Green Cathedrals: The Ultimate Celebration of All Major League and Negro League Ballparks (Fifth Edition)

By Philip J. Lowry

Green Cathedrals is the "Bible of ballparks," the reference that documents every ballpark that has ever played host to either the major leagues or the Negro leagues. This fifth edition is the first update to Green Cathedrals since 2006, and it now includes 582 ballparks, with the addition in particular of many Negro leagues parks that have been documented in the intervening years. From the 1870s to the present, from Akron to Zanesville, from the 23rd Street Grounds to Yankee Stadium, this volume is the authoritative and complete reference on ballparks. 

Of course the game's most beloved parks of past and present—from Ebbets Field and Shibe Park to Wrigley and Fenway—are here, but so are the myriad small-town fields that hosted big-league games, like Renziehausen Park in McKeesport, Pennsylvania, and Duncan Field in Hastings, Nebraska. Dates, dimensions, and other stats for each park are included, along with 176 photos, and the entries are dotted with historical anecdotes and curiosities, from the field where the outfield grass was so high a hit turned into an inside-the-park home run (Wheeling, West Virginia) to the ballpark destroyed by a 1953 tornado (Waco, Texas).  

"A must for baseball bibliophiles... More than an excellent reference, it is fascinating to leaf through." —USA Today

"This book contains just about everything you would ever want to know about part and present major league baseball parks... It's a book triple play--excellent reference, great browsing, and terrific nostalgia." —The Sporting News

• Language: English
• Publisher: Society for American Baseball Research
• Release date: Mar 12, 2020
• ISBN: 9781943816569

Book preview

Green Cathedrals 1400x2100 RGB

Philip J. Lowry

Editor-In-Chief, Fifth Edition: Ron Selter

Associate Editor, Negro Leagues: Kevin Johnson

Associate Photo Editor: Paul Healey

Society for American Baseball Research, Inc.Phoenix, AZ

Green Cathedrals

The Ultimate Celebration of All Major League and Negro League Ballparks

FIFTH EDITION

Copyright © 2019 Society for American Baseball Research, Inc.

All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited.

Paperback ISBN 978-1-943816-57-6

Ebook ISBN 978-1-943816-56-9

Cover and book design: Gilly Rosenthol

Thanks to Bernard McKenna of University of Delaware for information on Negro League ballparks in Baltimore.

Society for American Baseball Research

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Phone: [phone]

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Twitter: @SABR

FOREWORD

By Bob Bluthardt

If Phil Lowry had been Captain Ahab and if a ballpark replaced Moby Dick, then the story would have ended several chapters earlier and, I would suspect, more successfully.

This fractured literary analogy is my way of noting with great admiration that no man has spent more time seeking more data about more ballparks than Phil Lowry. An obsession? Perhaps, but in the Society for American Baseball Research (SABR) there are no obsessions, though many members do spend hours seeking the ultimate truth!

Welcome to Green Cathedrals, a book of all things ballparks, including facts and factoids, dimensions and capacities, locations, occupants, names and nicknames, architects, and phenomena, where Phil compiles hundreds of stories that will probably make their way into some radio broadcaster’s rain delay performance. Beware, there is a little of the whimsical Phil here too as he stretches the occasional fact into an unusual observation.

I first met Phil in 1982 at the society’s annual meeting in Towson, Maryland, just outside of Baltimore. SABR affairs in those days were smaller and somewhat chummier, thus a less frantic schedule allowed you to see and do everything, and we all were energized by Phil’s ballparks history revival speech. At that point, Phil had been working for years on what would become the first edition of Green Cathedrals, published by SABR in 1986. Phil’s enthusiasm led to the creation of the Ballparks Research Committee of SABR.

Of course, Phil didn’t invent either ballparks or their history, but timing is indeed everything and few writers had given the game’s cathedrals their due before Phil. In 1975, Bill Shannon and George Kalinsky’s The Ballparks marked the first of a soon growing line of ballparks histories, but Phil’s first version of Green Cathedrals provided a unique collection of data about all Major League and Negro League parks since the professional age began in 1871.

Ballparks as a building invention date to the 1860s, when entrepreneurs created a facility to keep the paying faithful inside and everyone else outside. As the club teams of the 1850s became the semi-pro teams of the 1860s and the full-fledged mercenaries of the 1870s, the business of baseball transformed the crude wooden stands of the late nineteenth century to the brick, concrete, and steel edifices of the twentieth century. When we speak of the classic parks, we mourn the passing of Forbes, Ebbets, Crosley, Shibe, Griffith, Sportsman’s, and lately, Tiger, Comiskey, and the original Yankee Stadium.

Phil does not limit himself to the twentieth century, nor is he a snob who deals with just the American and National leagues. As a ballparks progressive he includes all Negro leagues, the Players and Federal leagues, and many more. He also seeks the neutral sites used when fire, flood, local ordinance, or other obstacles prevented a game from taking place at a regular site. Read the entire text as you may find a major league game that took place in your backyard.

So, why should you care about all this? Even as a baseball fan, you might consider this material a little arcane and esoteric. You shouldn’t! Baseball has two charming aspects that separate it in both style and intensity from other sports: statistics and stories, and Green Cathedrals will wash over you with both. And we all know that often-repeated quote that says if we are to understand America, we must first understand baseball. Well, I would suggest we must understand ballparks to understand baseball.

