Bostons Grounds, Turn of the Century.

[fdnyladder7]

South End Grds. NL, 1871; (I believe this is SEG II, ca1888)
http://static.sawxheads.com/1/uc/5/68/7831711276180.jpg

Huntington Ave Grds. AL, 1903;
http://static.sawxheads.com/1/uc/0/11/5175603079857.jpg

Congress Street Grds. Players League, 1890;
http://static.sawxheads.com/1/uc/1/41/6027404584105.jpg

*CSG was leased by the Boston Nationals for three months in 1894 as the South End Grounds was rebuilt after it was destroyed by fire.

Photo credit, Boston Public Library.

[davidthecornman]

that place looks tight. i would like to see the boston red soxs play there.

[fdnyladder7]

I think you mean the Congress St field?.. Yea pretty tight, but the balls had little life 'em anyways. Also, they would rope off the outfields and sometimes, allow fans to sit up against the backstop; As seen in this example of the HAG below.

As it is today, it was all about $$ then as well.
http://sportstemples.bpl.org/IMGs/STMedium/tm_st10992.jpg

[teamrap]

I think you mean the Congress St field?.. Yea pretty tight, but the balls had little life 'em anyways. Also, they would rope off the outfield and sometimes, allow fans to sit up against the backstop, as seen in the 1903 World Series at HAG photo below.

As it is today, it was all about $$ then as well.
http://sportstemples.bpl.org/IMGs/STMedium/tm_st10992.jpg

That's a pic of Huntington Ave Grounds not Congress Street

[mrslim]

the baseball HOF has a pretty awesome computer model of the South End Grounds. Couldn't find too much info; anybody have pics?

big version@
http://flickr.com/photos/kingdafy/176798132/sizes/l/

[fdnyladder7]

Here are a few Slim,

In 1888, the original 1871 structure was torn down and rebuilt as Boston’s first double-decked ballpark. Looking like something out of a baseball fairytale, it was known as the Grand Pavilion. This remarkable structure was designed with covered viewing stands, turrets, and intricate ornamentation. Unfortunately, the Grand Pavilion burned to the ground in 1894 when a fire in the bleachers got out of control. The fire destroyed not only the Grand Pavilion but quickly spread to neighboring buildings and ended as the Great Roxbury Fire of 1894 which destroyed much of lower Roxbury.


SEG II

1888;
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/d/d8/SouthEndGrounds_GS1.png

1889;
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/2/21/SouthEndGrounds_GS2.JPG

*After the fire in 1894, the third park was built smaller and less grandiose, due to the owners cheaping out and underinsured the structure.

SEG III

1903, SEG visible just past the New Haven railyard. *Note Huntington Ave Grounds bleachers full of fans in foreground;
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/2/2b/WorldSeries1903-640-SEG-isolation.JPG

1903, Boston's twin MLB parks. (Expanded photo of the one above.)
http://static.sawxheads.com/1/uc/0/96/0553455511124.jpg

top three photos credit, Boston Public Library

[efin98]

1903, SEG visible just past the Boston~Maine railyard. *Note Huntington Ave Grounds bleachers full of fans in foreground;
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/2/2b/WorldSeries1903-640-SEG-isolation.JPG

One little correction, that's the New Haven Railroad yard in the picture...the Boston and Maine Railroad was on the other side of the city...and it's not to be confused with the Boston and Albany who ran behind Braves Field(had to give them all their due, I'm a train fan ;)).

[tugger]

http://sportstemples.bpl.org/IMGs/STMedium/tm_st10992.jpg

Best Standing Room ever . . . in the outfield!

[fdnyladder7]

Effin, correction made. Was the Boston~Maine on the waterfront by Congress St?..

Thankyou, I hope I can remember this fact!

[teamrap]

One little correction, that's the New Haven Railroad yard in the picture...the Boston and Maine Railroad was on the other side of the city...and it's not to be confused with the Boston and Albany who ran behind Braves Field(had to give them all their due, I'm a train fan ;)).

