Polo Grounds Picture Thread.

[RichardLillard1]

This thread should show pictures of New York's Polo Grounds through the years. From its wooden beginnings to the sad demolition in 1964.

Extension of the Grandstand, 1923.
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a286/RichardLillard1/PoloGrounds1923leftfieldunderconstr.jpg
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a286/RichardLillard1/PoloGrounds4-26-23.jpg

From above.
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a286/RichardLillard1/stadNewYork04.jpg
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a286/RichardLillard1/71.jpg

1904 and 1905 respectively.
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a286/RichardLillard1/PoloGroundsNYNY1904.jpg
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a286/RichardLillard1/Polo_grounds_panorama1905.jpg

I'll get more up in a bit, but I think this is a nice start.

[RichardLillard1]

Unsure of the date, sometime before the fire.

[RichardLillard1]

From the bluff/above.
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a286/RichardLillard1/POLOKNICK_EXT_57small.jpg
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a286/RichardLillard1/ce_1.jpg
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a286/RichardLillard1/2dfe.jpg

The wooden Polo Grounds next door to the ballpark of its former namesake now known as Manhattan Field.
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a286/RichardLillard1/Polo_Grounds_Manhattan_Field.jpg
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a286/RichardLillard1/mfpg1897sm-1.jpg

Its really a shame the ornamental friezes weren't kept - pre 1923.
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a286/RichardLillard1/Polo_Grounds_603.jpg
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a286/RichardLillard1/Polo_Grounds_602.jpg
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a286/RichardLillard1/1913WScPoloGrounds-1.jpg

Unsure of the date.
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a286/RichardLillard1/polo54.jpg
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a286/RichardLillard1/polo47.jpg

[RichardLillard1]

Shoeless Joe Jackson at bat in 1915.
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a286/RichardLillard1/joejacksonbattingaugust1915pologrou.jpg

Football.
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a286/RichardLillard1/hakoah.jpg

1940.
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a286/RichardLillard1/1940pologroundsphotonumber3EDITED.jpghttp://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a286/RichardLillard1/1940pologroundsphotonumber1EDITED.jpg

Inside in I think 1909.
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a286/RichardLillard1/6a29227r.jpg

A sad day.
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a286/RichardLillard1/61_1.jpg

[Elvis]

Inside in I think 1909.
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a286/RichardLillard1/6a29227r.jpg


This is one of my all-time fav photos! I saw this one a few months ago full sized (I'm guestimating 1000 pix wide) - amazing! But I can't remember where I saw it! :(

Richard, Donald - anybody have the full-size version? :confused:

Oh here's my first contribution...

http://www.ballparktour.com/Mays_catch.jpg

[Elvis]

Does anybody know the specific year when the bleachers were added in the outfield?

[Elvis]

I have the original. I'll email it to you right now.

No clue when they were added. My guess is sometime right before the fire?

Yankee Stadium is more of my speciality. :laugh

Thanks Richard! Woo hoo! :dance

About the bleachers - of all the photos I've seen of the 1905-11 Polo Grounds, I'd say about 80% feature the bleachers, so I'm guessing it was closer to the stadium's beginnings when they were added, rather than towards the end. But that's only a guess.

[RichardLillard1]

You could be on to something there. I haven't seen too many pictures of the Polo Grounds before the fire so this is definately not subject I am familiar with yet. But I am learning more all the time.

[Elvis]

Another question: What was the deal with the clover-shaped infield?

[Elvis]

From the bluff/above.
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a286/RichardLillard1/POLOKNICK_EXT_57small.jpg

Here's another of those interesting photos that shows a blueish tinge to the roof facade! Compare the facade color with the green of the rest of the ballpark (clubhouse)

???

Blue?

Green?

Turquoise?

[Elvis]

hey Richard, I was just looking at that photo you sent me. One nugget I discovered was that they cut the grass around the words "NEW YORK" in between the first base line and the stands, and on the other side you can see they did the same thing only in chalk for the visitor's city.

Also the batter looks like he's wearing a jacket or heavy sweater.

Cool stuff! :)

[RichardLillard1]

I noticed that about the blue too it even looks different compared to the seats in the upper deck.

I am going to have to look at the picture I sent you again though because I haven't noticed those things.

[StanTheMan]

Deleted post....

[StanTheMan]

The Shot Heard Round the World..... I believe this photo was taken by a fan... who had a camera with a maximum of TWO images. One was taken the inning earlier, and he took this one with the other. Incredible. The dotted line is the path of the ball.

[StanTheMan]

Thomson crossing the plate.... That's Jackie Robinson unable to leave the field, or making DARN sure that Thomson touches every base. Probably the latter.

[StanTheMan]

Giants at the Mets... a good look at what the hitter saw when looking out to the mound. The center field marker reads 475. It often read 483 during the Giants Years. There is some speculation as to what the measurement referred to. The base of the wall (in shadow). The Eddie Grant Memorial, the clubhouse wall with the windows?

There was also NO ground rule as to where a ball had to be hit to center field to be a Home Run. Over the Green wall entirely? Just off the windows? Hit the wall at all? Notice there is no line painted on the wall anywhere, like so many other parks had painted on the outfield walls.

No problem though... NO batted ball EVER hit the clubhouse so wall so prominent in this photo. In fact, only four balls were ever hit into the Center Field Bleachers. Luke Easter in a Negro League game, then Joe Adcock. Finally Lou Brock and Hank Aaron on CONSECUTIVE days in June 1962.

[StanTheMan]

The PG in 1921. Looks like bleachers to me... but the famous double deck stops at the foul line in left, and stops just past the foul line in right.

Gonna love this thread... my new fav on BBF.

[StanTheMan]

After the Fire.... Giant and Philadelphia players at the PG.


Most of these photos are "out there" on the net... but I must Credit Donald for his excellent Polo Grounds Yahoo Group and photo album... where I got a few of the photos, including this one.

[StanTheMan]

The Legendary Stan the Man Musial at the Polo Grounds... with Casey Stengel.

[StanTheMan]

The only Bullpens in FAIR territory in all of baseball..... it took quite a shot to reach them!

[StanTheMan]

Date not known.... the foul poles must have looked so close to the batter that they could reach out and touch them....

[StanTheMan]

The absolutely HUGE outfiled.... and the clover infield gone.

[StanTheMan]

Yes.... that is Yankee Stadium....... but look at the top of the Photo across the Harlem River, it's the PG. I painfully regret that in my only visit to Yankee stadium, I did not look across the River to at least see the Polo Grounds site. Residential buildings "The Polo Grounds Towers" are there now. Not particularly nice or desireable iirc.

This is getting fun! Love the PG.

[StanTheMan]

The famous "overhang" of the second deck in left field. It hung out a whopping 21 feet!! With the foul pole at 279... it is estimated that a pop fly hit right down the line at the right trajectory, would only have to go 251 feet to nick the upper deck facade, making it the shortest HR in the modern era.

[StanTheMan]

A sad one.... (hands Donald a Kleenex)

[StanTheMan]

Never saw this one until now... another demolition shot.

[StanTheMan]

Two Postcards... 1910 before the Fire, and 1937 (after the fire)

[StanTheMan]

Might as well get this one overwith....

The "famous" (at least on BBF) Blue Photo, speculating that the Mets painted the park Blue. This is just a colorized version of a Black and White Photo discussed in another thread on BBF.

The Mets did apply some paint, but it was not blue. It may have been a lighter green, despite the color photo from earlier in the thread, and this one.

[StanTheMan]

Pre-Fire... 1891 to 1911. Coogan's Bluff visible in the background. Fans could see all the outfield from there, and some of the second base area, iirc. When the park was rebuilt, the area behind the plate was much higher, and more of the park was abscured to fans on the Bluff.

[StanTheMan]

This plaque is still on the ground near the Brush Starway, which led you from Coogan's Bluff behind the plate down to the entrance behind Home Plate.

[StanTheMan]

Here's the stairs..... some say this is the only "part" of the Polo Grounds still standing.

http://www.projectballpark.org/history/nl/pics/polo2-4.jpg

[StanTheMan]

The Left Field Bleachers....

Did I mention that I have an (unhealthy if you ask my wife) obsession with the PG?

[Williamsburg2599]

A sad day in baseball history:
18076

[StanTheMan]

Here's the one of the kids in the trees, presumably for THAT game in 1908... the replay of the Merkle's Boner Game. Stew Thornley's book, The Land of the Giants has quite a bit of info on this game, and how it was probably the most anticipated sporting event ever in the USA at the time.... and probably held that mark until either Ruth came along, or until the first big boxing matches came about. From another PG thread... but definitely belongs here. You really could see a significant portion of the field from the Bluff.

This is pre fire.

[StanTheMan]

A larger version of a photo previously posted.... probably one of the most unique photos of the old wooden PG. Looks like the photographer was in the front few rows of the upper deck. You can see that the upper deck stops before the foul pole in left, but continues past the foul pole in right... as seen in some of the photos from the air previously posted.

[StanTheMan]

This is the only aerial photo I have ever found of a Night Game at the PG. Yankee Stadium in the foreground, and the PG across the Harlem River.

Actually, I am pretty sure the game is at Yankee Stadium, but the lights are on at the PG for some reason. Surely these types of "doubleheaders" would be avoided for attendance reasons? Perhaps one of the two games is a rainout make-up?

I do know that the Giants used to open the PG parking area (to the left of the PG in the photo) during Yankee games, and many fans parked there and took the subway across to Yankee Stadium, which had limited parking. Maybe that is what is going on and the lights are on for a photo?

The Yankee Stadium Parking looks fuller than the PG parking.....

This could even be Mets and Yankees... who knows?

[StanTheMan]

Can't let the thread die..... The Grandstand, rebuilt right after the fire. 1911.

