Polo Grounds Picture Thread.

[JohnCropp]

Scroll down about halfway on this page:

http://forgotten-ny.com/STREET%20SCENES/155thstreet/155.html

Here's (http://www.newyorkcitywalk.com/html/images_PoloGrounds.html) a whole page about the steps and the New York Giants.

[Gary Dunaier]

Are those steps safe?

[nymdan]

Are those steps safe?

Probably no more or less safe than the escalators at Shea :-)

[Gary Dunaier]

Why, you little...



:laugh

[jimmyjimjimz]

Are those steps safe?

I'd be afraid to walk on them because theyre old and probably haven't been repaired in years.

[SHOELESSJOE3]

Here is a shot looking out of the centerfield bleachers at the Polo Grounds. Ruth hit home runs into the CF bleachers on two successive days.

I believe CF at that time was about 433 feet.

[Elvis]

It used to be such a elegant and graceful ballpark with the frescoes and such. Horace Stoneham ruined it.

[Yankeefan90]

It used to be such a elegant and graceful ballpark with the frescoes and such. Horace Stoneham ruined it.

You know I was just thinking of that. All of the older pics of the Polo Grounds show a beautiful looking stadium. But the later pics are much different, it shows an old run down very ugly ballpark.

[SHOELESSJOE3]

Not very good quality but here it is.

[SHOELESSJOE3]

Here is an ad or promo for the opener of the Polo Grounds. April 22, 1891.
That 50 cents admission seems kind of high, 1891.

[jimmyjimjimz]

Here is an ad or promo for the opener of the Polo Grounds. April 22, 1891.
That 50 cents admission seems kind of high, 1891.

wait,
you're trying to say that people paid 50 cents to go to a baseball game back in the day?

is this an early april fool's joke or something?

[SHOELESSJOE3]

wait,
you're trying to say that people paid 50 cents to go to a baseball game back in the day?

is this an early april fool's joke or something?

Sounds steep to me. I would think 50 cents was quite a bit for a ball game in 1891. Thats the actual ad that appeared in the N.Y.Times.

[EdTarbusz]

One of the American Association's selling points was that their games only cost 25 cents.

[Gary Dunaier]

I would think 50 cents was quite a bit for a ball game in 1891.
It may well have been. 50c in 1891 money is equivalent to $10.82 in today's dollars, if that helps to add any perspective.

[SHOELESSJOE3]

wait,
you're trying to say that people paid 50 cents to go to a baseball game back in the day?

is this an early april fool's joke or something?

No a joke in 1891 and here is what 50 cents could get you in 1930 at Buffalo New York's Offerman Stadium..............that is if your a lady or a child........ gents pay more. This was long after 1891 but to be considered there was not much cash flow in 1930, the depression. By the end of 1930 over 1300 banks suspended operations.

But it was Babe and Lou. Babe and Lou played a couple of game in Buffalo in 1930. In one game he played the outfield, first base, pitched and even played catcher. As far as I know only Luke Easter while with the Buffalo Bisons hit one over that scoreboard, close to 400 feet away and 40 feet high.

After the game Ruth gave a check for 250.00 dollars to a youth program.
One of the two Buffalo games never finished. In some games the Yanks had a way of ending the game. Ruth would come in from the outfield and play first base. It would happen almost every time, being that close to the crowd, one youngster would run on to the field for a hand shake. Then another and then groups on the field and the game would be called.

Here it is.

[jimmyjimjimz]

It may well have been. 50c in 1891 money is equivalent to $10.82 in today's dollars, if that helps to add any perspective.

$10.82 is still cheap. Why can't tickets still be that cheap?

[icee82]

Here is a photo of the Polo Grounds that I have not seen on this thread.

[The Monument]

Jimmy Jimmy Jimz, King of the ridiculous questions. Surprised that nobody has said this before. Or is everybody ignoring him,hoping he'll go away?

[TJH1923]

Here is a photo of the Polo Grounds that I have not seen on this thread.

Nice addition!!!!!

[The Monument]

Let me try a Jimmyjimz-type question-- Are the Giants wearing their San Francisco uniforms in that Polo Grounds picture because they already knew they were moving? Maybe they were trying to get the fans used to it?

[locke40]

Let me try a Jimmyjimz-type question-- Are the Giants wearing their San Francisco uniforms in that Polo Grounds picture because they already knew they were moving? Maybe they were trying to get the fans used to it?

No, I don't think so. If you look closely, they are in their road gray uniforms, and they are playing the Mets. I am guessing that this picture was taken after they had moved to San Francisco, and before the Mets moved into Shea. :thumbsup:

[jimmyjimjimz]

Let me try a Jimmyjimz-type question-- Are the Giants wearing their San Francisco uniforms in that Polo Grounds picture because they already knew they were moving? Maybe they were trying to get the fans used to it?

haha I was gonna mention that, but then I saw someone wearing a Mets jersey, so I didnt say anything.

[POLO GROUNDS 1957]

No, I don't think so. If you look closely, they are in their road gray uniforms, and they are playing the Mets. I am guessing that this picture was taken after they had moved to San Francisco, and before the Mets moved into Shea. :thumbsup:

This photo has been posted here in this baseball forum before. this photo was taken in May of 1963 when the Giants played the Mets at the Polo Grounds. look at the scoreboard it mentions the mets oldtimer game in june 22 1963 before a Philadelphia at Mets game.This photo came from the baseball hall of fame.

[Sean O]

Here is a photo of the Polo Grounds that I have not seen on this thread.

So, am I the only person who didn't know the upper deck had that odd configuration down the line? I thought it was a solid block of seats all the way around the bowl. Was it like that on the LF side as well? Interesting.

[The Monument]

Good point Sean O.That is interesting. I know that the stands did not always wrap around the outfield, that they ended nearer the foul poles. Maybe that had something to do with it. Something that always bugged me about Ebbets Field was the way the stands in deep LC looked. The roof was a different height and the stands were different also. Typical of those crazy Dodgers and their fans, though.

[stlfan]

For years I thought the same thing about the upper deck, but after looking closer at photos I noticed it. The reason why the upper deck splits like that near the left and right field corners is because the angle of the stands changes. If you look at the structure, the last row of the upper deck in the infield and the outfield until you reach the split, as well as the upper deck further in the outfield until it ends is at the same hieght. The reason they did this is that I guess they had to extend the back of the upper deck even more since the bleachers beneath them extended futher back, but they didn't want the profile of the structure to change. It would have looked funky and disjointed like when they added more upper deck at Griffith Stadium, Forbes Field and Shibe Park.

[reh303]

This photo has been posted here in this baseball forum before. this photo was taken in May of 1963 when the Giants played the Mets at the Polo Grounds. look at the scoreboard it mentions the mets oldtimer game in june 22 1963 before a Philadelphia at Mets game.This photo came from the baseball hall of fame.

Old Timers Game for a 1 year old baseball club? Interesting. Unless they used former Brooklyn Dodgers/NY Giants players?

[Urbanshocker13]

Old Timers Game for a 1 year old baseball club? Interesting. Unless they used former Brooklyn Dodgers/NY Giants players?

Yes they did use old dodgers and giants players, it was kind of like an old New York (NL) players timers day. That is the day that they retired Casey's number 37, for being the Mets first manager and a fan favorite!

[sportsfan19]

Unsure of the date, sometime before the fire.


I own a baseball book from 1971 called "This Great Game" which includes this wonderful photograph. It says the shot is from 1890. I have also found the photo online which states it's from 1890. (The photo is attached on post #2).

I love action photo's from the late 1800's. In my photo you can see the right-handed pitcher is in the act of throwing...really nice!!

[Mario Mendoza...HOF Lock]

Here is that photo, a little wider and sharper.



This one is smaller but much clearer


And here's a larger one of the shot heard round the world


Coogan's bluff. Yankee Stadium has yet to be built across the Harlem River at upper right.


After the last game 1957


Mets vs Pirates early in either '62 or '63

[TJH1923]

Some excellent additions to the thread. I am sure there are more photos that people forgot they have or have stored them and can't find them. I thoroughly enjoy viewing old stadium photos. I hope to see more that have not been posted.

[StanTheMan]

In response to the earlier question.... (I think it was Sean O) asking if the the left field upper deck configuration had the same "break" in the pitch of the seats as they made the bend towards center field.

The answer is yes, as seen in the numerous Shot Heard Round the World Photos posted in this thread. There is one a few posts up.

Earlier in the thread, there are some photographs of the Polo Grounds expansion work, when the upper deck was being completed, and this "break" was added in.

Presumably to allow the upper deck structure to make the "bend" without altering the number of available seats. There were probably some structural necessities as well.

I'll check my Polo Grounds books to see if there is any mention. I think Stew Thornleys book has something about it.

Every time I think I have laid eyes on every photo out there.... a new one (or two) surfaces. Keep em coming!!!

[Gary Dunaier]

Mets vs Pirates early in either '62 or '63
If memory serves me right that's the first pitch of the first Mets home game, April 1962.

[Mario Mendoza...HOF Lock]

If memory serves me right that's the first pitch of the first Mets home game, April 1962.

Hmmm. I would have thought the Mets first home game would have drawn a better crowd. What was the attendance at that game?

It looks more like a Florida Marlins home game :cap: (just kidding Marlins fans)

[metfan13]

Hmmm. I would have thought the Mets first home game would have drawn a better crowd. What was the attendance at that game?

It looks more like a Florida Marlins home game :cap: (just kidding Marlins fans)

Only 12-13K that first game. Contrary to what you sometimes read around here the Mets drew poorly in the Polo Grounds.

[POLO GROUNDS 1957]

Only 12-13K that first game. Contrary to what you sometimes read around here the Mets drew poorly in the Polo Grounds.

Why dont you tell the people here on this forum that the weather was bad for that day of the first mets game at the polo grounds instead of blaming the stadium.go look at the newspaper microfilms of that day 4-13-1962 the weather was very bad that day which explains the poor attendance not the stadium.

