Haines City in Polk County, Florida — The American South (South Atlantic)
Historic Myers & Wiley Athletic Field
Photographed By Tim Fillmon, May 20, 2022
1. Historic Myers & Wiley Athletic Field Marker
Inscription.
Historic Myers and Wiley Athletic Field. . African American philanthropists, Arnie L. Myers and Ruben L. Wiley, donated this site to the City of Haines City on November 29, 1944, to help establish an athletic and recreational field for people of color living in the community during the era of Jim Crow. The Field was named the Oakland Athletic Field and configured for football and baseball. Adjacent to the Oakland High School campus, it served as a dedicated home field for the school's varsity football program until 1968, the year the school closed. It was also home field for the local Haines City Brahmans, an African American semi-pro baseball team, and functioned in this capacity well into 1980s. In 1957, the field was renamed to Cook Athletic Field to honor a local citrus contractor who allegedly funded the erection of a cinder block wall on three sides of the field. The wall was subsequently destroyed by a storm. After 76 years, on August 6, 2020, the field was renamed Myers and Wiley Athletic Field in recognition of the African American men who gifted this historical site to the city. Today, the field is a venue for a variety of competitive athletic and sporting events.
African American philanthropists, Arnie L. Myers and Ruben L. Wiley, donated this site to the City of Haines City on November 29, 1944, to help establish an athletic and recreational field for people of color living in the community during the era of Jim Crow. The Field was named the Oakland Athletic Field and configured for football and baseball. Adjacent to the Oakland High School campus, it served as a dedicated home field for the school's varsity football program until 1968, the year the school closed. It was also home field for the local Haines City Brahmans, an African American semi-pro baseball team, and functioned in this capacity well into 1980s. In 1957, the field was renamed to Cook Athletic Field to honor a local citrus contractor who allegedly funded the erection of a cinder block wall on three sides of the field. The wall was subsequently destroyed by a storm. After 76 years, on August 6, 2020, the field was renamed Myers & Wiley Athletic Field in recognition of the African American men who gifted this historical site to the city. Today, the field is a venue for a variety of competitive athletic and sporting events.
Erected 2020 by The Oakland High Alumni, Inc., and the Florida Department of State. (Marker Number F-1130.)
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic
Location. 28° 7.172′ N, 81° 37.49′ W. Marker is in Haines City, Florida, in Polk County. Marker is at the intersection of North 8th Street and Avenue C, on the right when traveling north on North 8th Street. Marker is located inside the ballfield fence but easily seen. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Haines City FL 33844, United States of America. Touch for directions.
3. Historic Myers & Wiley Athletic Field and Marker
Credits. This page was last revised on May 23, 2022. It was originally submitted on May 22, 2022, by Tim Fillmon of Webster, Florida. This page has been viewed 504 times since then and 109 times this year. Photos:1. submitted on May 22, 2022, by Tim Fillmon of Webster, Florida. 2, 3. submitted on May 23, 2022, by Tim Fillmon of Webster, Florida.