[StanTheMan]

Color photo, just seconds after the final out of the final Giants Game at the PG. Gotta make a run for that famous CF clubhouse!!

[Williamsburg2599]

Color photo, just seconds after the final out of the final Giants Game at the PG. Gotta make a run for that famous CF clubhouse!!
That's an amazing photo, STM! What a mad dash that was.

[StanTheMan]

A Demolition Photo from a very wide angle. You can see the centerfield clubhouse wall to the extreme right of the photo.

[StanTheMan]

Ok.... So Bobby Thomson is 483 feet from the plate. The first guy in the relay is about 150 feet from him... MAX. SO, this play must go 8, to 7 (assuming this is the left fielder in the photo), to 6, to 4, to 5, to 2 for a putout at the plate? :)

EDIT -- JUST noticed this today... the door on the left, which leads to the Visitors clubhouse (the home clubhouse is the stairs and the door on the right side of the "notch" iirc) --- well, the door is OPEN!!!! LOL!! Nobody ever hit a batted ball that struck the clubhouse anyway, so no big deal, leave the door open! :) Is that a person peeking out of the door as well? The windows, with the guy in the white shirt, are the windows to the manager's office. The FOURTH window from the left is a very important window, especially if you have read Joshua Prager's book The Echoing Green.

[StanTheMan]

Gotta have one of "the catch." Arnold Hano's Book. A Day in The Bleachers is a great book about that day, from a fan's perspective.

[StanTheMan]

A view from the Box Seats in 1943. The round shape of the grandstand placed fans pretty far from home plate for an old ballpark.

[StanTheMan]

The final stolen base at the PG. This guy dug up home plate after the final game, a drab 9-1 loss to the Pirates. I don't think he made it out with the plate, however :rolleyes:

[StanTheMan]

That's an amazing photo, STM! What a mad dash that was.

I'm not sure it is of the final game though. Only 1,600 or so attended the last game. The stands look MUCH fuller than that.

[RichardLillard1]

These were from a home movie, mid 50's I beleive. All I have for now I'll post more later. Probably going to put more in the Yankee Stadium Thread as well.

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a286/RichardLillard1/511a.jpg
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a286/RichardLillard1/512a.jpg
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a286/RichardLillard1/513a.jpg
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a286/RichardLillard1/514a.jpg
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a286/RichardLillard1/515a.jpg

[StanTheMan]

I've seen these "home movie" shots before..... They are definitely of a World Series. You can tell buy the Red, White and Blue bunting hanging up around the stadium.

If these are the same shots, I have seen them claimed to be of a Giants Yankees WS, with Joe DiMaggio hitting a HR. But it looks like Road Gray unis in the field (at least in the 3rd slide) , and the Giants at bat. The slide after that, could be an opposing player rouding second after a homer.

Nice shots though. As you can see from the photos, he/she is sitting in section 33 in the lower deck. A nice indication of how the poles would have interfered with the fans view just a bit.

[StanTheMan]

There is a "Polo Grounds" Replica in Manteca, CA. It was built for Senior Little League, and is big enough for adult softball to be played on it as well.

Imagine this as your little leage field!!! I saw an aerial shot of all the fields at this park. It included a PG, a Yankee Stadium, Wrigley - Yes, they plant IVY on the outfield wall, Tiger Stadium, Crosley Field, Sportsman's Park, Ebbets Field, etc. Must be a great place to play ball. Sure, it is a regular ballpark for the most part, with some changes to the dimensions, and a very nice outfield wall done in the style of the park it is supposed to recreate, but still one heck of a field. The PG in Monteca, CA.....

You can see all the parks (the Fenway and Wrigley are especially nice) at http://www.hwob.com/campbell/tournament/bld.htm and the main site at http://www.bigleaguedreams.com/index.html

[StanTheMan]

18388

18389


2 More Photos of Replica PG built by Big League Dreams. A good photo of the Center Field Clubhouse, and a shot of the "stands" in deepest left center.

[Elvis]

June 26, 1920 - The Babe crosses home plate after smashing his 21st homer of the season.

http://pro.corbis.com/images/U116759INP.jpg?size=67&uid={ee107d24-5aea-4fca-945d-8b6cba2e3e6d}

[Elvis]

Over 34,000 fans pack the Polo Grounds to watch the 6th and last game of the 1923 World Series. The Yankees defeated the Giants in their own stadium, 6 to 4, to win the series 4 to 2.

© Bettmann/CORBIS
Date Photographed: October 15, 1923

[Elvis]

West Point's hefty backfield limbers up at the polo grounds for the game with Duke University tomorrow (Oct. 28). Left to right: Tom Lombardo, Dean Sensanbaugher, Doc Blanchard, and Glenn Davis.

© Bettmann/CORBIS
Date Photographed: October 27, 1944

[Elvis]

Walter Johnson, with a backdrop of the clubhouse under construction.

[Elvis]

August, 1951

[Elvis]

Pictured is a lineup of baseball's oldtimers who appeared at the Polo Grounds today to take part in a program featuring a war bond baseball game sponsored by the New York Journal American. Left to right, back row: "Duffy" Lewis, Ed Collins, Roger Bresnahan, Connie Mack, Umpire Klem "Red" Murray, George Sissler. Front row: Hans Wagner, Frankie Frisch, Babe Ruth, Walter Johnson, Tris Speaker. The 45,000 who attended the Patriotic Jubilee bought $800,000 in war bonds.

August 26, 1943

[RichardLillard1]

Great ones Elvis keep them coming!

[StanTheMan]

The Brush Staircase today... looks like the exit from the staircase onto Edgecombe Avenue is blocked off.

[StanTheMan]

Here is as close up a photo of the landing place Shot Heard Round the World as I have seen. The ball entered the stands to the left of the section 35 pole. If you look a two people to the left of the section 35 pole, you see a guy with dark hair, a dark coat or jacket, and a white shirt (you can see a lot of white shirt). He is defninitely celebrating, with both arms in the air. The person to the left of him, has both hands up either protecting themselves, or trying to catch a ball, probably the former. HIs/her head is turned towards the white shirt guy and you can just see the side of his/her head.

The people to the right side of the photo are looking towards these two. Likewise, the people in the rows further back seem to be generally looking towards these two. I love the guys in the front row to the extreme right of the photo. Leaning WAY out to see if this was going to be an HR. It must have just cleard the wall.

The few books I have read about the PG, and about the shot heard round the world, state that no one knows who has the ball. One book suggested more than one witness stated a young African American boy ended up with the ball and took off running with it. I think that was Joshua Pragers, or was it Stew Thornley's?

http://www.perival.com/delillo/pafko_crowd.jpeg

I'll work on blowing this up a bit more.

[StanTheMan]

Looking back at the color "slides" posted on page two.... the person who took these shots was only, what, 30 or 40 feet from where the Shot Heard Round the World landed?

So, if you were standing in the same spot in 1951, I suppose it would have looked like this.... The greatest moment in baseball history, and you don't have much of a view, even if you are just one section away!!

[StanTheMan]

An autographed photo of the moment. At the time, there were more than 270 playoff or World Series games played... and this game became the first (and still the only one) game in which a team was down by three in the bottom of the 9th and still came back to win.

[StanTheMan]

A little known fact about the Polo Grounds is that an apartment INSIDE the stadium was built by the Giants Owner, Charles Stoneham. He lured groundkeeper Matty Schwab away from the Dodgers in the late 40's iirc, and Schwab lived in the small, three or four room apartment during the season. He had a wife and son who sometimes lived their with him. The kid would have friends over, and was friends with some of the sons of the Giants Players.... when they would sleep over, they could camp out in the outfield, ride their bikes around the concourse, and generally have the PG to themselves if the Giants were out of town. The kid also had the biggest backyard in New York City!!

The family kept a car under the grandstand, and when they left the PG, drove around the concourse, and exited the PG through a roll-up door leading to Eighth Avenue... which would be down the right field line, right?

I have always looked for a photo showing the door connecting the field to the apartment, and I knew it was under the left field grandstand, and that the door was in foul territory. Never found one until now.... here it is. The door is just past the third base box seats, in foul territory. Photo from 1954

18438

[StanTheMan]

Sandy Koufax strolls down the stairs and onto the field.... Look at the center of the photo, (just in front of Sandy's face) you can see the cage in use during batting practice.

MAN, that is a long way away.

[bigtime39]

Those look like all turf infields in the youth parks. Must put a real damper on any thoughts of sliding, but I bet they play true!

[TJH1923]

Did we forget about this one too?:crazy

[EbtsFldGuy]

These are OUTSTANDING photos and stories, which even this old Brooklyn Dodger fan enjoys.

Thanks to all who contributed them!

[Elvis]

August, 1962.

[Elvis]

1956..........

[Williamsburg2599]

18745
Babe Ruth takes BP as a Brave at the PG.

[StanTheMan]

Night Game coming!!! against the dreaded "Cinni" Redlegs. This looks like the entrance near the parking lot, basically a right field entrance.

http://www.ballparksofbaseball.com/past/poloout.jpg

[EbtsFldGuy]

Boy, does that parking lot entrance bring back memories!

Where have you gone, 1950s?

[StanTheMan]

Boy, does that parking lot entrance bring back memories!

Where have you gone, 1950s?

PLEASE tell..... The long line of people at the bottom of the photo --- when they entered the PG - where did they emerge? Was there a concourse behind the lower deck and you could circle the stadium to get to your seat? Could you walk from the right field bleachers (in and to the right if I am interpreting the photo correctly) around to center, under the clubhouse, and come out in the left field bleachers?

There is almost nobody on the ramps in the photo... were those just exits?

Thanks in advance EbtsFldGuy....

