History
Engel Stadium opened for the 1930 season, with the Lookouts' regular-season opener on April 15. In a 1931 exhibition, 17-year-old Jackie Mitchell struck out Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig there, and a record 24,624 squeezed into the 12,000-seat park in 1936. The Negro Southern League's Chattanooga Choo-Choos played there in 1945 and 1946.
The Lookouts left after their last game on September 10, 1999, and college and high school teams used the park until about 2010. It was listed on the National Register in 2009 and doubled for Ebbets Field in the 2012 film 42. In October 2025 UTC announced it would demolish the stadium for a women's athletics complex.
Why it matters: It is where Jackie Mitchell struck out Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig in 1931.
Timeline
- April 15, 1930Regular-season opener[1]
The Lookouts' first regular-season game; exhibitions began March 23, 1930.
- 1931Jackie Mitchell strikes out Ruth and Gehrig[1]
Seventeen-year-old Jackie Mitchell, pitching for the Lookouts in an exhibition, struck out Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig.
- April 21, 1936First night game[1]
Knoxville won the park's first night game 3–2.
- September 10, 1999
The Lookouts played their last game there.
- 2009National Register[1]
The stadium was added to the National Register of Historic Places.
- 2012Film '42'[1]
The film 42 was shot there, with the park standing in for Ebbets Field.
- October 2025
UTC announced the stadium would be torn down and replaced by a women's athletics complex.
The site today
| Physical status | Standing, unused[2] |
|---|---|
| Mapped location | Former venue site |
We have not verified what occupies the site today. Know? Tell us, with a source.
Street View near the former site · Satellite view (external, current imagery)
Teams & events
| Chattanooga Lookouts | Southern Association / Southern League · 1930–1999 |
|---|---|
| Chattanooga Choo-Choos | Negro Southern League · 1945–1946 · tenant |
| Tennessee Temple University | NAIA · 2000–2010 · tenant |
Listed here are organizations that used this physical venue. A franchise's history and a venue's history are tracked separately.
Venue facts
| Location | 1130 East Third Street, Chattanooga, Tennessee |
|---|---|
| Venue type | Ballpark |
| Sports | Baseball |
| Level | Minor league, Negro leagues, College |
| Opened | April 15, 1930[1] |
| Last used for sports | September 10, 1999[1,2] |
| Physical status | Standing, unused[2] |
| Original capacity | 12,000[1] |
| Final capacity | 5,997[1] |
| Capacity notes | 12,000 (1930); 7,500 (1989); 5,997 (2000). |
| Construction cost | $150,000 |
| Owner / operator | University of Tennessee at Chattanooga |
| Closure | The Lookouts moved to a new downtown ballpark after 1999. |
Documented details
Sources
- Engel Stadium, Wikipedia. Accessed 2026-10-19Supports: capacity, closed, coordinates, events, opened, teams
- A Stadium's Last Stand, Rising Rock (Kayelyn McCaslin). Accessed 2026-10-19Supports: closed, physical status
Research confidence
Key facts on this page (opening, closing, status and location) are each supported by sources, with key dates corroborated by at least two independent sources. Last reviewed 2026-10-19.
Where sources disagree (2)
- National Register listing: November 19, 2009 (infobox) vs. approval on December 14, 2009 (text).
- Wikipedia says UTC acquired the property in 2008; Rising Rock says UTC took ownership in 2002.
See something wrong or missing? Suggest a correction or submit a source.