If baseball is a game of inches, isn’t it worthwhile to know how those inches have shaped the game at so many ballparks? A higher wall, a shorter power alley, a screen or not over the bleachers: How many such factors can (and did) change the game and its numbers? Most sports take place in standardized settings, but once you follow the ninety-foot square infield and place the pitcher’s mound sixty feet and six inches from home plate, the rest is left to chance or some interesting and purposeful design aspects that continue in this modern era of retro-classics.

Growing up at Fenway Park I assumed that all ballparks were quirky and angular places where batted balls bounced off of walls, ladders, and poles. Imagine my surprise when I first visited Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia!

Regardless of your ballpark past, enjoy this book. It will fill many a rain delay, win you a few trivia contests, and fill you with an appreciation and new perspective of the national pastime and its developing homes for the past 140 years. Read this book and you will never look at a ballpark in the same manner. And if you see a mistake or can suggest an addition, feel free to contact Phil as Captain Ahab sails again soon.

Robert F. Bluthardt, June 2013

Ballparks Committee, Society for American Baseball Research

PREFACE

By Philip J. Lowry

Here are the vital statistics for our 30 current Major League parks, and more importantly, for every one of baseball’s storied shrines of the past where regular season or post-season championship Major League or Negro League baseball games have ever been played. The saga of Major League ballparks dates back to 1871, and includes an incredible variety of playing sites, from cricket grounds, polo fields, and beer taverns to race tracks, fair grounds, and cow pastures. There were even two palaces in two of America’s best baseball towns, Cincinnati and St. Louis. When the fourth edition of Green Cathedrals was published back in 2006, 404 ballparks were cited which were the home parks of all Major League/Negro League teams. After much further research, you will find here data and descriptions for 583 ballparks.

There have been several ballpark books since mine, but no one else has ever provided a complete listing of every Major League/Negro League ballpark. All parks, that were the home parks of Major League/Negro League teams used or intended to be used for regular season league games or officially sanctioned post season games, are included. Ballparks used by Major League/Negro League only for exhibition and/or spring training games are excluded. The focus is on ballpark geometry, the oddities in play caused by unique and crazy configurations, and what makes the game fun for fans. All dimensional changes are catalogued and dated in outfield fence distances and heights. This is crucial to understanding the statistical history of baseball. The following leagues are covered:

NA National Association, 1871-75

NL National League, 1876 to date

AA American Association, 1882-91

UA Union Association, 1884

NCL National Colored League, 1887

PL Players League, 1890

AL American League, 1901 to date

FL Federal League, 1914-15

NNL Negro National League, 1920-31, 1933-48

ECL Eastern Colored League, 1923-28

ANL American Negro League, 1929

NSL Negro Southern League, 1932

NEWL Negro East-West League, 1932

NAL Negro American League, 1937-61

I differ from most baseball authors by including the Negro Leagues as major leagues, rather than as somehow a different category. I was very fortunate to attend a three-day 1982 conference in Ashland, Kentucky, attended by almost all of the living Negro League veterans, and I interviewed each attendee on the amazing variety of ballparks used for regular season games by barnstorming Negro League teams. Concerning inclusion of the Negro Southern and Negro East-West Leagues in 1932, none of the three other principal Negro Leagues (NNL, ECL, NAL) were operating in 1932. Since the NSL and NEWL were the only Negro Leagues that year, they should be considered the same as all of the other Negro Leagues.

Although the historical record is still incomplete for the Negro Leagues, an unbelievable amount of time and effort has been invested by many people to assemble what historical records do exist on the Negro Leagues. The most notable has been done by members of the Negro Leagues Committee of SABR and the Negro League Baseball Museum in Kansas City. I strongly urge Total Baseball and the Baseball Encyclopedia to include the Negro Leagues in all of their historical records, no matter what the difficulties may be in terms of ambiguous and missing records.

Before 1900, most ballparks were simple small wooden grandstands hastily constructed around recreation fields, in some cases not enclosed by outfield fences. Beginning with the erection of Shibe Park and Forbes Field in 1909, however, nearly-entirely concrete-and-steel ballparks became the rule. These big palaces signaled the growing prominence of baseball, and the golden era in ballpark design. Beginning in the 1960s, multipurpose stadiums were developed for use by both football and baseball, a marriage definitely not made in heaven. The result was a series of sterile, concrete ashtrays, or perhaps better described as a series of cookie-cutter, carpeted toilet bowls. Thankfully, Baltimore’s Camden Yards, which opened in 1992, presaged a return to usually-asymmetrical, grass surface, baseball-only parks. For this we have Larry Lucchino, then of the Orioles, now of the Red Sox, to thank. Starting with Camden Yards, HOK Sports has designed the great majority of these new ballparks including Jacobs Field (Progressive Field) in Cleveland, AT&T Park in San Francisco, and PNC Park in Pittsburgh.

Dimensional data are difficult to interpret. There are obvious mistakes, such as typos in team guides, and incorrect measurements. Then there are other mistakes that are not so obvious, such as when team guides do not keep up-to-date when changes occur, and when some teams or other sources listed power alley for left-center/right-center measurements, or vice versa. In this Fifth Edition of Green Cathedrals the following dimensional definitions are used: left field/right field means at the foul poles, straight-away left/right field means 15 degrees, left field/right field power alley means 22.5 degrees, left-center/right-center means 30 degrees, and center field (as in dead center) means 45 degrees. For rectangular ballparks, where available, center field corner dimensions are also provided. In summary, dimensional data often necessarily reflects the researcher’s best judgment.

