Polo Grounds, New York Giants Yankees Mets

Polo Grounds

The Polo Grounds was located at the upper end of Manhattan island. It had a very distinctive look. Sometimes compared to a bathtub, the foul lines were short, and centerfield was endless. The picture postcard image below captures that unique shape. Another unique attribute was that the bullpens were in fair territory. Interestingly, the right fielder in this image is positioned right on the foul line.

The current site marker for the Polo Grounds. Unfortunately, the marker is facing the wrong way. The marker is facing the direction of the 3rd base stands, approximately 90 degrees to the west-northwest. Urban legend has it that there is a second marker out in the approximate location of center field where Willie Mays made "The Catch" in the 1954 World Series. As the plaque indicates three teams called the Polo Grounds home as some point in their lives. The Polo Grounds is the only ball park that can make that claim.

There were several different incarnations of the Polo Grounds. This postcard captures the Polo Grounds from the mid 1910's. The ballpark has been transformed into a steel and concrete structure. from it's earlier wood construction. Of note is the shape of the dirt infield. It is not uniform on by the outfield grass, but rather, it "bubbles".

The earlier wooden structure from the turn of the last century is illustrated in this postcard. Coogans Bluff is visible behind the ball park. Also both this postcard, and the one above, do not refer to the ballpark as the Polo Grounds.

Fast forward to the 1940's. Traditional baseball green is the predominant color in the ballpark. No advertisements on the fences, but a huge Knickerbocker beer one over the centerfield clubhouse. Above the bleachers, to the left of the clubhouse, you can see Yankee Stadium from across the Harlem River. New sod seems to have been laid, perhaps due to some football games that may have taken place.

The Polo Grounds near the end of her run. She has received a new coat of paint. The sun shine down brightly onto the field. Note that the right field foul pole extends to the roof line since it was so close to home plate. The outfield wall is filled with advertisements book ended by Hebrew National hotdogs and Bromo Seltzer. Presumably, they were intentionally kept far apart rather than being next to each other.

A current view looking up toward Coogans Bluff from near the location of home plate. While the ball park may not be only committed to our memory, the buildings on the bluff would have remembered her.

A postcard view of the same buildings; however, were they ever really those pastel colors?

A final look at the current site.