I have found an incredible resource for archival baseball photos and knowledge of Hampton Roads in the Norfolk Public Library. Their online directory of photos, news, maps, history is really fascinating. You can type in searches for things like “baseball” or “Norfolk Tars” or “Bain Field” and see all sorts of amazing archival photos in their SMC (Sargeant Memorial Collection) Digital Collection. I have been able to view photos of players, coaches, teams, fields from the early to mid 20th century in stunning detail. Case in point, this beauty, circa 1939, from the SMC Digital Collection when you type in “Bain Field.“ 

So one of the things I love to do when I visit baseball fields is walk the perimeter of the field, stadium, ball park. I look for commemorative plaques, statues, memorials, signs, interesting tributes to learn more about some of the significant figures that helped shape that baseball community. With Bain Field having been demolished back in the late 1930s, early 1940s, I don’t have the luxury of driving to E 20th St. in Norfolk to explore. However, I do have this beautiful photo as a reference to things like sponsorship billboards, scoreboard sponsors, and surrounding businesses. And why is this interesting to me?

I am employed by a company that just celebrated its 100th year in business. ArcBest is the parent company, I work for ABF Freight, which started its operation in 1923 back in Arkansas. It has survived wars, gas shortages, strikes, bad economies, fierce competition for 100 years and continues to pace the freight industry with innovation and excellent customer service. So looking at the billboards that line the outfield walls of 1939’s Bain Field, I was curious as to how many of these businesses are still around. How many made the grade to stay in business since they sponsored professional baseball back in the late 1930s? How many are still in the Hampton Roads area, how many have relocated? 

In the left field area going left to right from the foul pole, I was able to make out the following businesses:

• Rosedale Dairy
• Colonial Chevrolet – Boush at Olney St.
• Florsheim Shoes, Hofheimer’s – 125 Granby St., Norfolk; 224 High St., Portsmouth
• Master Auto Service Corp
• Sears Roebuck @ Company – billboard/scoreboard sponsor
• Smith Furniture – 421 Granby St., Norfolk
• Hotel Fairfax
• I. Evans & Co. Paints – 300 Main St.
• Longines Watches
• Coca-Cola, Sun Spot, Dr. Pepper, Pepsi, 7up, Royal Crown Cola
• Drink carbonated Beverages for your health was the slogan in middle
• Emergency Auto Service Co, Inc. – Monticello at 9th ST.
• AR Thompson – Heating and Plumbing Contractor, 529 35th St.

Behind the field, you can make out the following businesses:

• Forbes Candies Incorporated
• Noland Company Inc. – Plumbing, Heating, and Mill Supplies
• National Biscuit Company
• Bond Bread, huge tower in the background
• Union Warehouse Co.
• Keep Off Roof sign
• Southern Train Car perhaps stationed behind the left field wall

Moving over center field to the right field foul pole, you can see the following businesses:

• Colonial Oil Co.
• Reynolds Hardware Co.
• Griffin Brothers Coal Wood, which had a $25 reward for any hitter hitting a spot on their sign
• Seaboard Citizens National Bank
• Fairfax Family Laundry
• Bruce-Flournoy Motor Corp – 21st at Manteo, Used Cars
• Norfolk Savings & Loan Corp. – 200 East Plume St.
• U Drive It Co. – Rent A Car, Rent A Truck
• G.R. Klass Roofing and Sheet Metal Work – 40th and Hampton Blvd.
• Ralph H. Daughton, W. Taylor Johnson for State Senate, Democrats

And businesses in the background included:

• Johnston Paper Company
• Sunlight Laundry Cleaning
• Standard Iron and Steel Company
• what appears to be a train depot and train tracks

From this list and from what I could observe for businesses on the outfield walls and in the stadium’s background, several businesses pop. Soft drinks, well they are timeless – Pepsi, Coca-Cola, 7Up – I can drive right now to my local mart and pickup a liter of any of these brands. I did some research on some of the other businesses and names on the wall. 

• National Biscuit Company, later incorporated at Nabisco, I’m sure you have eaten their cookies and other tasty treats as have your parents, grandparents, and so on.
• Colonial Chevrolet, from what I can see it looks like it is now Rick Hendrick Colonial Chevrolet and has moved to E Virginia Beach Blvd, Norfolk. Don’t quote me on this one, I may or may not be accurate on this one.
• U Drive it, rent a car, rent a truck – probably became a rental car organization of some sort. I just love the name. Straight to the point, this is what we offer, this is what you are looking for.
• Sears is one of the largest sponsors at Bain Field and was a juggernaut of a business for decades. From sporting goods to household items, Sears was your go to store.
• Forbes Candies, great local story and still making that amazing salt water taffy right here in Virginia Beach. Their logo says “since 1930.” Will definitely have to try some this year!
• Ralph H. Daughton, state representative and later on, President of the Piedmont Baseball League, which featured the Norfolk Tars.

Slight tangent, here is where I believe the field was located. This is a recent snippet of the area around E 20th St near the train tracks via Google Maps:

I’m sure I am missing a few tidbits on these businesses from 1930s and would love to hear from anyone who has some local knowledge on them. If you are into baseball history here in Hampton Roads, you should definitely check out the Norfolk Public Library’s online collection of newspaper articles and photos, especially the baseball fields, players, teams, and game photos. You will find some famous faces and see some incredible black and white photos of that era.