Polo Grounds Picture Thread. [Archive] - Page 7

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Lpeters199

06-09-2009, 04:32 AM

From YouTube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pml0en7MHIE

mandrake

06-09-2009, 06:18 AM

Stanky is also not jumping on Durocher,

I am at least 90% sure this picture is from game ONE at Ebbets Field:
The better-rested Giants won the opener, 3-1, behind Hearn. Branca surrendered two home runs, including the two-run game-winner to Thomson.

EdTarbusz

06-09-2009, 07:12 AM

I am at least 90% sure this picture is from game ONE at Ebbets Field:
The better-rested Giants won the opener, 3-1, behind Hearn. Branca surrendered two home runs, including the two-run game-winner to Thomson.

I was also thinking it was from game one.

Paul W

06-09-2009, 10:59 AM

Lpeters199

06-10-2009, 10:45 PM

http://www.efootage.com/

Search "Polo Grounds" on this site for some video clips.

Lpeters199

06-11-2009, 12:11 PM

Roosevelt Brown at the Polo Grounds.

Chris Jones

06-11-2009, 09:10 PM

It's Bobby (no "p" in Thomson), it's Leo minus Stanky, they're "road" uniforms...if nothing else, watch the game film or get hold of some "stills."

End of discussion.

64Cards

06-12-2009, 11:17 AM

It's Bobby (no "p" in Thomson), it's Leo minus Stanky, they're "road" uniforms...if nothing else, watch the game film or get hold of some "stills."

End of discussion.

The "wordwide leader in sports," ESPN wrong???...:disbelief:

Lpeters199

06-14-2009, 08:08 AM

This old park in San Francisco looks a lot like the Polo Grounds:

Lpeters199

06-17-2009, 06:14 AM

This shot looks straight down at the Polo Grounds. Looks like the Brush stairs on the far right.

tdinan

06-17-2009, 09:30 AM

This shot looks straight down at the Polo Grounds. Looks like the Brush stairs on the far right.

Cool shot. Using the still-existing buildings from Edgecombe Ave. as a reference point, the direct overhead proves that the plaque is indeed an accurate, if not almost-exact, marker of the location of home plate.

mandrake

06-17-2009, 09:35 AM

This shot looks straight down at the Polo Grounds. Looks like the Brush stairs on the far right.

Who took this picture, the pilot of the Hindenburg (or another airship?).

tdinan

06-17-2009, 11:01 AM

Who took this picture, the pilot of the Hindenburg (or another airship?).

Barry Howe.

DiggerODell

06-17-2009, 11:11 AM

Cool shot. Using the still-existing buildings from Edgecombe Ave. as a reference point, the direct overhead proves that the plaque is indeed an accurate, if not almost-exact, marker of the location of home plate.

Cool shot indeed! Only problem is tdinan, the plaque for the Polo Grounds is on the other corner of the building. It don't look like much from this overhead shot, but I'll bet it's about 50 feet from corner to corner on that building.

I'm also curious, are you sure both photos were exactly scaled the same?

digger

brooklyndodger14

06-17-2009, 12:22 PM

It's by no means scientific or exact, but here are the 2 shots overlayed.

The reference point I used to scale the shots together are the apartment buildings that line the right side of both frames.

As you can see, the 2 red reference lines are slightly apart, but the Brush Staircase appears as a reversed capital "L" laying on the upper red line immediately to the right of the word "Drive". It is lost in the trees in the modern picture.
Does that mean the home plate marker is actually positioned as a guess since it appears that home would seem to be
located possibly within that apartment tower?

Dennis
BrooklynDodger14

tdinan

06-17-2009, 02:03 PM

Does that mean the home plate marker is actually positioned as a guess since it appears that home would seem to be
located possibly within that apartment tower?

Dennis
BrooklynDodger14[/QUOTE]

I would imagine so. I think the same was done with Forbes Field, as I believe the exact location of home would have been in the ladies restroom of the building that now occupies the site.

Lpeters199

06-18-2009, 01:52 AM

Two men on the Polo Grounds roof:

mandrake

06-18-2009, 06:14 AM

Barry Howe.

How do you think Barry Howe or whoever took this picture in 1933 ???? There are only two possibilities: either a slow moving airship, or a 1933 style airplane (the kind shown in the 1933 version of King Kong). In 1933 there were no other ways of taking an arial picture.

Interestingly, the US built an airship the USS Akron that flew several times over NYC taking photos in 1932 and 1933 and that airship ended in a tragedy far deadlier than the Hindenburg disaster:

USS Akron was caught in a severe storm and flown into the surface of the sea off the shore of New Jersey on 3 April 1933. It carried no life boats and few life vests, so 73 of its crew of 76 died from drowning or hypothermia

File:Uss-akron-manhattan.jpg From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia(there is a fantastic photo of the airship over lower Manhattan)

Now, wouldn't it be amazing if this photo of the Polo Grounds from high in the air was from an airship that then crashed?? (The USA only built 3 airships and they all crashed)

tdinan

06-18-2009, 06:58 AM

How do you think Barry Howe or whoever took this picture in 1933 ???? There are only two possibilities: either a slow moving airship, or a 1933 style airplane (the kind shown in the 1933 version of King Kong). In 1933 there were no other ways of taking an arial picture.

Interestingly, the US built an airship the USS Akron that flew several times over NYC taking photos in 1932 and 1933 and that airship ended in a tragedy far deadlier than the Hindenburg disaster:

USS Akron was caught in a severe storm and flown into the surface of the sea off the shore of New Jersey on 3 April 1933. It carried no life boats and few life vests, so 73 of its crew of 76 died from drowning or hypothermia

File:Uss-akron-manhattan.jpg From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia(there is a fantastic photo of the airship over lower Manhattan)

Now, wouldn't it be amazing if this photo of the Polo Grounds from high in the air was from an airship that then crashed?? (The USA only built 3 airships and they all crashed)

I was kinda joking. I really have no idea.

Smirkman

06-18-2009, 09:29 AM

Aerial photography from airplanes has been in use since 1911. I am sure this picture is one in a series.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orthophoto

mandrake

06-18-2009, 09:52 AM

1933 over Manhattan

Lpeters199

06-19-2009, 06:36 AM

I enlarged some pictures and pieced them together. Coogan's Bluff was in a poor neighborhood, but it had a million dollar view.

From: http://www.nypl.org/

Lpeters199

06-19-2009, 06:39 AM

Three similar pieced together shots:

Lpeters199

06-20-2009, 10:22 AM

More from NYPL:

Lpeters199

06-20-2009, 10:26 AM

More NYPL enlargements. End of the line for the EL. I love the way the tracks curve around the corner of the Polo Grounds.

Smirkman

06-22-2009, 09:03 AM

Does anyone have a good diagram of the upper deck?

I ask because I have always wondered what the railing is that angles towards home plate is. It is in both OF corners where the pitch of the deck must change as the deck gets larger in those areas. I was also wondering if the seats change their angle at the railing and face in towards HP or face straight to the field.

64v14668

06-28-2009, 01:19 PM

Since the box says "Candlestick Point" but the Giants played at Seals Stadium 1958,59,60 ...I wonder what they did with the sod.

The book "Bottom of the Ninth: Branch Rickey, Casey Stengel, and the Daring Scheme to Save Baseball from Itself" by Michael Shapiro mentions what became of the PG sod - apparently the Candlestick Park groundskeeper refused to plant it. He found it to be 'full of weeds' and discarded it.

tugger

06-29-2009, 11:50 AM

Some pics I found at work:

anyone know what horrible stadium plan Willie's hawking here?

One more Willie - I know it has nothing to do with any ballpark, I just dig The Stork:

Saltzy23

06-30-2009, 04:50 PM

Hey guys, I don't think I've ever posted on this thread before, but I wanted to tip you all off to a book I think everyone here would love. Ill actually give Cerrone credit in that I read about it on Metsblog. Its called ' Miracle Ball' by Brian Biegel. Its the story of him tracking down Bobby Thompsons 1951 HR ball. REALLY good stuff. Well written and a fantastic story. I bought it today and I am already 1/2 done.

tugger

06-30-2009, 05:14 PM

SJLT252

07-06-2009, 06:51 AM

The Polo Grounds appears to be the premiere dual purpose stadium of its time and probably is superior to the Vet, 3 Rivers, Busch and Riverfront for dual use stadiums becasue fans could sit up close for both sports. I would not minded if the Mets and Jets sharing a Polo Ground HOK replica. If the Mets are worried about having to sell 75,000 seats, which the Jets need because of there waiting list, they could have used a curtain to cover the upper deck just like the MLS teams do. The problem with grass overuse could have been solved by having a rollout grass field for baseball and rollout fieldturf for the Jets.

Sam

tugger

07-06-2009, 02:38 PM

StanTheMan

07-07-2009, 07:45 AM

A quick not to accompany the post about the new book "Miracle Ball" mentioned above. First of all, it is a fantastic read.

Secondly, I am reposting the crowd portion of the "Pafko at the Wall" photo that plays such a huge role in the book.

#1 - the ball is STILL IN THE AIR in the photo, discovered after the author had some highly qualified persons perform some photo analysis using modern techniques.
#2 - a fan with a glove (who probably made contact with the ball) is in the photo of course
#3 - the fan who caught the ball after it bounced out of/off the glove has been indentified, as well as HER reason(s) for keeping the ball hidden for generations. Her profession had a lot to do with it.....
#4 - the fan with the white t-shirt, dark jacket and dark hair celebrating in the front row is NOT the guy who caught the ball.... but it did whiz by him.