The categories which I use to describe the ballparks deserve some explanation.

AKA (also known as) gives alternate names and nicknames used for the park.

ARCHITECT lists the architect or architects if known for classic and post-classic ballparks.

OCCUPANT lists team or teams using the park in chronological order, with dates of play.

LOCATION cites surrounding streets, with associated fields and bases, and geographical directions. Although Official Baseball Rule 1.04 states, it is desirable that the line from home base through the pitcher’s plate to second base shall run east northeast, you will see that this has definitely not always been the case.

DIMENSIONS gives the distance in feet from home plate to outfield fences and the backstop, with dates denoting the first time when boundaries stood at that distance. If there is no date next to a dimension, then that figure is the original dimension.

FENCES lists outfield fence heights in feet, with dates for the first time fences stood at that height. If there is no date next to a fence height, then that figure is the original fence height.

FORMER USE describes how the site was used before park construction, while

CURRENT USE chronicles development of the site after the park was abandoned.

CAPACITY figures are noted generally only when they change by more than 1000, but all of the most recent changes (since 2000) are always given. If there is no date next to a capacity, then that figure is the original capacity.

PHENOMENA is a general category for historical data, important changes, and noteworthy events.

What have I learned by immersing myself for over 40 years in such details as whether North Avenue West is the southern or eastern boundary of Recreation Park (it’s the southern), why the distance to center field at the Polo Grounds changed 19 times (I still don’t know), and whether there was a 32-foot high wooden Marine Sergeant in play and standing against the left field wall during World War II (there was) at Forbes Field? I think what I’ve learned most, going through endless newspaper microfilm and historical archives, and interviewing hundreds of players, fans, umpires, and sportswriters, are two things. First, that History delights in shrouding her many precious baseball mysteries in the fog of conflicting sources, and that many facts will never be known for certain, especially concerning the Negro Leagues, whose documentation is so scarce.

Second, ballpark geometry really matters when you analyze the game. Before 1931, fly balls down the foul lines were ruled fair or foul by where they landed rather than where they left the field of play. Bill Jenkinson’s excellent book The Year Babe Ruth Hit 104 Home Runs examines in detail the landing spots for every long ball hit by Babe Ruth, projecting that had he played in ballparks with 2006 dimensions, he would have had 104 homers in 1921 rather than just 59. Jenkinson also projects that had fly balls been judged to be homers based on where they left the playing field rather than where they landed, Ruth would have had an additional 75 homers over his career, so Henry Aaron would have been chasing a Ruthian record of 789 rather than 714. Remember, Yankee Stadium’s right field stands were simply 70 rows of wooden bleachers in Ruth’s time, before the 1936-38 construction of the upper decks, so when one of his long curving fly balls passed the foul pole way fair, it had another hundred feet or so of wide open bleachers in which to curve foul.

The sequence of the Major League and/or Negro League ballparks in this edition is alphabetical by city and for cities with two or more ballparks, by the age of the ballpark with the oldest first. The age of each ballpark is determined by the earliest Major League or Negro League game played in each ballpark.

And last, and most importantly, that baseball research is great fun and you meet some wonderful people along the way.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

City, State Park

A

Akron, OH League Park (II)

Akron, OH Firestone Stadium

Albany, NY Hawkins Stadium

Altoona, PA Columbia Park

Altoona, PA Pennsylvania Railroad Park

Anaheim, CA Angel Stadium of Anaheim

Anaheim, CA Angel Stadium-See Angel Stadium of Anaheim

Anderson, IN Athletic Park

Anniston, AL Johnston Field

Appleton, WI Goodland Field

Arlington, NE Fairgrounds

Arlington, TX Arlington Stadium

Arlington, TX Globe Life Park

Arlington, TX Rangers Ballpark In Arlington-See Globe Life Park

Asbury Park, NJ Asbury Park High School

Atlanta, GA Ponce De Leon Park (II)

Atlanta, GA Booker T. Washington High School Field

Atlanta, GA Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium

Atlanta, GA Turner Field

Atlantic City, NJ Bacharach Park

Atlantic City, NJ Inlet Park (II)

Atlantic City, NJ Atlantic Park Dog Track

Austin, TX Clark Field

B

Baltimore, MD Madison Avenue Grounds

Baltimore, MD Newington Park

Baltimore, MD Oriole Park (I)

Baltimore, MD Belair Lot

Baltimore, MD Monumental Park

Baltimore, MD Oriole Park (II)

Baltimore, MD Union Park

Baltimore, MD Oriole Park (III)

Baltimore, MD Terrapin Park

Baltimore, MD Maryland Baseball Park

Baltimore, MD Bugle Field

Baltimore, MD Bloomington Oval

Baltimore, MD Venable Stadium

Baltimore, MD Westport Stadium

Baltimore, MD Memorial Stadium

Baltimore, MD Camden Yards

Baltimore, MD Oriole Park at Camden Yards-See Camden Yards

Baton Rouge, LA City Park

Battle Creek, MI Bailey Park

Bayonne, NJ City Park

Beaumont, TX Stuart Stadium

Beaver Falls, PA Beaver Falls High School Field

Beckley, WV RMI Park

Belleville, IL Belleville Athletic Field

Belleville, IL Belleville Township High School Athlete Field

Belmar, NJ Memorial Park

Birmingham, AL Rickwood Field

Bloomfield,, NJ Sprague Field

Bloomington, MN Metropolitan Stadium

Boston, MA South. End Grounds (I)