Note that the roof of the "Grand Pavillion" of South End Grounds can be seen in the background

[efin98]

Effin, correction made. Was the Boston~Maine on the waterfront by Congress St?..

Thankyou, I hope I can remember this fact!

That was the New Haven as well...The Boston and Maine is/was about two miles away from there on the Charles River.

[kingdafy]

Does anybody know the exact locatoin of Congress Street Grounds? I've tried doing online searches in the past and couldn't find out anything. Huntington Avenue Grounds is currently the locatoin of Northeasern University's athletics department. South End Grounds is currently the location of the MBTA Ruggles Station. Braves Field is currently Nickerson Field of Boston Unversity, part of the original stadium still stands but much of it was destroyed to make room for high-rise dorms.

[kingdafy]

Does anybody know the exact location of Congress Street Grounds? I've done some online research in the past and wasn't able to find out anything. The location of Huntington Avenue Grounds is currently the athletics department of Northeastern University. The location of South End Grounds is currently the MBTA Ruggles Station. The location of Braves Field is currently Nickerson Field of Boston University... part of the original stadium still stands but much of it was destroyed to make room for high-rise dorms.

[efin98]

Does anybody know the exact locatoin of Congress Street Grounds? I've tried doing online searches in the past and couldn't find out anything. Huntington Avenue Grounds is currently the locatoin of Northeasern University's athletics department. South End Grounds is currently the location of the MBTA Ruggles Station. Braves Field is currently Nickerson Field of Boston Unversity, part of the original stadium still stands but much of it was destroyed to make room for high-rise dorms.

Congress Street and A Street in South Boston was the location, now a bunch of buildings sit on the site...

[fdnyladder7]

Congress Street and A Street in South Boston was the location, now a bunch of buildings sit on the site...

Efin, you've done some work! Are you a Bostonian too? I was raised in Dorchester and graduated in '76 from Southie HS. -Steve F



To heck with these new fancy ball fields. Congress Street was the gem and can boast that it was America's FIRST professional "Waterfront" base ball park! :homeplate: #1


An exerpt from the author of "Boston's Ballparks and Arenas" Alan Foulds,
The Congress Street field was initially built by the "Boston Baseball Club" of the Players League, which operated for only one year (1890). Boston won the only pennant. The next year, team owner secured a franchise in the American Association. The NL and AA were part of a national agreement, which gave Boston's National League team a certain amount of say in allowing the newcomers to join. The Beaneaters of the NL allowed their entry but demanded that they call themselves something other than just "Boston." To accomodate the restriction they adopted the name "Boston Reds" and proceeded to win the AA pennant.

Percentage-wise they are Boston's most successful team - two seasons, two leagues, two championships. The American Association, and its Boston representative, passed from existence following the 1891 season.



1889, Boston's Seaport District, showing the "Ball Grounds" of Congress St. (crazy railyards eh?);
http://static.sawxheads.com/1/uc/4/72/4848591702077.jpg

1899,
http://static.sawxheads.com/1/uc/2/68/1361553642606.jpg
(2nd Image credit, Copyright the City Record and Boston News-Letter.)


2007, Worldview 1 sat image with my crude lot lines. As a kid I remember hearing a few times a year about the mob hits discovered on and beneath the docks... Urban renewal, the Big Dig (and Whitey B's departure), have improved that once Hellish dumping ground. 1899, Boston Wharf Company raised the structure to make way for mercantiles which still remain. Stillings Street is the current homeplate to *pitchers mound path.
http://static.sawxheads.com/1/uc/7/57/7951055677252.jpg

1891 Handbill announcing an American Association (1882-1891) game;
http://static.sawxheads.com/1/uc/9/77/1445098680446.jpg

Boston Nationals briefly relocate;
http://static.sawxheads.com/1/uc/9/06/5438294401301.jpg

*Pitchers mound introduced in 1893

My apologies for this long-winded post -it's a problem, and we are working on it ;)

Check out my blogs and other vintage BB at, http://www.sawxheads.com/profile/51398