Watching the game on the field, "back in the day"

[Gary Dunaier]

Here's a page from the Chicago Cubs 1906 World Series program showing a photo of the August 18, 1906 Cubs game against the New York Giants. According to the caption, attendance was 26,000.



What strikes me most about the photo are the fans actually watching the game on the field. There have got to be at least three rows of people, maybe even four or five!

I've seen this "phenomena" in other ballpark photos from this era, where you'd have fans standing on the warning track, in front of the actual stands. And it brings a number of thoughts/questions to mind:


Didn't this affect the view of the fans sitting in the front rows of the grandstand? In this photo, it looks like the fans in the very first row of seats can't see anything.
Who were these people? Latecomers? And if so, even if they had to stand, wasn't letting them watch the game on the field kind of "rewarding" them for showing up late?
How much did they pay to get in? Same as everyone in the stands? More, because they had the closest views? Less, because they didn't have seats?


What was the deal with this, anyway?

[Yoda]

I wonder if that was a general admission ticket?

Imagine standing there for 3 hours? Forget it, I'd rather have a seat.


Especially in a full suit and uncomfortable shoes.

[efin98]

I wonder if that was a general admission ticket?

Imagine standing there for 3 hours? Forget it, I'd rather have a seat.


Especially in a full suit and uncomfortable shoes.

And players running into you, balls bouncing into you, bats flying into you...no thank you.

Then again sitting in wooden stands in an era where everyone smoked doesn't sit well with me either!

[Yoda]

And players running into you, balls bouncing into you, bats flying into you...no thank you.

Then again sitting in wooden stands in an era where everyone smoked doesn't sit well with me either!

Wooden grandstands and smokables doesn't sound like a match made in heaven either.

Speaking of old-time "Base Ball" check these out:





:party::applaud:

[MattD1972]

those pictures are hilarious! I cant decide If I think Crede's muttonchops, Uribe's Admiral Tirpitz beard or Jim "Buck Ewing" Thome is the funniest. The ads are fall-down funny as well.

[efin98]

Wooden grandstands and smokables doesn't sound like a match made in heaven either.

:party::applaud:

I'm glad that's one fad that went away with the new century!

Simply hilarious- can you make up more?

[Yoda]

I'm glad that's one fad that went away with the new century!

Simply hilarious- can you make up more?

Make up more what?


I didn't do those pictures....

Some chap on photobucket with "thecip" as a moniker finagled those

[LetsGoMets687]

Seems like almost every team back in those days did that with big games. I've even seen photos of fans sitting on top of scoreboards.

[RuthMayBond]

And players running into you, balls bouncing into you, bats flying into you...That would be paradise :cool::party::applaud::dance:highfive::bowdown: :hyper:

[efin98]

Make up more what?


I didn't do those pictures....

Some chap on photobucket with "thecip" as a moniker finagled those

oh ok then never mind, thought you might have done them...great find though!

[Chevy114]

My boss said for big games they would allow fans to make a human outfield wall at al lopez park. I guess the yanks were a big draw and they would would just put a rope out and people would stand all game.

[commishbob]

Charles C Alexander's Cobb has frequent references to crowds which circled the field and frequently had an influence on the game... outfielders running into the crowd, baseballs being hit into them, etc. Fairly common stuff in the days of smaller ballparks that didn't have the capacity hold 'Big Game' crowds.

[J.R.]

I wonder if that was a general admission ticket?

Imagine standing there for 3 hours? Forget it, I'd rather have a seat.


Especially in a full suit and uncomfortable shoes.

I've done standing room a couple of times. It's not nearly as bad as you'd think.

[heavesrock]

Then again sitting in wooden stands in an era where everyone smoked doesn't sit well with me either!


Ballparks burning down was one reason why they switched to steel ballparks. It was a rare occasion for a team to go more than 10-15 years without a new ballpark due to fire. One team (I believe it was the Cubs, or whatever they called themselves then) had fire break out during a game, and players broke a hole the backstop screen to allow the fans onto the field and away from the fire.

For major games, fans would often stand 10 rows deep in the outfield grass, with a rope in front of them. Any balls hit into the crowd was a ground rule double. This also occured when Jackie Robinson broke in with the Dodgers and black fans were clamoring to see with the team barnstormed the south during spring training.

The New York Giants for some times in the 1800s would allow wealthy fans to pull their horse-and-buggy onto the outfield grass and watch the game from there.

[Chevy114]

I've done standing room a couple of times. It's not nearly as bad as you'd think.

Is the view bad for standing room? We had to stand in the student section for football games for 3 hour games but you could sit down at half time for a half hour, I can't imagine 3 hours straight through.

[KCGHOST]

This practice went on until well until the 1950's and included fans occupying places in fair territory. It was done when a really large crowd showed up and management didn't want to miss out on a payday. usually these crowds would be "roped off" and any ball hit into them would be a ground rule double.

[J.R.]

Is the view bad for standing room? We had to stand in the student section for football games for 3 hour games but you could sit down at half time for a half hour, I can't imagine 3 hours straight through.

Standing room in most parks is behind the last row of seating in the lower seating bowl. Many newer parks have dedicated standing room areas in the outfield.

Three hours is a long time to stand, but in most cases the only time you'd resort to it is for huge games, so you're happy to be in the building period.

[Chevy114]

Standing room in most parks is behind the last row of seating in the lower seating bowl. Many newer parks have dedicated standing room areas in the outfield.

Three hours is a long time to stand, but in most cases the only time you'd resort to it is for huge games, so you're happy to be in the building period.

Good point I wouldn't mind doing it for a big game!