[1964Senators]

I want to thank everyone who has provided a Polo Grounds photo here. I was fortunate enough to attend one game there in 1962 and another in 1963.
It was the second park I attended, Yankee Stadium being the first in 1960. While I loved baseball from the getgo, I was never fond of the frontrunning Yankees. When the Mets came along in 1962, they seemed more in line with our stumbling little league play.
I saw the next to last home game of the 1962 season, which featured Ed Kranepool's major league debut, and Richie Ashburn playing a couple innings at second base. It was a little league excursion from north Jersey, and the league spared no expense, seating us in the finest center field bleacher seats
available. There were more pigeons than fans out there. But it did have atmosphere galore toa 9 year old. Cigar smoke, the smell of stale beer, home plate over a football field and a half away. We almost needed binoculars to see the outfielders. The Mets were trounced (surprise !), but a fascination with the atmosphere of a stadium began. We entered through the outfield entrance depicted in the last photo. Thanks for the memory.
My 1963 trip was in June, and was the first game I ever attended with my dad
and younger brother. The New Breed fan was out in full force that day, and I have never been to a game where such a carnival like atmosphere prevailed.
Horns, noisemakers, and signs written on bedsheets were the order of the day. Despite the fact that the Mets were no-hit for six plus innings by Bob Friend, chants of "let's go Mets" rocked the Polo Grounds. They tallied all of 2 infield hits, and were beaten 9 to 1. As a child, I'm not sure I ever had more fun at a ballpark.
I feel extremely lucky to have had the opportunity to watch a couple games there. It's nice to have a physical link with the past. To have been at the site of so much famous baseball history is truely a blessing.

[POLO GROUNDS 1957]

Hello everyone. i am glad to see that people are enjoying this thread on the polo grounds.i want to let everyone know that there is also a simular thread like this one down in the new york giants forum here in the teams of yesteryear section.

[EbtsFldGuy]

My familiarity with that entrance is from seeing it as we approached the park.

While I never entered that way, I believe it put you on the first base/right field side of the field.

The PG was a fun place to go, even though I detested the Giants. When I was in the 8th grade, the then newspaper, the NY Journal American, sponsored clinics with Giants players. You could send in a coupon and get a ticket.

I went on a Saturday morning, for the clinic which began at 11:00 a.m. We were taken to super seats behind home plate. The guest player that day was Red Schoendienst, who'd come over from the Cards and was finishing his career with the Giants (he may have made one last stop with the Braves or some other team).

I vividly remember him saying that he tried to get 300 hits a year. There may have been another player, too, but I don't recall.

Then we were taken to outfield bleacher seats for the game, which I think was against the Braves.

We walked around the cavernous PG before anyone else was admitted to the park. And after the game you could walk on the field and exit through the center field gate.

This was a thrill for a kid, and an opportunity that no longer exists.

Each time I drive on the Harlem River Drive past 155th Street, I think of the PG and the good times we had there.

[Williamsburg2599]

I know indivisual shots of Mays have been showed before, but here's the frame-by-frame of "The Catch"
18811
18814
18815
Another Angle (I've never seen this one before):
18818

[Williamsburg2599]

Original caption: Friends and fans of Giant's outfielder Willie Mays gave him a celebration at the Polo Grounds here, showering him with gifts and praises. Here Willie doffs his cap in his acknowledgment of cheers from admirers. Manhattan Borough President Hulan E. Jack made the principal remarks in the May's Day ceremonies before the game.
18817

[POLO GROUNDS 1957]

The entrance to the polo grounds in that photo is on the parking lot side of the stadium which was the first base and right field side of the ballpark.that entrance is also near 8th ave and was near the subway.

[POLO GROUNDS 1957]

Original caption: Friends and fans of Giant's outfielder Willie Mays gave him a celebration at the Polo Grounds here, showering him with gifts and praises. Here Willie doffs his cap in his acknowledgment of cheers from admirers. Manhattan Borough President Hulan E. Jack made the principal remarks in the May's Day ceremonies before the game.
18817
This photo is a willie mays day at the polo grounds taken in august of 1954.

[Williamsburg2599]

Original caption: 8/1941-New York, NY: Pittsburgh Pirates' manager Frankie Frisch "in action" in the Pirate's dugout during a game at the Polo Grounds.
18824

[Williamsburg2599]

Players from the New York Giants and the Philadelphia Phillies look at the debris from a fire that destroyed the Polo Grounds stadium on April 14, 1911.
18826

[Williamsburg2599]

Original caption: Manhattan, New York, New York: Hits Home Run in Polo Grounds Bleachers. Photo diagram shows Cubs' Brock teeing off on his tremendous blast in first inning of opener.
18829

[Williamsburg2599]

Original caption: Idle Leo Now Idol Leo. The giant's Leo Durocher, cheered by bleacherites, comes out of the clubhouse at the Polo Grounds to resume managerial duties in the game against Pittsburgh Pirates. Reinstated Lippy, a picture of probity, looks neither to the left nor to the right--just straight ahead--despite the fanfare over his return. Leo's mind was on business. "Let's think about winning some ball games," he said.
18830

[Williamsburg2599]

Original caption: 10/3/1951-New York, NY- Bobby Thomson, surrounded by excited and worshipping fans, runs for the Giant dressing room after his pennant-winning homer in today's game. With the Dodgers leading 4 to 2 in the ninth inning, Thomson hit a homer with two men on base to give the Giants a 5-4 victory and the National League pennant.
18984

[Williamsburg2599]

Original caption: The New York Giants, led by a smiling Bobby Thomson (C) charge toward their clubhouse ahead of eager fans after losing to the Pittsburgh Pirates with 9-1, on September 29th. It was a sad day for the Giant fans in the metropolitan area as the team played it's last game in the Polo Grounds before moving to San Francisco.
18985

[Williamsburg2599]

Original caption: 10/3/1951-New York, NY- With the Brooklyn Dodgers leading 4-2 in the last half of the ninth inning, Bobby Thomson hit a homer into the left field stands with two men on base, to give the Giants a 5-4 victory and the National League pennant. In a storybook finish to the playoff series for the pennant, happy and hysterical Giant fans carry Thomson on their shoulders and fight to shake his hand following his dynamite homer.
18986

[Williamsburg2599]

Original caption: The sequence camera caught Giants third baseman Bobby Thomson snaring Dodgers first baseman, Gid Hodges foul fly along the 3rd base box seats in the fifth inning of the game at the Polo Grounds, today. In photo at left, Thomson appears to be doing a dance as he looks aloft, with outstretched hand, much to the glee and anxiety of the spectators. The Giants defeated the Dodgers by a score of 3 to 1.
18987

[Williamsburg2599]

Original caption: Braves Right fielder Henry Aaron almost loses his cap as he makes a frantic leaping lunge at the ball hit by Willie Mays in the 9th inning of the Giants-Braves game here May 19, Mays tremendous clout sailed past Aaron and banged against the bleacher wall for a triple with Bill Bruton (L) in vain pursuit. Note the unidentified policeman peering out from behind the wall to watch the play. The Braves won 3-2.
18988

[TJH1923]

Stan,
It is funny you should ask. All of those photos are from getty images website. Use google for their website.
I spoke with Getty today to inquire about purchasing photos. I was told that they issue a license for $225. Once you buy this, I believe you can purchase photos. The license is for commercial use. I was told that they do not sell prints to individuals. I wanted to buy some photos myself. The customer service rep told me to contact PHOTOFILE.COM or call their customer service at 1-800-346-1678. They have some sort of working agreement with Getty Images. Sounds like for a fee they can get you the prints you want. I haven't got that far yet. If you do inquire and get a successful response, let us know. I have that basement you want and I am always looking to add to it. I also suggest GOODSPORTSART.COM for lithographs. If framed properly, they display wonderfully.

[Williamsburg2599]

What is the getty images website.
http://creative.gettyimages.com/source/home/home.aspx?esource=googusgen&kw=getty%20images

[L. Regira]

When I saw the first two pictures of this thread it appeared to be taken at the same time and position so I combined them "magically" to get a full view of the stadium.
Lawrence R.

[L. Regira]

Thanks. I always liked how you could see Yankee Stadium from the Polo Grounds. It is prominent in that picture. A constant reminder to the Giant ownership of their former tenants who "moved it on up to a delux appartment in the sky" after being evicted from the Polo Grounds.

Lawrence

[RichardLillard1]

Inside in I think 1909.
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a286/RichardLillard1/6a29227r.jpg


I just found something online that says the date for this photo is 13 October, 1910 during the series... I was way off! :laugh

This would explain the words in the grass as we have discussed and it would also be a good reason for the players wearing long sleeves and even jackets while on the field.

[RichardLillard1]

Giants pitcher Christy Mathewson hits the dirt as catcher Chief Meyers fails to stop Eddie Collins from stealing second base in the fourth inning of Game 3 on October 17th in New York. Frank Baker homered in the top of the ninth to send the game into extra innings. The A's scored twice in the eleventh inning and won by a 3- 2 score.


Couldn't find the year.

[RichardLillard1]

In 1964 awaiting the inevitable.
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a286/RichardLillard1/pologrounds-64soonbeforethewrecking.jpg

Willie Mays takes one last look at the field at the end of the 54 season.
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a286/RichardLillard1/Willie-Mays-Takes-a-Last-Look-at-th.jpg

Football in 41.
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a286/RichardLillard1/PoloGrounds41Football-1.jpg

The original "Mr. October" Hank Gowdy batted a .545 average for the 1914 series.
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a286/RichardLillard1/hankgowdypologrounds.jpg

Wooden structure in 1888. If I remember right this later would become Manhattan Field.
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a286/RichardLillard1/bb04PoloGrounds1888.jpg

Mightiest lineup raises $800,000 in 1943 was the caption for this one.
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a286/RichardLillard1/42397aMightiestLineupRaises80000019.jpg

One of my new favorites, the 23 series.
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a286/RichardLillard1/41468a1923WorldSeries.jpg

1934 All Star Game The game of games where Carl Hubbell struck out Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Jimmy Foxx, Al Simmons and Joe Cronin IN A ROW!
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a286/RichardLillard1/41467a1934AllStarGameThegameofgames.jpg

Bird's eye view, 1922. Looks to be during a game.
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a286/RichardLillard1/41465a1922.jpg

The Giants' manager John McGraw superimposed over his park circa 1911 with Connie Mack. Probably a newspaper picture.
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a286/RichardLillard1/41325aCirca1911.jpg


Richard
Sorry for any spelling mistakes.

