Zephyr Field hosted its first regular season baseball game on April 11, 1997, in which tenants New Orleans Zephyrs (later the
New Orleans Baby Cakes), defeated the
Oklahoma City 89ers 8–3. The stadium also hosted select games of the
Tulane University Green Wave baseball program. The team plays annual games at the ballpark against cross-town rival, the
University of New Orleans Privateers, and arch-rival,
Louisiana State University Tigers, at the ballpark. During the 2006 and 2007 baseball seasons, Zephyr Field was the primary home of the Green Wave, as Tulane's on-campus facility,
Greer Field at Turchin Stadium, was undergoing renovations. The renovations were scheduled to be completed in time for the 2006 season, but
Hurricane Katrina significantly damaged Turchin Stadium, forcing a delay in the project. In the hurricane's aftermath, Zephyr Field was utilized by the
Louisiana Army National Guard and the
Federal Emergency Management Agency as a rescue facility. In 2006, the state of Louisiana approved $21 million to recover Zephyr Field from the effects of Katrina. Additional funds from the bill covered recovery costs for the
New Orleans Saints' training facility, located behind the ballpark, and the
New Orleans Arena. The stadium hosted the 1999
Triple-A All-Star Game in which the
Pacific Coast League All-Stars defeated the
International League All-Stars, 9–5. New Orleans'
Daryle Ward was selected as the PCL MVP. On July 3, 2003, the largest crowd in Shrine on Airline history for a Zephyrs game, 11,925, watches the Zephyrs lose 1–0 to the
Nashville Sounds. The Wally Pontiff Jr. Classic college baseball game was held annually at the Shrine on Airline beginning in 2004. The
LSU Tigers baseball team played an opponent in the game to honor the former Metairie resident, LSU Baseball player and Oakland A's draftee, Wally Pontiff Jr., who died at the age of 21 from a genetic heart disorder. In 2004, LSU won the first game of the series vs. Southeastern Louisiana, 9–3. The last Classic played at Zephyr Field was played in April 2019, and saw the Ragin Cajuns of
Louisiana defeat LSU 6–5. In 2022 it was announced that the 2022 game (to be played in Baton Rouge, and again against
Louisiana), will be the final game for the Classic. The ballpark is featured in several scenes in the 2004 movie
Mr. 3000, and one from the 2006 movie called
Failure to Launch. Also, part of an episode of
Spike TV's
Pros vs. Joes was also filmed at the ballpark. A new playing surface was installed prior to the 2008 season. Its new dimensions are from home plate to left and right fields, and to center. The ballpark traditionally has allowed some of the fewest home runs in the Pacific Coast League. The ballpark's grass berm seating area, "the Levee", is located beyond center field and is the highest point in Metairie. As a soccer venue, Shrine on Airline served as home of the
New Orleans Storm soccer team in the late 1990s and hosted the semifinals of the
1998 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup. ==Ballpark attractions==