Downs Field, Austin, Texas
historical marker
Downs Field is located in Austin, Travis County, Texas. A historical marker was erected here in 2015 by the Texas Historical Commission. The field is named after Reverend Karl Downs, a former president of Samuel Huston College, which is now Huston-Tillotson University. This site has been a center for Black sports in Austin since the 1920s. From 1927 to 1938, it was known as Samuel Huston Baseball Stadium. It hosted the Samuel Huston College team and the Austin Black Senators, the city's first Negro League Baseball team. Notable players such as Satchel Paige, Willie Wells, and Willie Mays played here. Austin native Willie Wells began his career with the Black Senators. Between 1939 and 1953, the location served as Anderson Football Stadium. It was home to L.C. Anderson High School's Yellow Jackets, who won a state championship in 1942. The current Downs Field was constructed in 1954. Today, it remains the home field for the Huston-Tillotson University Rams baseball team. Downs Field represents a significant part of Austin's Black athletic history.