StanTheMan

07-07-2009, 07:45 AM

Not sure what happened with the photos there... anyone see them?

Lpeters199

07-07-2009, 05:28 PM

Jeff Chandler vs. Jersey Joe Walcott screen capture from Getty Footage video clip:

brooklyndodger14

07-07-2009, 06:34 PM

NYFan1stYankFan2nd

07-07-2009, 06:39 PM

Three similar pieced together shots:

Ironically so, that court house dominated the backdrops of two major league venues! Now, the only dominant building, barely at that, is an apt highrise.

Anubis2051

07-07-2009, 06:59 PM

StanTheMan

07-07-2009, 07:00 PM

I have the Daily News article from a couple or so years ago that focused on the photo analysis of the top picture showing the actual location of the ball. Really fascinating story. I will scan it for posting here later.

Dennis
BrooklynDodger14

Can't wait to see it! Thanks. It will probalby include nothing new for me (as I've read the book) but I'm still quite interested.

Cheers,
Bryan in Indy

AMDG

07-07-2009, 07:30 PM

brooklyndodger14

07-08-2009, 04:55 AM

Is the polo grounds the only stadium in MLB history where you could see another MLB stadium from inside while both were active? Braves Field and Fenway faced away from each other, and Wrigley and Comiskey were on opposite sides of town.

While the city (Boston) is correct, I believe that you actually meant the AL's Huntington Avenue Grounds and it's adjacent NL counterpart, the South End Grounds of the early 1900's.

(Text and illustration from Baseball Memories 1900-1909 by Marc Okkonen)

Dennis
BrooklynDodger14

brooklyndodger14

07-08-2009, 06:31 AM

Can't wait to see it! Thanks. It will probalby include nothing new for me (as I've read the book) but I'm still quite interested.

Cheers,
Bryan in Indy

A SHOT IN THE DARK. It's CSI: Polo Grounds as filmmaker searches for Bobby's ball
BY MICHAEL O'KEEFFE, DAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITER
Sunday, June 4th 2006, 1:32AM

"The art of fiction is dead. Reality has strangled invention. Only the utterly impossible, the inexpressibly fantastic, can ever be plausible again." -- Red Smith, Oct., 4, 1951

Dan Austin is the assistant director of engineering at Lutheran All Faiths Cemetery, the sprawling graveyard in Queens that is the final resting place for more than a half-million deceased New Yorkers. He likes this gig because he has an insatiable interest in history, architecture and landmark preservation.

But deep down, he'll always be a cop.

Austin, a third-generation police officer, spent most of his 20-plus years on the New York Police Department as a crime-scene investigator, one of those detectives who can solve a murder by analyzing a speck of blood, some clothing fibers, a microscopic hair - the kind you see on TV. He retired from the job last year but he still appears regularly in court as a forensics expert.

"I got out March 22, 2005. I miss the job dearly," says Austin, an American flag pin in the lapel of his suit jacket. "What a learning experience. You could never learn at any university what you learn as a city cop."

Austin sits in a small office in the cemetery's administration building, talking excitedly over the roar of giant lawn mowers about his latest case with a filmmaker named Brian Biegel. Austin and Biegel have teamed up to solve a mystery that has baffled sports historians, memorabilia collectors and baseball fans for decades: What happened to the Ralph Branca fastball that Bobby Thomson drove over the left-field wall at the Polo Grounds on Oct. 3, 1951? Where is that Shot Heard 'Round the World, the ball that broke millions of Brooklyn hearts and gave the New York Giants the most unbelievable National League championship in history?

"Finding that ball," Austin says, "would be like finding a slice of American history."

In the famous picture by Daily News photographer Hank Olen - it shows Brooklyn outfielder Andy Pafko standing near the 315-foot sign, looking up as the crowd above him goes nuts - it appears a heavyset man in a dark jacket caught the ball. An editor at the Daily News even slapped an arrow that points to the chubby fan. But the guy has never been identified and he has never come forward with the ball.

If he did, it would be like hitting the lottery: Mike Heffner, the president of Lelands auction house, says the ball would sell for at least $1 million - maybe even $3 million. "There's so much mythology around that home run," Heffner says.

Biegel says his obsession began two years ago when he read a column by the Daily News' Vic Ziegel about how Lelands had launched a nationwide campaign to find Thomson's ball, guaranteeing at least $1 million to anybody who could produce it. "It was like a light bulb went on over my head," Biegel says. "I thought, 'The search for this ball would make a great documentary.'"

"The Shot Heard 'Round the World," a film still in the making, was born that day. "As a filmmaker I like to tell big stories," Biegel says. "For me, there was no bigger story than finding the ball from the biggest home run in sports history."

Heffner estimates the odds of actually locating Thomson's home run ball are an astronomical 1-in-200 million. And Biegel acknowledges he faces an uphill battle. That's why he called in the guys who know how to find needles in haystacks: New York's Finest.

Biegel gave Olen's photo to Austin and another retired NYPD cop named Hal Sherman, one of the nation's leading forensics experts. Using the same techniques investigators use to solve crimes you might see on "CSI: New York" or "CSI: Miami", Austin and Sherman have developed a new theory about who caught the ball and where it might be today.

Biegel then came to the Daily News with a request for help: He wants our readers to identify the people in Olen's photos, those who sat in sections 34 and 35 of the Polo Grounds during that historic game. He believes Daily News readers can help him locate witnesses who know what happened to Thomson's ball - and maybe even the ball itself.

"Is it possible we'll find the ball?" asks Austin, gazing out at the ocean of graves in his cemetery. "Yeah, anything is possible. But even if somebody brings us a ball that fits all the criteria, we may never know for sure. Nothing is certain in life. The only thing that is 100% is we're all gonna die, just like the 537,000 people out here."

In 1951, longtime New York sportscaster Sal Marciano was a 10-year-old boy growing up in what is now trendy Carroll Gardens. Fifty-five years ago, Marciano says, Brooklyn was a collection of ethnic enclaves, and the kids in his predominantly working-class Italian neighborhood rarely ventured far from home. The only thing he had in common with African-Americans kids in Bed-Stuy and Irish kids in Windsor Terrace was the Brooklyn Dodgers. "Brooklyn was very parochial back then," says the WPIX broadcaster, one of the voices in Biegel's film. "The first black man I ever saw was Jackie Robinson. But we didn't see him as a black man. We saw him as a Dodger."

Like Brooklyn itself, the Dodgers were an ethnically diverse team with a blue-collar work ethic, regular guys who just happened to be able to hit .300 or throw 90-mph fastballs. "You'd see Gil Hodges in the supermarket," says Angelo Pomo, a 78-year-old longtime Brooklyn resident who was also interviewed for Biegel's film. "He lived on Bedford Ave., for crying out loud. He was one of us."

New York City, of course, had two other Major League teams, but no self-respecting Brooklyn kid would ever root for them. The Yankees were a soulless pinstriped team that bought championships every year - and played in the inferior American League, to boot. The Giants represented everything Brooklyn was not: intellectuals, WASPs, people with money.

"Giant fans? They were from Manhattan," Marciano says.

Marciano was watching the game at home on his family's black-and-white television - one of the first TVs in the neighborhood - when Thomson crushed his young spirit that day. He remembers feeling like a zombie as he walked to an altar boy meeting later that evening.

"Oct. 3, 1951," he says, "became seared in my brain as one of the worst days of my life."

In Brooklyn, it is a date that went down in infamy: people who lived through it will always remember where they were and what they were doing. "I still cry when I think about it," says Pomo. "Fifty-five years later and I still can't get it out of my system. You have to understand, Gil Hodges and Jackie Robinson were like members of the family. When they lost that game, everybody in Brooklyn suffered together."

The Brooklyn Dodgers, of course, had been perennial ne'er-do-wells for years, affectionately called "Dem Bums" by their fans. But they finally seemed to put all the pieces together in 1951, with a solid lineup that included Robinson, Hodges, Duke Snider and Roy Campanella as well as a pitching staff anchored by Don Newcombe, who won 20 games that season and Preacher Rowe, who won 22. By Aug. 11, 1951, the Dodgers had built a massive 131/2 -game lead over their hated rivals in upper Manhattan.

The Dodgers compiled a respectable 26-22 record for the rest of the season. The Giants, however, went on an amazing tear, winning 37 of their last 44 games, including the last seven of the season (one reason for their surge, according to a 2001 story in the Wall Street Journal: The Giants developed an elaborate scheme at the Polo Grounds to steal opposing catchers' signs). On the last day of the season, both teams had posted 96-58 records. The National League pennant would be decided by a three-game playoff.

The Giants won the first game, 3-1, at Ebbets Field, thanks to Thomson's two-run homer off Branca. The Dodgers took Game 2 when rookie Clem Labine threw a 10-0 shutout at the Polo Grounds.

In Game 3, the Dodgers headed into the bottom of the ninth with what looked like a secure 4-1 lead. But the overworked Newcombe, pitching on just two days' rest, started to fall apart. He gave up a single to the Giants' Alvin Dark and another single to Don Mueller, which sent Dark to third. Monte Irvin, who led the National League with 121 RBI that year, blew his chance to drive in a run by popping out. But Whitey Lockman hit a double down the left-field line, scoring Dark. Mueller slid awkwardly into third, injuring his ankle. New York manager Leo Durocher sent Clint Hartung in as a pinch-runner.

With the hard-slugging Thomson up and rookie sensation Willie Mays on deck, Brooklyn skipper Charlie Dressen decided to pull Newcombe, but didn't have many options. He'd burned out his pitching staff in the final week of the season. He gave the ball to Branca, who'd supplied Thomson with several of his 31 home runs that season.

