An alert waiter in a cafe on Western Avenue spotted the fire under the right-field bleachers and yelled a warning to the players. The fire was caused by a cigar dropped into a pile of refuse, which smoldered overnight. “The Cincinnati stands have been on fire several times,” reported the Enquirer, “but have been extinguished without trouble.” Provisions to prevent a fire called for a barrel of water every 50 feet with a bucket conveniently stationed nearby. Water taps and hoses were placed in several places. However, the precautions did not prevent most of the ballpark from being destroyed by fire in May 1900.
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