[icee82]

This is one of the best and most informative threads on here. There are some extremely knowledgeable people on here especially Polo Grounds 1957. I know that some guys give him a hard time about being "defensive" about the Polo Grounds but he a true historian when it comes to that famous structure.

[StanTheMan]

This is one of the best and most informative threads on here. There are some extremely knowledgeable people on here especially Polo Grounds 1957. I know that some guys give him a hard time about being "defensive" about the Polo Grounds but he a true historian when it comes to that famous structure.


Except he owns a postcard showing the PG blue, and claims it is accurate.:yawn:

As for the "weather" bringing down attendance... I don't buy it... at least not the only factor limiting attendance to less than 15K. How bad was the weather, Don?

[POLO GROUNDS 1957]

Except he owns a postcard showing the PG blue, and claims it is accurate.:yawn:

As for the "weather" bringing down attendance... I don't buy it... at least not the only factor limiting attendance to less than 15K. How bad was the weather, Don?
Go look at the microfilm for that day in new york. the weather was very bad. and we are not going to start about the TINKOR POSTCARD AGAIN.

[alpineinc]

Only 12-13K that first game. Contrary to what you sometimes read around here the Mets drew poorly in the Polo Grounds.

Although it's been discussed around here before, and the home opener may have been hampered by weather and weekday (albeit Friday) scheduling, the attendance that first year wasn't stellar. 11,532 avg per game is the Mets second lowest ever, in a ballpark very similar in capacity to Shea, and take out the LA and SF games and the average drops considerably (I believe the first LA game was the only at-or-near capacity tilt that year). In fact, none of the other 7 NL teams drew over 20,000 at PG all year, and there were no less than 7 home games under 4,000 in attendance, including 1,481 brave souls for a late September DH with the Colt .45s. That said, '62 attendance was a moderate 6th out of 10th in the league (and jumped to 4th in '63), and the Mets DID draw better in their only 2 PG years than in 4 of the Giants' last 5 years there. So, compared to today's standards, terrible, but the standards of the day, quite average.

[TJH1923]

Night Game. That is one crazy looking foul pole with the overhang of the upper deck.

[Mario Mendoza...HOF Lock]

1952


1913 WS (from Bain collection)


Outside PG 1913 WS


Media with their telegraph devices



1942


Yankee Stadium and the PG in the distance


1905 WS




1892 Giants


Subway line

[SHOELESSJOE3]

Some great shots there TJH especially those going back many years. Seems like going way back everyone wore a hat.

[alpineinc]

Love the photos of both PG and YS in the same shot; seems to be pretty rare. An old newspaper clipping from I think the '30's (reprinted in the great 50th Anniv. of YS insert section of the 1973 Yankee yearbook - lot of good historical stuff) has a great shot with a caption like "Two of New York's temples dedicated to the great God Baseball"...classic stuff.

[Mario Mendoza...HOF Lock]

This one is from a higher angle than a previously posted image with a similar view. You can see Yankee Stadium and the Bronx Couny Courthouse in the upper right. This photo more than any other I've seen shows just how close the two stadiums were.



Giants vs Philadelphia. Get your tickets now.


Aerial from 1940


This old postcard shows the ornate grandstand architecture


The next 2 are old PC game screenshots. If you squint, they almost look like the real thing.

[Kentucky Bomber]

These are some phenomenal shots. The subway photo going over the Harlem River from the Bronx was a shuttle that took you from the Bronx, just past Yankee Stadium to the Polo Grounds where you could transfer to the El train downtown. It went out of service and was dismantled in 1958, but...as with so much of the NYC Subway system there are remnants of it if you know where to look. Here's a web page devoted to it: http://www.forgotten-ny.com/SUBWAYS/9thavel/9Ave.html

The little spur at Yankee Stadium is now at the northeast corner of the new Stadium construction site.

[Mario Mendoza...HOF Lock]

Interesting KB. I love the forgotten-ny site.

Here are a few more PG shots from BallparksofBaseball.com, another great site.









A rare image of the PG in a football configuration. The NY Giants football team played there from 1925-55.

[StanTheMan]

Go look at the microfilm for that day in new york. the weather was very bad. and we are not going to start about the TINKOR POSTCARD AGAIN.


Overly defensive again.... I should have known. I'll make it easy for you.

DO YOU REMEMBER THE DETAILS OF THE WEATHER? I'm not driving downtown to look up the microfilm, or searching on the net for weather info from that day. Perhaps you can RECALL the info you claim to know and share it.... with something more than "the weather was bad that day?"

And we can certainly discuss Mr. Tinkor's Blue Polo Grounds Postcard.... as you learned in the "Worst Ballpark You've Seen A Game In" thread... your opinion is not always right, regardless of your own passion for said opinion.

[Kentucky Bomber]

Overly defensive again.... I should have known. I'll make it easy for you.

DO YOU REMEMBER THE DETAILS OF THE WEATHER? I'm not driving downtown to look up the microfilm, or searching on the net for weather info from that day. Perhaps you can RECALL the info you claim to know and share it.... with something more than "the weather was bad that day?"

And we can certainly discuss Mr. Tinkor's Blue Polo Grounds Postcard.... as you learned in the "Worst Ballpark You've Seen A Game In" thread... your opinion is not always right, regardless of your own passion for said opinion.

Not to take sides, but here is a quote from Leonard Schecter's "Once Upon the Polo Grounds" about Opening Day, 1962:"The field was sloshy and the day drippy and only some 12,000 people showed up to see the historic debut of the Mets".

[StanTheMan]

Well, that's certainly more infor KY Bomber, and a source. Thanks for that. It's certainly getting us closer to determining how much of a factor the weather really was, rather than the

"Why dont you tell the people here on this forum that the weather was bad for that day of the first mets game at the polo grounds instead of blaming the stadium."

as previously posted. I'm still interested in more info.... Anyone know any good weather history websites?

[Mario Mendoza...HOF Lock]

Here's another photo of the Mets-Pirates opening day game of 1962.

[alpineinc]

Opening Day, 1962:"The field was sloshy and the day drippy and only some 12,000 people showed up to see the historic debut of the Mets".


I'm still interested in more info.... Anyone know any good weather history websites?

(Old Farmer's) almanac.com has the weather from LaGuardia that day at 43 degrees maximum temp, with mean wind speed at 16 gusting to 20 mph. Precipitation just states rain and/or snow during the day. So, not the best baseball weather.

[metfan13]

Why dont you tell the people here on this forum that the weather was bad for that day of the first mets game at the polo grounds instead of blaming the stadium.go look at the newspaper microfilms of that day 4-13-1962 the weather was very bad that day which explains the poor attendance not the stadium.

9K for game 2. 11K for game 3.

They didn't draw over 20K for a game until the Dodgers came in for a DH at the end of May.

[Gary Dunaier]

That shot in post #292 (http://baseball-fever.com/showpost.php?p=1071800&postcount=292) showing the Polo Grounds at night, with the housing project in the background, was the first I've seen of the facility during a night game. Must have been really fun for the people living in those apartments, whose windows looked right on the lights.

I've always wondered why the NYC Housing Authority decided to build a housing project right next to the Polo Grounds!!!!!

And that color "higher angle" shot in post #296 (http://baseball-fever.com/showpost.php?p=1072001&postcount=296)... I've seen it before (I even bought an 8x10 of it on Ebay), and one of the odd things I've always wondered about that one was that there appears to be a large "Have a Knick" standup on the third base/left field side. Exactly what was it, what was it doing there, &c?

Also, the field doesn't look like it's set up for baseball in that shot, and the "batter's eyes" on both sides of the bleachers are not there.

Finally...


An old newspaper clipping from I think the '30's (reprinted in the great 50th Anniv. of YS insert section of the 1973 Yankee yearbook - lot of good historical stuff) has a great shot with a caption like "Two of New York's temples dedicated to the great God Baseball"...classic stuff.

If memory serves me right, that clipping actually appeared on or around Opening Day 1923. The photo also appeared in Joseph Durso's Yankee Stadium: Fifty Years of Drama (Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1972); curiously, it also appears as a clipping, with folds in the same place they appear in the '73 Yankee yearbook. Obviously, both the Yankees and Durso used the same source photo.

It's interesting to see just how undeveloped the immediate area was at the time, and it's curious (to me, anyway) how nobody took advantage to build apartments on River Avenue, directly across the street, so they could market free views of the games. I'm sure the elevated subway running right in front of the property had something to do with it, but on the other hand there are plenty of other spots in New York where there are apartments right next to the "el," so who knows?

[metfan13]

Love all these old shots of the Polo Grounds. Same with the Ebbets Field ones on the Brooklyn forum.

[icee82]

The weather may have had something to do with the Mets' attendance but the real reason might have been because the fans knew this was going to be a bad team. In addition, the Yankees were just coming off a world championship in '61. I am certain that the Polos Grounds itself had nothing to do with the attendance. It was a beautiful old ballpark with a tremendous amount of history behind it.

[Kentucky Bomber]

This is going to be purely subjective, the memories of an 11 year old kid and a Yankee fan. I got to the Polo Grounds 4 times in 62-63, sitting in the left field bleachers twice (like watching on instant replay; I saw an aged and gimpy Gil Hodges hit the only inside the park home run of his career when he lofted one over the center fielder's head and it rolled [the ball, not the center fielder's head] 475 feet to the clubhouse stairs), one from about where Thompson's homer landed (and saw Jim Hickman hit for a natural cycle) and one from a box roughly at third base.

I loved the place and was absolutely fascinated by it. (To the extent that I had dreams about it for years, but that's between me and my psychiatrist). As a subway rider there were no more problems getting to PG than there were YS (one more stop on the D train) and it was like sitting inside a pinball machine with the crazy foul lines and outfield distances.

