Negro League Ballparks

[Dennie Cunningham]

Can anyone tell me if there is still a Negro League ballpark still standing? Would love to see it........................

[Brian McKenna]

would assume they played at yankee stadium - possibly wrigley and fenway and at numerous minor league parks around the country that may still be standing - very few negro league clubs had their own park and they weren't concrete and steel facilities designed to last for decades - afterall their potential audiences was less than 20% of the nation and that's potential not actual - no $$

[Cucamongadan]

Rickwood Field would be a good one for you look up- see also thread about Birmingham Black Barons re-creation game scheduled there.
http://www.baseball-fever.com/showthread.php?t=39845

[buccos1979]

Engle Stadium in Chattanooga TN has Negro League hisory, so does RFK Stadium in Washington DC

[Bob Hannah]

... so does RFK Stadium in Washington DC

RFK (formerly known as D.C. Stadium) has no Negro League history. You may be thinking of Griffith, which was demolished about 1965. It is now the site of Howard University Hospital.

[steveironcity]

West Field in Munhall, PA a mile or so from Homestead, is still standing, though it is in very rough shape. The grays played there in the 20s

[1995hoo]

Bob Hannah is correct about RFK—it opened in 1961, after the Negro Leagues were consigned to history.

[erniepaul21]

I went to West park (behind the Munhall community ctr, or maybe it was a firehall or something) and could not find one stitch of evidence that commemorated the Grays or negro leagues or anything for that matter.....How could that field be so overlooked???

[StanTheMan]

Tiger Stadium - Negro East-West League Detroit Wolves 1932, and Negro National League Detroit Stars 1933, as well as Negro American League Detroit Stars 1937.

Yankee Stadium - Negro NL New York Black Yankees 1946-1948

Rickwood Field - Negro NL Birmingham Black Barons 1923-1925... Negro Southern League Birm. Black Barons (BBB) 1932.... Negro AL BBB 1937-38, adn 194-1950.

Rickwood - Marker.jpg Rickwood 2.jpg

Rickwood 3.bmp Rickwood 3.jpg

[RichardLillard1]

I saw about 30 or so games there... caught 4 foul balls, and stole the managers hat off his head after the team won the AAA World Series on year. I had the guy (Joe Sparks) autograph the hat the next season... when he turned it over to sign the bill... his number 7 was on it. He signed it, just grinned and gave it back to me.

The park has most recently been used for a RACE-TRACK, and hosts midget and sprint car races.

Stan, you are the lucky man (couldn't resist, sorry).


In terms of where the Negro League players played, it depends on how big thier team was. I know the Black Yankees used Yankee Stadium and the Homestead Grays used Griffith. I believe it was the same all over the league in most of the bigger cities.


Richard

[Richmond Hill Phoenix]

Oakville Negro League Park, Oakville MD: http://www.digitalballparks.com/Negro/Oakville.html.

Looks real old, and really neat.

[Calif_Eagle]

Any pictures out there of Mack Park in Detroit or Greenlee Field in Pittsburgh? I understood these to be 2 of the very few parks built specifically for "major" Negro League competition, along perhaps the previously mentioned West Field for the Homestead Grays. Would love to see any or all pictures out there of any of these ballparks.

[Oakland56]

I went to West park (behind the Munhall community ctr, or maybe it was a firehall or something) and could not find one stitch of evidence that commemorated the Grays or negro leagues or anything for that matter.....How could that field be so overlooked???

I agree, Charlie Batch of the Steelers and Josh Gibsons grandson, Sean Gibson were suppose to be renovating the field. But that was about a year ago, and nothing is being done.