Boston, MA Dartmouth Grounds

Boston, MA South End Grounds (II)

Boston, MA Congress Street Grounds

Boston, MA South End Grounds (III)

Boston, MA Huntington Avenue Baseball Grounds

Boston, MA Fenway Park

Boston, MA Braves Field

Bowling Green, KY Barons Park

Braddock, PA Edgar Thompson Park

Bradley Beach, NJ Neptune City Ballfield

Broad Ripple Beach, IN Bruce Grounds

Brooklyn, NY Union Grounds

Brooklyn, NY Capitoline Grounds

Brooklyn, NY Washington Park (I)

Brooklyn, NY Washington Park (II)

Brooklyn, NY Eastern Park

Brooklyn, NY Washington Park (III)

Brooklyn, NY Ebbets Field

Brooklyn, NY Washington Park (IV)

Brooklyn, NY Graham Field

Brooklyn, NY Erasmus Field

Buffalo, NY Riverside Grounds

Buffalo, NY Olympic Park (I)

Buffalo, NY Olympic Park (II)

Buffalo, NY International Fair Association Grounds

Buffalo, NY Offermann Stadium

Butler, PA Butler Field

C

Cairo, IL Egyptian Field

Cambridge, MD J. Edgar Walter Jr. Park

Camden, NJ Razzberry Park

Camden, NJ Camden Ball Park

Canton, IL Athletic Park

Canton, OH Pastime Park

Canton, OH Mahaffey Park

Canton, OH Lakeside Park

Cape Girardeau, MO Fairground Park

Carlisle, PA Biddle Field

Cedar Rapids, IA Veterans Memorial Stadium

Centralia, IL Fans Field

Champaign, IL Illinois Field

Chanute, KS Katy Park

Charleroi, PA Charleroi Baseball Park

Charleston, WV Kanawha Park

Charleston, WV Watt Powell Park

Charlotte, NY Ontario Beach Grounds

Charlotte, NC Griffith Park

Chattanooga, TN Engel Stadium

Chester, PA Smedley Field

Chester, PA River Field

Chester, PA Felton Field

Chicago, IL Lake Park

Chicago, IL 23rd Street Grounds

Chicago, IL Lake Front Park+B1

Chicago, IL White Stocking Park -See Lake Front Park

Chicago, IL South Side Park (I)

Chicago, IL West Side Park

Chicago, IL South Side Park (II)

Chicago, IL West Side Grounds

Chicago, IL South Side Park (III)

Chicago, IL Comiskey Park (I)

Chicago, IL Wrigley Field

Chicago, IL Pyotts’ Park

Chicago, IL St. Michael’s Park

Chicago, IL Cermak Park

Chicago, IL Shewbridge Field

Chicago, IL Spencer Field

Chicago, IL Comiskey Park (II)-See US Celluar Field

Chicago, IL US Celluar Field

Chicago Heights, IL Athletic Field

Cincinnati, OH Lincoln Park Grounds

Cincinnati, OH Avenue Grounds

Cincinnati, OH Bank Street Grounds

Cincinnati, OH League Park (I)

Cincinnati, OH Pendleton Park

Cincinnati, OH League Park (II)

Cincinnati, OH Palace of the Fans

Cincinnati, OH Crosley Field

Cincinnati, OH Redland Field-See Crosley Field

Cincinnati, OH Riverfront Stadium

Cincinnati, OH Great American Ball Park

Clarksdale, MS Community Park

Clarksville, VA Clarksville Stadium

Clearfield, PA Driving Park

Cleveland, OH National Association Grounds

Cleveland, OH League Park (I)

Cleveland, OH League Park (II)

Cleveland, OH Cedar Avenue Driving Park

Cleveland, OH Beyerle’s Park

Cleveland, OH Brotherhood Park

Cleveland, OH League Park (III)

Cleveland, OH Euclid Beach Park

Cleveland, OH League Park (IV)

Cleveland, OH Luna Bowl

Cleveland, OH Hardware Field

Cleveland, OH Cleveland Stadium

Cleveland, OH Progressive Field

Cleveland, OH Jacobs Field-See Progressive Field

Clinton, MO Clinton Ballpark

Collingswood, NJ Knight Park

Columbus, GA Golden Park (I)

Columbus, GA Golden Park (II)

Columbus, MS Fairgrounds Park

Columbus, OH Recreation Park (I)

Columbus, OH Recreation Park (II)

Columbus, OH Neil Park (I)

Columbus, OH Neil Park (II)