But the Mets themsleves were (and still are to some extent) publicized as some sort of novelty, not really a ballclub. "Here comes Casey and his mixture of geriatric ex-Dodgers and incompetant kids. Let's give them a couple of years and cheer LA and SF when they come to town until they move to their ultra-modern palace in Flushing Meadows." Looking back at my 1962 and 1963Yearbooks and the couple of programs I saved there is a real presentation of the PG as a place that you'll be lucky to get in and out of without it falling down around your ears; just hang in there until we have a real ballpark to play in. By 1964 the Mets had their own fans, not just Dodger and Giant fans looking for an NL fix, a new ballpark and the World's Fair next door. I don't remember anybody getting terribly upset that the old place had to go.

The Giants attendance the last few years in NY was dreadful and they had lost a good chunk of their fan base, so when they left it was not the blow that the Dodger community felt, nor did the end of the Polo Grounds engender the feeling that the demise of Ebbetts Field did.

Anyway, if I had a gazillion dollars and my own ballclub I'd build a ballpark that was as close to a replica of the PG as possible with all the modern expectations and amenities. Games played there would be amazing.

[Sanford Mainer]

A question unrelated to the old Polo Grounds.

Looking for information on how to research Babe Ruth attending a Polo Game at the Miami Florida Orange Bowl around 1945 through 1947.

Reason is, I have a ball Babe Ruth signed for my mother, she was the lucky ticket holder drawn to personally meet the Babe and have a ball signed in person. I am in hopes of finding a Archive picture of Babe Ruth and my mother.

Any direction for Archive research would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you,
Sanford Mainer.

Home of Babe Ruth's last minor leagur home run.

[elmer]

A question unrelated to the old Polo Grounds.

Looking for information on how to research Babe Ruth attending a Polo Game at the Miami Florida Orange Bowl around 1945 through 1947.

Reason is, I have a ball Babe Ruth signed for my mother, she was the lucky ticket holder drawn to personally meet the Babe and have a ball signed in person. I am in hopes of finding a Archive picture of Babe Ruth and my mother.

Any direction for Archive research would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you,
Sanford Mainer.

Home of Babe Ruth's last minor leagur home run.

Mr. Mainer,

If you have access to Miami newspaper microfilm at your local or State Library, it would be the best place to start. The papers covered the Babe's appearances after his retirement. He was always news.
Babe returned to Florida every year around Feb-Mar right up to the year he died and stayed until The baseball season started. If you are familiar with Library research and Microfilm readers you could cover the time period in a couple of days, or double it if you are not. If you are willing and can find the time it is an endless source of discovery.
Go to some local long established taverns and ask if they know any Babe Ruth stories, it could lead to someone who knew about that time when Ruth was there in the years '45-'47. You may find that one or two places Ruth patronized are still operating. When you enter, look around for his pictures on the walls.

Elmer

[alpineinc]

...one of the odd things I've always wondered about that one was that there appears to be a large "Have a Knick" standup on the third base/left field side. Exactly what was it, what was it doing there, &c?

Also, the field doesn't look like it's set up for baseball in that shot, and the "batter's eyes" on both sides of the bleachers are not there.


I think that's actually the smaller "Have a Knick" ad that was along the top facade behind home plate in 1957, at least - see post #211 (http://baseball-fever.com/showpost.php?p=940473&postcount=211).

As for the configuration, that's hard to figure out. It's doesn't look like baseball or football, maybe track?

[tdinan]

I think that's actually the smaller "Have a Knick" ad that was along the top facade behind home plate in 1957, at least - see post #211 (http://baseball-fever.com/showpost.php?p=940473&postcount=211).

As for the configuration, that's hard to figure out. It's doesn't look like baseball or football, maybe track?


I think it was for midget auto racing. Or possibly bicycle racing.

[Gary Dunaier]

I think that's actually the smaller "Have a Knick" ad that was along the top facade behind home plate in 1957, at least - see post #211 (http://baseball-fever.com/showpost.php?p=940473&postcount=211).
I don't think so, because in the photo I referred to, you can make out the man's head - that's how I know it's a "Have a Knick" sign. If it was, indeed, the sign on the facade, I wouldn't be able to see the visuals, just the back of the sign.

[alpineinc]

I don't think so, because in the photo I referred to, you can make out the man's head - that's how I know it's a "Have a Knick" sign. If it was, indeed, the sign on the facade, I wouldn't be able to see the visuals, just the back of the sign.

Yeah, tough one, but I'm still going with my theory - I think they just have a different illustration on the reverse side (why not advertise to folks driving by on Coogan's Bluff as well!) - check the outline of the cutout, seems to follow what would correspond to the #211 ad (just beer and hat reversed), but not to the artwork we see facing us in #296.

Of course, if Knickerbocker was a big sponsor of midget auto racing, forget the whole thing! :p

[StanTheMan]

Stew Thornley's book on the Polo Grounds lists every major event held at the PG... but my copy of the book is in a storage unit, as we have our house up for sale and we took a lot of stuff out for the time being....

I'm relatively sure that racing would have been mentioned. Could be football, but the goalposts were not up yet? It does appear to be an oval racetrack of some sort.

Chariots? :rofl:

[alpineinc]

Here's the reprint pic from the '73 Yankee Yearbook I was talking about in post #295, taken in 1923.

[mikeymussina35]

[Sean Ryan]

How close was the Polo Grounds to Rucker Park?

[mikeymussina35]

Rucker Park is a basketball court in New York City located on 155th and 8th Avenue, in the Harlem neighborhood. It is on the former site of the Polo Grounds. Many people who played at the park achieved a level of fame for their basketball abilities, and several went on to play in the NBA i believe. Very interesting.:waving

[Sean Ryan]

Rucker Park is a basketball court in New York City located on 155th and 8th Avenue, in the Harlem neighborhood. It is on the former site of the Polo Grounds. Many people who played at the park achieved a level of fame for their basketball abilities, and several went on to play in the NBA i believe. Very interesting.:waving

Yeah I knew that, I actually put in new hoops in the summer at Rucker Park. I thought it was right about around the area that the Polo Grounds was.

[StanTheMan]

Below is a photo of the Polo Grounds Site today..... I have drawn a (admittedly) crude diagram of where the stadium was, as well as a red box around the famous Rucker Park basketball court. This image is from about 1/2mile above Manhattan.

[placount]

thats cool, i didnt realize they were the same spot. so great sport didnt die at the site.

[Kentucky Bomber]

Back to the eagles. Thanks to Stan's many mentions I acquired Stew Thornley's book. There is a picture of the newly rebuilt Grounds after the 1911 fire that clearly shows the eagles above the roof, but the photos from the 1913 World Series shows the eagles are gone. So Mr Brush must have disliked them almost immediately.

I just realized the whole eagles thing was in a different PG thread, but I'm sure the same guys are reading both.

[grangster]

Having grew up being indoctrinated into the Brooklyn Dodger legacy from my grandparents, I never learned much of the polo grounds or the giants until much later in life.

Someone tell me: What were the views like from at the Polo Grounds?
What was the smell of the stadium when you first walked in. What was attendance like during a normal game in the forties and fifties on a weekend or even weekday.

Thanks

[StanTheMan]

Views?

Check out the Polo Grounds Photo Thread in the Ballpark and Green Diamonds forum.... yeah.... this thread! One of the best threads on baseball-fever, imo.

[Kentucky Bomber]

What was the smell of the stadium when you first walked in.

It's funny, I was talking with some people the other night about smoke free facilities these days and what a shock it is to walk into one of the few places where smoking is still allowed. And that reminded me of what it was like to go to a Yankees game as a kid. The place reeked of cigars from the moment you walked in, and I would imagine it had to be the same everywhere else. Sitting in the left field bleachers in the 1962 and 64 WS I can still see the haze of smoke sitting low over the Stadium roof. That was as responsible as anything for OF's losing the ball in October as the low sun glinted throught the smoke.

[StanTheMan]

Here is a rare photo from inside the clubhouse..... That's Leo Durocher watching a game from behind a window in the visitor's club..... Thanks to Leo D for first posting this in the History of The Game Forum... but it certainly has it's place in our PG thread, as well as the irony dripping from this photo for those who have read The Echoing Green. Looking at the wire on the window, I can see why they had to cut it to clear up the view for the telescope!

[nymdan]

It's funny, I was talking with some people the other night about smoke free facilities these days and what a shock it is to walk into one of the few places where smoking is still allowed. And that reminded me of what it was like to go to a Yankees game as a kid. The place reeked of cigars from the moment you walked in, and I would imagine it had to be the same everywhere else. Sitting in the left field bleachers in the 1962 and 64 WS I can still see the haze of smoke sitting low over the Stadium roof. That was as responsible as anything for OF's losing the ball in October as the low sun glinted throught the smoke.

As a non-smoker, I really hope that the new YS and Citi Field have designated smoking areas. Right now Yankee Stadium is completely smoke-free, so people have to find places to sneak a smoke... most often the restroom. You walk in there, you can't breathe.

At Shea, smoking is allowed on the exterior ramps, so the air is fine everywhere else--nobody sneaks a smoke since there's a designated spot for them to do it.

You wouldn't think that having designated smoking areas would keep the air cleaner than having a smoke-free facility, but people will smoke whether they're allowed or not, so it's best to restrict it to a few assigned spots.

[StanTheMan]

HOF'er Bob Gibson at the Polo Grounds. I have it on good authority, that this was only the THIRD time that Bob Gibson smiled that season. This was taken in August.

[jimmyjimjimz]

Here's the reprint pic from the '73 Yankee Yearbook I was talking about in post #295, taken in 1923.

In that picture, the land that theyre building the new Yankee Stadium on looks much smaller than it looks today.

I never knew how close Yankee Stadium and the Polo Grounds were to each other. I bet the Giants fans could hear the Yankees fans from accross the river every time the Yankees won the World Series.

