# Best Classic Baseball Park



## mrakbaseball (May 6, 2009)

Sure, that's fine, but it was already established that Rickwood Field is basically a scaled down version of Forbes Field.


----------



## mrakbaseball (May 6, 2009)

The actor Fred Willard at Forbes Field.


----------



## mrakbaseball (May 6, 2009)

Three Rivers Stadium's original Tartan turf surface, in a way, almost resembled natural grass from a distance.


----------



## carnifex2005 (May 12, 2010)

Another classic field that I just heard about today, Municipal Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri. Home of the Kansas City Monarchs (Negro Leagues, 1923 - 1954), Kansas City Athletics (American League, 1955 - 1967), Kansas City Chiefs (American Football League, 1963 - 1971) and the Kansas City Royals (1969 - 1972).

Originally held 17,476 but expanded to 30,296 in 1955 when the Athletics came. It's final size was 35,561 before the Royals moved to Kauffman Stadium and the Chiefs moved to Arrowhead Stadium.


----------



## will101 (Jan 16, 2011)

carnifex2005 said:


> Another classic field that I just heard about today, Municipal Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri. Home of the Kansas City Monarchs (Negro Leagues, 1923 - 1954), Kansas City Athletics (American League, 1955 - 1967), Kansas City Chiefs (American Football League, 1963 - 1971) and the Kansas City Royals (1969 - 1972).
> 
> Originally held 17,476 but expanded to 30,296 in 1955 when the Athletics came. It's final size was 35,561 before the Royals moved to Kauffman Stadium and the Chiefs moved to Arrowhead Stadium.


This pic shows it in the football configuration. The Chiefs mostly played on the road until either the A's or Royals ended their regular season. Neither team ever made the post season while at Muni. After baseball was over with, they would put in about 10,000 bleacher seats in left and center fields for the Chiefs.


----------



## bd popeye (May 29, 2010)

will101 said:


> This pic shows it in the football configuration. The Chiefs mostly played on the road until either the A's or Royals ended their regular season. Neither team ever made the post season while at Muni. After baseball was over with, they would put in about 10,000 bleacher seats in left and center fields for the Chiefs.


Man that place was LOUD for a Kansas City Chiefs game...LOUD..

Believe it or not the Chiefs averaged about 50,000 a game at Municipal stadium from '68 to '71. Incredible.

They moved to Arrowhead Stadium for the '72 season.

As you look at this chart remember the AFL and NFL played only 14 games a season in those years. 7 at home and 7 on the road.

Kansas City Chiefs all time attendance

The team played in Dallas TX from 1960-62. They were known as the Dallas Texans.


----------



## Yellow Fever (Jan 3, 2008)

^^ no kidding!


----------



## bd popeye (May 29, 2010)

According to the link below this is the final capacity of KC Municipal Stadium for the Chiefs;

Capacity: 49,002 (1971 - Final Season)

http://www.kcchiefs.com/municipal-stadium-tribute.html


----------



## bd popeye (May 29, 2010)

When I was a toddler (1953-'56) we lived very close to the Polo Grounds at 153rd and St Nicolas AV Manhattan. I know I went to the Polo Grounds but I do not remember much..








_1913 World Series..Philadelphia Athletics beat the New York Giants four games to one._

Polo Grounds

Capacity	34,000 (1911)
55,000 (1923)
Field size	Left Field: 279 ft (85 m)
Left-Center: 450 ft (137 m)
Center Field: 483 ft (147 m)
Right-Center: 449 ft (136 m)
Right Field: 258 ft (78 m)


----------



## bd popeye (May 29, 2010)

_In my opinion Willie Mays is the greatest baseball player in MLB since 1947. A true five tool player._


_Willie Mays in the Polo Grounds circa 1957_


_Willie Mays signs autographs as a visiting SF Giant in 1962_


----------



## Phantom Dreamer (Apr 2, 2016)

Los Angeles' Wrigley Field was the best classic baseball park.