[Brian McKenna]

Negro Colored League, 1887

Boston Resolutes
South End Grounds I Boston MA 1887

Lord Baltimores
Oriole Park I Baltimore MD 1887

Louisville Fall Citys
Eclipse Park I Louisville KY 1887

New York Gothams
Polo Grounds I New York NY 1887

Philadelphia Pythians
Huntingdon Grounds I Philadelphia PA 1887

Pittsburg Keystones
Recreation Park Pittsburgh PA 1887

Negro National League, 1920-31, 1933-48

Akron Black Tyrites
League Park II Akron OH 1933

A.C. Bacharach Giants
Bacharach Field Atlantic City NJ 1934

Baltimore Black Sox
Bacharach Field Atlantic City NJ 1933
Bugle Field Baltimore MD 1933-34

Baltimore Elite Giants
Gordy Park Salisbury MD 1941 (1 gm)
Venable Stadium Baltimore MD 1944-48

Birmingham Black Barons
Rickwood Field Birmingham AL 1924-25
Rickwood Field Birmingham AL 1927-30

Brooklyn Eagles
Ebbets Field Brooklyn NY 1935

Chi Cole's American Giants
Victory Field I Indianapolis IN 1933
South Side Park III Chicago IL 1933-35

Chicago American Giants
Piqua Park Piqua IL 1920
Soldier Field Chicago IL 1924
37th and Butler Chicago IL 1931
Normal Park Chicago IL 1920-21
South Side Park III Chicago IL 1920-31
Hampton Institute Field Hampton VA 1920s
Leland Giants Park Chicago IL 1922-23
Asbury Ball Park Chicago IL 1925-26
Pyott's Park Chicago IL 1928-30
Shewbridge Park Chicago IL 1935 (1 gm)
Mills Stadium Chicago IL 1935 (1 gm)
Spencer Field Chicago IL 1935 (1 gm)
Borchert Field Milwaukee WI 1935 (1 gm)

Chicago Giants
67th and Langley Chicago IL 1920-21

Cincinnati Clowns
Municipal Park Springfield OH 1943 (1 gm)

Cincinnati Cuban Stars
Northside Park Cincinnati OH 1921

Cleveland Browns
Beyerle's Park Newburgh Hgts OH 1924

Cleveland Cubs
Cubs Stadium Cleveland OH 1931
Hardware Field Cleveland OH 1931

Cleveland Elites
Beyerle's Park Newburgh Hgts OH 1926

Cleveland Giants
Luna Bowl Cleveland OH 1933

Cleveland Hornets
Beyerle's Park Newburgh Hgts OH 1927

Cleveland Red Sox
Luna Bowl Cleveland OH 1934

Cleveland Tate Stars
Beyerle's Park Newburgh Hgts OH 1922

Columbus Bluebirds
Red Bird Stadium Columbus OH 1933

Columbus Buckeyes
Neil Park II Columbus OH 1921

Columbus Elite Giants
Red Bird Stadium Columbus OH 1935

Cuban Stars West
South Side Park III Chicago IL 1920s

Cubans
Estadio Cerveza Tropicale Havana 1930s-40s
Dyckman Oval New York NY 1935-36

Dayton Marcos
Ducks Park Dayton OH 1920, 26

Detroit Stars
Mack Park Detroit MI 1920-29
Hamtramck Stadium Hamtramck MI 1930-31, 33

Harrisburg-St. Louis Stars
Island Stadium Harrisburg PA 1943

Havana Cuban Stars
Estadio Gran I Havana 1920
Dyckman Oval New York NY 1920

Homestead Grays
Pennsylvania Railroad Park Altoona PA 1930s
Municipal Field Homestead PA 1930s
Point Stadium Johnstown PA 1930s
Page Park Monessen PA 1930s
Peters' Park Danville VA 1930s (1 gm)
Butler Field Butler PA 1935-36
Gus Greenlee Field Pittsburgh PA 1935-38
Forbes Field Pittsburgh PA 1935-48
Mark Grey Athletic Park Zanesville OH 1938 (1 gm)
Griffith Stadium Washington DC 1939-48
Halloran Park Lima OH 1942 (1 gm)