A lot of fans questioned Dressen's decision, but at least one was delighted: According to an Oct. 4, 1951, story in the Daily News, Branca's fiancee Ann Mulvey (now his wife), whose family owned 25% of the team, turned to club president Walter O'Malley and said, "Isn't it nice of Dressen to call in Ralphie to nail down the pennant?"

Branca's first pitch was a fastball down the middle for a strike. His second pitch, intended to set up Thomson for a down-and-away breaking ball, was up and in. Thomson yanked the ball down the left-field line. Ann Mulvey fainted.

"There's a long drive," WMCA-AM broadcaster Russ Hodges told his audience. "It's gonna be, I believe...THE GIANTS WIN THE PENNANT! THE GIANTS WIN THE PENNANT! THE GIANTS WIN THE PENNANT! THE GIANTS WIN THE PENNANT! Bobby Thomson hits into the lower deck of the left-field stands! The Giants win the pennant and they're going crazy! Ohhhhh-oh!!!"

The Giants lost the 1951 World Series to the Yankees, but Thomson's homer still represents a moment that sends tingles down baseball fans' spines. It inspired an episode of M*A*S*H and two books - "Underworld" and "Pafko at the Wall" by author Don Delillo. Sonny Corleone was listening to the game on his radio when he was shot to death at a Jersey toll booth in "The Godfather." Curator Ted Spencer uses Thomson to inspire the thousand of kids who visit the Baseball Hall of Fame every year: "Thomson was never going to be a Hall of Famer," Spencer says he tells his visitors. "But if you show up every day and do your job, you could go down in history."

Big Apple baseball fans will never forget Oct. 3, 1951, says Sarah Henry, the chief curator of the Museum of the City of New York, because it symbolizes a perfect moment in the city's history, even for the losers. Sure, there were problems: New York boys were being sent to a bloody war in Korea, crazy Joe McCarthy was seeing Reds everywhere, the Soviets had just acquired the bomb and racial discrimination continued to haunt America.

But for the generation that had survived the Great Depression and World War II, these were good times. Food and gas rationing had ended. The GI Bill gave veterans money to attend college and buy their own homes. "There had been a lot to recover from, and people were eager to embrace a normal life. Baseball was a big part of that," she says. "New York had three teams and they were all good. You could walk down the street and follow the games on the radio. Baseball epitomized the New York experience in the early '50s."

Perhaps most important, New Yorkers had a sense that their kids would live better lives than they did. "Our parents had battled discrimination," Marciano says. "They had lived in poverty. They worked on the docks. We were privileged. We had food on the table. We went to school. It was a happy time and baseball was part of that."

A few years later, it would be all over. The Dodgers and the Giants left New York for California. Drugs, racial tensions, red-lining banks and white flight turned New York into an urban wasteland. It took decades for the city to recover.

And after all that, Bobby Thomson's famous home run ball is still missing.

The conventional wisdom is that the heavyset guy nabbed the Thomson ball as it flew into the stands.

According to a man named Bill Moore, Chubby gave the ball to a co-worker, who happened to be Moore's father. Moore sold the ball at a Leland's auction last year for more than $40,000.

"It could have been the ball, but we can't prove it," Heffner says. "We do believe the ball came from that game. But it looks like our extensive campaign to locate the ball has come up empty-handed."

There are others, too, who claim they have the ball. A man named Jack Bigel told Ziegel last year that he bought Thomson's ball for $2 at a Long Island Salvation Army. A man named Steve Fader says his uncle gave him the ball two days after the game.

None of these people, however, have convinced Biegel.

According to the filmmaker, the ball must have a Spalding logo and a stamp that includes the name of then-commissioner Ford Frick. It should be able to pass forensic testing. It should be accompanied with a ticket stub from Section 34 or 35 of the Polo Grounds. The bearer should be visible in Olen's photo - or be able to prove they are a relative or friend of somebody in the picture. Additional proof - celebratory photos taken with the ball at the Polo Grounds, for example - are welcome.

There would be no mystery, of course, if Thomson had hit his home run decades later, in an era when Mark McGwire's 70th home run ball sold for $3 million and Nolan Ryan's jock strap went for $25,000. Fans would have brawled for the ball in the stands. The victor would have been interviewed by TV crews. The ball would have eventually wound up in an auction, where it would probably sell for far more than the $250,000 memorabilia dealers say Barry Bonds' 715th home run ball will fetch.

But because Thomson hit his home run long before memorabilia collectors spent obscene amounts of money on grass-stained jerseys and splintered bats, it simply vanished from the public eye as soon as it cleared the wall at 3:57 that autumn afternoon 55 years ago.

In November, Biegel brought Olen's Daily News photo to Austin and a city cop named Henry Rogan. The arrow, Austin says, threw them off; the arrow kept directing them to Chubby. So they started to look at other people in the picture. Austin followed their vision lines like they were gun shots. The vision lines all converged on one spot.

Austin passed the picture to his pal Pat McCarthy, a sports photographer who tweaked the picture to give new perspectives the unsuspecting eye might not catch. Armed with the enhanced photo, Austin was able to find the ball, in mid-flight, among the leaping fans in a grainy black-and-white picture.

Looking for a second opinion, Biegel brought the photo to Sherman. Sherman independently reached the same conclusion as Austin: The ball soared way over Chubby's outstretched arms, to a man two or three rows back. Unless he had concrete hands, it should have been an easy catch.

And now Biegel wants your help in locating that man and finding Thomson's historic ball. "The success of the film does not depend on whether or not we find the Thomson ball," he says. "The real mystery is in the search. The real intrigue is in the hunt for this treasure."

Do you know what happened to Bobby Thomson's famous home run ball? Do you recognize any of the people in the photographs or know anyone who was sitting in sections 34 or 35 in the Polo Grounds on Oct. 3, 1951? Please contact Tangerine Films at www.shotheardaroundtheworld.com. Or call them on their toll-free line:866-280-3906

http://www.nydailynews.com/archives/sports/2006/06/04/2006-06-04_a_shot_in_the_dark__it_s_csi.html

Dennis
BrooklynDodger14

chinese home run

07-08-2009, 07:39 AM

Jeff Chandler vs. Jersey Joe Walcott screen capture from Getty Footage video clip:

It's no coincidence that Jeff Chandler would be promoting his movie at the Polo Grounds- he was a huge Giants fan over the years. Occasionally, he would work out with the team; one of the pictures I'm using for my upcoming book is one of Chandler in uniform at spring training with Mays and Johnny Antonelli. He sang the National Anthem before Game Four when the Giants won the World Series in 1954; John Daly made reference to that when Jeff was the Mystery Guest on "What's My Line" the following night. He was at the last game the New York Giants played at the Polo Grounds in September of 1957, too.Quite a fan.

chip

07-08-2009, 09:50 AM

That would be the city of Cleveland’s proposed domed stadium from the mid 80’s.

Here is the same site from the same angle today.

StanTheMan

07-08-2009, 02:46 PM

Ron Burgandy... um - Will Farrell is guaranteed to play Dan Austin in the film version of Biegel's story.

tugger

07-08-2009, 04:50 PM

That would be the city of Cleveland’s proposed domed stadium from the mid 80’s.

Here is the same site from the same angle today.

guess that would splain why it was in the Plain Dealer photo files. But how does Willie mean goodwill to Cleveland?

Lpeters199

07-10-2009, 07:58 AM

From NYPL site: http://www.nypl.org/

Sorry if these are reposts.

BSmile

07-18-2009, 10:35 AM

Handsome Structures Everywhere Built With Hy-Rib
I recently came across this cool old construction ad featuring the Polo Grounds. I don't have the exact year...but I'm guessing around 1910's.

Lpeters199

07-21-2009, 09:43 AM

From: http://www.lelands.com/index.aspx

Good caption on the first picture!

Lpeters199

07-21-2009, 09:47 AM

From: http://www.lelands.com/index.aspx

Lpeters199

07-21-2009, 10:30 AM

Here's a beautiful aerial of upper Manhattan from Wiki that shows an overview of the Polo Grounds site--and two unidentified ballparks across the river.

Lpeters199

07-30-2009, 07:38 AM

President Eisenhower in 1945 from LIFE:

mandrake

09-10-2009, 07:18 PM

I found this article (hope it was not posted before) where it shows that Robert Moses helped run a MLB team out of NYC.....no not that team in Brooklyn, but the Giants. I think this article is very interesting as it talks about the Mets, Titans/Jets, and Giants dealings with the Polo Grounds 1953-1964 including court trials . I pasted a small part of the article, with the link below it.

On November 6, 1953, Moses sent a letter to Horace Stoneham, owner of the Giants. Moses was not a baseball fan or an appreciator of spectator sports. The letter read as follows:

November 6, 1953
Mr. Horace C. Stoneham
President
National Exhibition Co.
100 West 42 Street
New York 36, N.Y.
Dear Mr. Stoneham:
The newspapers have carried numerous stories in the past year to the effect that various baseball clubs were considered transferring their franchises to other cities. While I have not read any announcement to that effect about the New York Giants, it seemed quite obvious from the attendance figures that the maintenance of a separate stadium must be a terrific drain on the ball club.You are familiar with the housing project which the City built just north of the Polo Grounds. The site, occupied by the Polo Grounds itself and the parking field adjacent thereto, being one of the last large open spaces in Manhattan, would make an excellent site for additional housing.
I have no direct knowledge about the matter, but it would seem to me that the owners of the New York Yankees would welcome the idea of having another club in a different league use their park as has been done successfully in other places. To an outsider, it would appear that it would certainly save money for both clubs.
I don't know how many years your lease has to go on the Coogan property or what other stumbling blocks there might be in the way of this proposal. I should like very much to know whether you have considered such a consolidation and whether you consider it feasible and desirable. Is there any possibility of such a consolidation becoming effective by the next baseball season?
Cordially, Robert Moses, Co-Ordinator.

