Need Help Identifying a Ballpark

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Posted By: Dan Bretta

Just got these beauties in the mail today...it is Boston, but I don't know which ballpark. I think it's pre-Fenway, but I don't know if this is the Huntington Ave Grounds or not. It is not Boston Braves Field because there was nothing but railroad tracks and the river on the other side of left field. Any help appreciated.





Check out the sign just to the right of the Bostonia Cigars sign - it's a sign for Nuf Ced's.

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Posted By: barrysloate

Those photos are fantastic, but they look pre-Fenway. Is it Huntington Grounds?

Dan- wanted to add that Boston Braves field was purchased by Boston University and turned into a dorm complex, and that's where I lived my freshman year of college. We used to play softball and touch football right on the old field.

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Posted By: Dan Bretta

I don't know if it's Huntington Ave or not...there is a sign for Nuf Ced's which was on the Avenue at the time these photos were taken. I'm wondering where the Braves played before 1915? It certainly not Fenway - No Duffy's cliff.

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Posted By: Jason Carota

South End Grounds, maybe? I believe that is different from the BU/Braves field. I could be wrong though. Excellent photo, nonetheless.

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Posted By: Joe D.

As usual, you post something amazing.

The Indian Motorcycle ad looks as though it spelled Motocycle (no R)
which puts it at 1923 or later
http://www.indianmotorcycle.com/ (click on history, then click 1920-29).


Looks like you have a big Durham Bull in the outfield. Wonder what that was for?


Other than that - no other clues jump out at me... but I will look at it some more tonight.

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Posted By: barrysloate

Even though I lived a year on West Campus, it's impossible for me to tell if this is Braves Field because it looks completely different today. A small part of the outfield fence was left standing, but everything else has changed. The stone pillar entrance on Babcock Street, which you can see on some of the old postcards of the stadium, was still intact as of 1969-70. I assume they have not torn them down since.

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Posted By: dennis

south end grounds

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Posted By: Dan Bretta

Hmmm...that Motocycle thing has me perplexed. This is obviously Boston as all the advertising is for Boston area businesses and they came out of a photo album where they were marked "Baseball game in Boston, USA" (They came from Canada) - It's not Fenway, and it certainly doesn't look like Braves Field because of the businesses and buildings beyond the leftfield wall...also Braves field had a scoreboard on the outfield wall. I am almost certain that this is pre 1923. There was another photo on the backside of the baseball photos of a Tennis tournament in New Jersey or New York (Can't read the writing to tell exactly)...it may give a hint of the age though.

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Posted By: Dan Bretta

South End Grounds it is....Awesome! Thanks guys.

edited to add: Dennis where did you find that photo and do you know the date of it? It appears as though it was taken around the same time considering most of the advertising is the same.

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Posted By: dennis

the photo is from the marc okkonen book "baseball memories" 1900-1909 (which is a great reference btw) i think it's a 1910 photo?

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Posted By: Joe D.

maybe the 'motocycle' spelling was used informally for a while before the official name change.

I honestly don't know.... but that spelling compells me to think 1920s.

I can be completely wrong though.

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Posted By: Steve f

Dan,

That photo is a treasure, my old 'hood. Rough part of town for many decades but luckily the yuppies have begun to resurrect the grand old brownstones -once drug havens and cat houses. The large domed building out beyond L still stands the Christian Science Church c1894 and furthur still, you may find the State House dome (1.5mi) and the tip of the Bunker Hill (4mi) monument. Can you see much detail out there?

Parallel to the left field stands and beyond the tracks app. 200 yds. sat the right field stands of the HAG. I apologize for the reminiscing.

PS; Would love to own that pic. I'm actually more interested in what's outside the walls. Don't sell until you check with me, please!

Boston's Christian Science Church at Huntington and Mass Ave;

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Posted By: Dan Bretta

Joe, South End Grounds closed in 1914. Motocycle must have been in use informally.

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Posted By: Dan Bretta

Steve, thanks for the info....Photos are one of my major interest so I'll be probably holding onto these for quite a while, but if I do decide to sell for any reason I'll make a mental note.

You seem to know the area pretty well, is there any kind of marker set up there commemorating the area of the old ballpark?

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Posted By: Joe D.

great to know!

sounds conclusive to me.


great great photos. Isn't it awesome to see all of the well dressed people in the audience (suits). A sign of the times.