Columbus, OH Red Bird Stadium

Conway, SC Whittemore Athletic Field

Council Bluffs, IA American Legion Field

Covington, KY Star Baseball Park

Crawfordsville, IN Dean’s Park

Cullman, AL VFW Field

Cumberland, MD Community Park

D

Dallas, TX Rebel Stadium

Danville, IL Garfield Park

Danville, IL Recreation Field

Danville, VA Peters’ Park

Darby, PA Hilldale Park

Davenport, IA Municipal Stadium

Dayton, OH Fairview Park

Dayton, OH Westwood Field

Dayton, OH North Side Park

Dayton, OH Ducks Park

Decatur, AL Lakeside Park

Decatur, AL Legion Field

Decatur, IL Fan’s Field

Delanco, NJ Athletic Association Field

Denver, CO Mile High Stadium

Denver, CO Coors Field

Des Moines, IA Holcomb Field

Des Moines, IA Pioneer Stadium

Detroit, MI Recreation Park

Detroit, MI Bennett Park

Detroit, MI Burns Park

Detroit, MI Tiger Stadium

Detroit, MI Navin Field-See Tiger Stadium

Detroit, MI Briggs Stadium-See Tiger Stadium

Detroit, MI Mack Park

Detroit, MI Sandlotter’s Park

Detroit, MI DeQuindre Pack

Detroit, MI Sportsman’s Park

Detroit, MI Comerica Park

Dothan, AL Wiregrass Memorial Stadium

Dover, DE Fairview Park Fair Grounds

Dover, DE Oriole Park

Dover, DE Unknown Park

Duluth MN All Sports Stadium

Durham, NC Athletic Park

E

East Orange, NJ Grove Street Oval (II)

Eau Claire, WI Carson Park

Edenton, NC Hicks Field

El Dorado, AR Jim Griffith Park

Elizabeth, NJ Waverly Fairgrounds

Elmira, NY Maple Avenue Driving Park

Emporia, KS Summers Field

Ephrata, PA Ephrata Park

Erie, PA Ainsworth Field

Evansville, IN Bosse Field

F

Fairmont, WV South Side Park

Flint, MI Atwood Stadium

Florence, NJ Florence Ball Park

Fort Bragg, NC Fort Bragg Field

Fort Smith, AR Andrews Field

Fort Wayne, IN Grand Duchess

Fort Wayne, IN Jailhouse Flats (I)

Fort Wayne, IN League Park (II)

Fort Wayne, IN State School Diamond

Fort Wayne, IN Dwenger Park

Fort Worth, TX Panthers Park

Freeport, NY Freeport Stadium

Fulton, KY Fairfield Park

G

Gadsden, AL Dwight Park

Gadsden, AL City Park

Gary, IN Gary Works Field

Geauga Lake, OH Geauga Lake Grounds

Gettysburg, PA Nixon Field

Glen Falls, NY Recreation Field

Gloucester City, NJ Gloucester Point Grounds

Grand Island, NE Ryder Park

Grand Rapids, MI Reeds Lake Park

Grand Rapids, MI Bigelow Field

Grand Rapids, MI Valley Field

Greenbush, NY Riverside Park

Greensboro, NC War Memorial Stadium

Greensburg, PA Offutt Field

Greenville, SC Meadowbrook Park

Greenwood, SC Brewer High School Field

H

Hagerstown, MD Municipal Stadium

Hamilton, OH Hamilton Grounds

Hamilton Ontario Civic Stadium

Hammond, IN Turner Field

Hamtramck, MI Hamtramck Stadium

Harrisburg, PA West End Grounds

Harrisburg, PA Island Stadium

Harrison, NJ Harrison Field

Hartford, CT Hartford Baseball Grounds

Hartford, CT Hartford Trotting Park

Hartford, CT Clarkin’s Field

Hartford, CT Morgan G. Bulkeley Stadium

Hastings, NE Duncan Field

Havana, Cuba La Tropical

Havana, Cuba Estadio Gran (I)

Havana, Cuba Estadio Gran (II)

Hightstown, NJ Windsor Airport Field

Hillsdale, NJ Hillsdale Memorial Park

Homestead, PA Municipal Field

Honolulu , HI Aloha Stadium

Hopkinsville, KY Mercer Park

Hopkinsville, KY Kentucky Park

Hot Springs, AK Jaycee Park

Houston, TX Buff Stadium

Houston, TX Colt Stadium

Houston, TX Astrodome

Houston, TX Minute Maid Park

Huntingdon, PA Six Mile Run Park

Huntington, WV League Park

Huntsville, AL Huntsville Manufacturing Park

Huntsville, AL Optimist Park

Huntsville, AL Lincoln Park

I

Indianapolis, IN South Street Park

Indianapolis, IN Seventh Street Park (I)

Indianapolis, IN Seventh Steet Park (II)

Indianapolis, IN Seventh Street Park (III)

Indianapolis, IN Indianapolis Park

Indianapolis, IN Federal League Park

Indianapolis, IN Washington Park

Indianapolis, IN Victory Field (I)

Irondequoit, NY Windsor Beach Grounds

Irvington, NJ Olemar Field

J

Jackson, MS League Park

Jackson, MS Lakeview Park

Jacksonville, FL Durkee Field

Jersey City, NJ Oakland Park

Jersey City, NJ West Side Park

Jersey City, NJ Roosevelt Stadium

Johnstown, PA Point Stadium

K

Kansas City, KS Bishop Ward High School Field

Kansas City, MO Athletic Park

Kansas City, MO Association Park (I)

Kansas City, MO Exposition Park

Kansas City, MO Gordon & Koppel Field

Kansas City, MO Association Park (II)