[RichardLillard1]

The last home plate from the Polo Grounds. For a mere $17,908.58 it could have been yours.

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a286/RichardLillard1/40473fLastPoloGroundsHomePlate17908.jpg

[Elvis]

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[Elvis]

======================

[TJH1923]

Great additions to this thread.

[TJH1923]

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[TJH1923]

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[RichardLillard1]

Those are some good ones Elvis.

[TJH1923]

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[TJH1923]

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[Brownie31]

Sunday, December 6, 1925 The Polo Grounds New York: In their initial NFL season the football Giants are shown mixing it up with the Chicago Bears. (Corbis)

Brownie31

[StanTheMan]

The last home plate from the Polo Grounds. For a mere $17,908.58 it could have been yours.

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a286/RichardLillard1/40473fLastPoloGroundsHomePlate17908.jpg

So this guy had $17K in his pocket??? :laugh

[StanTheMan]

Outside the PG just a day before the Shot Heard Round the World. Go Giants!! Corbis

[StanTheMan]

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[StanTheMan]

A ground level photo taken right down the left field line. Corbis has some great stuff.

[StanTheMan]

Something new.... Aaron and Adcock discuss their left center field bleacher Home Runs. at the time the only two men to have hit balls there during a MLB game. Lou Brock of all people, reaches the right center field bleachers the next day. Corbis' caption stated Adcock was 10 rows in and Aaron's went 5 rows in.

The positioning of the poles to the left side of the photos may help us determine EXACTLY where these two mammoth HR's landed. I have always wondered where they went exactly.

[StanTheMan]

Football game from 1936 taken at a really odd angle....

[StanTheMan]

Not a very big crowd for this Rugby match between Cambrige University from the UK and an American All Star Team, 1930's. I like this shot because it shows what the view of the grandstand must have been for the players from just behind the infield.

[StanTheMan]

Another gem uncovered. A wide angle shot of "The Catch." Interesting how Doby is going to tag up, even though Mays is a few city blocks from second base, and on the run. The three baserunners, Doby, Rosen and of course Vic Wertz, ar all within, what, 90 feet of each other?

Holy Crap Mays is wayyyyy out there. And Williams and Dark are in no position whatsoever for a cutoff throw.

[jimmyjimjimz]

I was born in Queens in 1983. I really wish I was around to see the Polo Grounds and Ebbits Field.

[winningtheweapon]

I love looking at the old classic ballparks. I think the Polo Grounds is turning into one of my favorites.

[SHOELESSJOE3]

Giants pitcher Christy Mathewson hits the dirt as catcher Chief Meyers fails to stop Eddie Collins from stealing second base in the fourth inning of Game 3 on October 17th in New York. Frank Baker homered in the top of the ninth to send the game into extra innings. The A's scored twice in the eleventh inning and won by a 3- 2 score.


Couldn't find the year.


Nice shot Richard, too bad more of the outfield wall to the right side was not in the picture, still a very good pic of the Polo Grounds. That was post # 103. Will save it in my parks folder.

That was the 1911 World Series, Collins beat out a grounder to third and than stole second base.

[StanTheMan]

20163



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!

[POLO GROUNDS 1957]

20163



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!
By looking at these photos to me it does not look like the polo grounds.

[RichardLillard1]

I am about 99% sure that isn't the Polo Grounds. The roof for a possible bullpen is in the wrong spot. And the wall has no curve to it. There's also a fence infront of said roof.

It looks like Gil is wearing a home jersey but that probably isn't Grifith either.

I do a little book-worming and get back to this. This is definately intriguing.

[Brownie31]

Hodges became Senators manager during the 1963 season which was the last season for the Polo Grounds. Hodges owned a bowling alley so he would have a good reason for taking part. Very doubtful it is the Polo Grounds.

Brownie31

[RichardLillard1]

Nice shot Richard, too bad more of the outfield wall to the right side was not in the picture, still a very good pic of the Polo Grounds. That was post # 103. Will save it in my parks folder.

That was the 1911 World Series, Collins beat out a grounder to third and than stole second base.


Thanks for the date and extra info Joe. I agree, I would like to haave seen more of a wider shot.

[bobw357]

The bowling took place in RFK Stadium. Gil Hodges is in his home uniform. Here is a pic of the left field wall of RFK. The same little shed is in both pics

http://www.bigbruno.com/senators/graphics/stadium.jpg

[Brownie31]

The bowling took place in RFK Stadium. Gil Hodges is in his home uniform. Here is a pic of the left field wall of RFK. The same little shed is in both pics

http://www.bigbruno.com/senators/graphics/stadium.jpg

Thanks for the info. Yogi Berra was Yankee manager in 1964 and in 1965 was in the NL with the Mets. Thus the picture must date from 1964!

Brownie31

[RichardLillard1]

I was going to suggest RFK. Did anyone see Soriano's upper deck blast to near dead center this past season? Had the deck not been there it probably would have been a pretty good tape measure shot.

[StanTheMan]

Well done everyone.

Here is the original website where I found the Bowling Photo.... They claim it as the PG, but of course, we are smarter!!! :clapping



http://www.levittownbowling.com/photobbplayers.htm

Which then brings up another question.... I thought the bullpens at the PG were the only IN PLAY fair territory bullpens in all of baseball? Perhaps not?

[TJH1923]

Let's not forget this gem from yesteryear.

[TJH1923]

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[TJH1923]

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[The Cubs Still Need Help]

//this had to be one of the most amazing sights in baseball history, wish i were around to see it//

[EbtsFldGuy]

//this had to be one of the most amazing sights in baseball history, wish i were around to see it//

It WAS a special place,

And so - at one time - was the surrounding neighborhood.

[JeepingBaseball]

Here's the one of the kids in the trees, presumably for THAT game in 1908... the replay of the Merkle's Boner Game. Stew Thornley's book, The Land of the Giants has quite a bit of info on this game, and how it was probably the most anticipated sporting event ever in the USA at the time.... and probably held that mark until either Ruth came along, or until the first big boxing matches came about. From another PG thread... but definitely belongs here. You really could see a significant portion of the field from the Bluff.

This is pre fire.


This photo alone is significant in defining the baseball capitol of the world. I know of no other stadium outside of New York in which generated this many fan and gave kids wonderful ideas of how to see the show. From the look of things, that tree looks pretty damn high too! Got to love New York

[TJH1923]

A few more photos to post

[TJH1923]

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[TJH1923]

Some of these football shots show the PG nicely.

[TJH1923]

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[TJH1923]

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[TJH1923]

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[TJH1923]

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[64Cards]

Love the football shots, TJH. A lot of the seats in the PG were too far away to be very good seats for baseball, but it must of been a terrific place to watch football. The NFL Giants played at the PG till 1956, which is about the time that they would become the dominant team in the NFL Eastern Confrence, through 1963.

[rat618]

Couple of questions for PG experts.
1. What were the circumstances that allowed the PG to survive from the Giants
departure in '57 till the use by the Mets in '62?
2. In the earlier photos there is a large rail yard next to PG. Later on those yards are replaced by large buildings. What was the rail yard and when were they removed and replaced by the buildings?

Thanks in advance.

[POLO GROUNDS 1957]

Couple of questions for PG experts.
1. What were the circumstances that allowed the PG to survive from the Giants
departure in '57 till the use by the Mets in '62?
2. In the earlier photos there is a large rail yard next to PG. Later on those yards are replaced by large buildings. What was the rail yard and when were they removed and replaced by the buildings?

Thanks in advance.
The railyards were torn down in the 1940s and replaced with the apartments.and the polo grounds was used for various events between 1957 and 1962 including the new york titans football team in the old AFL. the titans began play in 1960.

[TJH1923]

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[TJH1923]

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[TJH1923]

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[rat618]

Thanks for the PG answers I had forgotten about the Titans. I just wondered why it didn't suffer the same fate as Ebbets Field. If I recall correctly the ball club wante to cut ties so they were very quick in the demolition.

[POLO GROUNDS 1957]

Here is a photo showing Willie Mays at the polo grounds in 1962 before a giants at mets game.

[TJH1923]

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[POLO GROUNDS 1957]

Here is a photo showing the right field bleachers at the polo grounds.

PHOTO FROM EBAY

[POLO GROUNDS 1957]

Here is a photo showing one of the foul poles at the polo grounds.