Indianapolis ABCs
Victory Field I Indianapolis IN 1931
Walnut Park Muncie IN 1920 (1 gm)
Riverside Park Indianapolis IN 1920-26
Northwestern Ave Grounds Indianapolis IN 1920-26
Speedway Park Indianapolis IN 1920-26
Lebanon Memorial Park Lebanon IN 1920s
Dean Park Crawfordsville IN 1923 (1 gm)

Kansas City Monarchs
Association Park II Kansas City MO 1920-22
South Side Park III Chicago IL 1920s
Paradeway Park Kansas City MO 1923-30

Louisville White Sox
Parkway Field Louisville KY 1931

Memphis Red Sox
Sulphur Dell I Nashville TN 1924-25
Martin Park Memphis TN 24-25,27,29-30

Milwaukee Bears
South Side Park III Chicago IL 1923
Borchert Field Milwaukee WI 1923

Nashville Elite Giants
Wilson Park Nashville TN 1930
Sulphur Dell II Nashville TN 1930, 33-34
Engel Stadium Chattanooga TN 1930s

New York Black Yankees
Hebrew Orphan Asylum Oval New York NY 1936
Hawkins Stadium Albany NY 1948 (1 gm)
Red Wing Stadium Rochester NY 1948
Dexter Park Brooklyn NY 1930s-40s
Triborough Stadium New York NY 1937-38
Hinchliffe Stadium Paterson NJ 1939-47
Offermann Stadium Buffalo NY 1940s
Roosevelt Stadium Jersey City NJ 1940s
Yankees Stadium New York NY 1940s
MacArthur Stadium Syracuse NY 1940s

New York Cuban Stars
Dyckman Oval New York NY 1922

New York Cuban Stars West
Catholic Protectory Oval New York NY 1923-30

New York Cubans
Recreation Park III New York NY 1935
59th Street Bridge New York NY 1939
Queens Park New York NY 1940
Polo Grounds V New York NY 1948
Dexter Park Brooklyn NY 1930s-40s
Grove Street Oval II East Orange NJ 1941-47

Newark Dodgers
Meadowbrook Oval Newark NJ 1934-35
Olemar Field Irvington NJ 1935 (1 gm)

Newark Eagles
Dunn Field Trenton NJ 1946
Ruppert Stadium Newark NJ 1936-48

Philadelphia Bacharach Giants
Passon Park Philadelphia PA 1934

Philadelphia Stars
Passon Park Philadelphia PA 1934-35
Penmar Park Philadelphia PA 1936-48

Pittsburgh Crawfords
Swayne Field Toledo OH 1937
Point Stadium Johnstown PA 1930s
Ammon Field Pittsburgh PA 1933-38
Gus Greenlee Field Pittsburgh PA 1933-38

Pittsburgh Keystones
Central Park Pittsburgh PA 1922

St. Louis Giants
Handlan's Park St. Louis MO 1920-21

St. Louis Stars
Giants Park St. Louis MO 1922
Handlan's Park St. Louis MO 1920s
Vandeventer Lot II St. Louis MO 1920s
Easton Street Park St. Louis MO 1920s
Market Street Park St. Louis MO 1920s
Stars Park St. Louis MO 1922-31

Toledo Tigers
Swayne Field Toledo OH 1923

Washington Black Senators
Griffith Stadium Washington DC 1938

Washington Elite Giants
Dyckman Oval New York NY 1937
Griffith Stadium Washington DC 1936-37

Eastern Colored League, 1923-28

A.C. Bacharach Giants
Bronx Oval New York NY 1920s
Lewisohn Stadium New York NY 1920s
Bacharach Field Atlantic City NJ 1923-28

Baltimore Black Sox
Druid Hill Baltimore MD 1920s
Maryland Baseball Park Baltimore MD 1923-28

Brooklyn Royal Giants
Dexter Park Brooklyn NY 1923-27

Darby Hilldales
Hilldale Park Yeadon PA 1923-27

Harrisburg Giants
West End Grounds Harrisburg PA 1924-27

Hilldale
Rosemore Park Lancaster PA 1925 (1 gm)

