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History » Other Sports at the Shay
Baseball
Believe it or not, baseball made its home at the Shay for two years just prior to the Second World War. The team was set up by John Rigby, and it soon caught the public's eye with over 4,000 witnessing their first victory against Leeds in 1938.
In that first season the Halifax team excelled, and in a victory over Bolton at the Shay, Sam Hanna set an English baseball record by hitting a hat-trick of home runs. Halifax went on to become Major League Champions and during that 1938 season, on 16 July, a combined Halifax/Leeds side drew 5:5 with a United States side at the Shay in front of 3,000 people.
In 1939, Halifax won the Yorkshire Challenge Cup, the Rigby Trophy, the Rigby Challenge Cup, and tied with Hull for the Major League Championship. On 5 August 1939 they reached their pinnacle of success, beating Rochdale Greys 9:5 at the Shay in the final of the National Baseball Association Challenge Cup.
A month later we were at war, and whilst efforts were made to revive the sport after hostilities had ceased, baseball was never played at the Shay again.
Ice Skating
Whilst it would be wrong to say that ice skating was held on any grand scale at the Shay, or even held regularly, it is true to say that it certainly did happen in March 1963.
At the time Britain was witnessing its worst winter in living memory, and Halifax Town - like many other football clubs - were hit hard by the lack of revenue due to postponed matches. The Shaymen actually went three whole months without a home game.
It was secretary Norman Howe's idea to turn the Shay pitch into an 'ice rink', and on 2 March, with the pitch frozen up due to the weather, the club opened the gates to the public to try to bring in some badly needed cash.
Hundreds of people turned up to skate, with adults paying 2s 6d and children 1s 6d. £64 was taken on that first day and the scheme was carried over to the following day. All in all nearly £100 was taken.
Golf
A golf driving range was set up at the Shay during the 1966/67 season and it was opened to much fanfare by Jack Charlton. The range was available at lunch times, afternoons and evenings, and professional instruction was provided by Michael Booth. It had been hoped that the venture would bring in £100 a week, and though there was a slight profit made, it was felt not enough to justify keeping it going. It lasted little over a year before being abandoned.
Over 200 balls were being lost weekly, not including those that went astray on the Skircoat roof, cutting the profits in half.
Target golf - where targets were laid out, a bit like archery - was held at the Shay on 14 June 1967, and the competition was won by Walter Lees from Shipley.
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