Feeley stated that this letter started the Giants in the direction of leaving New York.
Afterwards, Stoneham and Feeley visited Moses in his office on Randalls Island, a small island located in the East River between Manhattan and the Bronx. Moses stated that he wanted to put public housing on the Polo Grounds site. When Moses suggested that the Giants move into Yankee Stadium, Stoneham told him that such doubling-up was not the custom in baseball.
Feeley also pointed to an incident which happened in 1955. The Giants had leased a small parking lot on the north side of 155th Street. The City condemned the small parking lot to put a school there. Feeley described this as another sign that the Giants were insecure in their Polo Grounds home.
Attendance at Giants games declined in the 1950's as the team dropped in the standings after 1954. In 1956, home attendance was 707,579; in 1957 it was 700,279. The Giants also lost the rental paid by the football Giants after 1955. The average annual rent paid by the football Giants for the 1951-55 period was $53,480.
Feeley stated that the baseball Giants left New York primarily because they believed that the City was going to take the Polo Grounds; the meeting with Moses and the seizure of the parking lot on 155th Street were the source of this anxiety. Feeley said that Stoneham began serious consideration of leaving New York in 1956 or 1957. He also said that if the City had offered the Giants a municipal stadium, they would not have left.

There a lots of tid bits in the article that may be interesting to some on BF.

www.profootballresearchers.org/Coffin_Corner/12-01-389.pdf

Mary Ellen

09-13-2009, 05:26 AM

As a comercial real estate appraiser I found that a very interesting article. Surprisingly in the end the Judge seemed to have the best handle on the value of the PG. I wonder what the zoning was back then.

Funny how Moses said the Giants should share a stadium with the Yankees who ended up sharing the Moses built Shea with the Mets two decades later.

Lpeters199

10-11-2009, 12:14 AM

Maz at the Polo Grounds from: http://www.posters.ws/1069/vintage_baseball

Lpeters199

10-29-2009, 01:31 AM

From LIFE Magazine---Sept 2, 1940 (2 pictures)---Jan. 19, 1942---July 29, 1957

Paul W

10-29-2009, 12:26 PM

here's a rare pix of the inside of horace stoneham's polo grounds office in 1954 , funny - don't see any booze bottles...

Paul W

10-29-2009, 12:35 PM

always thought that the owner's office location (overlooking the field) in the natural was a nod to what was already in the polo gorunds...
few parks had a perch like that years ago.

Paul W

10-29-2009, 12:38 PM

here's the cf tower under construction in '23 with the concourse plaza in the background.
the eddie grant memorial already in place...

bandit12

10-29-2009, 08:20 PM

here's a rare pix of the inside of horace stoneham's polo grounds office in 1954 , funny - don't see any booze bottles...

Binaculars and walkie talkies sure would we be handy up there huh?

Gary Dunaier

11-01-2009, 11:00 PM

"1962 Polo Grounds Wire Photo Interior View" currently offered on Ebay...

Auction ends November 8. Starting bid is $9.99 and there are currently no bids. Ebay item number is 380173419315 in case anyone is interested (don't know what the rules are regarding direct links to auctions, but it's not my auction, I don't know the seller, and I mainly just wanted to share the photo).

Lpeters199

11-02-2009, 07:37 PM

Polo Grounds stories in Baseball Digest:

http://books.google.com/books?lr=&as_pt=MAGAZINES&q=+polo+grounds&btnG=Search+Books

Arlington Stadium Child

11-02-2009, 07:57 PM

Bowling at the Polo Grounds? Yogi Berra and Gil Hodges.... in their baseball uniforms for crying out loud!!

But... is this really the PG? The stands don't look right, the dugout appears to be very near first base, when I think it should be further towards home plate, but the outfiled bullpen roof is unmistakeable!

There also seems to be a chain link fence and the foul pole doesn't seem to be adjacent to a wall that is angled correctly.

The dugouts are too close to the field and the angle of the baseline seats are not situated like the PG.

The second deck is much lower in the Gil Hodges shot in which he is wearing the home Senators uniform. Same thing with Berra wearing the Yankees road gray uniform.

All of that should tell you. For me, it is the seats. They look to be solid type back slats and not the three board backs that The PH was known for.

Lpeters199

11-02-2009, 11:07 PM

From Baseball Digest:

JCCC

11-09-2009, 11:48 AM

Near center field there is a huge portion with no fence? Is that they way it stayed during games?

JCCC

11-09-2009, 03:05 PM

Just figured it out. There was a wall 475 ft away...........HOLY MOTHER OF PEARLS!:eek: But was there a line on that wall that represented a home run? And please don't tell me that you had to hit the ball near the Rheingold sign for a home run.:bowdown:

Lpeters199

11-09-2009, 03:43 PM

I don't think there was a home run line, but nobody ever hit the wall anyway.

StanTheMan

11-10-2009, 05:30 PM

No line on the clubhouse wall..... And as posted, is was not needed, as no batted ball ever struck the clubhouse. The marker read 483 some years.... As home plate was moved from time to time

soup

11-17-2009, 07:26 AM

tdinan

11-17-2009, 07:58 AM

Those seats in the Upper Deck must have sucked. Look at all the ramps and railings and pillars and weird, haphazard overhangs. Charming? Maybe. But a pretty crappy place to watch a game.

Lpeters199

11-18-2009, 02:04 AM

From Leland's Auction: http://www.lelands.com/Auction.aspx/AuctionDetailed/51932/November-2009-Catalog/Photo-Collection/Baseball/Lot969~Polo-Grounds-Circa-1920/page1

SHOELESSJOE3

11-18-2009, 11:44 AM

May have been short down the lines but gets deep fast...........and as we know, dead center forget it.

First pic, Giants Don Mueller leaps, robs Dodger Carl Furillo of extra bases.

Second, Giant Dusty Rhodes fails to catch Cleveland's Early Wynn drive, double 1954 WS.

SHOELESSJOE3

11-18-2009, 12:30 PM

The last time the two rivals met up at the Polo Grounds, September 8, 1957.
Giants beat Dodgers 3-2, off to the coast.

SHOELESSJOE3

11-18-2009, 12:35 PM

"Come on, have a heart will you. Are the Giant fans of NY Giants in enough agony.
You have to display signs on the truck reminding them, where they are headed, no mercy.

JCCC

11-18-2009, 01:37 PM

Anubis2051

11-18-2009, 01:59 PM

Wish I was around to see some games at this place...........just looked so unique, bullpens in fairground, 483 ft to center and the club houses in center........Wild stuff. Was there anything below or behind the dugouts at all? Like restrooms or maybe a small trainers room?

I believe there was a restroom back there...someone here a while ago claimed to have the sink from that room. Anyone have any pictures

Paul W

11-18-2009, 03:06 PM

Wish I was around to see some games at this place...........just looked so unique, bullpens in fairground, 483 ft to center and the club houses in center........Wild stuff. Was there anything below or behind the dugouts at all? Like restrooms or maybe a small trainers room?

not behind, but lavatory along side.

odd that the 'stick also had the long walk across the field to the clubhouses also for most of the time they shivered there...

SHOELESSJOE3

11-18-2009, 03:14 PM

Displayed on front page NY Times. Some changes made for the 1923 season. Center field now 50 feet deeper, from 433 to 483 feet.

SHOELESSJOE3

11-18-2009, 03:20 PM

Look at the hugh foul territory, third base side, not very good for the batter.
This I think was from 1914.

JCCC

11-18-2009, 03:24 PM

Jeez........you could play a whole game in foul territory.

JCCC

11-18-2009, 03:25 PM

not behind, but lavatory along side.

odd that the 'stick also had the long walk across the field to the clubhouses also for most of the time they shivered there...

What is this stick you talk about?

Paul W

11-18-2009, 03:28 PM

c-c-c-candlestick...

JCCC

11-18-2009, 03:32 PM

c-c-c-candlestick...

Gotcha............Thanks.:hide:

Lpeters199

11-18-2009, 03:41 PM

Thanks, SHOELESSJOE3. A smart vendor stationed himself between the clubhouse stairways--neat!

tdinan

11-19-2009, 09:13 AM

Jeez........you could play a whole game in foul territory.

Looks just like Oakland...

davewashere

11-19-2009, 09:48 AM

Displayed on front page NY Times. Some changes made for the 1923 season. Center field now 50 feet deeper, from 433 to 483 feet.

Well, thank god for that. Wouldn't want anyone to hit any cheap home runs to center field.

Sean O

11-19-2009, 10:26 AM

Well, thank god for that. Wouldn't want anyone to hit any cheap home runs to center field.

Somewhere, Vic Wertz's relatives cringe.

soup

11-19-2009, 10:40 AM

Somewhere, Vic Wertz's relatives cringe.

:applaud: ...

SHOELESSJOE3

11-19-2009, 12:54 PM

Somewhere, Vic Wertz's relatives cringe.

That Mays catch wrecked a great day for Vic Wertz
Vic went 4 for 5 and the best ball he hit was an out.
Also Vic may have hit for the cycle, don't know if thats ever been done in the World Series.

1rst inning----triple
2nd-----------single
6th-----------single
8th----------"Say Hey."
10th---------double

Not sure if ball hit over Willie's head would be an inside the park, would have stopped at the wall. A bit more to center and the ball goes into that open gap in center, homer for sure.

