Photo identification of park and teams: help needed ~1908

[baseballart]

Some time ago, I acquired three small photos. If anyone can identify the park and teams, that would be great. I have scanned the photos at 800 dpi and added the link to the very large photos on my flickr site

Photo 1:

Nothing on back:



Link to very large photo.



Photo 2:

On back:

"....[illegible} vs Washington, September 5, 08 [08 is questionable]"



Link to very large photo.

Photo 3:

On back:

"Royal Giants vs Philadelphia Giants, September 7, 08 [?] Labor Day



Link to large photo

I suspect the ballpark is unique enough that it won't be too hard to identify for those with expertise in stadiums. Despite the writing on the back, the players in photo 3 don't look African American. September 7, 1908 was a Monday, so if Labor Day was indeed that day back then, at least that part of the identification is correct.

[GKreindler]

Hey Max,

Upon a quick initial glance, the first and third photos are DEFINITELY from the Polo Grounds. I'll look into it a bit more and see what else I can come up with.

Graig

[GKreindler]

...and I'm pretty sure the middle photo is from Hilltop Park.

Graig

[baseballart]

Thanks Graig. Retrosheet.org does indeed show that the Highlanders were hosting Washington on September 5, 1908; however, the Giants were away on Monday, September 7, 1908. The one photo does state on the reverse that the "Royal Giants" [of Boston, I believe] were playing the Philadelphia Giants, so if it is the Polo Grounds, then I'm not sure why these two teams would be noted on the back.

Max

[baseballart]

On further reflection and after taking my own advice and looking at the very large photos, it does appear that the first and third photos show African American players. I suspect I simply assumed that all three photos were taken at the same stadium, which, as Graig has pointed out, is not the case.

Max

[thecatspajamas]

FWIW, that September 5, 1908 game was the second of three shut-outs in a row that Johnson pitched against the Highlanders, with the third coming in the first game of a double-header on Labor Day, 9/7/08. Found a neat little blurb about the feat in searching for more info:

When the Senators arrived in New York City for a series on Labor Day weekend, Washington was in seventh place in the eight-team AL. New York was dead last. Senators' manager Joe Cantillon decided to give his prize pupil the utmost exposure to the skeptical New York baseball writers.

The New York newspapers heaped praise on the young fireball pitcher in the gray Senators uniform. With his tongue firmly planted in his cheek, W.W. Aulick wrote: "We are grievously disappointed in this man Johnson of Washington. He and his team had four games to play with the Yankees. Johnson pitched the first game and shut us out. Johnson pitched the second game and shut us out. Johnson pitched the third game and shut us out. Did Johnson pitch the fourth game and shut us out? He did not! Oh, you quitter!"

[bmarlowe1]

Middle one definitely Hilltop.

[Jaybird]

I thought the Polo Grounds had an upper deck but maybe it didn't go that far along the third base line?

There is an historic field called the Dyckman Oval which was in Manhattan.

Below is a photo from the tracks with the ballpark on the right in the distance.




This one shows a shadow of the tracks at the right elevation to be riding above the stadium. Unfortunately, I don't think there are any good reference photos of the interior and I cannot find any information on when it was built. But it was used for Negro League games for many years starting in at least 1913. So, possibly earlier and could include your dates.

Just a stab in the dark...



I believe these photos are from much later so that could account for the difference in surrounding buildings? I think the train is a key factor and could help locate the ballpark if this isn't it.

[bmarlowe1]

The 1st and 3rd photos are definitely Polo Grounds. They exactly match period photos.