astrodome....The stadium had been dead (abandoned), for several years.

[BudB]

Originally Posted by satx56

Thanks RGJ. Was wondering if Babe Ruth had played here.

Ruth played in a Yankees exhibition game at the older League Stadium out on W. Myrtle at N. Flores across from San Pedro Park. It seems my dad told me once that the older site burned down but not before a lot of baseball was played there during the first half of the 20th century. That game and a lot of other stuff can be found in a neat book titled "San Antonio at Bat: Professional Baseball in the Alamo City" by David King.

[RGJ]

I have a panoramic by Goldbeck showing Babe Ruth in the pic which I'm sure was taken in San Antonio. And if you check the link I posted, there are a lot of people that believe Hoffheinz had something to do with the demise of Mission Stadium