[Altitude]

I'm really appreciating the Polo Grounds with all these old photos, it was a really unique stadium.

I can sympathize with NY fans for losing that great park. It was like them tearing down Mile High Stadium to build a space ship stadium, Invesco, rather than rebuilding Mile High.

[StanTheMan]

I'm really appreciating the Polo Grounds with all these old photos, it was a really unique stadium.

I can sympathize with NY fans for losing that great park. It was like them tearing down Mile High Stadium to build a space ship stadium, Invesco, rather than rebuilding Mile High.


The most unique of all time... imo. As for your second point, I'm not sure I see the connection?

[locke40]

Boston AL vs. New York NL at Polo Grounds during World Series, 1912

[locke40]

Game One of the World Series between the New York Giants and Boston Red Sox at the Polo Grounds, NY, October 8, 1912

[locke40]

Polo Grounds bleachers - Phillies stand beneath - 1911

[locke40]

Right field grandstand at Polo Grounds - 1912 World Series

[locke40]

Opening Day, Polo Grounds, 4/26/1923

[locke40]

1st game - 1912 World Series at the Polo Grounds, New York

[locke40]

Crowds arriving at the stadium, New York, N.Y between 1900-1915

[locke40]

Crowd in Polo Grounds grandstand; Cubs at Giants - final game Oct. 8, 1098

[locke40]

New York Yankee President Frank Farrell's box seats at the Polo Grounds, New York between 1903-1911

[locke40]

Polo Grounds during World Series game, 1913

[locke40]

1923

[locke40]

10/10/17

[locke40]

1912

[locke40]

Giants home opener, 4/16/1916

[locke40]

1913

[locke40]

[locke40]

[locke40]

Babe Borton, 1913

[SHOELESSJOE3]

Locke40, great job posts 332-349, some shots of the Polo Grounds I've never see any where, kudos. I'll be adding most of them to my collection of parks.

[locke40]

Locke40, great job posts 332-349, some shots of the Polo Grounds I've never see any where, kudos. I'll be adding most of them to my collection of parks.

Thanks a lot. I am glad there are others out there that are as obsessed with baseball stadiums as I am. :cap:

[SHOELESSJOE3]

Thanks a lot. I am glad there are others out there that are as obsessed with baseball stadiums as I am. :cap:

I can never get enough pics of old stadiums to add to my collection.

[StanTheMan]

Locke40, great job posts 332-349, some shots of the Polo Grounds I've never see any where, kudos. I'll be adding most of them to my collection of parks.

Seconded...... wonderful additions Locke40.... but I have to disagree with you describe each photo as "garBage" :)

[locke40]

Seconded...... wonderful additions Locke40.... but I have to disagree with you describe each photo as "garBage" :)

:laugh Thanks Stan! Check out the Old Fenway thread, I posted a bunch of photos there, and it just looked so funny with the garBage signature tagged to each photo; anyway I can stick it to those Red Sux fans!! Here are a few more Polo Ground photos. Hope you guys enjoy them!

1913

[locke40]

1912 - I just love those box seats!

[locke40]

Team Photo - April 10, 1913

[locke40]

World Series 1913, 3rd game

[locke40]

World Series 1912, 4th game

[locke40]

Red Sox batting practice, World Series opener

[locke40]

World Series 1913, after 3rd game

[locke40]

New York Giants players at flag ceremony, Polo Grounds opening day, 1923

[locke40]

1910

[locke40]

Mike McNally steals home, 10/5/1921 World Series Game at Polo Grounds, 5th inning

[locke40]

[locke40]

Game Three of the 1913 World Series, Philadelphia Athletics vs. New York Giants

[SHOELESSJOE3]

Notice in these old pic.......... almost every man wears a hat.

[locke40]

Unidentified player, New York NL, bunts against Athletics in 3rd game of 1913 World Series

[locke40]

Notice in these old pic.......... almost every man wears a hat.

Yup, every picture I've come across of old ballparks has a sea of hats in the crowd. Also, you almost never sea a woman in the crowd, unless it's the wife of some famous person. I wonder what people on internet forums in 100 years will be saying about our era of baseball/ballparks?!

[Urbanshocker13]

Notice in these old pic.......... almost every man wears a hat.

Thats something I wish was still around, I am big into hats I have a whole bunch of them alot of different kinds! I also noticed every guy is wearing a full suit!

I love the ornate freeze around the old Polo Ground, I wish they would do that at a stadium, they would probally messed it up horribley though!:confused:

[J.R.]

Merkle's Boner!

People took pride in their dress back then.

[locke40]

Merkle's Boner!

When I saw this, I just had to Google it to find out what it meant!! Here is the Wikipedia explanation. I love the internet. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fred_Merkle

[jimmyjimjimz]

Thats something I wish was still around, I am big into hats I have a whole bunch of them alot of different kinds! I also noticed every guy is wearing a full suit!

I love the ornate freeze around the old Polo Ground, I wish they would do that at a stadium, they would probally messed it up horribley though!:confused:

some of them are wearing tuxedos too.

I'd never wear a tuxedo to a baseball game. I'd feel so out of place.

[stlfan]

Game Three of the 1913 World Series, Philadelphia Athletics vs. New York Giants



This picture is very interesting. It shows that they slided a portion of the outfield wall in right center so that the players could get to the clubhouse. It also shows that a rope or line of some kind was strung up from the foulpole, back over the stands and to one of the support beams to continue the line between fair and foul.

[alpineinc]

Merkle's Boner!

From the New York Times:



"Censurable stupidity" - classic!

If it wasn't for Merkel the Cubs would now have a 101 year drought!

[zxasqw12]

Also, you almost never sea a woman in the crowd, unless it's the wife of some famous person.

Yea, I was thinking that very same thing. In this photo I can spot only one woman among the thousands of men seen. She's almost directly in the center of the photo towards the foreground wearing a gigantic hat with flowers...



Times really have changed, haven't they? BTW, great pix- thanks for putting them up

[icee82]

That was my great grandmother in that pic. She was an "escort" and that was probably one of her johns.

[spiderico]

Hey, Locke40, what is the source of these pictures? Are they from a website?

[Urbanshocker13]

you can see a couple women in the crowd just look for the big feathers in their hats. I don't think the ball park was the "proper" place for a victorian lady by herself!

[J.R.]

"Censurable stupidity" - classic!

If it wasn't for Merkel the Cubs would now have a 101 year drought!

Can you imagine the scrutiny if something like that happened today, in a game with similar stakes?

[StanTheMan]

I found four lovely ladies...... Did I miss any?

[SHOELESSJOE3]

I found four lovely ladies...... Did I miss any?




Wow, looks like heaven for a skilled pickpocket. Now back to the game, the parks.

[Lafferty Daniel]

some of them are wearing tuxedos too.

I'd never wear a tuxedo to a baseball game. I'd feel so out of place.

No kidding. It's weird seeing the fans without team apparel in these old pics.

[alpineinc]

It's weird seeing the fans without team apparel in these old pics.

Well, if you look close enough...


Sorry, couldn't resist.

Locke40, save us from ourselves. More PG pics, please!

[brooklyndodger14]

Imagine the size and number of boxes used for that Cap Day giveaway.... LOL

Dennis
BrooklynDodger14

[oldschoolyankee]

Unidentified player, New York NL, bunts against Athletics in 3rd game of 1913 World Series



That's actually Eddie Collins of the A's getting one of his three hits that day against the Giants' Jeff Tesreau:

http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/NY1/NY1191310090.shtml

These pics are FANTASTIC!:highfive:

[locke40]

[locke40]

[locke40]

[ri95171]

you can see a couple women in the crowd just look for the big feathers in their hats. I don't think the ball park was the "proper" place for a victorian lady by herself!

Personally I'm much more fascinated with the one black gentleman in the lower left of the shot (right by the out-of-focus people in the foreground). Looks like he took a wrong turn somewhere. :noidea

Long time reader, first time poster. Keep up the good work... I love love love the old stadium photos.

[lollar]

OldSchool....your detail is appreciated..but I must correct you.

Tesreau was a lefty..the pitcher on the mound is right handed. The team in the field has dark uniforms (A's) and the batter is in white (Giants.).

That is Bullet Joe Bush pitching for the A's...Frank Baker charging in to glove the bunt try...I didn't look at the play by play to try and figure out who the batter is. :)

[oldschoolyankee]

OldSchool....your detail is appreciated..but I must correct you.

Tesreau was a lefty..the pitcher on the mound is right handed. The team in the field has dark uniforms (A's) and the batter is in white (Giants.).

That is Bullet Joe Bush pitching for the A's...Frank Baker charging in to glove the bunt try...I didn't look at the play by play to try and figure out who the batter is. :)

Hi Lollar,

Just going by what was written in white on the photo in question...it says "Collins makes a base hit."

The only Collins on the field that day was Eddie Collins. Per Baseball Reference, the Giants had no one named Collins on their team in 1913.

It could be that the writing on the photo was in error.

I too was thrown by the "fact" that the home team (presumably the Giants) was in gray and the road team (presumably the A's) was in white:noidea.

Its amazing the interest a 94-1/2 year old game can generate! That's REAL old school and why I love baseball!!!:)

[locke40]

[locke40]

[locke40]

[locke40]

N.Y. Nationals and New Bedford Whalers at Polo Grounds, N.Y

[locke40]

1906

FRONT:


BACK:

[SHOELESSJOE3]

Got the year on this one LOCKE. What I'm looking at is the enormous amount of ground area between the foul lines (infield) and the seating area, hugh. Has to shave some points off the batting average over the course of a season or career. You hit a foul ball to the right or left side here and you most likely won't get a second chance at bat. I would imagine there would be far less chance of the ball dropping into the seats, more likely caught for a put out.