New York Cuban Stars East
Dyckman Oval New York NY 1923-28

New York Lincoln Giants
Wivchar Stadium Riverhead NY 1920s
Olympic Field New York NY 1923-26, 28

Newark Stars
Newark Schools Stadium Newark NJ 1926

Philadelphia Hilldales
Razzberry Park Camden NJ 1923

Philadelphia Tigers
Chessline Park Philadelphia PA 1928

Washington Potomacs
Standpipe Park Washington DC 1924

American Negro League, 1929

A.C. Bacharach Giants
Bacharach Field Atlantic City NJ 1929

Baltimore Black Sox
Maryland Baseball Park Baltimore MD 1929

Darby Hilldales
Hilldale Park Yeadon PA 1929

Homestead Grays
Forbes Field Pittsburgh PA 1929
Grays Field Pittsburgh PA 1929
Ammon Field Pittsburgh PA 1929
Washington Park Pittsburgh PA 1929

New York Cuban Stars East
Dyckman Oval New York NY 1929

New York Lincoln Giants
Olympic Field New York NY 1929

Negro Southern League, 1932

Atlanta Black Crackers
Ponce de Leon Park II Atlanta GA 1932

Chi Cole's American Giants
South Side Park III Chicago IL 1932

Columbus Turfs
Neil Park II Columbus OH 1932

Indianapolis ABCs
Victory Field I Indianapolis IN 1932

Little Rock Grays
Travelers Field Little Rock AR 1932

Louisville Black Caps
Parkway Field Louisville KY 1932

Memphis Red Sox
Martin Park Memphis TN 1932

Monroe Monarchs
Casino Park Monroe LA 1932

Montgomery Grey Sox
Cramton Bowl Montgomery AL 1932
College Hill Park Montgomery AL 1932

Nashville Elite Giants
Wilson Park Nashville TN 1932
Sulphur Dell II Nashville TN 1932

Negro East-West League, 1932

Baltimore Black Sox
Bugle Field Baltimore MD 1932

Cleveland Stars
Luna Bowl Cleveland OH 1932

Cuban Stars
Dyckman Oval New York NY 1932

Darby Hilldales
Hilldale Park Yeadon PA 1932

Detroit Wolves
Hamtramck Stadium Hamtramck MI 1932

Homestead Grays
Forbes Field Pittsburgh PA 1932
Cycler Park McKeesport PA 1932 (1 gm)

Newark Browns
Sprague Field Bloomfield NJ 1932
Meadowbrook Oval Newark NJ 1932

Pittsburgh Crawfords
Gus Greenlee Field Pittsburgh PA 1932
League Park II Akron OH 1932 (1 gm)
Mahaffey Park Canton OH 1932 (1 gm)

Washington Pilots
Griffith Stadium Washington DC 1932

Negro American League, 1937-61

Atlanta Black Crackers
Ponce de Leon Park II Atlanta GA 1938

Baltimore Elite Giants
Venable Stadium Baltimore MD 1949
Terrapin Park Baltimore MD 1938-44
Westport Stadium Westport MD 1950-51

Birmingham Black Barons
Hilton Park Wilmington NC 1930s
Rickwood Field Birmingham AL 1937-38
Rickwood Field Birmingham AL 1940-61
McCormick Field Asheville NC 1940s
Athletic Park Durham NC 1940s
Travelers Field Little Rock AR 1940s
Luther Williams Field Macon GA 1940s
Devereaux Meadow Raleigh NC 1940s
Grayson Stadium Savannah GA 1940s

Chicago American Giants
South Side Park III Chicago IL 1937-40
Turner Field Hammond IN 1941 (1 gm)
Comiskey Park I Chicago IL 1941-52

Cincinnati Buckeyes
Crosley Field Cincinnati OH 1942

Cincinnati Clowns
Crosley Field Cincinnati OH 1943
Lanphier Park Springfield IL 1943
Crosley Field Cincinnati OH 1945

