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 Interactive map of Recreation Park | |
| Former names | Columbia Park (1866–1875), Centennial Base Ball Grounds (1875–1883), League Grounds (1884-1886) |
|---|---|
| Location | Philadelphia,Pennsylvania |
| Coordinates | 39°58′56″N75°10′29″W / 39.98222°N 75.17472°W /39.98222; -75.17472 |
| Operator | Fiss & Doerr (1876) |
| Capacity | 2,000 (1876) 6,500 |
| Field size | Left – 300 ft. Center – 331 ft. |
| Surface | Grass |
| Construction | |
| Opened | In use by at least 1860. |
| Closed | 1886 |
| Demolished | C. 1890 |
| Tenants | |
| Philadelphia Athletics (NA) (1861–1870) Philadelphia Pythians (1865-1871) Philadelphia Centennials (NA) (1875) Philadelphia Phillies (ECA) (1881) Philadelphia Phillies (League Alliance) (1882) University of Pennsylvania Quakers (1882-1884) Philadelphia Phillies (NL) (1883–1886) | |
Recreation Park was abaseball park inPhiladelphia. The ballpark was the first home of thePhiladelphia Phillies of theNational League during the years 1883–1886, prior to the opening ofNational League Park in 1887. The University of Pennsylvania football team played home games at Recreation Park from 1882 to 1884. The park was bounded by 24th Street (east, first base); Ridge Avenue (north, right field); Montgomery Avenue (northwest, center field); 25th Street (west, left field); and Columbia Avenue (south, third base) (which in 1987 was renamed Cecil B. Moore Avenue after the civil-rights leader).
The field was used at least as early as June 16, 1860, when Equity defeated Pennsylvania 65-52 in what author Charles Peverelly, writing about "the national game", called the "first baseball game played in Pennsylvania."[1]
During the Civil War, a cavalry of the Union Army occupied the park. In 1866, with new houses bordering the field, a nine-foot fence was erected and the field was put back in shape for baseball. It was poorly maintained by 1871 and used increasingly less.
ThePhiladelphia Centennials of theNational Association leveled and resodded the field, built a 10-foot fence, clubhouse and grandstands in 1875. They called it Centennial Base Ball Grounds. The team folded after just 14 games and the association followed at the end of the season. With no tenant the park fell into disrepair.
During the 1876-1879 period, the lot was used as a horse market. Local newspapers referred to its location variously as Ridge and 23rd, 24th or 25th. Most of the time it was given as 24th. The property was operated by horse merchants, Fiss & Doerr, who had holdings in multiple cities including New York and Boston.
Pigeon shooting was held at the field in 1875 and 1876. A pigeon shooting match was staged at the Centennial Base Ball Grounds in January 1876 by Fiss & Doerr. When the first match ended in a tie, a second match was scheduled. There were 300 attendees along with the birds at the park when it was halted by the chief of police.[2]
In 1876, the ball field was named as "Centennial Base Ball Grounds", and advertised for rent with a capacity of 2,000 by "Fiss & Doerr, Proprietors".[3] The ballfield was utilized by professional and amateur teams alike during this period. A benefit game was played in March 1879 between the top professional base ball players of the city and the gate receipts donated toCharles Mason who was reported to have been ill.[4] The Athletics faced the University of Pennsylvania base ball club at the park in May 1879.[5]
In December 1876, a 110-yard foot race won by Trenton's Fred Rogers was held at the field.[6] A 125-yard foot race was staged at the grounds in April 1880. John Crossley of Philadelphia's Frankford neighborhood defeated Frank McQuigan of Boston for a prize of $500 (approximately $15,000 in 2025).[7]
The Eastern Championship Association Philadelphia Phillies played at the ballpark in 1881. Under the ownership of Al Reach, the Philadelphia Base Ball Club (the Phillies) "secured the Horse Market Grounds" on a long lease.[8] By March 1882, Reach and Horace Phillips were reported to be fixing up the grounds to be a first class sports park.[9] The Phillies would play at Recreation Park in 1882 as members of the minor league League Alliance.
Alfred J. Reach acquired a five-year lease on the horse market property in 1882, renaming it "Recreation Park". He cleared the grounds, resodded the field, built a three-section wooden grandstand, and fielded the independent team called the "Phillies." The next year, Philadelphia joined the National League.
The Phillies played their first game ever on April 2, 1883 and defeated the amateur Manayunk Ashlands by the score of 11-0 at Recreation Park.[10]
TheUniversity of Pennsylvania Football team played its Philadelphia matches at Recreation Park from 1882 to 1884.[11]
On October 16, 1884, in a post season exhibition game against the Athletics, it was reported thatHarry Stovey hit the longest ball of the season at the park "over the church".[12]
On June 1, 1885, nearly 10,000 fans filled the ballpark to see the Phillies face the New York Giants, with fans crowded down the right and left field foul lines.[13]
Charlie Ferguson pitched the Phillies' first no hitter, beating the Providence Grays 1-0 at Recreation Park on August 29, 1885. Ferguson walked two, and the Phillies committed two errors in the win.[14]
Newspaper advertisements for games in 1884, 1885, and 1886 referred to the ballpark as "League Grounds".[15]
Once the lease had expired following the 1886 season, the Phillies moved into their own new facility,Philadelphia Baseball Park, which they would call home for the next51+1⁄2 years.
In March 1887, the University of Pennsylvania Juniors defeated the University of Pennsylvania Freshmen 25 to 7 on the "old League Grounds".[16]
There is no historical marker or any indication that a ballpark once stood on this site. As of October 2015, a mini market stands on the corner where home plate was located, and urban housing occupies the area.
| Preceded by first ballpark | Home of thePhiladelphia Phillies 1883 – 1886 | Succeeded by |