Kansas City, MO Municipal Stadium

Kansas City, MO Kauffman Stadium

Keokuk, IA Perry Park

Kewanee, IA Northeast Stadium

Knoxville, TN Smithson Stadium

Kokomo, IN Highland Park Stadium

L

Lafayette, IN Columbian Park

Lake Buena Vista, FL Champion Stadium

Lake Charles, LA Legion Field

Lancaster, PA Rossmere Park

Lanett, AL Jennings Field

Lansingburgh, NY Haymakers’ Grounds

Las Vegas, NV Cashman Field

Lebanon, IN Lebanon Memorial Park

Laurel, MS Rahaim Park

Leeds, AL Unknown Park

Lewiston, PA Dickson Field

Lexington, KY Blue Grass Park

Lima, OH Halloran Park

Lincoln, NE Sherman Field

Little Rock, AR Crump Field

Little Rock, AR Travelers Field

Los Angeles, CA Memorial Coliseum

Los Angeles, CA Wrigley Field

Los Angeles, CA Dodger Stadium

Louisville, KY St. James Court

Louisville, KY Eclipse Park (I)

Louisville, KY Eclipse Park (II)

Louisville, KY Eclipse Park (III)

Louisville, KY Parkway Field

Ludlow, KY Ludlow Base-Ball Park

Ludlow, MA Whitney Street Park

M

Macon, GA Luther Williams Field

Manhattan, KS Griffith Field

Marion, IN Booster Park

Marlboro, OH Sunset Park

Mattoon, IL Mattoon Baseball Park

McKeesport, PA Cycler Park

Meadville, PA Athletic Park

Memphis, TN Martin’s Park

Memphis, TN Russwood Park

Meridian, MS Buckwalter Stadium

Metropolis, IL Metropolis Field

Miami, FL Marlins Park

Miami Gardens, FL Dolphin Stadium: See Joe Robbie Stadium

Miami Gardens, FL Joe Robbie Stadium

Middletown, CT Mansfield Club Grounds

Middletown, NY State Hospital Field

Middletown, OH ARMCO Field

Middletown, PA Grand View Park

Milwaukee, WI Milwaukee Baseball Grounds

Milwaukee, WI Wright Street Grounds

Milwaukee, WI Borchert Field

Milwaukee, WI Lloyd Street Grounds

Milwaukee, WI County Stadium

Milwaukee, WI Miller Park

Minneapolis, MN Athletic Park

Minneapolis, MN Nicollet Park

Minneapolis, MN Hubert H Humphrey Metrodome

Minneapolis, MN Target Field

Monaca, PA Monaca High School Field

Monessen, PA Tin Plate Field

Monroe, LA Casino Park

Monterrey, Mexico Estadio Monterrey

Montgomery, AL Cramton Bowl

Montgomery, AL College Hill Park

Montreal, Canada Parc Jarry

Montreal, Canada Stade Olympique

Mounds, IL Johnson Park

Muncie, IN Walnut Park

N

Nashville, TN Wilson Park

Nashville, TN Sulphur Dell (II)

Natchitoches, LA Burton Playhouse

Newark, NJ Wiedenmeyer’s Park

Newark, NJ Ruppert Stadium

Newark, OH Arnold Park

New Castle, PA P. J. Flaherty Memorial Field

New Brunswick, NJ New Brunswick High School

Newburg, NY Delano Hitch Stadium

New Haven, CT Hamilton Park

New Haven, CT Howard Avenue Grounds

New Orleans, LA Pelican Stadium

New Orleans, LA Stars Field

Newport News, VA Shipbuilders Park

Newport News, VA Peninsula War Memorial Stadium

New York, NY Polo Grounds (I) Southeast Diamond

New York, NY Polo Grounds (II) Southwest Diamond

New York, NY Metropolitan Park

New York, NY Gaurel’s Ridgewood Park

New York, NY Wallace’s Ridgewood Park

New York, NY Polo Grounds (III)

New York, NY Long Island Grounds

New York, NY Polo Grounds (IV)

New York, NY Hilltop Park

New York, NY Polo Grounds (V)

New York, NY Dyckman Oval

New York, NY Catholic Protectory Oval

New York, NY Yankee Stadium

New York, NY Dexter Park

New York, NY Recreation Park

New York, NY Randall’s Island Stadium

New York, NY 59th Street Bridge

New York, NY Shea Stadium

New York, NY Citi Field

New York, NY New Yankee Stadium

Niagara Falls, NY Hyde Park Stadium

Niles, MI Thomas Stadium

Norfolk, CT Amusement Park

Norfolk, VA League Park

Norfolk, VA High Rock Park

North Canton, OH North Canton Memorial Field

Norristown, PA Roosevelt Stadium

Norwalk, OH Keller Field

O

Oakland, CA Oakland Coliseum

Oakland, CA Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum-See Oakland Coliseum

Oil City, PA Hasson-Ramage Park

Olean, NY Bradner Stadium

Oklahoma City, OK Holland Field

Omaha, NE Vinton Street Park

Omaha, NE Rosenblatt Stadium

Orange, NJ Orange Playground

P

Paris, IL Lakers Stadium

Paterson, NJ Hinchliffe Stadium

Penns Grove, NJ Unknown Stadium

Peru, IL Washington Park

Petersburg, VA McKenzie Street Park

Philadelphia, PA Jefferson Street Grounds (I)