Cincinnati Tigers
Crosley Field Cincinnati OH 1937

Cleveland Bears
Hardware Field Cleveland OH 1939-40

Cleveland Buckeyes
League Park IV Cleveland OH 1943-48, 50

Detroit Clowns
Mack Park Detroit MI 1958

Detroit Stars
De Quindre Park Detroit MI 1937
Sportsman's Park Detroit MI 1937 (1 gm)
Mack Park Detroit MI 1954-57, 59
Tiger Stadium Detroit MI 1957 (1 gm)

Detroit-New Orleans Stars
Mack Park Detroit MI 1960-61
Stars Field New Orleans LA 1960-61

Houston Eagles
Clark Field Austin TX 1949-50
Buff Stadium Houston TX 1949-50

Indianapolis ABCs
Victory Field I Indianapolis IN 1938-39

Indianapolis Athletics
Victory Field I Indianapolis IN 1937

Indianapolis Clowns
Victory Field I Indianapolis IN 1946-55
Offermann Stadium Buffalo NY 1951-55

Indianapolis Crawfords
Victory Field I Indianapolis IN 1940

Indianapolis-Cincinnati Clowns
Crosley Field Cincinnati OH 1944
Victory Field I Indianapolis IN 1944

Jacksonville Red Caps
Durkee Field Jacksonville FL 1938, 41-42

Kansas City Monarchs
Belleville H.S. Athletic Field Belleville IL 1950
Municipal Stadium Kansas City MO 1937-61
Ainsworth Field Erie PA 1940s
Sportsman's Park IV St. Louis MO 1941 (1 gm)
Valley Field Grand Rapids MI 1956-61
Golden Park Columbus GA 1957-61
Lakeside Park Decatur AL 1957-61
Legion Field Decatur AL 1957-61
Highland Park Stadium Kokomo IN 1957-61
Legio Field Lake Charles LA 1957-61
Travelers Field Little Rock AR 1957-61
Centennial Field Tallahassee FL 1957-61
Martin Park Memphis TN 1960-61

Louisville Black Colonels
Parkway Field Louisville KY 1954

Louisville Buckeyes
Parkway Field Louisville KY 1949

Many Teams Cardines Field Newport RI 1930s-40s

Memphis Red Sox
Martin Park Memphis TN 1937-41, 43-59
Municipal Stadium Greenville SC 1940s
Russwood Park Memphis TN 1940s

Mobile Havana Cuban Giants
Hartwell Field Mobile AL 1957

New Orleans Bears
Pelican Stadium New Orleans LA 1957

New Orleans Eagles
Pelican Stadium New Orleans LA 1951

New Orleans-St. Louis Stars
Mounds Ballfield Mounds IL 1939
Pelican Stadium New Orleans LA 1941
South End Park St. Louis MO 1941
Sportsman's Park IV St. Louis MO 1941 (1 gm)

New York Cubans
Polo Grounds V New York NY 1949-50

Newark Indians
Ruppert Stadium Newark NJ 1959

Philadelphia Stars
Penmar Park Philadelphia PA 1949-52

Raleigh Tigers
Rickwood Field Birmingham AL 1959
Clarksville Stadium Clarksville VA 1961
Old Armory Field Lumberton NC 1961
Smithfield Stadium Smithfield NC 1961
Engel Stadium Chattanooga TN 1959 (1 gm)
American Legion Park Newton NC 1959 (1 gm)
Legion Field Whiteville NC 1959 (1 gm)
13th and Anne Streets Park Wilmington NC 1959 (1 gm)
American Legion Field Wallace NC 1959, 61 (2 gm)
Chavis Park Raleigh NC 1959-61
Griffith Park Charlotte NC 1961 (1 gm)
Whittemore Athletic Field Conway SC 1961 (1 gm)
Athletic Park Durham NC 1961 (1 gm)
Hicks Field Edenton NC 1961 (1 gm)
War Memorial Stadium Greensboro NC 1961 (1 gm)
Brewer H.S. Field Greenwood SC 1961 (1 gm)
Rockingham Stadium Rockingham NC 1961 (1 gm)
Municipal Stadium Rocky Mount NC 1961 (1 gm)
Talbert Park Rocky Mount NC 1961 (1 gm)
Riley Park Sumter SC 1961 (1 gm)
American Legion Stadium Wilmington NC 1961 (1 gm)

St. Louis Stars
Metropolitan Park St. Louis MO 1937
South End Park St. Louis MO 1939

Toldeo Crawfords
Swayne Field Toledo OH 1939

[baseballPAP]

Wow...thats an excellent post!