No cycle...........and no 5 for 5 day.
Dusty hits one about 260-270 and wins the game.

mandrake

11-24-2009, 06:16 PM

Lpeters199

12-01-2009, 01:10 PM

Old time football and baseball at the Polo Grounds:

http://www.corbismotion.com/wicker/searchResults.do?search.type=intermediate&search.keywords=army+giants+football

http://www.efootage.com/stock-footage/59790/sportssportgamegamescompetitioncompetecompetingcom petitor

http://www.efootage.com/stock-footage/59925/sportssportgamegamescompetitioncompetecompetingcom petitor

Lpeters199

12-05-2009, 10:32 AM

What a sight she was at night!

orioles667083

12-05-2009, 06:09 PM

What a sight she was at night!

Does anyone have or know of a REALLY REALLY good picture of the old facade/frieze before it was taken down in '23. I like it better than the old Yankee stadium frieze

alpineinc

12-05-2009, 09:59 PM

Does anyone have or know of a REALLY REALLY good picture of the old facade/frieze before it was taken down in '23. I like it better than the old Yankee stadium frieze

Here's a couple good ones.

The facade of the upper deck was just as visually appealing as the frieze up top.

The Library Of Congress' photostream on Flickr has many shots of the Polo Grounds and its frieze/facade, albeit behind shots of ballplayers.

http://www.flickr.com/search/?q=polo%20grounds&w=8623220%40N02

Godzilla Ranger NYC

12-05-2009, 11:39 PM

The Freize/facade should have been featured in Citifield!

Gary Dunaier

12-05-2009, 11:50 PM

The Freize/facade should have been featured in Citifield!

You can bet your bottom dollar if Ebbets Field had a frieze 'n facades Citi Field would have had them up the wazoo.

orioles667083

12-07-2009, 06:26 AM

here's a couple good ones.

the facade of the upper deck was just as visually appealing as the frieze up top.

the library of congress' photostream on flickr has many shots of the polo grounds and its frieze/facade, albeit behind shots of ballplayers.

http://www.flickr.com/search/?q=polo%20grounds&w=8623220%40n02
thanks for the pics.

Lpeters199

12-13-2009, 11:36 PM

Polo Grounds 1958 from: http://www.photoarts.com/gallery/lavine/color/0041.html

ChineseDemocracy

12-14-2009, 01:28 AM

Were there any auto racing fatalities at The Polo Grounds in the New York Cities, Borough of Manhattan, where they usually played the baseballs? Pastimes of America, great success!

tugger

12-14-2009, 02:20 AM

interesting fact that the Yankees averaged 16,000+ in Babe's first two years at the Polo Grounds and at their new park did not average that many again until 1946.

Lpeters199

12-14-2009, 05:46 PM

No batter's eyes in 1933:

johnfre

12-14-2009, 06:04 PM

What year did they remove or cover the frieze/facade? Nice photos, thanks for posting them.

kfeser

12-15-2009, 07:10 AM

The Polo Grounds Facade was removed in 1922-23 during the reconstruction/ addition to the grandstand and bleachers.

Lpeters199

12-15-2009, 10:28 PM

From Corbis:

SHOELESSJOE3

12-16-2009, 01:02 PM

Wrigley Wax

12-21-2009, 05:59 PM

Found on YouTube

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pml0en7MHIE

SultanOfWhat

12-22-2009, 11:06 PM

bandit12 posted a Modern Marvels baseball parks episode, from which I grabbed screencaps. I thought this shot was of the Polo Grounds, but that hill in the background looks pretty tall. Help on the ID?

stuarthouse

12-23-2009, 11:22 AM

Babe's "old home" as a Yank 1920-21-22 Polo Grounds and his new home, the new Yankee stadium.
Drawing from the New York Times, page one.
All the numbers may no be 100 percent correct, just to give a rough comparison of the park configurations.
I believe that Bill Jenkinson has some different figures for the pre-1923 Polo Grounds outfield fences. He states that the 433' measurement often quoted as the dead centerfield distance was actually the measurement to the corner just below the centerfield angle in this illustration. The actual distance at its deepest point was about 475' This seems to be confirmed merely by eyeballing the new (i.e. 1923) and old configurations. Those L tracks weren't moved, nor does it appear that home plate was moved. There just was not enough room to increase the dead centerfield distance from 433 to 475-485.
I have heard that the 433' distance to that corner was the only one actually posted on a wall in the deep outfield. As a result it may have been become the deepest centerfield distance merely by default, but not in reality:waving. (See p. 139-140 of The Year Babe Ruth Hit 104 Home Runs).

SHOELESSJOE3

12-23-2009, 02:49 PM

I believe that Bill Jenkinson has some different figures for the pre-1923 Polo Grounds outfield fences. He states that the 433' measurement often quoted as the dead centerfield distance was actually the measurement to the corner just below the centerfield angle in this illustration. The actual distance at its deepest point was about 475' This seems to be confirmed merely by eyeballing the new (i.e. 1923) and old configurations. Those L tracks weren't moved, nor does it appear that home plate was moved. There just was not enough room to increase the dead centerfield distance from 433 to 475-485.
I have heard that the 433' distance to that corner was the only one actually posted on a wall in the deep outfield. As a result it may have been become the deepest centerfield distance merely by default, but not in reality:waving. (See p. 139-140 of The Year Babe Ruth Hit 104 Home Runs).

I've heard this before, now it's possible what you post could be correct.............those dimensions, I never followed up on the issue. Lots of Polo people on the board, maybe they could contribute some info.

The Monument

12-23-2009, 04:02 PM

What year did they remove or cover the frieze/facade? Nice photos, thanks for posting them.

The Polo Grounds Facade was removed in 1922-23 during the reconstruction/ addition to the grandstand and bleachers.

I read once that the frieze was covered over with plywood because it was costly to maintain the coats of arms on the frieze.

SultanOfWhat

01-10-2010, 05:44 PM

Caption: "My Grandmother selling papers at the Polo Grounds to buy a ticket for herself to the game."

Looks like circa 1910.

jingram

01-11-2010, 05:41 PM

Caption: "My Grandmother selling papers at the Polo Grounds to buy a ticket for herself to the game."

Looks like circa 1910.

Now, THAT's awesome! Great picture!

Lpeters199

01-14-2010, 07:49 PM

LIFE Magazine pictures from the Sugar Ray Robinson vs. Randy Turpin fight in 1951:

Lpeters199

01-14-2010, 07:58 PM

More LIFE pictures of Robinson-Turpin at the Polo Grounds in 1951:

TJH1923

01-15-2010, 12:35 AM

Interesting.......the announced attendance was 61,370. It looks like a lot more people with the seats on the field.

http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history.do?action=Article&id=57260

mandrake

01-15-2010, 04:36 AM

Interesting.......the announced attendance was 61,370. It looks like a lot more people with the seats on the field.

http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history.do?action=Article&id=57260

It does look like a lot more, considering that the Giants once drew more than 63,000 for a big game vs St Louis in 1936.

Also, the legendary Joe Louis vs Billy Conn fight drew 'only' 54,000 and that is regarded as one of the greatest fights ever.

Strange that the Giants had some trouble drawing fans in the 1950's, yet boxing filled the joint.

Could not help but notice the two very attractive blondes in the middle picture (Lpeters 10:58pm post). Surrounded by men, I wonder if they were starlets, or something else.:happy:

Perseus71

01-15-2010, 05:08 AM

One really cool element here is the Longines clock lighting up at night. I have not seen that before in any pictures. Polo Grounds was a true classic. Arnold Hano's book really gives you a great feel of what it was like to be there.

Lpeters199

01-15-2010, 11:33 AM

Here's the link to those and many other Robinson vs. Turpin fight pictures from LIFE:

http://images.google.com/images?q=robinson+turpin&q=source%3Alife

Lpeters199

01-15-2010, 12:24 PM

These LIFE pictures were taken at the Patterson vs. Johansson fight in 1960:

mandrake

01-15-2010, 12:41 PM

These LIFE pictures were taken at the Patterson vs. Johansson fight in 1960:

Was that Thomas Dewy in the bottom picture?

Thanks for all of the great pictures from my favorite ball park !

Paul W

01-15-2010, 01:18 PM

Was that Thomas Dewy in the bottom picture?

dewey and his mustache, according to jimmy "the greek" that was the main reason women did not vote for him in '48...

RfkFedEx

01-15-2010, 02:47 PM

There was some good Polo Grounds film footage last night on the NFL Network's Full Color series.

The early NY Titan games were sparsely attended and the condition of the park was partially to blame. They focused the camera on some of the broken seats. Hard to believe the Mets were yet to even arrive at that point.

Lpeters199

01-15-2010, 04:01 PM

This is Budd Lynch, longtime Detroit Red Wings broadcaster, at the fight. Budd is still doing the PA announcing job for Red Wings games at Joe Louis Arena, at the age of 91.

chinese home run

01-15-2010, 05:33 PM

Was that Thomas Dewy in the bottom picture?

Thanks for all of the great pictures from my favorite ball park !

Indeed, that was Thomas Dewey, the three-term Governor of New York and the two-time Presidential candidate.

I don't remember who said it, but someone once referred to Tom Dewey as looking like the little man on top of a wedding cake.

Lpeters199

01-15-2010, 05:52 PM

Dewey came very close.

Paul W

01-15-2010, 05:55 PM

Dewey came very close.

within a mustache hair !