[locke40]

Got the year on this one LOCKE. What I'm looking at is the enormous amount of ground area between the foul lines (infield) and the seating area, hugh. Has to shave some points off the batting average over the course of a season or career. You hit a foul ball to the right or left side here and you most likely won't get a second chance at bat. I would imagine there would be far less chance of the ball dropping into the seats, more likely caught for a put out.

I definitely agree with you. Reminds me of Oakland Coliseum's large foul territory; the A's will probably be happy to be moving into a new park in the next few years. You said you have a year for that photo??

[SHOELESSJOE3]

I definitely agree with you. Reminds me of Oakland Coliseum's large foul territory; the A's will probably be happy to be moving into a new park in the next few years. You said you have a year for that photo??

Sorry, I should have closed my first sentence in my previous post with a question mark instead of a period. What I meant was, do you have the year, it appears to be at least before 1923 from what I could see.

[locke40]

Sorry, I should have closed my first sentence in my previous post with a question mark instead of a period. What I meant was, do you have the year, it appears to be at least before 1923 from what I could see.

:laugh Nope sorry, there was no description for this photo.

[stlfan]

locke40, you might have already said this, but where did you get this great collection of old ballpark photographs?

[BSmile]

There's close to 200 pictures posted on the flickr account for the Library Of Congress. Check this out:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/library_of_congress/tags/baseball/

[BSmile]

This picture is from May 26, 1931. Looks like there's some work going on.

[locke40]

locke40, you might have already said this, but where did you get this great collection of old ballpark photographs?

I got a lot of the photographs are from the Library of Congress website (http://lcweb2.loc.gov/pp/pphome.html), and also from the New York Public Library website (http://www.nypl.org/research/chss/spe/art/photo/photo.html). The great thing about these websites is that the pictures are all in the public domain, so there are no restrictions on publication; as you can tell by the link BSmile just posted, The Library of Congress even has a flickr account!!

[stlfan]

Thanks locke40. I was checking out those sites. My interest is finding old photos of Sportsman's Park. No such luck. I even tried checking out the site for the Missouri Historical Society here in St. Louis. I am sure they have many but they aren't set up as public domain on the web like the ones you found on the sites you mentioned.

[chip]

BSmile that's Cleveland Stadium.
It's an awesome photo though.

[BSmile]

As far as the Library OF Congress Flickr account, who knows how big it's going to get! They have millions of pictures at their disposal...it seems like this is just the start (I hope!). Check out this article about it:

http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/library_of_congress_teams_with_flickr.php

[BSmile]

Yeah Chip, I think you're right about it being Cleveland Stadium. It was apparently mismarked on my end. Oh well...it IS a great image though.
Cheers! ~B

[tdinan]

Thanks locke40. I was checking out those sites. My interest is finding old photos of Sportsman's Park. No such luck. I even tried checking out the site for the Missouri Historical Society here in St. Louis. I am sure they have many but they aren't set up as public domain on the web like the ones you found on the sites you mentioned.

Try this site...some really cool early '60's shots of Sportsman's Park.

http://photosbybmw.com/Sport_Park_web_pages/index.html

[stlfan]

Yup, that site is really cool. I found out about it a couple of months ago. Thanks

[SHOELESSJOE3]

This picture is from May 26, 1931. Looks like there's some work going on.


Puzzled by this one. I don't see the Eddie Grant Memorial in centerfield. It was placed there in 1921.

That pic of the Polo Grounds 1931, post #403. Unless it was moved while doing some work on the field.

Matter of fact the configuration of centerfield looks like pre 1923. If I recall in 1923 there was that indentation in dead center when CF was moved back to 483 feet by the clubhouse. It appears that there are bleacher seats in dead center and I believe there were none in dead center after 1922.

[SHOELESSJOE3]

Puzzled by this one. I don't see the Eddie Grant Memorial in centerfield. It was placed there in 1921.

That pic of the Polo Grounds 1931, post #403. Unless it was moved while doing some work on the field.

Matter of fact the configuration of centerfield looks like pre 1923. If I recall in 1923 there was that indentation in dead center when CF was moved back to 483 feet by the clubhouse. It appears that there are bleacher seats in dead center and I believe there were none in dead center after 1922.

Here is the configuration from 1911 till 1923.

[willisraverchk77]

Puzzled by this one. I don't see the Eddie Grant Memorial in centerfield. It was placed there in 1921.

That pic of the Polo Grounds 1931, post #403. Unless it was moved while doing some work on the field.

Matter of fact the configuration of centerfield looks like pre 1923. If I recall in 1923 there was that indentation in dead center when CF was moved back to 483 feet by the clubhouse. It appears that there are bleacher seats in dead center and I believe there were none in dead center after 1922.

That's Cleveland, not New York.

[locke40]

SHOELESSJOE3,
Chip pointed out that the picture BSmile posted is Cleveland Stadium, not the Polo Grounds.

[SHOELESSJOE3]

SHOELESSJOE3,
Chip pointed out that the picture BSmile posted is Cleveland Stadium, not the Polo Grounds.

Thank you, I looked at the heading. Looks like Cleveland remained the same for years. I went to some games in the 1960s and looked about the same.

[DeeNyC76]

Below is a photo of the Polo Grounds Site today..... I have drawn a (admittedly) crude diagram of where the stadium was, as well as a red box around the famous Rucker Park basketball court. This image is from about 1/2mile above Manhattan.



Nice freehand design but home plate is on the side of the back right tower. I have put a white spot where the home plate plaque is. See what you can design with that in mind.

[FearlessFreep]

Sorry, couldn't resist. The famous "Baseball Bugs (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baseball_Bugs)" cartoon WAS set in the Polo Grounds. Circa 1946:

[willisraverchk77]

Sorry, couldn't resist. The famous "Baseball Bugs (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baseball_Bugs)" cartoon WAS set in the Polo Grounds. Circa 1946:


the polo grounds wasn't triple-decked with a yankee stadium facade.

[tdinan]

I think it was more like this...

[stlfan]

I think that is the most correct because most forget about the space taken up between the PG and W 155th St from where Manhattan Field was.

[alpineinc]

Here's a good view of where it would be today.

Edit: See Post #424.

[StanTheMan]

That's some good work alpineinc.....


Keep in mind that my original post (with the orange lines) was intended to focus on the buildings up on Edgecombe Avenue, and NOT the exact location of the PG.

At least I was more accurate than the blue line drawing a few posts above!

[tdinan]

That's some good work alpineinc.....


Keep in mind that my original post (with the orange lines) was intended to focus on the buildings up on Edgecombe Avenue, and NOT the exact location of the PG.

At least I was more accurate than the blue line drawing a few posts above!

No, your orange line drawing was way off, as is the superimposed image. My drawing with the blue lines is actually much more accurate. If you look at where the Polo Grounds is superimposed, home plate is nowhere near the actual location, where the plaque is. Alpineinc has 3rd base where home plate should be. It's a great try with the superimposed image, but it's simply not the right size.

[alpineinc]

Alpineinc has 3rd base where home plate should be. It's a great try with the superimposed image, but it's simply not the right size.

You're right, the more I look at it. The old Manhattan Field area was larger. This series is closer:







And, coupled with another baseball icon soon to follow it into history.

[Gary Dunaier]

Fascinating sequence of photos. But I think the middle photo...



...would have been more informative if the Polo Grounds photo were more opaque so more of the Polo Grounds Houses had been visible through the stadium, in order to enable us to make more of a direct comparison of what stood where.

[alpineinc]

...would have been more informative if the Polo Grounds photo were more opaque so more of the Polo Grounds Houses had been visible through the stadium, in order to enable us to make more of a direct comparison of what stood where.

Fade it too much and you lose it, but I added another one above...and now I'm putting my crayons away for the night! :sleepy:

[StanTheMan]

No, your orange line drawing was way off, as is the superimposed image. My drawing with the blue lines is actually much more accurate. If you look at where the Polo Grounds is superimposed, home plate is nowhere near the actual location, where the plaque is. Alpineinc has 3rd base where home plate should be. It's a great try with the superimposed image, but it's simply not the right size.


Sorry, disagree with your blue drawing...... more on that later.

I'm beginning to wonder if the home plate plaque is in the right location.... I went back to Google Earth, and from the same elevation as the previous photos (2,300 feet) I drew a line from the supposed home plate plaque location, directly out towards the CF clubhouse.

The line in the photo below is 483 feet. If you trust the PG marker on teh clubhouse wall to be relatively correct (which I do) then I don't think the plaque is in the correct location?

Why? The 483 foot line leaves VERY little room for the CF Clubhouse... which has to fit between the end of the line and the road.





Could the true location of home plate be closer to the superimposed image suggests? (Which is very close to the plaque, but slightly more south, imo)

Also, the blue drawing has foul lines that are SHORTER than the actual Polo Grounds, as well as NO Room behind the fence for any seating.... That is, the right field foul pole is the extreme edge of the entire stadium.. no right field seating behind it. We know that's not right.

My orange drawing (again, a very broad generalization meant to identify the buildings on Edgecombe that I drew) is certainly too "wide" (the distance from third to first is too large, for example) but the Blue Drawing is too small.

The actial PG is something in the middle, but definitely bigger than the blue drawing. Another fact to support this is that the walkways on alpine's superimposed images DO line up with the speedway behind the PG, and we know that they did.... people could walk from one to the other and gain entrance to the PG.

[alpineinc]

Sorry, disagree with your blue drawing...... more on that later.

I'm beginning to wonder if the home plate plaque is in the right location.... I went back to Google Earth, and from the same elevation as the previous photos (2,300 feet) I drew a line from the supposed home plate plaque location, directly out towards the CF clubhouse.

The line in the photo below is 483 feet. If you trust the PG marker on teh clubhouse wall to be relatively correct (which I do) then I don't think the plaque is in the correct location?

Why? The 483 foot line leaves VERY little room for the CF Clubhouse... which has to fit between the end of the line and the road.