PHOTO FROM EBAY

[Brownie31]

Wednesday, August 26, 1925 The Polo Grounds Manhattan: Mounted members of the NY Police Department are shown in this wire service photo performing crowd control as the New York Giants and the Cincinnati Reds meet for a double header. The teams split the double header. (eBay listing)

Brownie31

[Brownie31]

Sunday, December 6, 1925 The Polo Grounds Manahattan: A packed crowd at the Polo Grounds watches the first ever meeting between the New York Giants and the Chicago Bears. Unfortunately for the crowd, the Bears were victorious 19-7. (Corbis)

Brownie31

[Brownie31]

Saturday, October 29, 1932 The Polo Grounds Manhattan: Coach Chick Meehan's Manhattan College Jaspers are shown on defense as they take on the Stormy Petrels of Oglethorpe University from Atlanta. The Jaspers were victorious 20-3 in route to a 6-2-2 regular season record and an trip to the first ever Orange Bowl where they lost 7-0 to the University of Miami. (Corbis)

Brownie31

[Brownie31]

Saturday, November 29, 1919 The Polo Grounds Manhattan: The annual Army-Navy game attracts a distinguished crowd in this first post-World War I year. Meeting before the game are, from left, Gen. Peyton C. March, Secretary of War Newton Baker, Gen. John J. Pershing, Secretary of the Navy Josephus Daniels, Assistant Secretary of the Navy Franklin D. Roosevelt and Rear Admiral Scales, Superintendent of the U.S. Naval Academy. Navy's Midshipmen emerged victorious 6-0, their first win over the Army Cadets since 1912. (Corbis)

Brownie31

[StanTheMan]

Great video from youtube, originally posted by Elvis in the "you gotta see this" thread in this forum.

The first 45 seconds is of a football game from Yankee Stadium. The rest of the video is from Army-Navy at the Polo Grounds.

You can see the infield dirt on the right hand side of the screen. The football goalposts appear to be right at home plate.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=URfkVLCtn8k

[POLO GROUNDS 1957]

Here is a photo from 9-7-1957 showing the polo grounds.

PHOTO FROM EBAY LISTING

[StanTheMan]

Terrific Wide Angle shot of the PG in 1905. Big crowd that day....


http://farm1.static.flickr.com/35/122054673_dc92952a26_b.jpg

[StanTheMan]

The Jehova's Wintesses take over the PG in 1958. I don't know anything at all about the JW's but I suppose alcohol is not a problem, with the giant Knickerbocker Beer Sign still in Center Field.

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/51/109509338_12ed8c0548_b.jpg

[POLO GROUNDS 1957]

Here is a nice photo showing the right field wall and giants bullpen at the polo grounds in 1951.

[POLO GROUNDS 1957]

Here is a nice photo of the box seats behind homeplate at the polo grounds in 1951. you can also see a rest room sign in the stands in the photo.

[TJH1923]

I am hoping that there are more photos of the Polo Grounds out there.

[64Cards]

The Jehova's Wintesses take over the PG in 1958. I don't know anything at all about the JW's but I suppose alcohol is not a problem, with the giant Knickerbocker Beer Sign still in Center Field.

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/51/109509338_12ed8c0548_b.jpg
That picture is just hilarious!!!
:bowdown: :bowdown: :bowdown: :bowdown:

[StanTheMan]

Here's a color Photo of the Subway stop.... that's the PG of course on the left side of the photo. Lots of cars parking near the Right Center Field entrances, must be a game day.

http://images.nycsubway.org/i8000/img_8296.jpg

[Shortstop20]

Found a few Polo Grounds pics on the following site...also some great history from the 1908 playoff game between cubs and giants:

http://eastcoastbaseballhistory.com

[chashale]

You may be just the person I'm looking for, Richard. And by the way, what a great site. Great photos from football, too.

I used to think this photo of my father and grandfather was taken at Ebbets Field. (See my thread at Brooklyn Dodgers titled, "Pic Magazine photo at Ebbets Field", particularly my last comment about May 30, 1939.) Now I have reason to believe it may have been taken at the Polo Grounds. The two things that kept me from thinking it was the Polo Grounds are, I recall the railing along the third and first base lines curving toward the outfield, and second, my family lived in Brooklyn. But, on the other hand, maybe the photo is deceiving and maybe my father and his dad decided to take a drive to Manhattan. What do you think?

[TJH1923]

In my opinion, it does not look like the POLO GROUNDS. My reasoning is the stands visible on the third base side are too straight. PG had a curvature to those stands. Any other opinions?

[POLO GROUNDS 1957]

In my opinion, it does not look like the POLO GROUNDS. My reasoning is the stands visible on the third base side are too straight. PG had a curvature to those stands. Any other opinions?

I agree this photo was not taken at the polo grounds.

[chashale]

Thank you, guys. My original instincts were that it is Ebbets Field. I think I'll stick with that assumption.

[TJH1923]

I found a couple of more interesting photos from www.nycsubway.org

[TJH1923]

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[StanTheMan]

In my opinion, it does not look like the POLO GROUNDS. My reasoning is the stands visible on the third base side are too straight. PG had a curvature to those stands. Any other opinions?

I also think this is NOT the PG.

Curvature of the box seats... agreed.

What about the dugouts? The dugouts at the PG were definitely more towards the first and third base bags than in most parks. You should probably be able to see the third base dugout, or at least part of it, in the photo... but you can't. It looks like the dirt walkways from the plate leading to the dugouts go to locations that are closet to Home than the bases.

Also, look at the top of the photo, especially a the bits of the field that show through the support beams of the stadium right above the subjec't heads. With the way the left field wall practically ran away from the foul pole at such an odd angle, I would think you should see nothing but grass there.... but in the photo it looks like stands and people? Hard to make out though.

Also, in the photo, does the left field line continue at an odd angle when it reaches the fence? This may be a foul pole, hard to tell. It is definitely not a continuation of the left field line, IMO.

Lastly... would the last row of the upper deck be this far back at the PG? Would it have been even farther?

[RichardLillard1]

You may be just the person I'm looking for, Richard. And by the way, what a great site. Great photos from football, too.

I used to think this photo of my father and grandfather was taken at Ebbets Field. (See my thread at Brooklyn Dodgers titled, "Pic Magazine photo at Ebbets Field", particularly my last comment about May 30, 1939.) Now I have reason to believe it may have been taken at the Polo Grounds. The two things that kept me from thinking it was the Polo Grounds are, I recall the railing along the third and first base lines curving toward the outfield, and second, my family lived in Brooklyn. But, on the other hand, maybe the photo is deceiving and maybe my father and his dad decided to take a drive to Manhattan. What do you think?

I'm in the same boat as everyone else. I am almost 100% positive that isn't the Polo Grounds. I would bet money on Ebbets or perhaps even that diamond in the Bronx.

The key is (just as you mentioned) the shape of the foul territory behind home plate. It has the same angle as both stadiums had. Yankee Stadium can probably be thrown out because the framework of the stadium above them doesn't look right. Yankee Stadium had straight girders and if I'm not mistaken Ebbets had the angled ones. Although there almost seems to be too much foul territory there to be Ebbets, its about right for Yankee Stadium though. This is definately odd.

This is however just my two cents although this picture intrigues me so I will look much deeper into it a little later on. Finals are this week and next week so once my schedule slows up a bit I will put a lot more time into it.

Do you have any idea when it was taken?


Richard

[chashale]

As to when I think the photo was taken, my guess is 1939, although I'm not positive. My father would have been twelve then and that's how old he looks in the picture. I spoke with my mother yesteday and when I asked her how old he was when the photo was taken, she said, "I think he was twelve.

Here's what I just posted at my "Pic Magazine photo at Ebbets Field" thread on Musial6's suggestion that it might have been taken on May 29, 1939.

"Good thought and sound reasoning Musial6, however, here's why I think that might not be the day. If you look closely at the photo, the umps have on light colored pants. It just so happens that on May 30, 1939 it is reported by baseball library.com that "In an attempt to spruce up their appearance, National League umpires wear white gabardine trousers with blue jackets." So if that were the first day they wore them, and if they are in fact white pants, I probably should be looking forward, not back. I see that the following weekend the Dodgers played the Cubs at Ebbets and maybe that's it. But then again, what if it was reported that they started wearing the white gabs on the 30th, but some umps had them on the 29th. Stranger things have occurred. Another thing I want to look at is the weather for that time period. As you can see, my father and grandfather have on sweaters and jackets, which would probably rules out a warm day."

[chashale]

StanTheMan and Richard,
A few thoughts: I too thought the foul territory might be too big but after looking at numerous photos of Ebbets I think it still works. Perhaps the camera angle is distorting the size. Also, and I should add, I don't know a lot about photography, but from photos I've looked at, if this is Ebbets Field, the space behind where they are sitting would be open. Given how light it is it seems that the stands might be open to the street. That wouldn't have been the case at Yankee Stadium and I'm certain we've ruled out the Polo Grounds. I guess another thing I should find out is whether Ebbets Field had a walkway behind where they are sitting. The photog obviously had some room so it must have been a walkway. Last time I was at Ebbets I was eight so my memory doesn't serve me well on that one.

Another thing that threw me at first was shadow that is to the right of my grandfather's cap. Looking at old photos of Ebbets Field I note that photogs took shots from this spot. So that shadow is probably a photog. Maybe that was done at all fields but I think I've seen that at Ebbets Field. Was that called the Photographers Circle?

[chashale]

I just copied this photo from the Ebbets Field thread. Look up beyond the seats (this would be about where they were sitting) and it appears the girders are quite similar to those in my photo.

[TJH1923]

As to when I think the photo was taken, my guess is 1939, although I'm not positive. My father would have been twelve then and that's how old he looks in the picture. I spoke with my mother yesteday and when I asked her how old he was when the photo was taken, she said, "I think he was twelve.

Here's what I just posted at my "Pic Magazine photo at Ebbets Field" thread on Musial6's suggestion that it might have been taken on May 29, 1939.

"Good thought and sound reasoning Musial6, however, here's why I think that might not be the day. If you look closely at the photo, the umps have on light colored pants. It just so happens that on May 30, 1939 it is reported by baseball library.com that "In an attempt to spruce up their appearance, National League umpires wear white gabardine trousers with blue jackets." So if that were the first day they wore them, and if they are in fact white pants, I probably should be looking forward, not back. I see that the following weekend the Dodgers played the Cubs at Ebbets and maybe that's it. But then again, what if it was reported that they started wearing the white gabs on the 30th, but some umps had them on the 29th. Stranger things have occurred. Another thing I want to look at is the weather for that time period. As you can see, my father and grandfather have on sweaters and jackets, which would probably rules out a warm day."

