1923 Polo Grounds 3D

**JOVE23** · 11-22-2011, 06:55 PM

Here's a closeup of the Clubhouse stairs area:

Casey Stengel Farewell to Polo Grounds by Nat Fein Copyrights Nat Fein Estate 90 DPI.jpg

Inside the "Clubhouse Well," as it were (note, this picture was taken with a fisheye lens [I think]):

b98636957a74c3aa_large.jpg

An interior shot follows of sections 6-7, which is on the right field side right at the raking of the upper deck:

POLO3.jpg

I have no idea if this is the upper or lower deck, but I suspect it's the lower deck. I think this also displays that the main vertical girder is encased in concrete below the level of the risers.

**SultanOfWhat** · 11-22-2011, 07:15 PM

To illustrate the importance of relying on reference photos as close to the target date as possible, these photos depict how quickly the bleachers were altered after the 1923 renovations.

In 1923, the bleacher sections were simple rectangles (except for the small cut-out at top right in the second pic below) that had their last row below the top of the grandstand sections on either side:

By the very next season, (1924) the number of bleacher rows had been increased (until the back of the bleachers met the back of the grandstand) and part of the back wall of the bleachers was cut away to give access to pedestrian ramps at the rear of the stadium:

Easier to see in this pic:

From field level:

**Swoboda4** · 11-22-2011, 07:56 PM

Originally Posted by SultanOfWhat

We have lots of photos of Cleveland Muni, but the next logical models after the YS and Polo projects are done would probably be Fenway and Wrigley. Much greater commercial prospects.

I had dibs on Shea months ago in the YS thread! C'mon, he could knock Shea out in a day and a half! It would be cool to see the field level fly into football mode.

**bkhockey3** · 11-22-2011, 08:23 PM

Did a Shea 3 trs. ago but not all that accurate!

**bkhockey3** · 11-22-2011, 08:32 PM

Gonna use Chip's CAD for accuracy----started laying out metalwork---gotta check it against CAD drawing.

**bkhockey3** · 11-22-2011, 11:30 PM

Worked on the bleachers.

**RfkFedEx** · 11-23-2011, 05:06 AM

It must have been miserably hot in the upper rows of the OF. Can't imagine sitting up there in a sell out crowd at peak capacity when it's 95+ in late July. Sipping bourbon from a flask sucking down Lucky Strikes was pretty much the norm. Wearing a wool suit wouldn't have made it much better. To think that people found it relaxing. A daycation for the working man. lol

**bkhockey3** · 11-23-2011, 11:04 AM

rfkfedex-------prohibition back then--wonder if everyone carried flasks and if cops were at games looking to bust people.

**J.E.Fullerton** · 11-23-2011, 11:10 AM

Sanborn Fire Insurance map, "W.C." confirms restroom interpretation:

**RfkFedEx** · 11-23-2011, 11:17 AM

Originally Posted by bkhockey3

rfkfedex-------prohibition back then--wonder if everyone carried flasks and if cops were at games looking to bust people.

I think just about anybody who wanted to drink back then drank as they pleased, regardless of the law. The cops at the game were probably so few and far between, I doubt they cared about people drinking from a flask, unless someone was totally off the wall wasted.

Kinda like smoking grass at a dead show. You wouldn't blow smoke in a cops face, but its not like the NYPD combed the stands looking for vice.

**JOVE23** · 11-23-2011, 11:45 AM

Originally Posted by J.E.Fullerton

Sanborn Fire Insurance map, "W.C." confirms restroom interpretation:

It looks like it also confirms that the right field lower deck ends at the support column, see "Section A-A." It also seems to give a measurement of 71 feet top to bottom.

EDIT: Do you have a higher resolution of that image, JF? It seems there's lots of little measurements on it.

**bkhockey3** · 11-23-2011, 12:00 PM

rfkfedex-------not sure about NYPD these days--accidently brushed a cop with my shoulder walking by him in the subway and the fu<kin guy started giving me sh!t about it. Chip may be snding me his CAD files and if so, things are gonna really start to develop. Here's where I'm at---am sre will have to move some of the metalwork, but that's no big deal.

**bkhockey3** · 11-23-2011, 12:02 PM

Oops--before I forget----what material was the upper facade--the new one.not the original ornate one?

**bkhockey3** · 11-23-2011, 12:04 PM

Also. looking forward-----any blueprints or good shots of the seats?

**JOVE23** · 11-23-2011, 12:04 PM

Originally Posted by bkhockey3

Oops--before I forget----what material was the upper facade--the new one.not the original ornate one?

The blueprint with the facade says "Plaster on #24 Hy-Rib." It might be Hy-Rib then?

**JOVE23** · 11-23-2011, 12:07 PM

Originally Posted by bkhockey3

Also. looking forward-----any blueprints or good shots of the seats?

This is from 1952 but it may help:

maglieseats.jpg

**bkhockey3** · 11-23-2011, 12:39 PM

JOVE23---those railings seem a bit thick don't they. Will google HyRib and see if there's referrence.

**Lpeters199** · 11-23-2011, 12:42 PM

Steps in the left field wall:

**bkhockey3** · 11-23-2011, 12:43 PM

Plaster on metal.

**JOVE23** · 11-23-2011, 12:47 PM

This is from 1913, looks like old fashioned (shock) chairs. I don't know if these were the same chairs in use in 1923:

Here is the LOC tiff: http://lcweb2.loc.gov/master/pnp/ggb...400/14482u.tif

EDIT: This is from the 1923 construction shot. It might be our best bet to definitively identify the type of seating. We may have to use the TIFF image:

1923seats.png

**bkhockey3** · 11-23-2011, 01:24 PM

Maybe seats were similar to YS seats. Built a new upper facade as best I can tell from photos.

**JOVE23** · 11-23-2011, 01:26 PM

They LOOK like YS folding seats. They certainly don't look like the 1913 PG seats. Will probably need to find some documentation.

EDIT: A seating chart from 1954, if someone has a NYT subscription: http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstra...2+seating&st=p