OMAHA, Neb. (WOWT) – Rosenblatt Stadium, Omaha’s diamond on a hill, was the Metro’s original home of the College World Series.
“The initial mecca of college baseball,” said Jack Diesing Jr., president and chairman of College World Series of Omaha, Inc.
The stadium made this year’s diamond anniversary for CWS in Omaha possible.
“It was infancy and it had a lot of room to grow.” Steve Rosenblatt said. Sitting in the stands at the building’s memorial site, he described the early days of the College World Series. “Kalamazoo, Michigan hosted the first two years, then it went to Wichita. Did not do very well in Wichita.”
Steve’s father, Johnny Rosenblatt—the eventual namesake of the building—saw an opportunity. The former mayor was part of a group that pitched the NCAA on moving CWS to Omaha for the 1950 championship. The newly built Omaha Municipal Stadium would serve as the host site.
“It was a 10,000 seat stadium,” Diesing said. “At the time, 10,000 seat stadiums were at a premium, especially in the minor leagues. It wasn’t built for the College World Series but it was certainly a great venue for it.”
“Johnny Rosenblatt was a salesman,” Steve added. “What was the best thing he did? He sold the NCAA on buying a spot for the College World Series.”
…And the rest is history. The College World Series and Omaha: a marriage made in baseball heaven.
“Anytime anyone says, why have it some place else. I say ‘heck no.’ The College World Series belongs to Omaha,” legendary USC head coach Rod Dedeaux told WOWT in a 1970s interview.
“People were close together. Not only in the concourse, but in the audience,” Steve recalled of the stands. “Jack Payne was the announcer. He was with WOWT. He would tell people in the bleachers. ‘We need a little more room out there, let’s move just a little bit closer to your buddy!’ The people of Omaha grabbed hold of the brass rings and built it into what it is today.”
One such person was Jack Diesing Sr. He founded College World Series Omaha Inc in 1967 to ensure the city’s bond with the NCAA remained strong.
“Had it not been for his foresight, setting up College World Series Inc. and getting this infrastructure set up and developing those relationships, you and I wouldn’t be here talking today,” Diesing Jr. said.
As CWS Omaha Inc. and the city began looking at a long-term contract with the NCAA, it became clear that Rosenblatt would need extensive updates.
“We knew that something had to be done. Because Rosenblatt was fine, but it had been around for a while,” Diesing Jr. said, nodding to Rosenblatt’s age. “So we came up with a plan to do some work at Rosenblatt. But then we said, if we’re going to spend that kind of money at Rosenblatt, should we look at a new stadium.”
“There were people in the community as well as the NCAA who wanted to see a new ballpark down by the river,” Steve said,
“Yes, there was angst and yes, there was a lot of soul-searching,” Diesing admitted. “It was tough, but it was absolutely the right thing to do.”
“It was hard to know it was going to go and say goodbye, but I understood it,” Steve said.
Rosenblatt Stadium held its final College World Series in 2010. The South Carolina Gamecocks defeated UCLA in Game 2, 2-1.
TD Ameritrade Park opened one year later, beginning a record-setting 25-year contract with the NCAA and the city of Omaha.
Rosenblatt was demolished in 2012, but fans still flock to the memorial grounds each June to relive the championships, the memories, and the place where Omaha’s crown jewel event began.
“It helped put Omaha on the map as the place for college baseball,” Steve said. “It brought people together from around the country. Hopefully it will be here forever.”
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