Just an observation. If your library.com information is correct, the umps uniform would have been reported in May 30th papers from events from May 29th.

[chashale]

You may be right, TJH. They are not explicit about that. They make it sound like it was the thirtieth but you may be correct. Time to dig out the old New York Daily News or New York Times. Thanks.

[TJH1923]

I find it interesting in the train photos, posts #'s 178 & 179 that the building across the street is abandoned. That was a precurser of things to come and it is still in the '40's. It is amazing, from a historical standpoint, how many neighborhoods in NYC transformed from decent places to live to neglected and high crime areas. The Dodgers and the Giants recognized these trends and made a difficult, but correct business decision. Unfortunately, NYC ignored their pleas for new ballparks, thus ensuring their departure to the west coast.

Anyway, I found another train photo probably from the '50's on www.nycsubway.org

[RichardLillard1]

Long story short, its Ebbets. The explanation is a bit boring but here goes anyways...

The type of framework around the overhead catwalks is a telltale. They used these crossmembers that sort of suspended the catwalks in place while not obsctructing any views to the lower grandstands. This method of construction had been changed by the time Yankee Stadium went up some 20 years later. Yankee Stadium was built using a method of laying the catwalks over girders that already extended out to the upper deck, if that makes sense.

More oever than that those cat walks weren't above the lower bowl at Yankee Stadium, they were above the middle deck. As the picture plainly shows they are not elevated high enough to be in the middle deck at Yankee Stadium. Pair that with the girder work and this is obviously Ebbets field.

As to what day it was... no idea, you are going to want to take that up with members here who have really good researching tools. It seems although that they have already begun helping you in that department.


Richard

[chashale]

Boring, are you kidding! I love this stuff. Good explanation. I attended every Giants' football game played in Yankee Stadium in the sixties, so I'm quite familiar with what you are saying. Thanks again, Richard.
Charles

[MSUlaxer27]

Here is a photo from 9-7-1957 showing the polo grounds.

PHOTO FROM EBAY LISTING

You know if they just would have moved back home plate about 30 feet it might have actually made a good baseball stadium, instead of a football stadium masquerading as a baseball stadium. Every picture I see proves to me it was not a decent baseball park. Yes it had a lot of history, but it had similar dimensions to the LA coliseum and no one is crying to have baseball played there again.

[StanTheMan]

That's just an uninformed opinion... MSU. At least in my opinion. And how can a "picture" prove to you it was not a good ballpark? Not trying to be rude mind you.... just curious.

What did you not like about the PG? Too many home runs? Did you know that Coors Field has a higher frequency of HR's?

Do you think that it was too easy to score runs with all the HR's at the PG? Actually, in terms of runs scored, the PG was a very neutral ballpark for it's entire history.

So, on a very basic level, you had a ballpark with a relatively easy HR right down the line, but a very difficult, almost impossible HR, for all of Center, left center and right center. Outfield defense was at a premium... let one get by you and it was usually a triple, or an inside the parker sometimes. Also, the unique layout of the outfield fences pushed both your left and right fielders very much towards the middle of the field, so many line drives hit towards the gap had a chance to be caught... another unique feature.

Whever your pitcher decided to go inside, he had better get it right, or even a light hitting middle infielder could do some damage if he pulled the ball. It simply was a fascinating mental dance between hitter and batter, with the ultimate payoff (the home run) in play more than any other ballpark in baseball.... but only IF you hit the ball down the line.

Add the fact that it was home to some of the greatest NL teams in history, as well as home to some great Yankee teams... AND that is was located in the baseball mecca of the first half of the century, and the PG has an undeniable place in the tapestry that is this great game.

I think if you read a bit, or wandered around this and other boards you may develop an appreciation of the PG.

I know I developed my fascination with the place by doing more that just look at photos.

[TJH1923]

That's just an uninformed opinion... MSU. At least in my opinion. And how can a "picture" prove to you it was not a good ballpark? Not trying to be rude mind you.... just curious.

What did you not like about the PG? Too many home runs? Did you know that Coors Field has a higher frequency of HR's?

Do you think that it was too easy to score runs with all the HR's at the PG? Actually, in terms of runs scored, the PG was a very neutral ballpark for it's entire history.

So, on a very basic level, you had a ballpark with a relatively easy HR right down the line, but a very difficult, almost impossible HR, for all of Center, left center and right center. Outfield defense was at a premium... let one get by you and it was usually a triple, or an inside the parker sometimes. Also, the unique layout of the outfield fences pushed both your left and right fielders very much towards the middle of the field, so many line drives hit towards the gap had a chance to be caught... another unique feature.

Whever your pitcher decided to go inside, he had better get it right, or even a light hitting middle infielder could do some damage if he pulled the ball. It simply was a fascinating mental dance between hitter and batter, with the ultimate payoff (the home run) in play more than any other ballpark in baseball.... but only IF you hit the ball down the line.

Add the fact that it was home to some of the greatest NL teams in history, as well as home to some great Yankee teams... AND that is was located in the baseball mecca of the first half of the century, and the PG has an undeniable place in the tapestry that is this great game.

I think if you read a bit, or wandered around this and other boards you may develop an appreciation of the PG.

I know I developed my fascination with the place by doing more that just look at photos.


Well said!!!!!!!!!!!!

[TJH1923]

I have a question I hope someone might know the answer to. I know I've seen a posted sign on www.nycsubway.org regarding the termination of the train shuttle / spur from the Bronx to the Polo Grounds due to the Giants move to San Fran. Was the shuttle ever utilized after that, especially while the Mets played there? PG was still used also for football also. Just curious.

[icee82]

This is one of the best threads on this website. Thanks for all of the pics. I have really learned a lot about the Polo Grounds on this website.

[TJH1923]

Polo Grounds Bleachers during the 1933 World Series vs the Washington Senators. From Corbis Photos.

[SNAP]

It cant be.......it's probably DC(RFK). When did Hodges sstart managing the Sens??.........The latest it could be is 1964 as Yogi was still a Yankee (MGR). Hodges is in his home uniform.....if that means anything.20163



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!

[stlfan]

Man, I have really enjoyed this thread. It's amazing to see the evolution of the ballpark, the area around it and all the great stories. I have a question. When did they change the outfield stands/bleachers from the way it looks in the arial shot in thread#104 and then how it looks in the 1923 photo from thread#99? The exact area in question is the outfield lower level seats from where the walls bend toward center field all the way to center field.

[TJH1923]

I was browsing through Corbis and found another gem. First pitch of the 1954 World Series.

[TJH1923]

Mays batting against the Mets in '63.

[POLO GROUNDS 1957]

Here is a photo of the polo grounds taken before the giants home opener in 1950.

[stlfan]

One feature of the PG that I find interesting was that they had to construct the upper deck in such a way that splits to account for the needed angle change as it rounds the bend toward center field. I would have to say that the PG was the major league ballpark who's design was most effected by its land restrictions. I'm also still curious as to if anyone has an answer to my question regarding the bleachers a few posts ago.

[Sean O]

One feature of the PG that I find interesting was that they had to construct the upper deck in such a way that splits to account for the needed angle change as it rounds the bend toward center field. I would have to say that the PG was the major league ballpark who's design was most effected by its land restrictions. I'm also still curious as to if anyone has an answer to my question regarding the bleachers a few posts ago.

I would agree, if it weren't for the parking lot right next to the stadium. While a place like League Park or Baker Bowl had absolutely no choice but to have the funky dimensions, Polo Grounds could've very easily expanded out another 50-75', unless there was construction there that prevented it when it was first built.

Plus, with all the space beyond center (those bleachers aren't narrow), they probably could've just twisted the layout to have a more traditional layout. Still, PG was unique, so maybe it was for the best. It's a blast trying to pitch there in MVP 2005, since you really have to walk the tight rope to avoid the lines.

[RichardLillard1]

If I understand your question about the bleachers and the grandstand correctly it was done in 1923 during the baseball season.

John McGraw saw that Yankee Stadium and its ability to seat upwards of 60,000 meant that he had to "cope with the times" and made some changes to the Polo Grounds to make it more "modern".

Its hard for some people to understand why the ornamental friezes were removed at this time in the ballpark's life. And the reason is that it simply didn't fit the times anymore. At the time the ballpark was built everything was ultra-luxurious. By the 1920's things were still luxurious but it was slowly changing to a view of people not wanting something that looked like their parent's house.

By the 30's Art Deco was in full swing and th luxury of the turn of the centure was long gone.


As far as the land around the park goes, you can't forget the land the park was on as well. Keep in mind that there was a slope in the outfield. Miller Huggins could stand in his dugout and only see the top half of Babe Ruth playing his position in the outfield.


Richard

[Sean O]

By the 30's Art Deco was in full swing and th luxury of the turn of the centure was long gone.


Here's my question though, why didn't we get an art deco part in the major leagues? All of the stadia constructed in that timespan were still using the same technology and look as Fenway did in 1912, instead of pertaining to the prevailing architecture of the time.

It's similar to what's happening now, as HoK is ignoring everything in the architectural world to ripoff the same old designs. We're ignoring futuristic glass and steel, and the postmodern places like Aveiro, Estadio Municipal (Pessoa) and countless others.

Mainly, HOK is just ignoring progress and design. I don't fret about the loss of Yankee Stadium because we're losing the monument, I fret because the replacement is garbage.

