Point Stadium

Johnstown's Historic
POINT STADIUM
Home of the AAABA National Tournament

For more than sixty years, the All-American Amateur Baseball Association has called Johnstown’s Point Stadium home. The historic stadium has come to be as much a part of the annual tournament as the players and coaches. Here is a brief history of the place the AAABA calls home.

Johnstown’s Point Stadium is located in the heart of downtown Johnstown at the intersection of Washington and Johns Streets. The stadium gets its unique name because of its location, which is literally at the “Point” where two rivers meet – the Stony Creek and Little Conemaugh. Located in the western portion of the city, the land on which the stadium and field sit has hosted recreational activities since the time of the city’s founding. In fact, the City of Johnstown’s original charter states that  “…all that a piece of ground called the Point shall be reserved for common public amusements for the use of the said town and its future inhabitants forever.” Because of its downtown location nestled in the foothills of Pennsylvania, the stadium has a unique atmosphere that allows for a great experience.

The original Point Stadium was constructed by a $250,000 bond issue that was approved by the citizens of Johnstown. Point Stadium hosted its inaugural event on July 5, 1926 with an Mid-Atlantic League baseball doubleheader between Johnstown and Clarksburg. The stadium would go on to host Johnstown’s numerous teams in the Mid-Atlantic League, including the Johnstown Johnnies and the Johnstown Steal. The stadium would later become the home of several Johnstown area prep baseball teams and the annual All-American Amateur Baseball Association’s national tournament. The field was designed to be reconfigured to host football during the fall season.

The original Point could definitely be described as unique when it came to the average American ballpark. Being located in the Pennsylvania steel industry’s capital city, the grandstand was constructed mainly of steel. The field’s containment within a rectangular city block also allowed for some strange dimensions; LF – 262 feet, CF – 385 feet; RF – 251 feet.

Through the years, the diamond also hosted many players who would become synonymous with professional baseball. Babe Ruth, Joe Torre, Reggie Jackson, and John Franco are just a few who have played between the foul lines.

As the years past, the stadium fell into disrepair. The original upper deck of the grandstand was removed in the 1950s reducing the capacity to 10,000. Later issues would force the City of Johnstown to demolish the original Point and begin a massive rebuilding project.

The final game at the original Point Stadium was the AAABA Championship game held in August 2005. The stadium was demolished and shortly thereafter and an $8 million dollar restoration project begin.

The “new” Point Stadium debuted on August 8, 2006, opening night of the 2006 AAABA tournament. The new stadium featured an entirely new grandstand seating area for 7,500 spectators, new concourses, restrooms, and concession areas. Later improvements placed a new state of the art artificial turf system on the playing field.

The latest improvements made Point Stadium Johnstown’s premier recreational facility. Today, the stadium hosts the AAABA summer league, the AAABA National Tournament, University of Pittsburg-Johnstown baseball games, collegiate baseball, and high school football.  The stadium’s new flexibility also allows it to host multiple events including public concerts, city events, and the annual Thunder in the Valley motorcycle rally.

Throughout its storied history, Johnstown’s Point Stadium has provided countless memorable moments and promises to do so for years to come. The AAABA is proud to call Johnstown’s Point Stadium HOME.

Click here to visit the Point Stadium Photo Gallery