RfkFedEx

01-15-2010, 08:05 PM

This is Budd Lynch, longtime Detroit Red Wings broadcaster, at the fight. Budd is still doing the PA announcing job for Red Wings games at Joe Louis Arena, at the age of 91.

And he appears to have been a heavy set man back then. Hard to believe his cardiovascular system would surpass the life of yet to be built Shea Stadium.

Lpeters199

01-15-2010, 09:53 PM

And he appears to have been a heavy set man back then. Hard to believe his cardiovascular system would surpass the life of yet to be built Shea Stadium.

Here's a ticket stub from Budd Lynch night in November. Budd lost his right arm in World War 2. He's always been a modest, unassuming gentleman. The thing I remember most about Budd is that he's always referred to Gordie Howe as simply Gord Howe in his play by play.

icee82

01-17-2010, 01:17 PM

Here is a color shot of the Rosary conference at the Polo Grounds.

Chevy114

01-19-2010, 05:32 AM

Here's a ticket stub from Budd Lynch night in November. Budd lost his right arm in World War 2. He's always been a modest, unassuming gentleman. The thing I remember most about Budd is that he's always referred to Gordie Howe as simply Gord Howe in his play by play.

That last shot is killer!

six4three

01-20-2010, 09:38 AM

Here's a shot of the New York Giants in front of the Polo Grounds in 1943. Nice look at a couple of the ads.

mandrake

01-20-2010, 09:41 AM

Nice picture ! And no low income housing projects behind the 3b/LF side yet !

JoeDOYS

01-20-2010, 09:51 AM

This is Budd Lynch, longtime Detroit Red Wings broadcaster, at the fight. Budd is still doing the PA announcing job for Red Wings games at Joe Louis Arena, at the age of 91.

Thats pretty wild. He looks kinda fat and out of shape here...amazing hes gone this long.

RayNY

01-20-2010, 10:04 AM

Here's a shot of the New York Giants in front of the Polo Grounds in 1943. Nice look at a couple of the ads.

The guys in the front look like they're squatting to take a s**t (see #55).
Sorry, had to say it.
:dance

I wonder how the Polo Grounds would look today if they never tore it down and renovated it over the years like Fenway and Wrigley. Was it architecturally unsuitable? I just wonder because it'd be cool if the Mets had one of those stadiums like the Cubs and Sox.

mandrake

01-20-2010, 10:11 AM

The guys in the front look like they're squatting to take a s**t (see #55).
Sorry, had to say it.
:dance

I wonder how the Polo Grounds would look today if they never tore it down and renovated it over the years like Fenway and Wrigley. Was it architecturally unsuitable? I just wonder because it'd be cool if the Mets had one of those stadiums like the Cubs and Sox.

From people who went there (like my parents): excellent for football, not very good for most baseball seats. While there were some great seats for MLB, like UD infield, there were thousands of far away or obstructed, or far away and obstructed seats for baseball.

But they were also Brooklyn fans, so who knows. My dad thinks Ebbets was perfect, my mom says it wasn't.

RfkFedEx

01-20-2010, 11:26 AM

mandrake

01-20-2010, 11:38 AM

Lpeters199

01-22-2010, 09:01 PM

Horace Stoneham lookalike:

Paul W

01-23-2010, 01:27 AM

a little more accurate about (hic!) horace...

Paul W

01-23-2010, 02:19 AM

Does anyone know why is ballpark had such an odd shape?

I've seen many pics of the original concrete and steel structure seen here, as well as the wooden grandstand it replaced. I have viewed the evolution of this building and its various expansions through the years.

I would think that as far back as the late 1800s, they could have found a vacant lot for baseball that was a little less constricting.

Don't get me wrong, I think it was a cool park, I'm just wondering.

when the giants moved uptown from the original polo grounds just north of central park in 1890, they rented a rectangular plot of land in "coogan's hollow" and layed down a ballpark (the franchise never owned the land that it played on).
the southern portion of the hollow (along 155th st.) was occupied by what was known as "manhattan fields" that was used for track & field and football and also occupied by the players league franchise. after demolition of the stands, this land was used as parking area for the polo grounds. the northern parcel was owned and used by the interboro rapid transit co. as a elevated train yard, you can see the it in many old photos.
the giants were constricted by the shape of the land that they leased and "built to suit".
good images (still & moving) of the "old/wood" polo grounds show up in bud greenspan's documentary film - "the glory of their times" which was based on audio recordings of players from the 1890-1916 period compiled by lawrence ritter for his book of the same title. good watching and reading!

Lpeters199

01-25-2010, 06:58 PM

From: http://www.angelfire.com/fl/mainframeconsole/polo_grounds_shuttle/

Sean O

01-25-2010, 07:03 PM

RfkFedEx

01-25-2010, 07:20 PM

It always blew my mind that the Giants couldn't find some way to build into the Manhattan Field area when the Polo Grounds had the dimensions it did. If it were completely hemmed in by buildings I could understand the bizarre layout, but not when there's a giant (effectively) open field directly next to it.

That's what I'm still wondering. The Giants must have had zero help from the city in those days if ownership was too cheap to buy the land.

Moving out of that place might have been the next best move in Yankee history.

Had the Giants effectively modernized and expanded the PG to keep up w/ OYS, things might have been different by the 50s.

Ebetts Field also looks to have been a much nicer facility in its day considering its lifespan nearly paralleled that of the PG.

RfkFedEx

01-25-2010, 07:24 PM

Does anyone know if Giants Stadium will be imploded or torn down?

Lpeters199

01-25-2010, 07:41 PM

From: http://picasaweb.google.com/MercuryWW

Lpeters199

01-25-2010, 07:46 PM

Polo Grounds from: http://picasaweb.google.com/MercuryWW

Yankeefan3783

01-26-2010, 08:50 AM

I found this link on uniwatchblog, apparently MLB 10 The Show will feature 10 classic stadiums, including the Polo Grounds.

http://kotaku.com/5456844/classic-stadiums-will-be-unlockable-but-wont-be-easy/

Paul W

01-26-2010, 12:07 PM

That's what I'm still wondering. The Giants must have had zero help from the city in those days if ownership was too cheap to buy the land.

Had the Giants effectively modernized and expanded the PG to keep up w/ OYS, things might have been different by the 50s.

Ebetts Field also looks to have been a much nicer facility in its day considering its lifespan nearly paralleled that of the PG.

ebbets field was aging in the late 50's like wrigley is now, the aisles did not meet fire dept. safety codes and almost no parking. ask anybody who was there the last few years...

the coogan family owned the land the polo grounds sat on and stoneham did not have the means to take on additional expense to expand the building.
besides, if they somehow acquired the space along 155th st. for the ballpark, where would the parking area go??
he was stuck with declining attendance, the loss of football rental revenues and heavy maintenance of the building.

TJH1923

01-26-2010, 01:12 PM

ebbets field was aging in the late 50's like wrigley is now, the aisles did not meet fire dept. safety codes and almost no parking. ask anybody who was there the last few years...

the coogan family owned the land the polo grounds sat on and stoneham did not have the means to take on additional expense to expand the building.
besides, if they somehow acquired the space along 155th st. for the ballpark, where would the parking area go??
he was stuck with declining attendance, the loss of football rental revenues and heavy maintenance of the building.

Not to mention Polo Grounds and Ebbets Field were in deteriorating neighborhoods. The fan base was moving to the suburbs and parking became critical for both franchises because their fans were now driving to the games in greater numbers than ever before.

The political process (see Robert Moses) in the city put up road blocks at every turn. NYC politics is a big reason both franchises opted to move out of the city. Both franchises would have stayed if the city would have been flexible to both team's attempts to have new venues constructed.

The city was lucky they didn't lose the Yankees too......The city came pretty damn close to screwing that up also.

RfkFedEx

01-26-2010, 01:22 PM

I'm well aware of what was going on in NYC by the 1950s, which is why I think both teams made the correct business decision to move.

What I'm saying is the Giants should have attempted to properly expand the PG in the teens while the land was still available and the Yankees were paying rent.

Once OYS opened in '23 the PG never stood a chance. Hindsite is 20/20.

elpablo302

01-26-2010, 01:39 PM

But the Giants *did* expand Polo Grounds as soon as the Yankees moved out. The existing shape of the structure necessitated the bathtub shape, not because the land was available, but because the ultimate structure was squarely in place.

A complete revamp of the structure in 1923 would have to have taken place to have a more conventional layout with the land, if not a complete new structure. Beyond right field was the only available land, but didn't the existing stands already run half-way to the eventual length of the grandstand on that side?

RfkFedEx

01-26-2010, 02:19 PM

But the Giants *did* expand Polo Grounds as soon as the Yankees moved out?

I meant before the Yanks had OYS in blueprints. But at that point, the PG were only a decade old and they had no idea how big MLB was going to blow up. OYS was probably deemed a VERY risky investment at the time.

Had the Giants sat patiently through the 20s and not expanded the PG, they might have tried to one up the Yankees with a Cleveland Municipal Stadium like ballpark elsewhere in NYC.

It's fun to speculate 'what if scenarios in sports'.

Lpeters199

01-26-2010, 03:17 PM

I've often wondered if anyone had ever fallen off Coogan's Bluff. Sure enough, at least one person did.

Paul W

01-26-2010, 03:20 PM

What I'm saying is the Giants should have attempted to properly expand the PG in the teens while the land was still available and the Yankees were paying rent.
Hindsite is 20/20.

nobody knows if charles stoneham approached the coogan family about the lot next door, but either because of politics or finances or circumstances the giants stayed in their rented space. my bet is on finances and the fact that a subway line (now the "d" train) was planned to be built through that lot in '24/'25 - see pix.
even with auto transportation in it's infancy then, having space for cars was a necessary evil.

btw - Hindsight is 20/20

RfkFedEx

01-26-2010, 07:10 PM

Good stuff Paul. It's a little more clear to me now.

