Radiology Associates Field at Jackie Robinson Ballpark

The ballpark, originally known as City Island Ball Park, opened in 1914. It consisted of a baseball field and a set of wooden bleachers. The present day grandstand and press box were built in 1962.[3] It is the home of the Daytona Tortugas and the Bethune–Cookman Wildcats. The Daytona Tortugas were founded in 1993. They have won six Florida State League championships, 1994, 2000, 2004, 2008, 2011, and 2013.

The Bethune–Cookman Wildcats have also achieved recent success, including six consecutive Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) baseball championships from 1999–2004, and seven more in 2006–2012.

One reason the stadium is named for Jackie Robinson is the fact that Daytona Beach was the first Florida city to allow Robinson to play during the 1946 season's spring training. Robinson was playing for the Triple-A Montreal Royals, who were in Florida to play an exhibition game against their parent club, the Brooklyn Dodgers. Both Jacksonville and Sanford refused to allow the game due to segregation laws. Daytona Beach permitted the game, which was played on March 17, 1946. This contributed to Robinson breaking the Major Leagues' color barrier the following year when he joined the Dodgers. The refusal by Jacksonville, previously the Dodgers' spring training home, led the team to host spring training in Daytona in 1947 and build Dodgertown in Vero Beach for the 1948 season. A statue of Robinson is now located at the south entrance to the ballpark.

The ballpark was previously the home field of the Daytona Beach Islanders (1920–24, 1936–41, 1946–66, 1977, 1985–1986), Daytona Beach Dodgers (1968–73), and Daytona Beach Astros (1978–84). The major league Montreal Expos conducted their spring training at the park from 1973–80.

On October 22, 1998, the stadium was added to the United States National Register of Historic Places. This property is part of the Daytona Beach Multiple Property Submission, a Multiple Property Submission to the National Register.

The stadium sustained heavy damage during Hurricane Donna in 1960. A $2 million historic renovation project was accelerated after Hurricane Floyd ripped off the metal roofs over the seating in 1999. In 2004, the ballpark suffered moderate damage during Hurricane Charley, causing several home games to be moved to Melching Field at Conrad Park in nearby DeLand.

On May 12, 2018, the stadium hosted a concert by rapper Nelly with Bone Thugs-n-Harmony and Juvenile as the opening acts.[4]

• List of NCAA Division I baseball venues

• Jackie Robinson Ballpark from the Daytona Tortugas website
• Florida's Office of Cultural and Historical Programs
  • Jackie Robinson Ball Park
  • Famous Floridians of Daytona Beach
• Jackie Robinson Ballpark Views – Ball Parks of the Minor Leagues

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