Philadelphia, PA Centennial Park

Philadelphia, PA Oakdale Park

Philadelphia, PA Jefferson Street Grounds (II)

Philadelphia, PA Recreation Park

Philadelphia, PA Keystone Park

Philadelphia, PA Huntingdon Street Grounds (I)

Philadelphia, PA Forepaugh Park

Philadelphia, PA University of Pennsylvania Athletic Field

Philadelphia, PA Huntingdon Street Grounds (II)

Philadelphia, PA Baker Bowl

Philadelphia, PA Columbia Park

Philadelphia, PA Shibe Park

Philadelphia, PA Connie Mack Stadium-See Shibe Park

Philadelphia, PA Shetzline Park

Philadelphia, PA Passon Field

Philadelphia, PA J & J Dobson Field

Philadelphia, PA Pencoyd Field

Philadelphia, PA Penmar Park

Philadelphia, PA Bigler Field

Philadelphia, PA Veterans Stadium

Philadelphia, PA Citizens Bank Park

Phillipsburg, NJ North End Park

Phillipsburg, PA Scott Field

Phoenix, AZ Chase Field

Phoenix, NY Three Rivers Park

Pine Bluff, AK Taylor Field

Piqua, OH Stein’s Park

Pittsburgh, PA Union Park

Pittsburgh, PA Exposition Park (I) Lower Field

Pittsburgh, PA Exposition Park (II) Upper Field

Pittsburgh, PA Recreation Park

Pittsburgh, PA Exposition Park (III)

Pittsburgh, PA Forbes Field

Pittsburgh, PA Central Park

Pittsburgh, PA Ammon Field

Pittsburgh, PA Gus Greenlee Field

Pittsburgh, PA Three Rivers Stadium

Pittsburgh, PA PNC Park

Portsmouth, VA City Stadium

Providence, RI Adelaide Avenue Grounds

Providence, RI Messer Street Grounds

Q

Quincy, IL Q Stadium

R

Racine, WI Horlick Athletic Field

Raleigh, NC Devereaux Meadow

Raleigh, NC Chavis Park

Red Bank, NJ Pirates Park

Regina, Canada Park de Young

Richmond, IN Exhibition Park

Richmond, IN Municipal Stadium

Richmond, VA Virginia State Agricultural Society Fair Grounds

Richmond, VA Virginia Park

Richmond, VA Unknown Park

Richmond, VA Mayo Island Park

Richmond, VA Mooers Park

Roaring Springs, PA Athletic Park

Rochester, NY Culver Field (I)

Rochester, NY Culver Field (II)

Rochester, NY Red Wing Stadium

Rockford, IL Agricultural Society Fair Grounds

Rockingham, NC Rockingham Stadium

Rocky Mount, NC Municipal Stadium

Rocky Mount, NC Talbert Park

Roebling, NJ Roebling Ball Park

S

St. Louis, MO Red Stockings Base Ball Park

St. Louis, MO Grand Avenue Park

St. Louis, MO Sportsman’s Park (I)

St. Louis, MO Union Grounds

St. Louis, MO Robison Field

St. Louis, MO Sportsman’s Park (II)

St. Louis, MO Sportsman’s Park (III)

St. Louis, MO Handlan’s Park

St. Louis, MO Giants Park

St. Louis, MO Stars Park

St. Louis, MO Vanderventer Lot

St. Louis, MO Easton Street Park

St. Louis, MO Market Street Park

St. Louis, MO Metropolitan Park

St. Louis, MO South End Park

St. Louis, MO Busch Stadium (II)

St. Louis, MO Busch Stadium (III)

St. Paul, MN Fort Street Grounds

St. Petersburg, FL Tropicana Field

Salisbury, MD Gordy Park

San Diego, CA Qualcomm Stadium

San Diego, CA Jack Murphy Stadium-See Qualcomm Stadium

San Diego, CA Petco Park

San Francisco, CA Seals Stadium

San Francisco, CA Candlestick Park

San Francisco, CA AT&T Park

San Francisco, CA Pac Bell Park-See AT&T Park

San Juan, PR Estadio Hiram Bithorn

Savannah, GA Grayson Stadium

Seattle, WA Sicks’ Stadium

Seattle, WA Kingdome

Seattle, WA Safeco Field

Smithfield, NC Smithfield Stadium

Springfield IL Lanphier Park

Springfield MA Hampden Park Race Track

Springfield OH Municipal Stadium

Staten Island NY St. George Grounds

Steelton PA College Hill Field

Sumter, SC Riley Park

Sydney, Australia Sydney Cricket Ground

Syracuse, NY Star Park (I)

Syracuse, NY Star Park (II)