Could the true location of home plate be closer to the superimposed image suggests? (Which is very close to the plaque, but slightly more south, imo)

Also, the blue drawing has foul lines that are SHORTER than the actual Polo Grounds, as well as NO Room behind the fence for any seating.... That is, the right field foul pole is the extreme edge of the entire stadium.. no right field seating behind it. We know that's not right.

My orange drawing (again, a very broad generalization meant to identify the buildings on Edgecombe that I drew) is certainly too "wide" (the distance from third to first is too large, for example) but the Blue Drawing is too small.

The actial PG is something in the middle, but definitely bigger than the blue drawing. Another fact to support this is that the walkways on alpine's superimposed images DO line up with the speedway behind the PG, and we know that they did.... people could walk from one to the other and gain entrance to the PG.

That's very interesting, because when I was trying to more accurately determine the correct scale and perspective of the PG for the superimposing, I knew it couldn't take up much more than 50% of the area between W. 155th Street and the northern access road (left side on my graphic), and I also knew the walkways had to abut the Harlem River Drive spur (Speedway) atop the bluff, as in the b/w shot. Every time I tried to match home plate with the tower plaque location, it just wasn't right, so my home plate is a little off from that spot. Maybe you've just figured out why!



I've seen an Ebbets survey somewhere on this site, but is there any type of PG survey? Would like to dig up more info about this. Unfortunately, this map from the beginning of the thread doesn't give us enough measurement info.

[stlfan]

I have a question as to when manhattan field was abandoned and torn down. Was it before the wooden version of the PG burned down and then they built the final version? If it was, why did they have the PG be as constrained as it was instead of building a normal sized ballpark that would have taken up the PG site as well as the manhattan field site? Of course had this been done we wouldn't have had the unique ballpark that was the PG.

[tdinan]

Sorry, disagree with your blue drawing...... more on that later.

Also, the blue drawing has foul lines that are SHORTER than the actual Polo Grounds, as well as NO Room behind the fence for any seating.... That is, the right field foul pole is the extreme edge of the entire stadium.. no right field seating behind it. We know that's not right.

My orange drawing (again, a very broad generalization meant to identify the buildings on Edgecombe that I drew) is certainly too "wide" (the distance from third to first is too large, for example) but the Blue Drawing is too small.

The actial PG is something in the middle, but definitely bigger than the blue drawing. Another fact to support this is that the walkways on alpine's superimposed images DO line up with the speedway behind the PG, and we know that they did.... people could walk from one to the other and gain entrance to the PG.

Don't be sorry you disagree, debates like this eventually lead to accuracy.

That being said, your orange drawing is too wide, too long, and just simply not in the correct location. It does not even resemble the shape of the Polo Grounds.

My foul lines should not be scrutinized, because the infield is not drawn to scale...I put them in there for a bit of perspective.

Seating? Who mentioned seating? This should also not be scrutinized.

The blue outline of the stadium accounts only for it's geographic footprint. See alpineinc's re-do. It's much more accurate than the first, and it's pretty much identical to my try.

If you visit the actual location, it's much easier to visualize where the ballpark once existed. I've walked this location many, many times with my dad, who not only saw games at the PG, but also played soccer on the field itself.

Hope we can get past this pissing match.

[alpineinc]

Hope we can get past this pissing match.

On the contrary, it's an interesting debate by two people who actually have an idea of what they're talking about, and allowed me to try to expand on it visually. For actual pissing matches, pick either one of the new NYC ballpark threads instead!

[tdinan]

On the contrary, it's an interesting debate by two people who actually have an idea of what they're talking about, and allowed me to try to expand on it visually. For actual pissing matches, pick either one of the new NYC ballpark threads instead!


Haha, good point dude. Your 2nd attempt is very impressive, and looks pretty much perfect!

[MattD1972]

I have a question as to when manhattan field was abandoned and torn down. Was it before the wooden version of the PG burned down and then they built the final version? If it was, why did they have the PG be as constrained as it was instead of building a normal sized ballpark that would have taken up the PG site as well as the manhattan field site? Of course had this been done we wouldn't have had the unique ballpark that was the PG.

Manhattan Field WAS the Polo Grounds from 1889-1890. There is a story of Mike Tiernan hitting a home run into the PL Brotherhood Park in 1890 and being cheered by fans in both parks. In 1891, the Giants moved into the newly-vacated Brotherhood Park just to the north and re-named it the Polo Grounds. Manhattan Field apparently stayed round for a while, as the Wikipedia article on the Polo Grounds quotes a sportswriter as saying that Babe Ruth's first HR as a Yankee landed in Manhattan Field.the shape was already a bit iconic in 1911, so there was probably a desire to maintain it, even if tearing down what was left of Manhattan Field (per Wikipedia, it wasn't much)made sense.

[StanTheMan]

Who's pissing? :highfive:

I do think it's a bit funny that the orange drawing is being looked upon as "wrong", "too big" etc... when I was not even trying to match the footprint of the PG when I drew it........ but rather show the relationship between the location of the buildings on Edgecombe Ave, and the location of what is left of the Brush Staircase, combined with the curved, Western Most portion of the PG behind home plate.

The most recent superimposed image from alipne is fantastic, and probably as close as we're ever going to get to the true location as compared to the towers. I am still intrigued that the home plate plaque location might be a bit off.... as my 483 foot line might indicate... and I doubt the builders would have devoted too much time to getting it 100% right, when 90% correct would do just fine, and place the plaque in a relatively good location next to the tower courtyard. I'm afraid to draw that 483 foot line in ORANGE, as tdinan might hunt me down and kill me! :eek:

Overall Great work alpine. Just add Bobby Thomson's SHRTW flying over Pafko's head and you are done!

And great stories about walking the area with your Dad tdinan. I'm a soccer nutter, and there were not too many matches played there. Was it an international match? Local league match? I'm curious.

As for scutinizing seating... you must do that when looking at the footprint of the building, especially if we want to be accurate. For example, if the location of the plaque is to be beleived, there must be room for the clubhouse and PG center field exterior, ticketing windows, etc beyond the 483 foot sign, right?

I think the southernmost edge of your blue drawing is probably close to the location of the right field WALL and then alpine's superimposed image places the seating and concourse beyond that wall pretty accurately. It looks like the southernmost exterior (right field area) of the PG was further south that a line bi-secting the middle of the tower....

Cheers,
Bryan

[Chevy114]

Interesting photo..... I am guessing that it is from 1951 or later. If you look at the 4th window from the left, you can see that the lower right portion of the screen protecting the window has been cut away.

This window was part of Leo Durocher's office, and it was through this window that Giants coach Herman Franks used a Wollensack telescope to spy on the catchers signals during the second half of the 1951 season.

The Giants team electrician, a fellow named Chadwick, (the guy who sat on the roof and worked the lights for night games) installed a buzzer at that window, and after Franks decoded the catchers signals, he began hitting the buzzer when a fastball was coming.

Being a catcher himself, Franks could usually decifer multiple signals (for when a runner was on second) and of course had no problem figuring out what was going on when no runners were on. 1 for fastball, 2 fingers for a curve etc.

The buzzer was connected to the bullpen phone, and the dugout phone. Bullpen catcher Sal Yvars sat on the end of the bullpen bench, and simply tossed a ball in the air when a fastball was coming, and did nothing if a breaking ball was coming. With the only fair territory bullpens in baseball, all a batter had to do to see the signal was to look to right center... he could do that without even turning his head!

This scheme most certainly contributed to the Giants play in the second half of the season in 1951.

Read the great book The Echoing Green by Joshua Prager to learn more about "the dark secret behind the miracle on Coogan's Bluff......"

When asked where he was during the on field celebration after Bobby Thompson's Shot Heard Round the World, Franks replied... "I was in the clubhouse doing something for Durocher." Fact was, he was there all game, every game.....



I just went back and read this for the first time. Great story! I had heard during a documentry about baseball on hbo about this, but could never firgure out how they did it. I know miami baseball now a days would just use an outifield camera zoom in on the catcher and use walkie talkies to signal the pitch in. So back then it sounds like they were pretty elbaorate for their time period. It really does explain one of the biggest turn arounds in baseball history, what a shame, even if it did produce my all time favorite highlight (the shot heard round the world).

[BSmile]

Early panoramic of the Polo Grounds - Pittsburg vs. New York, May 20, 1905

[BSmile]

Another early panoramic of the Polo Grounds - Aug. 13, 1904 - NY v. Cinn.

[baseballman1243]

Now that's the true standing room only.

[Mario Mendoza...HOF Lock]

Aerial photo date unknown

[RoastedPeanut]

That's very interesting, because when I was trying to more accurately determine the correct scale and perspective of the PG for the superimposing, I knew it couldn't take up much more than 50% of the area between W. 155th Street and the northern access road (left side on my graphic), and I also knew the walkways had to abut the Harlem River Drive spur (Speedway) atop the bluff, as in the b/w shot. Every time I tried to match home plate with the tower plaque location, it just wasn't right, so my home plate is a little off from that spot. Maybe you've just figured out why!



I've seen an Ebbets survey somewhere on this site, but is there any type of PG survey? Would like to dig up more info about this. Unfortunately, this map from the beginning of the thread doesn't give us enough measurement info.



I don't know about you, but the super imposed image on the left seems to be of smaller proportion than the shot to the right.. i mean, the amount of road you can see in the outfield, the width of the left fielf canopy versus the stuff on the left side of the stadium.. The further distance of the shot on the left.. Could it have been a bit more to the right, back, left, and front?

[alpineinc]

I don't know about you, but the super imposed image on the left seems to be of smaller proportion than the shot to the right.. i mean, the amount of road you can see in the outfield, the width of the left fielf canopy versus the stuff on the left side of the stadium.. The further distance of the shot on the left.. Could it have been a bit more to the right, back, left, and front?