[bryanac625]

Very interesting! I've just always thought of the Negro League teams playing games in MLB ballparks. I guess they played in any park they could.

Did any NL teams own their own ballparks? I have wondered that as well.

At least in the case of one club, Washington Senators owner Clark Griffith opposed integration, not so much out of overt racism but because he depended on the Negro League games to supplement the income of his futile Senators.

[Brian McKenna]

I'm not sure if any Negro league clubs owned their own park. I would suspect that maybe their was some sort of $ interest in Gus Greenlee Field in Pittsburgh but I really don't know.

[SBBL]

In 1931 Gus Greenlee, owner of the Pittsburg Crawfords, bought an old cemetary and dug up the bodies. This was the piece of land were he built The Palace Of Black Baseball, Greenlee Field.

It opened in 1932. The $100,000 cost of the land and park was financed entirely by Greenlee. It was, historicaly speaking, a remarkable achievement.

In 1939 Greenlee was deep in dept and sold ownership to a group of white buisness men. The park was torn down within weeks.
__
In Chicago, Rube Foster had an odd deal at Schorling Park. Foster owned the rites to the grandstand, while the white leagues owner Charles Comiskey owned the rites to the entire rest of the park and land.

[bulldogbats]

Check out a book entitled Green Cathedrals. It has information, including park dimensions and useage for every park used even for one major league game, including Negro leagues.

It's the kind of book you pick up to answer one question, and an hour later, you are still reading.

[2Chance]

Oakland56 shared this slideshow of West Field, used by the Homestead Grays.

Malt-tones has some information on Mack Park, but is presumably still looking for more, and there is one picture there....


Good thread.

[SBBL]

Check out a book entitled Green Cathedrals. It has information, including park dimensions and useage for every park used even for one major league game, including Negro leagues.

Well put. The Negro leagues were major league.

[Brian McKenna]

Investing in black ballplarks was a risky business.

The Hilldales spent $14,000 renovating Hilldale Park in 1931. A ton of cash was spend on renovations on the Dyckman Oval in 1935 and Greenlee and investors spent nearly six figures on a new park in 1932.

All three of these parks were gone by 1939.

[Doug Miller]

West Field is in sorry shape. I was there on Sunday, and will try to post pics in the next few days.

Doug

[BalUmp]

I was looking for Bugle Field (Baltimore) on your NAL list but did not see it. Wikipedia says it was torn down in 1949 during the playoffs so I guess this article for an NAL playoff game there must be the last game played at the Field.

Did Bugle Field have another name?

Thanks,
BalUmp

[Brian McKenna]

I was looking for Bugle Field (Baltimore) on your NAL list but did not see it. Wikipedia says it was torn down in 1949 during the playoffs so I guess this article for an NAL playoff game there must be the last game played at the Field.

Did Bugle Field have another name?

Thanks,
BalUmp

This park was named after the Bugle Coat and Apron Supply Company, Maryland's largest laundry company. The Bugle Co. was owned by the Washington Senators Cuban scout, Joe Cambria, who also owned the Black Sox.

Bugle Field was also called Moore's Field at some point.

I took the ballpark listings out of Green Cathedrals. The listing would, I believe, be made only if the team used the park for league play. Of couse, many venues were used for other contests against semi-pros, colleges, ML, NgL and amateur clubs.

If they did play league games there in the NAL then I may have simply missed the listing (don't have the book at hand). Now that I notice the gap in the dates - I probably did.