I can't imagine sitting in the back row of the upper deck, under the roof in left and right CF.

Paul W

01-26-2010, 08:07 PM

I can't imagine sitting in the back row of the upper deck, under the roof in left and right CF.

better than not getting in...

Paul W

01-27-2010, 10:59 PM

johnny carson suits w/jets in the polo grounds @ 2:34...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N4UeK4oKQCg

Yankeefan3783

01-28-2010, 07:48 PM

It appears that the Polo Grounds is used as the background at the end of the video in this SNL short.

http://www.nbc.com/saturday-night-live/video/clips/nfl-films/981382/

alpineinc

01-28-2010, 09:33 PM

johnny carson suits w/jets in the polo grounds...

That's a phrase I never thought I'd hear before! Nice find.

RfkFedEx

01-29-2010, 04:33 AM

Roundin' third

01-29-2010, 09:03 AM

Does anyone know if Giants Stadium will be imploded or torn down?

It will be torn down. Implosion might damage the new stadium.

See this article here:

http://www.northjersey.com/sports/82867257_Stadium_won_t_go_out_with_bang.html

TommieAgeefan

01-29-2010, 09:22 AM

It will be torn down. Implosion might damage the new stadium.

See this article here:

http://www.northjersey.com/sports/82867257_Stadium_won_t_go_out_with_bang.html

Alos, they must dismantle it carefully so as to not disturb Jimmy Hoffa's skeletal remains :D

Lpeters199

01-29-2010, 04:55 PM

RfkFedEx

01-29-2010, 05:44 PM

This article tells why the Jets played at the Polo Grounds:

'Shea was intended to be modeled after Dodger Stadium':laugh

Paul W

01-29-2010, 07:42 PM

'Shea was intended to be modeled after Dodger Stadium':laugh

then they missed the mark...
shea didn't hit the drawing boards until dodger stadium construction was well underway.
i had a chance to talk to the gentleman who was on-site supervisor for concrete/steel construction at shea and he mentioned that when he toured dodger stadium that much of the pre-cast concrete used there would not have passed muster with the shea engineers who rejected almost 1/4 of the concrete flooring sections used at shea. that was a big reason for the delayed opening of shea.

64Cards

01-30-2010, 06:37 AM

Carson was great. Glad I was just old enough to watch him in his final year 91-92.

I knew the Titans played at the PG, but I didn't know about the Jets.

I figured the Titans changed their name to Jets in '64 to coincide w/ the location of Shea near the airport.

They changed it in 1963, after Sonny Werblin bought the team. He did a complete makeover of the franchise. The Titan nickname was a takeoff of the Giants. Harry Wismer, their owner was an ex-broadcaster, who didn't have deep enough pockets to make it through the lean early years of the AFL. I guess "Jets" was part of the team moving into Shea, next to LGA and also because it rhymed with "Mets." Werblin was figuring on going after much of their fan base.

Werblin had been President of MCA and knew the entertainment business. He was able to negotiate a huge tv package with NBC for the AFL, which pretty much put them on an even footing with the NFL for tv revenue, which in turn gave him the money to sign Joe Namath. The AFL also began offering huge bonuses to established NFL stars which would lead the NFL to the table to negotiate a merger.

Mary Ellen

01-30-2010, 06:59 AM

then they missed the mark...
shea didn't hit the drawing boards until dodger stadium construction was well underway.
i had a chance to talk to the gentleman who was on-site supervisor for concrete/steel construction at shea and he mentioned that when he toured dodger stadium that much of the pre-cast concrete used there would not have passed muster with the shea engineers who rejected almost 1/4 of the concrete flooring sections used at shea. that was a big reason for the delayed opening of shea.

Interesting information. The Shea floor sections appeared to be in good shape until the end. I wonder if that was due to the selectiveness of the engineers or because the smaller precast sections are more durable.

Paul W. that was a great Carson youtube.

StanTheMan

01-31-2010, 11:38 AM

Good stuff Paul. It's a little more clear to me now.

I can't imagine sitting in the back row of the upper deck, under the roof in left and right CF.

The fellow killed by a stray bullet shot from a gun on Edgecombe Avenue was sitting in just that section. Left field, in the upper deck near where the upper deck stops.

That section (and all the section at that end of the "U" in the upper deck is broken into two parts. A front and a back. He was in the back of the two if I recall correctly.

Lpeters199

02-01-2010, 03:55 AM

The fellow killed by a stray bullet shot from a gun on Edgecombe Avenue was sitting in just that section. Left field, in the upper deck near where the upper deck stops.

That section (and all the section at that end of the "U" in the upper deck is broken into two parts. A front and a back. He was in the back of the two if I recall correctly.

More on the 1950 Polo Grounds shooting:

http://www.nydailynews.com/archives/news/1998/08/30/1998-08-30_line_of_fire_independence_da.html

alpineinc

02-01-2010, 06:27 PM

Probably here before? From nyc.gov's NY City Map. (http://gis.nyc.gov/doitt/nycitymap/)

Three 1924 aerials, one closer than the one before.

Mario Mendoza...HOF Lock

02-04-2010, 06:57 PM

Not the clearest pic, but a good view of Coogans Bluff.

Paul W

02-04-2010, 07:40 PM

reminds me of bud greenspan's documentary film "the glory of their times" in which he used lawrence ritter's tapes of player interviews with 1890-1910's era images and music.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Glory_of_Their_Times

RfkFedEx

02-04-2010, 07:56 PM

That story of the shooting is real freaky, especially the pic. I'm surprised there haven't been more gun related problems at our stadiums over the years.

Imagine if the Euros and South Americans had guns to take to soccer games, the way we do here.:crazy

bandit12

02-04-2010, 08:27 PM

What exactly do you mean "the way we do here"? Not all states are the same, but in most you cannot legally carry a gun into any place that charges an admission. I would imgine all states ban them at athletic events one way or another. So in most cases, anyone that has one at a game is breaking the law.

StadiumPage

02-04-2010, 08:39 PM

Something similar actually happened in Kansas City in 2000. (at the end of the linked article)
http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=1892601

Lpeters199

02-04-2010, 08:39 PM

The fatal shot was fired from outside the Polo Grounds.

RfkFedEx

02-05-2010, 06:41 AM

What exactly do you mean "the way we do here"?

I'm not trying to get into a gun debate with you.

Anybody determined enough can sneak a hand gun into a stadium event regardless of the local laws. It's not as easy for people to obtain guns in Europe where the fights at soccer matches are much worse than what we know here. I'm just saying, I'm surprised we haven't had more problems I.E. Oakland Raiders and Philly Eagles games.

RfkFedEx

02-05-2010, 06:51 AM

The fatal shot was fired from outside the Polo Grounds.

Regardless, we've heard of few instances of gun trouble at stadiums in the 60 years since this occurred.

The shooting could be a stray bullet as in this case, or perhaps some nut job sniping people in the stands half a mile away from the venue; or most likely just drunken idiots brawling in the stands and somebody pulls a piece.

I'm just glad it hasn't been worse.

swatman

02-05-2010, 07:55 PM

I'm not trying to get into a gun debate with you.

Anybody determined enough can sneak a hand gun into a stadium event regardless of the local laws. It's not as easy for people to obtain guns in Europe where the fights at soccer matches are much worse than what we know here. I'm just saying, I'm surprised we haven't had more problems I.E. Oakland Raiders and Philly Eagles games.

It certainly happened in 1963 at the PG. After a game I was on a ramp crossing from the RF grandstand to the bleachers when I inadvertently found myself between two large guys screaming at each other. The man in front of me pulled a gun and I was staring down the barrel. Fortunately he thought better of things, tucked the gun away, screamed some more curses, turned around and walked away.

RfkFedEx

02-05-2010, 08:17 PM

It certainly happened in 1963 at the PG. After a game I was on a ramp crossing from the RF grandstand to the bleachers when I inadvertently found myself between two large guys screaming at each other. The man in front of me pulled a gun and I was staring down the barrel. Fortunately he thought better of things, tucked the gun away, screamed some more curses, turned around and walked away.

wow man, scary stuff.

I just want to make it clear that I'm not saying guns at games can't or doesn't ever happen. But had you witnessed a shooting in the ballpark that day, we'd probably all know of the story.

I'm still surprised that there haven't been more shootings among the billions of American stadium patrons over the last century.

Lpeters199

02-05-2010, 10:49 PM

Yankee Stadium shooting July 4, 1985:

Lpeters199

02-05-2010, 11:10 PM

Wally Joyner hit by knife at Yankee Stadium, 1986:

Lpeters199

02-05-2010, 11:47 PM

Shooting at Kaufmann Stadium, Kansas City in 2000:

Paul W

02-06-2010, 01:36 AM

sounds like a nice day at the 'park, eh?

bandit12

02-06-2010, 01:46 PM

Bad that the woman was hit...but I hope she didn't get a dime for her lawsuit.

Lpeters199

02-06-2010, 06:24 PM

This LIFE photo is dated 1949. In the extreme right side is the polo grounds with a large amount of smoke beyond the left field side. That must have involved the construction of Colonial Park Homes, the housing project built there.

Gary Dunaier

02-06-2010, 06:49 PM

Yankee Stadium shooting July 4, 1985:

I remember reading about a shooting incident at Yankee Stadium where the victim asked a passing vendor for help and the vendor said something to the effect of 'I don't have to do nothin'!' and walked away. Don't know if this was the incident, but I definitely remember reading the story.