Well, the Google Earth shot on the left is at a higher elevation than the BW shot, as seen by comparing the HRD Speedway road left to right, so I had to keep that in mind. Also, the Harlem River Dr was really built on the edge of the river and would cover some of the water seen on the right. Anyway, I think it's pretty close!

[RoastedPeanut]

Well, the Google Earth shot on the left is at a higher elevation than the BW shot, as seen by comparing the HRD Speedway road left to right, so I had to keep that in mind. Also, the Harlem River Dr was really built on the edge of the river and would cover some of the water seen on the right. Anyway, I think it's pretty close!



I was hoping that the Wilpons would take the frieze from PG.. 'Tis a shame..

[RichieA13]

Hi Guys .....
I am trying to document an artifact I have in my possession/collection. I am 99% certain it is a genuine sink from one of the two dugout at The Polo Grounds. It is an old white porcelain sink with two square sides in the rear of it to allow you to mount it flush in a corner where two wall meet. It is a sink & not a water fountain. I am not sure exactly when bathrooms were installed in The Polo Grounds dugouts (they were not there in the early days), but it's apparant to me that the little room with the little window/vent that popped up in both dugouts at some point in the 1920s (or 1930s or 1940s) were indeed bathrooms. Guess if nature called, it was a LONG run to the clubhouses ..... at LEAST 600'!! If you look carefully at the LAST photo I have attached to this posting, you see what appears to be a urinal behind the wall. The sink in this picture could indeed be the sink I own.... but I'm just not certain. Unfurtunately, it's partically blocked by the ballplayer using it, making it hard for me to ID it with any certainty. There appears to be some sort of writing on this photo, as well as a darkened copyright "c" ... but I can't make the writing out. Does anyone recognize this photo & have a guess as to what year it may have been taken? In later years (as you can see in the other photos I have attached) that sink was removed & possibly/probably relocated behind the bathroom door. I KNOW this is a long shot .... but might ANYONE out there have any photographs in the possession where the bathroom door was open and/or that you could see exactly what was behind it? I have been trying in vein for several years to find a "smoking gun" photograph .... but so far it has eluded me. Anyone?

[dgk]

Hi Guys .....
I am trying to document an artifact I have in my possession/collection. I am 99% certain it is a genuine sink from one of the two dugout at The Polo Grounds. It is an old white porcelain sink with two square sides in the rear of it to allow you to mount it flush in a corner where two wall meet. It is a sink & not a water fountain. I am not sure exactly when bathrooms were installed in The Polo Grounds dugouts (they were not there in the early days), but it's apparant to me that the little room with the little window/vent that popped up in both dugouts at some point in the 1920s (or 1930s or 1940s) were indeed bathrooms. Guess if nature called, it was a LONG run to the clubhouses ..... at LEAST 600'!! If you look carefully at the LAST photo I have attached to this posting, you see what appears to be a urinal behind the wall. The sink in this picture could indeed be the sink I own.... but I'm just not certain. Unfurtunately, it's partically blocked by the ballplayer using it, making it hard for me to ID it with any certainty. There appears to be some sort of writing on this photo, as well as a darkened copyright "c" ... but I can't make the writing out. Does anyone recognize this photo & have a guess as to what year it may have been taken? In later years (as you can see in the other photos I have attached) that sink was removed & possibly/probably relocated behind the bathroom door. I KNOW this is a long shot .... but might ANYONE out there have any photographs in the possession where the bathroom door was open and/or that you could see exactly what was behind it? I have been trying in vein for several years to find a "smoking gun" photograph .... but so far it has eluded me. Anyone?

that last photo looks more like yankee stadium to me.

[POLO GROUNDS 1957]

That sure looks like its a water fountain for players to get water and it looks like to me that the fountain is next to the bat rack.

[POLO GROUNDS 1957]

that last photo looks more like yankee stadium to me.

You are 100 percent correct the last photo is Yankee Stadium and not the Polo Grounds.

[RichieA13]

Morning Guys,
I should have realized that last photo was from Yankee Stadium. The clues were there (the columns/posts holding up the tier deck, the section sign, etc.). I found that photo on-line somewhere & it was identified as being from The Polo Grounds. The basic look/shape of the dugout fooled me (the angular wall behind the water fountain in particular) into believeing it was one of the Polo Grounds dugouts ... so I paid no mind to the other clues in that photo that would have told me it wasn't! The shape of sink in the photo is also fairly consistant with the shape of my sink, so that probably helped to cloud my judgement, too.
Well, thanks to you guys, you have solved one "mystery" for me ... why they would remove and/or relocate the water fountain. But, that still leaves us with the main issue/mystery at hand .... if anyone has a photo showing either bathroom door open and/or showing what is inside/behind it? I am attaching a photo showing the Giants dugout from the 1954 World Series. Note the bathroom in the home dugout is on the left side of the dugout, complete with vent window ... over the bat rack. The second photo (again) shows the third base dugout during the 1937 World Series. Again same vent window ... right over the bat rack.

[alpineinc]

I think a photo of your sink would be helpful.

[StanTheMan]

Last I knew (I cannot go look it up, as all my Polo Grounds Books are in storage - our house is for sale and we took lots of stuff out -- in case a Brooklyn Dodger Fans comes to look at the house, lol) but last I knew there were NEVER bathrooms in the dugouts, at least not in the Giants years.

There was a little storage closet (seen in your photos) and the players DID use it as a restroom from time to time, but never a real, working toilet.

Stew Thornley's book mentions this, iirc.

[StanTheMan]

I think a photo of your sink would be helpful.

Ok... here is mine. Yep, it's solid gold. This will help HOW, exactly?

[locke40]

Ok... here is mine. Yep, it's solid gold. This will help HOW, exactly?



That's a very odd sink you have there.

[POLO GROUNDS 1957]

I did some checking on this dugout bathroom talk and Stan The Man is wrong about which book has the info in it, the book is Joshua Pragers ECHOING GREEN book on page 62 it says that a small room which was 5 feet by 5 feet was found in 1946 behind the Giants dugout.it had a sloped floor and a drain. so the players did use this room for a bathroom at times.the book also says that the room was some 15 degrees cooler than the dugout and that some days the manager had his pitchers in that room. Later Mr Schwab used this room for his tools and sandbags,hoses,rakes and sprinklers. i have never seen a photo taken inside the polo grounds dugout with that door open in the dugout. So the book with the info is ECHOING GREEN by JOSHUA PRAGER.

[RichieA13]

I did some checking on this dugout bathroom talk and Stan The Man is wrong about which book has the info in it, the book is Joshua Pragers ECHOING GREEN book on page 62 it says that a small room which was 5 feet by 5 feet was found in 1946 behind the Giants dugout.it had a sloped floor and a drain. so the players did use this room for a bathroom at times.the book also says that the room was some 15 degrees cooler than the dugout and that some days the manager had his pitchers in that room. Later Mr Schwab used this room for his tools and sandbags,hoses,rakes and sprinklers. i have never seen a photo taken inside the polo grounds dugout with that door open in the dugout. So the book with the info is ECHOING GREEN by JOSHUA PRAGER.


Thanks for the info, PG-1957. Interesting stuff there. While Mr. Prager implies that 1946 was the first year this room came to be, the photo I have posted of the visitor's dugout from the 1937 World Series would seem to "prove" the 'bathrooms' were around at least a decade earlier .... that is, UNLESS for some odd reason the room in the visitor's dugout came first & the one in the Giants dugout came along (10 + years) later? BTW .... can anyone make out what it written on the door of the visitors dugout in this photo? I can't for the life of me! There is a shadow from the roof of the dugout that is obscuring some of the lettering written on the door. The visible letters appear to read "(something)....naires"? The only two words that come to mind that could make sense would be "Millionaires" & "Concessionairs". The former would make sense today, as a possible joke, with the salaries ballplayers are making ... but it wouldn't make much sense in 1954! Concessionaires would make some sense, except that the door doesn't look big enough to hold a sign with all those missing letters in front or 'naires'. So, another mystery. In regards to requests for photos of my sink, I'll dig it out & get working on that ASAP. It might take a few days ... but I promise I'll send a couple of shots along very soon. PS---The gold sink was a riot!! (LOL.....=)

[POLO GROUNDS 1957]

The CORBIS photo of the Polo Grounds dugout is from the 1954 world series with Cleveland. i will check some of my photos to see if i can get the words on that door.

[POLO GROUNDS 1957]

I am sure that i saw a photo with the words on that door LEGONAIRES. i will keep looking in my archives for more info.

[RichieA13]

Which means........(what)?

[alpineinc]

Don't think I've seen this one before - anyone know what year?

[POLO GROUNDS 1957]

Which means........(what)?

I am still looking for that photo, i cant recall were i saw it at but i am sure that is what is on that door. i will post when i get more info.

[alpineinc]

This appears to be another pic from "Merkle's Boner" game discussed earlier - except we actually see them in mid-rhubarb!



http://www.baseball-fever.com/showthread.php?t=56604&page=15

[RichieA13]

Does anyone know what the word LEGONAIRES mean? Someone's last name, I'm guessing?? Perhaps the head groundskeeper? More mysteries!

[RichieA13]

Here are photos of the sink from several angles.

[POLO GROUNDS 1957]

On this day back in 1964(4-10-1964) the demolition began on the historic Polo Grounds in New York.

[StanTheMan]

The wrecking ball missed the sink, however!

[jimmyjimjimz]

The wrecking ball missed the sink, however!

they probably took all the sinks and urinals and toilets out of the stadium before the wrecking ball came


Ok... here is mine. Yep, it's solid gold. This will help HOW, exactly?



What is that? A urinal?

[RichieA13]

That's pretty funny, Stan!! (lol). Actually, the sink was gone by the time the wrecking ball was brought in. The sink survived, as well as this awesome set of Polo Grounds seats with "NY" figural ends on EACH side! (See attached photo). I was lucky enough to acquire both in a package deal a few years back. I bought them from a older gentleman & I have no reason to doubt his story about the sink coming out of a room off one of the dugout, etc. Just wish I could find a damn photo!!