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Posted By: Dan Bretta

Yep. These old stadium photos are some of my favorites...you can always seem to find something else everytime you look at it. I just now noticed in the first photo the people out sitting on the centerfield fence. Gives you a great idea of how high the fence was.

Now if someone could just identify this stadium...I've had this one for a while and never been able to conclusively identify it.



On the back is written "1912 American League"

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Posted By: Steve f

Dan, I know of no specific marker for the third (c1894)or preceding SEGs. This site was also the Walpole Street Grounds '2' and Boston Ball Grounds '1' prior.

In the '30s I believe, Walpole Ave was no more and Columbus Ave was dead-ended and nearly that entire southend was redesigned. As if Boston isn't hard eough to navigate. There is a monument to the HAG on the Northeastern Campus.

1903 Huntington Ave Gds with SEG in the background and railyard with roundhouse in between. First WS, Cy Young over Wagner

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Posted By: Dan Bretta

Steve, thanks for the info....I've seen that photo of the HAG a million times and never knew that was the South End Grounds in the background. I bet that place was a party when both teams were playing on the same day. I have a ton of relatives in Boston/Somerville but I don't know any of 'em. One was even the mayor of Somerville and a state rep in the 1950-60s...he unfortunately went on to infamy in the ABSCAM deal when he was in the GSA under Jimmy Carter.

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Posted By: Steve f

You're quite welcome. I enjoyed these 'Where's Waldo' type threads the most.

There Used To Be A Ballpark

Oh, there used to be a ball park
where the field was warm and green,
and the people played a crazy game
with a joy I've never seen.

How the people watched with wonder,
how they laughed and how they cheered
Yes, there used to be a ball park....
right here....

And the people ate rock candy
on a great big 4th of July
and the fireworks exploded
all across the summer sky.

And the air was filled with wonder
from the hot dogs and the beer
Yes, there used to be a ball park...
right here....

Now the children try to find it,
and they can't believe their eyes
For the old team isn't playing,
and the new team hardly tries

And the sky has gotten cloudy
when it used to be so clear
and the summer... went so quickly...
this year...

Yes, there used to be a ball park...
right here.

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Posted By: Joe D.

Waban Park in Oak Bluffs, Mass?

I picked up my second 'Waban Park' baseball postcard (1910, 1911).

I purchased the first one because I thought it looked cool (no particular team or player affiliation it appears)... the second was picked up because I had the first one.

Just wondering if you knew anything about Waban Park baseball?

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Posted By: Greg

Here are some other views of the South End Grounds, courtesy of the Boston Public Library. What an incredible ball park. It met it's demise in a fire. There's really not much left of this area. As mentioned before, the whole region has completely changed. This site is now a subway station and it's adjacent environs, from what I have been told, and in tracing the area down.

Nice photos, Dan. I can't make out all of the billboards, but do you notice any advertisements for beer? Could you post a closer scan of Nuf Ced?

All the best,
Greg

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Posted By: Steve f

Joe,

100 years later, it still resembles your PC, many antique gingerbread cottages surround Ocean Park (Waban)with a bandstand in the center. Like Cape Codders, Nantucket and Vineyard residents hate progress. Vineyard Haven is still a dry town

There isn't any organized ball played there. Just dogs, frisbees and kites. The Vineyard Fire Co's hold a big muster contest each year on the green. The Cape Cod League however still produces some hot prospects.


Every summers' end, after the tourists and mopeds have left, we load the Hawgs on the Vineyard ferry at Woods Hole for the 7 mi trip across the Sound to the Island to spend an overnight. The back roads and scenery are beautiful and some say it reminded them of Ireland. You leave there feeling younger.

Like the ride to Key West, the views from the Island's a must see before checking out.

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Posted By: Jason Carota

Figures. I grew up in Massachusetts (still live there,) spent many a summer day on the Cape, and a few days on the Vineyard. Yet I never knew that park was the site of an old diamond. Thanks for the pics and info, Steve F. and Joe D.

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Posted By: Joe D.

Thanks Steve and Jason.

I actually lived in the Boston area for a year (Waltham, Bentley College).

Other than Harvard Square, and occassionally Fenway - I spent much of my time on campus - on a hill in Waltham (usually a bit overserved).

for many years after - I would make an annual trip back to Boston.... I haven't been there in a while though. Next time... maybe I will head to Waban Park.

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Posted By: barrysloate

Hey Joe- I lived in Boston for two and a half years, in the Boston University dorms and in an apartment in Brookline. We'll have to compare notes sometime.

Interesting that I've lived in both Brookline and Brooklyn.