[StanTheMan]

This panoramic shot makes the foul terrritory look absolutely huge....

http://www.markreubengallery.com/stadiums/stadium_images/0227big.jpg

[POLO GROUNDS 1957]

This panoramic shot makes the foul terrritory look absolutely huge....

http://www.markreubengallery.com/stadiums/stadium_images/0227big.jpg

That photo sort of looks like it came from a fisheye lense?

[RichardLillard1]

I would bet on something more like a wide angle lens instead of a fisheye. If it were taken with a fish eye the outfield rooftops would have been curved instead of straight. It would have made the whole photo look more like a bubble. If you look at the irregular shape of the foul territory you can see it ovals out the further you get from the center, making it look like it was taken with sosme type of wide angle lens that stretched the photo.


Richard

[jrh31584]

Here's my question though, why didn't we get an art deco part in the major leagues? All of the stadia constructed in that timespan were still using the same technology and look as Fenway did in 1912, instead of pertaining to the prevailing architecture of the time.

It's similar to what's happening now, as HoK is ignoring everything in the architectural world to ripoff the same old designs. We're ignoring futuristic glass and steel, and the postmodern places like Aveiro, Estadio Municipal (Pessoa) and countless others.

Mainly, HOK is just ignoring progress and design. I don't fret about the loss of Yankee Stadium because we're losing the monument, I fret because the replacement is garbage.

Art Deco really was more late 1920s to around World War II. The only new major league park built during this time was Cleveland Stadium. The Marlins' new park, if ever built, could conceivably have some Art Deco influence in its design.

[TJH1923]

Art Deco really was more late 1920s to around World War II. The only new major league park built during this time was Cleveland Stadium. The Marlins' new park, if ever built, could conceivably have some Art Deco influence in its design.

I hope the Marlins never get a new stadium. I don't think Florida even deserves a major league team. The fan base sucks for both teams. I would like to see both of them relocate. I would love to see one of the teams move to the Raleigh / Durham area of North Carolina where the fan base would appreciate major league baseball.

[StanTheMan]

It's similar to what's happening now, as HoK is ignoring everything in the architectural world to ripoff the same old designs. We're ignoring futuristic glass and steel, and the postmodern places like Aveiro, Estadio Municipal (Pessoa) and countless others.


Aviero

http://www.die99er.priv.at/images/aveiro.jpg

Pessoa

http://www.worldstadiums.com/stadium_menu/architecture/stadium_design/pictures/leiria_pessoa/leiria_pessoa2

Soccer stadiums are a VERY different animal... and I adore "the beautiful game." With stadium culture as it is in the USA right now, these two stadiums would be seen as monstrosities by most baseball fans.

Glass and steel does not always work.... see the New Soldier Field in Chicago. I've been there a few times, and although I'm far from an architecture student, I think the place is hideous, and years from now, it will be an eyesore.

I have no problem with HoK.

[Sean O]

I should mention, I don't want a place like Aveiro for baseball, I'm pretty against postmodernism in all its forms, especially the color explosion like that place. But, I think baseball fans can quite easily deal with a unique place that takes the best from football stadia and transforms them into a baseball context.

I don't see why a stadium built into the land, with a light, transparent roof like Olympiastadion Munchen wouldn't be an automatic hit. Or a glass and steel park that lets in the surrounding area and has none of the claustrophobia of Miller Park or SkyDome. Or, why not go concrete, but concrete that is a means to an end, rather than a necessary evil?

sigh.

[StanTheMan]

An interesting photo from the upper deck in right center.... I suppose that if you sat in the upperdeck ANYWHERE, you definitely had an obscured view of at least part of the outfield....

Unless you were in the front row of course!

25990

[POLO GROUNDS 1957]

An interesting photo from the upper deck in right center.... I suppose that if you sat in the upperdeck ANYWHERE, you definitely had an obscured view of at least part of the outfield....

Unless you were in the front row of course!

25990

The Polo Grounds was just like tiger stadium old comiskey park and alot of the classic stadiums from that era. you had that great upper deck view but you lost a part of the playing field below.

[StanTheMan]

The Polo Grounds was just like tiger stadium old comiskey park and alot of the classic stadiums from that era. you had that great upper deck view but you lost a part of the playing field below.

But..... the amount of field lost in the photo above seems extreme to me, even by "old park" stadards.

Did old Comiskey and Tiger Stadium have a smiliar amount of obstructed views of the outfiled? Or did the PG's crazy outfield grandstand shape account for more?

[POLO GROUNDS 1957]

But..... the amount of field lost in the photo above seems extreme to me, even by "old park" stadards.

Did old Comiskey and Tiger Stadium have a smiliar amount of obstructed views of the outfiled? Or did the PG's crazy outfield grandstand shape account for more?

If you were sitting in the upper deck you would lose the play below and would have to find out what happened by the crowd noise.

[StanTheMan]

If you were sitting in the upper deck you would lose the play below and would have to find out what happened by the crowd noise.


Yeah..... we all understand that....

But, since you often speak of going to Comiskey Park and Tiger Stadium... my question again is did these parks cause upper deck fans to have obstructed views MORE or LESS than what the above PG photo shows?

If you don't know, or don't remember, that's fine as well.

[POLO GROUNDS 1957]

Yeah..... we all understand that....

But, since you often speak of going to Comiskey Park and Tiger Stadium... my question again is did these parks cause upper deck fans to have obstructed views MORE or LESS than what the above PG photo shows?

If you don't know, or don't remember, that's fine as well.

It is hard to tell in that small photo of the polo grounds that you posted.at comiskey park and tiger stadium if you were in the outfield you would lose the view of the outfielder below.i have seen and studied alot of photos over the years of the polo grounds since i was only 3 when she was torn down.the polo grounds even since i love that ballpark so much its a fact that it was not a perfect ballpark just like the other classic stadiums of that era.there were alot of posts in the outfield that obstructed the views of some of the fans.take a look at photos you can see for yourself.all of the classic stadiums from that era including ebbets field was not perfect.i have talked to alot of fans over the years that saw games at the polo grounds ebbets field and the other stadiums.the better part of the people who i talked to told me that going to the polo grounds for baseball was a great.and i have even heard that from brooklyn fans also. i have also talked to alot of former players over the years.if i could today go down to the polo grounds for baseball i would even buy season tickets in the outfield upper deck even if the view from below was obstructed. i even liked going to comiskey park and sitting out in the outfield corners there.those seats at comiskey park were the worst in the ballpark because of all the posts but i did not mind one bit sitting there.

[POLO GROUNDS 1957]

Here is a litho of old comiskey park from a 1990 program showing the outfield upper deck view in right field.i have photos but they are not scanned. as you can see you lose the outfielder below but you can still see the rest of the field in the outfield. that was the same for tiger stadium, polo grounds and the rest of the classic stadiums from that era.

[POLO GROUNDS 1957]

Here is a photo from 4-21-1963. the Milwaukee Braves are playing the new york mets in a doubleheader at the polo grounds.he is a great photo showing the view from out in right field in the upper deck. i also have both of these games complete on audio tape.
i would love to have had these seats any day.

[POLO GROUNDS 1957]

Here is a photo from the new york mets first home game at the polo grounds on 4-13-1962, the pittsburgh pirates are playing the mets. pittsburgh also played the giants in there last game at the polo grounds in 1957.

[POLO GROUNDS 1957]

Here in this photo you are sitting in the left field bleachers at the polo grounds.you can see the left field batters background in the photo and you can also see the HAVE A KNICK sign behind homeplate.Knick was Knickerbocker Beer who was a sponsor at that time for the new york giants.

[StanTheMan]

The guy with the binoculars is looking nowhere NEAR the action. Must be scoping the 1st base grandstand for chicks. :hyper:

[POLO GROUNDS 1957]

Here is a photo from 1954 that shows the polo grounds and the bridge that went across the harlem river. i bought these negatives a few years ago on ebay.

[POLO GROUNDS 1957]

You are looking at me at the baseball hall of fame in 1988. i am sitting in Mrs John McGraws polo grounds seat and you can also see the polo grounds turnstyle in the photo. they also had some other polo grounds items on display. i also saw and touched the ebbets field and shibe park cornerstones.i was like a kid in a candy store that day that this photo was taken.

[Solair Wright]

Here are some pictures I would like to share, and I may only have two at the moment, but here they are.

The famous Chesterfield scoreboard in the outfield. "Always Buy Chesterfield - A HIT!":

http://www.bayou.com/~brooklyn/polo1.jpg

Babe Ruth at the Polo Grounds with surf casting champion Harold Lentz in 1927:

http://www.lelands.com/App_Themes/Images/Auctions_Images/603/thumbnails_bidding/39339.jpg

[POLO GROUNDS 1957]

Here is a nice photo of the polo grounds from 1957. you are standing on coogans bluff looking down on 157th street and the third base side of the stadium.

[TJH1923]

Here is a nice photo of the polo grounds from 1957. you are standing on coogans bluff looking down on 157th street and the third base side of the stadium.

You have put some nice photos recently that I have not seen previously........keep 'em coming!:applaud:

[POLO GROUNDS 1957]

You have put some nice photos recently that I have not seen previously........keep 'em coming!:applaud:

I am glad that you like them. the polo grounds is my favorite oldtime ballpark.

[POLO GROUNDS 1957]

This litho or cartoon of the Polo Grounds was posted on my polo grounds website by someone. i have been told that its used in a computer baseball game. very nice litho. i have also posted this in the new york giants forum.

[penncentralpete]

long live the polo grounds! pete

[POLO GROUNDS 1957]

Here is what the polo grounds looks like on the stratomatic computer baseball game.

[POLO GROUNDS 1957]

Here is a seating diagram of the polo grounds from the back of a ticket stub from 1927.

[brooklyndodger14]

Hello Donald,

Its interesting to see a stub with that kind of information...