SHOELESSJOE3

02-07-2010, 06:12 AM

We've all heard that "kill the umpire" but this guy took it too far.
Now back to the Polo Grounds theme.

Paul W

02-07-2010, 10:30 AM

mandrake

02-07-2010, 07:25 PM

looks like there's a fire, with all that smoke
notice no cross bronx expy. yet...

I dunno. If the smoke is all white, it means nothing is really burning (or already covered with water). And it seems that it is from several different spots in the old railyards.

Putting up those projects may have been the single stupidest thing in the history of ball parks.

Gary Dunaier

02-07-2010, 07:35 PM

I thought white smoke meant we had a new Pope. :reporter:

StanTheMan

02-08-2010, 03:44 PM

There is no gun debate.....

Firearms are FAR more easier to obtain in the USA than Europe.... there is ZERO debate. As for permits and legally carrying a firearm.... That is also NOT part of the equation here. What percentage of the crimes committed with firearms are carried out by those WITH permits carrying them legally?

This applies to both the PG era, and even more so today.

Paul W

02-08-2010, 04:45 PM

I dunno. If the smoke is all white, it means nothing is really burning (or already covered with water). And it seems that it is from several different spots in the old railyards.

Putting up those projects may have been the single stupidest thing in the history of ball parks.

robert moses was in charge of the public housing $$$'s coming out of washington then and by his dealings with the dodgers it was obvious that the only ballpark he was interested in was in flushing meadows.
i'm sure that he and the politicians saw the polo/shea swap as a good deal considering the prevaling attitudes in the 50's & 60's about "old" buildings.

TJH1923

02-08-2010, 07:17 PM

robert moses was in charge of the public housing $$$'s coming out of washington then and by his dealings with the dodgers it was obvious that the only ballpark he was interested in was in flushing meadows.
i'm sure that he and the politicians saw the polo/shea swap as a good deal considering the prevaling attitudes in the 50's & 60's about "old" buildings.

Robert Moses made it crystal clear that the Flushing Meadow site was the only site in play( for the Dodgers). There was no negotiation in his stance. The Polo Grounds site was earmarked for public housing in his mind and that is the way it was going to be. The Giants were offered to share Yankee Stadium which the Yankees were not interested in.

StadiumPage

02-10-2010, 11:44 AM

Sorry for no pictures, but SNY is showing "Mets Yearbook 1963" right now. TONS of color footage of the Polo Grounds. Really cool....

Yankee Paul

02-10-2010, 12:21 PM

Indeed, that was Thomas Dewey, the three-term Governor of New York and the two-time Presidential candidate.

I don't remember who said it, but someone once referred to Tom Dewey as looking like the little man on top of a wedding cake.

Teddy Roosevelt's daughter Alice (what a character!!) said that about Dewey

tugger

02-10-2010, 04:05 PM

Teddy Roosevelt's daughter Alice (what a character!!) said that about Dewey

At least he's not a law professor with a tele . . . tele . . . teleprompter (sorry, my hand got smudged).

Petemc1969

02-10-2010, 04:23 PM

Some screencaps from the 1963 Yearbook (thanks alpine):

Lpeters199

02-10-2010, 04:27 PM

Only in the Polo Grounds!

Lpeters199

02-10-2010, 09:56 PM

Those must have been pretty tight quarters inside the scoreboard, but what a view they had!

FENWAY FRANKY

02-11-2010, 06:57 AM

The LIFE pictures and the scoreboard tell me it's 1953.
Braves in Milwaukee, Browns still in St.Louis.

EdTarbusz

02-11-2010, 09:49 AM

The LIFE pictures and the scoreboard tell me it's 1953.
Braves in Milwaukee, Browns still in St.Louis.

It's May 22, 1953.

The picture appears to be Campanella's double to left to lead off the sixth. The Dodgers could not get him across and lost the game 5-1.

chinese home run

02-11-2010, 02:25 PM

The LIFE pictures and the scoreboard tell me it's 1953.
Braves in Milwaukee, Browns still in St.Louis.

That and the absence of Mays in the lineup would tell me that was 1953,too.

Gary Dunaier

02-11-2010, 06:05 PM

Those must have been pretty tight quarters inside the scoreboard, but what a view they had!

Couldn't have been significantly better than the view from the first row directly above the scoreboards.

I wonder what the view from the apartment buildings was like!

Kentucky Bomber

02-11-2010, 07:26 PM

Couldn't have been significantly better than the view from the first row directly above the scoreboards.

I wonder what the view from the apartment buildings was like!

I don't see anybody at the windows. Maybe a floor higher up would have had an angle into the field.

icee82

02-14-2010, 07:15 AM

Polo Grounds 1938 from LIFE

alpineinc

02-14-2010, 02:52 PM

More screencaps from the Mets 1963 highlight film:

Here it is, in 3 parts, from my old YouTube uploads. Lesser quality than SNY, I'm sure, but there you are.
First part audio is low for only a few seconds. The last game at the PG is at the end of Part 2.

RichieA13

02-21-2010, 07:58 PM

Does ANYONE who attended games in The Polo Grounds (or armed with definitive photographic evidence) know what two pennants were flown below the American flag in CF during the Giants tenure in the old ballpark? I am ASSUMING it would be either flags from the two teams playing that day, else maybe the teams who were in 1st place in both leagues? I have been searching for a good image that may show the name(s) of the teams on the CF pennants .... but to no avail. Anyone?

Dougman59

02-22-2010, 08:36 AM

Pretty cool video. I like how my brother had baseball cards of all 5 players interview in part one. Somehow that year Met cards were very common.

pgsuperfan

02-22-2010, 11:46 AM

Great photos

jnakamura

03-03-2010, 08:42 PM

Now this is pretty darn cool

dpcv8

03-03-2010, 10:32 PM

Is there a record of how many home runs Ruth hit at the Polo Grounds?

mandrake

03-04-2010, 03:47 AM

Is there a record of how many home runs Ruth hit at the Polo Grounds?

I think he hit 88 hrs there from 1920-1922 when hit had 54,59, and 35 (missed a chunk of 1922).

In the book "The year Babe Ruth hit 104 HRs" (1921) it details all of his shots.

Lpeters199

03-06-2010, 12:26 AM

From the current eBay auction:

StanTheMan

03-07-2010, 08:45 AM

I think there is a misplaced door (a big one, roll-up garage door style) on the OF wall in the MLB The Show Video game footage posted above. There was a door in foul territory down the third base side (just past the box seats) which led to the underbelly of the ballpark and the Head Groundsman's living quarters, but I think the video shows one in RF as well?? There is a door next to where Pafko stood watching Thomson's HR as well I think....

Could be wrong though.

chip

03-07-2010, 09:14 AM

I think the orientation of the bullpen is incorrect also.
They where at a 45 degree angle to home plate.

Lpeters199

03-07-2010, 01:09 PM

This short video shows a bit of Coogan's Bluff on the left and Polo Grounds apartments on the right--about halfway through the clip.

http://vimeo.com/3003379

locke40

03-13-2010, 09:55 PM

October 9, 1913. The scene at the Polo Grounds in New York after the third game of the World Series. Philadelphia Athletics 8, New York Giants 2.

locke40

03-13-2010, 10:00 PM

John "Shano" Collins, first baseman for the Chicago White Sox, at bat in 1920.

locke40

03-13-2010, 10:04 PM

alpineinc

03-14-2010, 12:00 AM

1950, likely here before as well, but, if so, here it is again! escapedtowisconsin (http://www.flickr.com/photos/69805768@N00/3028647772/) on Flickr.

Lpeters199

03-16-2010, 08:31 PM

From eBay:

EdTarbusz

03-16-2010, 08:42 PM

I'm pretty sure this photo was posted here once before; but I don't think it was in such high quality!

October 8, 1912. First game of the 1912 World Series, between the New York Giants and Boston Red Sox. Right field grandstand at New York's Polo Grounds.

Note that the city series' are displayed so prominently on the scoreboard. I wouldn't be surprised if there was more excitement about the city series in Chicago and Philadelphia that there was about the World Series in this era.

Mario Mendoza...HOF Lock

03-20-2010, 12:34 PM

Some of the few PG pics in the Library of Congress archives. Haven't seen these here. Click enlarge for the huge size. A lot of interesting things to see if you look around.

ENLARGE (http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4001/4447881227_682d1e0f83_o.jpg)

ENLARGE (http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4064/4448639972_566fce9972_o.jpg)

Here's a 1936 May Day socialist labor rally. Interesting story on how this photo was identified here (http://baseballresearcher.blogspot.com/2009/11/may-day-at-polo-grounds.html).

Here's a 3D virtual tour (It would be a lot better if it was made in higher-res)

Finally, here's (http://snaggingbaseballs.mlblogs.com/archives/2010/02/polo_grounds_snagging_analysis.html) an interesting article about the likely difficulty in snagging foul balls at the PG

StanTheMan

03-21-2010, 07:57 AM

Foul ball analysis.... weak.

Suggesting ground rule doubles bounced into the right and left center field seats (immediately to either side of the clubhouse and batter's eye walls) is pretty riduculous.

Then to suggest that "perhaps" soe Home Runs cleared the roof right down the line is a bit shortsided as well. One could get BP home run balls in the parking lot by the bagful before one would get a SINGLE GR Double in the right center field bleachers.

The author needs to contact Lou Brock, Hank Aaron, channel Joe Adcock and Luke Easter and ask them about reaching those bleachers (on the fly or on the bounce).

The video tour has previously been posted.