----------



## bd popeye (May 29, 2010)

Phantom Dreamer said:


> Los Angeles' Wrigley Field was the best classic baseball park.


Wrigley Field in LA was somewhat symmetrical with short power ally's (345ft)..





> Wrigley Field was a ballpark in Los Angeles which served as host to minor league baseball teams in the region for over 30 years, and was the home park for the Los Angeles Angels of the Pacific Coast League as well as a current major league team, the later Los Angeles Angels, in their inaugural season, 1961. The park was designed by Zachary Taylor Davis, who had previously designed both Chicago ballparks: Comiskey Park and Wrigley Field. The ballpark was also used as the backdrop for several Hollywood films about baseball, as well as TV series such as Home Run Derby.
> 
> Demensions...Field size	Left Field – 340 ft (104 m)
> L.C. Field – 345 ft (105 m)
> ...


*Wrigley Field Los Angeles...The Ballpark That Got No Respect*


----------



## Phantom Dreamer (Apr 2, 2016)

Never understood why right field was a foot shorter than left.


----------



## bd popeye (May 29, 2010)

Phantom Dreamer said:


> Never understood why right field was a foot shorter than left.


I don't know.. maybe the surveyor was drinking a beer when he took the measurements...:cheers:..obviously somebody goofed..


----------



## Phantom Dreamer (Apr 2, 2016)

Aerial of Los Angeles' Wrigley Field.


----------



## RaymondHood (Feb 5, 2014)

Phantom Dreamer said:


> Never understood why right field was a foot shorter than left.



Does it matter?
And do we know for sure that both of those stated dimensions were accurate? Lots of published ballpark dimensions (and seating capacities) are not.


----------



## Phantom Dreamer (Apr 2, 2016)

RaymondHood said:


> Does it matter?
> And do we know for sure that both of those stated dimensions were accurate? Lots of published ballpark dimensions (and seating capacities) are not.


Well, when you put it that way, I guess it doesn't.


----------



## Phantom Dreamer (Apr 2, 2016)

League Park in Cleveland seems to be underrated, IMO. I don't know if it was its smallish capacity, locale, lack of lights, but it seems to be overlooked by historians. At least the people can enjoy the site today, thanks in part due to the installation of synthetic turf. Games are now played there!


----------



## nyrmetros (Aug 15, 2006)

I love the fact that the old baseball stadiums roof overhangs extended very far....


----------



## Chevy114 (Jul 21, 2011)

I always liked the fact that they played games there and the muni


----------



## bd popeye (May 29, 2010)

Chevy114 said:


> I loved watching the old homerun derby show they filmed there that they would show on ESPN Classic when I was a kid. What's there now?


A public park. Gilbert Lindsey recreation Center


----------



## bd popeye (May 29, 2010)

I found this terffic video of League Park in Cleveland OH. Yankees Vs the Indians. This may be in the 1920 season. The majority of the film was taken at League Park Cleveland OH. There are scenes of Wally Pipp and Babe Ruth taking batting practice. But these clips were taken in the Polo Grounds NYC.


----------



## aquamaroon (Dec 7, 2015)

Ebbets Field, my favorite of the old "Jewel-box" Ballparks:












If the Dodgers were still here this may have been more beloved than Wrigley or Fenway IMO. That said, it's hard to argue with their current digs! :cheers:


----------



## bd popeye (May 29, 2010)

Delormier Stadium Montreal Quebec Canada. Capacity 20,000 

Delorimier Stadium , also known as Montreal Stadium, Hector Racine Stadium and Delorimier Downs was a 20,000-seat sports stadium at 2101 Ontario Street East, at the corner of De Lorimier Avenue in the present-day Montreal borough of Ville-Marie. The stadium was home to the Montreal Royals International League baseball team, top farm club of the Brooklyn Dodgers Major League Baseball team, from 1928 to 1960, and from 1946 to 1953, home to the Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League.


----------



## fidalgo (Mar 10, 2007)




----------