Also, I notice that the outfield perimeter narrows inward a few rows from the
foul pole region. Would it be safe to assume that temporary stands were erected at field level extending backwards to the LF & RF walls?

I know that Yankee Stadium had for a time erected temporary field stands for football games along the bleachers' crescent in LF and the angle in RF.

Dennis
BrooklynDodger14

[POLO GROUNDS 1957]

Hello Donald,

Its interesting to see a stub with that kind of information...

Also, I notice that the outfield perimeter narrows inward a few rows from the
foul pole region. Would it be safe to assume that temporary stands were erected at field level extending backwards to the LF & RF walls?

I know that Yankee Stadium had for a time erected temporary field stands for football games along the bleachers' crescent in LF and the angle in RF.

Dennis
BrooklynDodger14

Hello Dennis. that stub is from a 1927 football game at the polo grounds.

[NYMets523]

I may have found this here but didn't see it in this thread.

http://img521.imageshack.us/img521/1861/maysreturnup1.jpg

[POLO GROUNDS 1957]

I may have found this here but didn't see it in this thread.

http://img521.imageshack.us/img521/1861/maysreturnup1.jpg

That photo is from 6-1-1962 when the giants played there first game at the polo grounds since 1957.

[Lafferty Daniel]

I may have found this here but didn't see it in this thread.

http://img521.imageshack.us/img521/1861/maysreturnup1.jpg

That's a great picture.

[adio]

yes it is really cool.

[TJH1923]

I was looking at the Mays catch photo and a picture of Bobby Thompson hitting the cut off from the deepest part of center field.

My question is this: I know the monument was for the former Giant who died in battle during WWI. There appears to be other plaques above the beam and below the club house windows. Does anyone know if these are indeed plaques? If they are, what and who did they commemorate?

[POLO GROUNDS 1957]

I was looking at the Mays catch photo and a picture of Bobby Thompson hitting the cut off from the deepest part of center field.

My question is this: I know the monument was for the former Giant who died in battle during WWI. There appears to be other plaques above the beam and below the club house windows. Does anyone know if these are indeed plaques? If they are, what and who did they commemorate?

Yes those are Plaques on the wall out there.i have a list of them somewhere. i will post them later today.

[POLO GROUNDS 1957]

Here are the other polo grounds plaques with the year that they were dedicated

CHRISTEY MATHEWSON 1928
ROSS YOUNGS 1928
JOHN McGRAW 1934
AL BLOZIS 1945
JACK LUMMUS 1945
JAMES J WALKER 1948

The Mcgraw plaque was in the middle and the Jack Lummas plaque is with the New York Giants football team today.

and we all aware of the eddie grant plaque.

[POLO GROUNDS 1957]

Here is a photo of the Eddie Grant plaque and momument from the day that it was dedicated on memorial day of 1921.

[SBBL]

Here are the other polo grounds plaques with the year that they were dedicated

CHRISTEY MATHEWSON 1928
ROSS YOUNGS 1928
JOHN McGRAW 1934
AL BLOZIS 1945
JAMES J WALKER 1948


Do you know where these are today and who owns them ?

[POLO GROUNDS 1957]

Do you know where these are today and who owns them ?

No i dont know were these are today except for the Lummus plaque which the Giants football team has.

[TJH1923]

Do you know where these are today and who owns them ?

I was also curious about the whereabouts of these pieces of history.

When is the Base Ball Hall of Fame going to request that the City of New York excavate or provide the funds to recover the last remnants of the Polo Grounds from that staircase. I'm sure some sort of federal grant can be obtained to retrieve a piece of recent history before it is completely destroyed.

[TJH1923]

Maybe MLB can take a fraction of the revenue from the sale of Barry Bonds items to fund this important piece of MLB history as well as any others around the country that might need the same attention.

[POLO GROUNDS 1957]

I was also curious about the whereabouts of these pieces of history.

When is the Base Ball Hall of Fame going to request that the City of New York excavate or provide the funds to recover the last remnants of the Polo Grounds from that staircase. I'm sure some sort of federal grant can be obtained to retrieve a piece of recent history before it is completely destroyed.

Good point about the staircase. it would be nice to see it renovated or saved by the city of new york.

[SHOELESSJOE3]

I was looking at the Mays catch photo and a picture of Bobby Thompson hitting the cut off from the deepest part of center field.

My question is this: I know the monument was for the former Giant who died in battle during WWI. There appears to be other plaques above the beam and below the club house windows. Does anyone know if these are indeed plaques? If they are, what and who did they commemorate?
WOW, imagine the distance from the infield of that cut off man, Bobby throwing from the 483 foot marker.

[TJH1923]

WOW, imagine the distance from the infield of that cut off man, Bobby throwing from the 483 foot marker.


At least mid center field? I wonder what the outcome was.......triple or inside the park home run..................

[POLO GROUNDS 1957]

Here is another nice photo showing the eddie grant memorial and the other plaques on the wall of the clubhouse.you can also see the John McGraw plaque in the center above the grant memorial.For years the fans would leave the polo grounds after a game thru those steel doors out to 8th ave.

[YankeesFan]

When the NY Mets moved into the Polo Grounds, did both exterior signs behind centerfield and home plate still say, N.Y. Giants? I assume it did not change when the NY Titans moved in.

Also does anyone remember if the exterior signs had lighting from within?

Was centerfield the true main entrance into the Polo Grounds?

Thanks....

[StanTheMan]

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.....

28222

[StanTheMan]

Was centerfield the true main entrance into the Polo Grounds?

Thanks....

Center field and Right Center were the busiest entrances, but they were also closest to the parking, and to the train station.

You could enter behind home plate, but that required a walk down the path from Coogan's Bluff and the Viaduct/Roadway.... not as accessible, or as popular.

There is a photo in the thread somewhere showing ramps and people and lines... that is the RF/CF entrance.

[StanTheMan]

I don't think these two have been posted... Old ones....

From the 1922 World Series... looks to be a packed stand in Right Field?


28365

And a view of the old wooden PG from Center. A good look at Coogan's Bluff as well, and how fans could see the field from up there....

28366

[milladrive]

I'd love to say I know who's batting or who's catching.

I do know, however, that the pic's from the playoff against the Cubs, 10/8/1908.

[lollar]

Looks like the Giants are batting in this picture, based on the look of their socks. The catcher would be Johnny Kling. New York had five left handed hitters (Tenney, Donlin, McCormick, Seymore and Bridwell) in their starting lineup that day. Larry Doyle, another left handed hitter, was used as a pinch hitter in the seventh. So it's one of those six (haha) batting.

Hope that helps some.

[Gary Dunaier]

When the NY Mets moved into the Polo Grounds, did both exterior signs behind centerfield and home plate still say, N.Y. Giants?
I assume it did not change when the NY Titans moved in.

Here's a photo from Flickr (http://www.flickr.com/photos/35033278@N00/341462116/in/set-72157594399111890/) showing the outfield end of the Polo Grounds... according to the person who posted it the photo
was taken August 1961...

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/144/341462116_9f51679f07_b.jpg

Note that the words "N.Y. TITANS" can clearly be seen atop the clubhouse. Can't say for sure about the exterior behind home
plate, but one must reasonably presume that if they changed it on one side, they'd have done it on the other as well.

I think by the time the Mets moved in, they just dispensed with the signs altogether. When the Giants played at the Polo
Grounds, both the baseball and football teams were called the Giants so that was okay, but when you had two teams with
different names that's another situation altogether.

[stlfan]

Here's a photo from Flickr (http://www.flickr.com/photos/35033278@N00/341462116/in/set-72157594399111890/) showing the outfield end of the Polo Grounds... according to the person who posted it the photo
was taken August 1961...

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/144/341462116_9f51679f07_b.jpg

Note that the words "N.Y. TITANS" can clearly be seen atop the clubhouse. Can't say for sure about the exterior behind home
plate, but one must reasonably presume that if they changed it on one side, they'd have done it on the other as well.

I think by the time the Mets moved in, they just dispensed with the signs altogether. When the Giants played at the Polo
Grounds, both the baseball and football teams were called the Giants so that was okay, but when you had two teams with
different names that's another situation altogether.

Interesting photo. What I find interesting is that in either this thread or another one, there was a huge debate on the color of the facing on the upper deck. Many said it was painted blue in preparation for the Mets while other said it was never changed. This photo clearly shows that the area in question is painted grey, like the outside. Many may say the photo itself my be badly colored and anything that green is washed away, but you can see that the side of the centerfield clubhouse is the same green as seen in color photos when the Giants played there.

So maybe during the time between when the Giants left and the Mets came in, it was painted grey and then it was painted green again when the Mets arrived. I have seen many of the photos people have posted when the Mets played at the PG, and the area in question looks to be the same green as when the Giants played there.

[JohnCropp]

When is the Base Ball Hall of Fame going to request that the City of New York excavate or provide the funds to recover the last remnants of the Polo Grounds from that staircase. I'm sure some sort of federal grant can be obtained to retrieve a piece of recent history before it is completely destroyed.

A portion of the Polo Grounds still exists?

Is it possible to view it from a public place or by excavate do you mean that it was actually buried?

My brother and I are planning on going up to NYC to see Shea one last time and it'd be great to be able to take the Yankee Stadium tour, see the Ebbets Field Apts., and maybe a Cyclones game while we're at it. To be able to see some of the Polo Grounds as well would be amazing.

Ebbets Field is the most celebrated old ballpark in history, but the Polo Grounds is the most unique.

[nymdan]

A portion of the Polo Grounds still exists?

Is it possible to view it from a public place or by excavate do you mean that it was actually buried?

Scroll down about halfway on this page:

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

[JohnCropp]

Scroll down about halfway on this page:

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

Awesome. I love that website. It's proof that you could walk around the world and not see more than you can on a walk around Manhatten.