Raimondi Park - Oakland

Raimondi Park

Raimondi Park (aka Ernie Raimondi Park) is a park containing an athletic field located at 18th Street & Wood Street. It was originally called West Oakland Park. then Bay View Park. In 1947 it was renamed in honor of Ernie Raimondi (1919–1945), a minor league baseball player and WWII veteran who grew up in Oakland. ² The Oakland Ballers baseball team built new facilities and made it their home field in 2024. ³

History

The area was originally marshy, but was filled in. The city council discussed getting dirt to finish filling the park and bring it up to grade in 1901. West Oakland Park appears on the 1902 Sanborn map, but it still doesn't sound like it was much of a park, more of just an empty lot. In March 1906, the West Oakland Improvement Club set their eyes on the improving the park. However, in April, the 1906 earthquake devastated San Francisco, and the city council initially offered the park to affected businesses to temporarily set up shop. Local business owners who had helped secure the land were opposed, so the council voted against the idea.

1906 proposal1909 plans ⁴

The city council started allocating money for improvements in the park in 1907. In 1909, the Tribune showed grand plans for the park, including a pool, an athletic field with a running track, a wading pool, a playground, and separate men's and women's gymnasiums.

In 1910, it was renamed Bay View Park, and scheduled to get some playground equipment. Finally by 1911, the park had 2 baseball fields with bleachers and dressing rooms.

Over the following years, countless baseball games were played at the park, including high school teams and teams sponsored by local businesses. But there were also games of football, rugby, cricket, and even Gaelic football. It's unclear what sort of course they used, but there were also horse races held in the park.

Ernie Raimondi Park

In 1947, the park was renamed to memorialize Ernie Raimondi after he was killed in WWII. He and his brothers had played baseball at the park. ²

Modern Times

In September, 2008, the first of two stages of a $7.2 million refurbishment of the park was completed. This included new drainage systems for the playing fields. ¹

In 2024, the Oakland Ballers remodeled part of the park to become their home field. ³ Currently the park is about 1/2 soccer fields, and 1/2 Oakland Ballers field.