[six4three]

Wow. Those seats are beautiful.

Fetch a pretty penny, too.

[Kentucky Bomber]

Here's a pretty picture from 9/1962. It was taken by a buddy on another board. Note the crazy offset of the foul pole due to the overhang.

[POLO GROUNDS 1957]

Here's a pretty picture from 9/1962. It was taken by a buddy on another board. Note the crazy offset of the foul pole due to the overhang.



That is a great photo showing the Polo Grounds leftfield stands.i wonder who the mets were playing that day.

[POLO GROUNDS 1957]

That's pretty funny, Stan!! (lol). Actually, the sink was gone by the time the wrecking ball was brought in. The sink survived, as well as this awesome set of Polo Grounds seats with "NY" figural ends on EACH side! (See attached photo). I was lucky enough to acquire both in a package deal a few years back. I bought them from a older gentleman & I have no reason to doubt his story about the sink coming out of a room off one of the dugout, etc. Just wish I could find a damn photo!!

Here is a photo of my Polo Grounds seat.

[whoisonit]

Here is a photo of my Polo Grounds seat.

Looks like a reproduction. Can you prove it's real ?

[Kentucky Bomber]

That is a great photo showing the Polo Grounds leftfield stands.i wonder who the mets were playing that day.

I think the Dodgers are the only team not on the out of town scoreboard, so they are probably the opponent.

[whoisonit]

The orange one is fake.

[Gary Dunaier]

Yeah, by a process of elimination it has to be the Dodgers. Final answer, Reege.

[Petemc1969]

The orange one is fake.

I think refurbushed "yes", it's a fake...."no".

[whoisonit]

The base of the chair, under the 'NY' is different. The guy got taken. the chair is NOT from the PC.

There is no possible way 2 completely different chairs were cast. Most of the 'memorabilia' out there is fake. This is a good example of a guy that got hosed. Wonder how much he shelled out ?

[six4three]

The base of the chair, under the 'NY' is different. The guy got taken. the chair is NOT from the PC.

There is no possible way 2 completely different chairs were cast. Most of the 'memorabilia' out there is fake. This is a good example of a guy that got hosed. Wonder how much he shelled out ?

I'd need to see a better pic of the green seats before I'm willing to say it's a fake.

[six4three]

Just because this got kicked to a new page, here are the photos:

[six4three]

...and here are some images from past Lelands auctions (http://lelands.com/default.aspx). They're a pretty reputable auction house.

As you can see, the construction of the side below the "NY" did vary, including the configuration seen on POLO GROUNDS 1957's seat.

I have to say that I don't much care for the seemingly-standard gray and orange color scheme on the refurbished seats, but it's worlds better than kelly green and silver.

[metfan13]

Yeah, by a process of elimination it has to be the Dodgers. Final answer, Reege.

But the Mets didn't play the Dodgers in Sept 62.

Could it have been late August?

[alpineinc]

Here's a pretty picture from 9/1962. It was taken by a buddy on another board. Note the crazy offset of the foul pole due to the overhang.



Nice pic.

Actually Sat., Aug. 25th, 1962. Top of the 3rd, probably LF Frank Thomas in photo, or maybe CF Hickman? In game scores match this day.

8-2 LA - FOUR Dodger homers! Craig lost his 21st, Dodgers stay 2.5 ahead of the Giants, but they'll eventually end the regular season in a dead heat.

[metfan13]

Sat or Sun 8/25 or 8/26, 1962 both fit. Mets at home against LA and the same out of town NL scoreboard.

[metfan13]

Yep, it's the 25th. Matches the out of town scores.

[whoisonit]

...and here are some images from past Lelands auctions (http://lelands.com/default.aspx). They're a pretty reputable auction house.

As you can see, the construction of the side below the "NY" did vary, including the configuration seen on POLO GROUNDS 1957's seat.


Nice find, I'm impressed, & wrong !

I like the un-refinished ones the best actually.

[six4three]

Aw, shucks.


I like the un-refinished ones the best actually.

I do too.

Wonder where they got the color schemes for the refurbished seats? Did the Polo Grounds ever have gray seat backs with orange hardware?

[RichieA13]

Gentlemen,
PG-1957's seat is not a 'fake', as originally posted. PeteMc1969 is absolutely correct ..... it's a restored seat. The orange & grey color scheme was on seats in The Polo Grounds for a time. I am unsure of the exact dates, but they were definitely painted these colors. My guess is from sometime in the 1930s until the late 1940s or so. How do I know? Well, I collect seats & stadium memorabilia & have for close to 20 years now. If you look carefully at the triple seat I originally posted on PAGE 19 of this thread .... you can see the older orange paint "bleeding thru" on the arm rests, where 'game use' has worn away the final coat(s) of green paint. Conversely, there are areas on the wooden parts where you can see the grey color. You can't see those areas from the photo I posted, but trust me .... they are there. These are not the only unrestored seats I have come across over the years. They were all painted in this fashion .... the free standing seats on the field level, as well as the two different style 'riser mount' (rear mount) seats used in the decks of The Polo Grounds, too. There were at least two different model rear mount seats employed in the Polo Grounds with the figural "NY" end/aisle logo ... the 'straight down' style & the 'zig zag' style. Both of these are terms that I have created, but you get the idea. If you count the free standing seats that sported the "NY" sides, you have three different style seats that had a figural. The arms were painted orange & black because those were the Giants colors. As for grey for the seats? I'm not sure why grey ... but best guesses would be that they wanted a light color to brighten the place up a little and/or a dark color seat would heat up the seat in the summer sun. Either that, or they got a GOOD deal at the paint store for buying battleship grey!! (lol). I am lucky enough to have in my collection an actual "NY" arm that is unrestored AND not green! I don't know HOW it escaped ever being painted green ... but it must have been used in the ballpark & then removed from service before the Polo Grounds seats were repainted Kelly Green ... whenever that actually was. I'll post a photo of it later on, as I have to dig it out to photograph it.

OK .... time for another Polo Grounds mystery. This time, it's a seat mystery. As I mentioned before, I have been collecting stadium memorabilia for a long time now. In all those years, I have NEVER (ever) come across a single seat proported to have come out of The Polo Grounds that was the model in the attached scans! Seats were sold off in bulk to several different venues in/around 1964 .... but I have never found one of these! Seats this style are normally referred to as "straight back" seats. It appears to me that these seats were probably original to The Polo Grounds (1911). They appear to have been removed from many sections of the park over the years ..... in lieu of the more comfortable "curved back" seats, no doubt. The second photo (assuming it IS from The Polo Grounds) was proportedly snapped in May of 1915. I do not have a date on the first photo, but looking at the clothes of the kids in the shot .... you'd HAVE to go with the 1950s. So, if these seats were there as late as the 1950s, you'd have to figure they were there until the end (1964), right? By the 1950s, attendance was down for the Giants & they were looking for greener pastures. The chance that the City of NY did any sort of major seat renovation during this timeframe is zero! So, you'd have to figure these seats were there until the wrecking ball hit. The remaining seats appear to have been undercover in at least some sections of the ballpark .... which should have kept the elements away from rotting them, making them still have some value, either to a souvenirs hunter, junk collector, fan, secondary venue looking for cheap seating, etc. So, I think it's more than plausible that some of these seats should have survived? Yet, I have never seen one to date. Anyone out there ever seen one since 1964???

[six4three]

Hey, don't I get some credit for my sleuthing? I brought pictures to the party.... ;)

As to your mystery, I don't know. Straight-backed seats from Yankee Stadium are pretty common, but I've never seen one from the Polio Grounds either.

Could the Giants have had something to do with renovating the Polo Grounds? They did play there a long time.

[whoisonit]

I've never seen one from the Polio Grounds either.


No wonder attendence was poor.

[six4three]

I'm not sure I get the connection.

[whoisonit]

Polio [PO-lee-oh] is a viral disease that can damage the nervous system and cause paralysis.

[six4three]

Oh, sheesh.

Talk about looking and seeing what I want to see. :)

[RichieA13]

Here's the photo I promised.

[POLO GROUNDS 1957]

Here is a photo of the Polo Grounds from 8-18-1962 showing the New York Mets giving Stan Musial his nite at the PG.

[POLO GROUNDS 1957]

Here is a photo showing fans entering the Polo Grounds from 8th Ave.this entrance as you can see was located on the first baseside of the ballpark. you can see the parking lot in this photo. this entrance was next to the subway on 8th ave.

[Lafferty Daniel]

Here is a photo of the Polo Grounds from 8-18-1962 showing the New York Mets giving Stan Musial his nite at the PG.

It really just goes to show how informal our nation has become. Thanks for sharing these pics Donald.

[YankeeFanBx]

I would like to thank all the contributors to the Polo Grounds thread.
I was never inside the stadium , but do remember seeing it as a youngster.
Your photos have let me see a part of NYC never to be seen again.
thank you all

[POLO GROUNDS 1957]

Here is another photo taken on 4-10-1964 on the first day of the Polo Grounds demolition.

[POLO GROUNDS 1957]

Here is a photo from 10-2-1951 before the second game of the 1951 playoffs. in the photo are fans standing on 8th ave in front of the Polo Grounds parking lot. you can also see the Polo Grounds in the photo.

[penncentralpete]

Hey Donald (pologrounds1957): Thank you for posting some of the most interesting photos of the PG I've ever witnessed. Very nice!

[Lpeters199]

This is a grim photo, but it's a notable part of the Polo Grounds' history.

http://lelands.com/LotDetail.aspx?lotid=93972

[whoisonit]

This is a grim photo, but it's a notable part of the Polo Grounds' history.

http://lelands.com/LotDetail.aspx?lotid=93972

Got an article to go with this ? Curious to know how a shooting is a 'freak accident'. Never heard about this before.