New York American League announces the purchase of a ten-acre plot (the future home of Yankee Stadium)

New York American League announces the purchase of a ten-acre plot (the future home of Yankee Stadium)

ByTom

The New York American League franchise announces the purchase of a ten-acre plot of land for $675,000, from the estate of William Waldorf Astor, will be used as the future site of Yankee Stadium. The club’s new ballpark, located on the west side of the Bronx, will sit directly across the Harlem River from the Polo Grounds, the team’s current home for the past ten years as tenants to the Giants.

wrigley field

Chicago Cubs play their first game in Weeghman Park

ByThis Day in Baseball

April 20 1916 – The Chicago Cubs play their first game in the newly-built Federal League Weeghman Park, which will be renamed “Wrigley Field” in 1926 in honor of William Wrigley, who gained full ownership of the team seven seasons ago. The stadium, minus the upper deck added later, seats 14,000, but 20,000 fans are on hand. Greeting fans on the…

Charles Ebbets
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Brooklyn Robins’ Frugal Proposal Rejected by National League

ByTom

1916 – The National League turns down a request from Brooklyn Robins owner Charles Ebbets, who had wanted to impose a limit of 2,000 seats that clubs can sell for 25 cents. The Boston Braves have 10,000 such seats, the St. Louis Cardinals 9,000, the Philadelphia Phillies 6,500, and the Cincinnati Reds 4,000.

Diamond Dilemmas: Unveiling the 1916 National League Meeting and the Quest for Proper Measurements

ByTom

1916 – The National League meeting announces that it has come to the league’s attention that “some of the diamonds” don’t measure properly. On this day, John Heydler’s office circulates to clubs the news of the Chicago Cubs’ pitching distance, and orders an engineer’s certification.

Braves Field

The Boston Braves break ground on Commonwealth Avenue and begin construction of Braves Field.

ByThis Day in Baseball

1915 – The Boston Braves break ground on Commonwealth Avenue and begin construction of Braves Field. Owner James E. Gaffney wants a large enough park so that inside-the-park homers can be hit in three directions. The field will open on August 18th.

The Miracle Braves play an AM – PM Double Header at Fenway

The Miracle Braves play an AM – PM Double Header at Fenway

ByThis Day in Baseball

The Braves and Giants play an A.M.-P.M. twin bill in Boston on Labor Day. To accommodate the crowds, the Braves have moved their home games to Fenway Park, courtesy of owner Joe Lannin: Fenway has triple the seating capacity of the South End Grounds. The two contests draw 74,163 on the day. The Braves, down 4 – 3 to Christy Mathewson in the 9th, storm back for two runs to win the opener. Josh Devore scratches a single, Herb Moran doubles into the crowd ringing the outfield, and Johnny Evers slaps a single that eludes George Burns to drive home the tying and winning runs. Jeff Tesreau wins the nitecap, 10 – 1, and the Giants pile on Lefty Tyler. In the Giants’ 4-run 6th, Fred Snodgrasstakes a pitch on the sleeve to reach first base, thumbing his nose at Tyler along the way. Lefty retaliates by acting out Fred’s 1912 World Series muff. When Snodgrass returns to CF, the crowd is merciless to the point that Boston Mayor James Michael Curley rushes on the field and demands the umpires eject the Giant player. McGraw, worried that Snodgrass might incur an injury, replaces him.

Opening Day at Weegham Field. April 23 1914.

Chicago Whales of the Federal League host the Kansas City Packers in their home opener at the new Weeghman Park

ByThis Day in Baseball

An estimated crowd of 21,000, about 2,000 of whom stand and watch in a cordoned-off outfield section, brave a chilly wind off the lake to witness the Chicago Whales of the Federal League host the Kansas City Packers in their home opener at the new Weeghman Park. It is the first major league game in the new ballpark, which will later be renamed Wrigley Field. After two innings of play, Packers starting pitcher George Howard “Murphy” Johnson is served with an injunction by his former club, the Cincinnati Reds, from whom he had jumped a few days earlier. Johnson is forced to leave the game. The Whales win, 9 – 1.