Trying to identify this ballpark - any thoughts?

[Greenmonster]

Trying to identify this ballpark - any thoughts? Thank you. Jim

[frankbmd]

Star Brand Shoes were made by Johnson & Rand Co in St. Louis, MO.

Virtually all, if not all of the advertising on the outfield wall shown from CF to foul territory is related to this company.

I would think a prewar ball park in St. Louis would be most likely. (?)

There is a structural similarity of the upper deck to Sportsmans Park.

Later photos of Sportsman's Park show the upper deck extending around into the outfield, but this could have been done in stages.

My final answer is one of the iterations of Sportsman's Park, St. Louis before the upper deck was extended.

[BradH]

I agree with Frank. I don't have my old Sportsmans Park photos handy, but for a long time it had a flag pole in center field, that I believe was actually in play. The second photo shows a large white flag pole in right-center field.

I believe the RF or CF wall may have been moved back at some point (?) and the pole was painted black (or replaced with a black one). Some of our St. Louis experts on the board could probably answer this pretty easily.

[iwantitiwinit]

I think you're right Frank it's one of the many iterations of Sportsman's Park. Also did you notice how much foul grounds there was, it looks like 30 yards plus from the first base line to the dugout.

"The St. Louis Browns built a new ballpark where Sportsman’s Park burned in 1898. Consisting of about 8,000 wooden seats, the ballpark was named after its predecessor. In 1908 a new ballpark was constructed. Concrete and steel was used to build a double deck grandstand from first to third base with additional seating joining the lower level and extending down the lines. Bleachers were also built and placed in the outfield increasing the capacity to 18,000. The Browns played their first game at the new Sportsmans Park against Cleveland on April 14, 1909. For over two decades the Cardinals had played at Robinson Field, a 21,000 seat ballpark. In 1920 owner of the Cardinals, Sam Breadon, sold the ballpark for financial reasons. The Cardinals moved to Sportsmans Park, playing their first game there on July 1, 1920. By the 1925 season the grandstands were double decked to both foul poles and the bleachers in right field were covered, increasing the capacity to 30,500."

- See more at: http://www.ballparksofbaseball.com/past/SportsmansPark.htm#sthash.KXL1Fqwj.dpuf

[Greenmonster]

Yes I agree, St. Louis was my first thought but I hadn't found any photos to match up with these. Based upon the uniforms I think it may be 1909/10 Browns vs Yankees. Thank you for the help. Jim

[cardsfan73]

So are we thinking this is "New" Sportsman Park Aka Robison Field Aka League Park Aka Cardinal Field?

It's obviously not Stars Park & I think the image is to new to be Union League Park..

Only other possibility I can think of is Federal League Park Aka Handlan Park Aka Steininger Field..

Having trouble locating photos for comparison.. I'll do some digging through my local history books and see what I can find.

[sreader3]

Book and Shoe Recorder, Vol. 55 (1909):

"We have also at this same park [Sportsman's Park] on the bleachers the sign that is 400 ft. long and 6 1/2 ft. high. We will show you this sign in the next edition of 'The Evidence.' There has been about 30,000 people in this park somedays and the fact is very forcibly impressed upon these 'fans' that:

'Star Brand Shoes Are Better'"

http://books.google.com/books?id=avIxAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA614&dq=%22star+brand+shoes+are+better%22+baseball&hl=en&sa=X&ei=63zZUf-eHuqxywGfqYG4AQ&ved=0CDwQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=%22star%20brand%20shoes%20are%20better%22%20base ball&f=false

Edited to add: Not sure if the 400 x 6 1/2 ft. reference means that the various Star Brand ads on the outfield wall were all part of the same sign?

[Greenmonster]

Book and Shoe Recorder, Vol. 55 (1909):

"We have also at this same park [Sportsman's Park] on the bleachers the sign that is 400 ft. long and 6 1/2 ft. high. We will show you this sign in the next edition of 'The Evidence.' There has been about 30,000 people in this park somedays and the fact is very forcibly impressed upon these 'fans' that:

'Star Brand Shoes Are Better'"

http://books.google.com/books?id=avIxAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA614&dq=%22star+brand+shoes+are+better%22+baseball&hl=en&sa=X&ei=63zZUf-eHuqxywGfqYG4AQ&ved=0CDwQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=%22star%20brand%20shoes%20are%20better%22%20base ball&f=false

Edited to add: Not sure if the 400 x 6 1/2 ft. dimensions mean that the various Star Brand ads on the outfield were all part of the same sign?

Nice research, more evidence that we're looking at St. Louis.