Syracuse, NY Iron Pier

Syracuse, NY Mac Arthur Stadium

T

Tallahassee, FL Centennial Field

Terra Haute, IN Memorial Stadium

Tokyo, Japan Big Egg

Toledo, OH League Park

Toledo, OH Tri-State Fair Grounds

Toledo, OH Speranza Park

Toledo, OH Armory Park

Toledo, OH Swayne Field

Topeka, KS New Topeka Ballpark

Topeka, KS Riley Park

Toronto, Canada Maple Leaf Stadium

Toronto, Canada Exhibition Stadium

Toronto, Canada Rogers Centre

Toronto, Canada Sky Dome-See Rogers Centre

Trenton, NJ Dunn Field

Troy, NY Putnam Grounds

Tulsa, OK McNulty Stadium

Tulsa, OK Texas League Park

Tuscaloosa, AL Alberta Park

Tyler, TX Trojan Park

U

Utica, NY Knights of Columbus Park

V

Vicksburg, MS City Park

Vincennes, IN Nehi Park

W

Waco, TX Katy Park

Wallace, NC American Legion Field

Warren, OH Recreation Park

Warwick, RI Rocky Point Park

Washington, DC Olympic Grounds

Washington, DC National Grounds

Washington, DC Athletic Park

Washington, DC Capitol Grounds

Washington, DC Swampoodle Grounds

Washington, DC Boundary Field

Washington, DC American League Park (I)

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Washington, DC Griffith Stadium

Washington, DC Robert F. Kennedy Stadium

Washington, DC Nationals Park

Welch, WV Blackely Field

West Baden, IN West Baden Ball Park

West Frankfort, IL Memorial Stadium

West New York, NJ Monitor Grounds

West New York, NJ West New York Club Grounds-See Monitor Grounds

West Troy, NY Troy Ball Club Grounds

West York, PA Martin-Perry Field

Wheeling, WV Island Grounds

Whiteville, NC Legion Field

Wichita, KS Lawrence Stadium

Wichita Falls, TX Spudder Park (II)

Wildwood, NJ Athletic Park

Williamson, WV Lefty Hamilton Field

Williamsport, PA Grays Stadium

Williamsport, PA Bowman Field

Wilmington, DE Union Street Park

Wilmington, DE Pennsy Field

Wilmington, DE Harlan Field

Wilmington, DE Wilmington Park

Wilmington, NC Hilton Park

Wilmington, NC Thirteenth & Ann Streets Park

Wilmington, NC American Legion Stadium

Wilson, NC Wilson Municipal Park

Winnipeg, Canada Osborne Stadium

Winston-Salem, NC Southside Park

Woodbury, NJ Woodbury Park

Worcester, MA Agricultural County Fair Grounds Race Track (I)

Worcester, MA Agricultural County Fair Grounds Race Track (II )

Y

York, PA Eagles Park

Youngstown, OH Idora Park

Z

Zanesville, OH Mark Gray Athletic Park

Zanesville, OH Grant Municipal Stadium

The Ballparks

AKRON, OHIO

LEAGUE PARK (II)

AKA

St. Mary’s Field 1970s

OCCUPANTS

Neutral site use by NEWL Pittsburgh Crawfords morning game August 8, 1932; NNL Akron Black Tyrites 1933; various Negro league teams neutral site use 1931-36 and 1941

LOCATION

Left Field (N) W Crosier St, Third Base (W) Lakeside Ave (later Lake Shore Blvd) where the trolley line ended at the Summit Beach Amusement Park, First Base (S) Paris Ave, Right Field (E) Owen Ave

DIMENSIONS

Left Field: 315 (1928), 300 (1940)

Left Center: 381 (1940)

Center Field: 385 (1928), 387 (1940)

Right Center: 355 (1940)

Right Field: 345 (1928), 347 (1940)

FENCES

All: 10 (wood)

CURRENT USE

Soccer field

CAPACITY

7,500 (1932), 6,500 (1935, 3,500 (1940)

PHENOMENA

This park replaced the first League Park, (League Park (I), located at Beaver and Carroll Streets. It was used in the 1930s as a minor league ballpark. This ballpark had one of the strangest outfield fences ever. Because the ground fell off so sharply behind the left field fence, it was built at an angle so that wooden supports would hold it up. The slope ranged from 35 degrees to 60 degrees, and many left fielders literally ran up the wall to catch a long fly ball. There was a ground rule that if a batted ball rolled up and over the wall, it was a double.

FIRESTONE Stadium

OCCUPANT

NAL Chicago American Giants neutral site game August 18, 1942 (vs. NNL Homestead Grays)

LOCATION

Left Field (E) S Main St, Third Base (N) W Firestone Blvd, First Base (W) 1575 Firestone Parkway, Right Field (S) recreational diamond, then W Wilbeth Rd

CURRENT USE

Professional Softball field

CAPACITY

1,500

PHENOMENA

Firestone Stadium was dedicated on July 25, 1925 by Harvey S. Firestone, Sr., founder of the Firestone Tire and Rubber Company. The Stadium was constructed for the recreation of the employees of Firestone, and the numerous baseball, fast-pitch and slow-pitch industrial leagues in Akron. The Stadium was owned and operated by Firestone until 1988, when the Firestone Tire and Rubber Company donated the historic stadium to the City of Akron.

ALBANY, NEW YORK

NOTE — See also Greenbush, New York

HAWKINS STADIUM

AKA

Chadwick Park

OCCUPANTS

Neutral site game NNL Philadelphia Stars on June 4, 1940 (vs. NNL Newark Eagles); Neutral site double-header NNL Newark Eagles on July 14, 1940 (vs. New York Cubans); alternative home site used by NNL New York Black Yankees for five games in 1948

LOCATION

Left Field (NW) reservoir, First Base (SE) Broadway Ave, Right Field (NE) Mid City Park opposite Simmons Lane

DIMENSIONS

Left Field: 300