A Park Grows in Brooklyn
This article was written by David Pietrusza
This article was published in Baseball in New York City (SABR 21, 1991)
Think of Brooklyn and the mind and heart turn to Ebbets Field, but Baseball was played in the Borough of Churches long before Ebbets Field flung open its doors on April 9, 1913.
Most of Brooklyn’s pre-Ebbets history revolves around a territory known collectively and individually as Washington Park. Three separate structures housed the grand old game in Brooklyn.
Organized ball fist set fool on the site (Washington Park I) in 1883 when a team representing the Interstate League, an offshoot of the Old American Association, set up shop. The operation was such a success that owner Charles H. Byrne picked up an American Association franchise and Major League ball came in on May 5, 1884. Coincidentally the locale was also the site of the first Mets-Orioles clash (the American Association’s New York Mets and the National League’s Baltimore Orioles) in an 1887 exhibition and portions of both the 1887 and 1888 World Series.
The wooden stadium burned to the ground under mysterious circumstances on May 29, 1889, but was quickly rebuilt (Washington Park II) and re-occupied by June of that season. The National League appeared for the first time the next year, but by 1891 the ballpark was abandoned. As part of a settlement with former Brooklyn Players League owner George Chauncey the team moved out to Eastern Park in East New York.
Eastern Park, home of the Superbas was geographically to far east for the fans, so President Charles Ebbets wanted to move back to Washington Park. Unfortunately, the land have been sold and simply no longer available. Ebbets then did the next best thing; building a new park (Washington III) diagonally across the street from the old field.
Ebbets opened the third and last Washington Park onApril30, 1898, and it was home until the new era of steel and concrete stadiums almost instantly forced the stadium into obsolescence. When Ebbets Field made its debut with the 1913 season the Ward Brothers of the Federal League Brookfeds took ownership of the Washington Park pouring $250,000 worth of concrete and brick to erect bleachers and a 12 foot high wall around the field.
On one beautiful Saturday morning, I set off in a search of these fabled grounds, taking the F Train, and debarking at the Carroll Street Station. The surrounding neighborhood is quite pleasant, but proceeding down Third Street, and crossing the colorful Gowanus Canal.
Walking past junk yards, garages, and printing plants one soon spies a Consolidated Edison facility at First Avenue. The brick wall all along First Avenue is the 12 foot high barrier the Wards had built in 1914, and more of it can be seen along First Street.
Some of the Con Ed employees are well aware – and quite proud – of their workplace’s physical position in baseball history. Other, newer workers, are hearing about it for the first time. At one time, I was told there was a plaque marking the site, but alas that is long gone.
Continuing along Third Street, one comes across the James J. Byrne Memorial Playground which contains a small fieldstone, two story house, with a peeling red roof. At first glance it is nothing more than a run down comfort station..at second glance too.
But this field house is much more – it should be a baseball shrine. Firstly, the building dates back to 1699. Known to some as the Vechte-Cortelyou House of the Old Stone House of Gowanus, it was rebuilt in 1935 from the structure’s original stones. The Battle of Long Island with General Cornwallis defeating George Washington took place there and it is for this reason alone that Washington Parks I, II and III are so named. Moreover, this playground with ballgloves and spaldeens still in evidence is the site of Washington Parks I and II, and the field house served as a clubhouse for the Brooklyn teams of that era.
While the locals may gawk and stare at someone in a suit and tie taking pictures of the place, they are calmed at learning of their Brooklyn neighborhood’s roots in baseball history. Interestingly, even though there is no plaque on the building the people know all about George Washington, so now the historical score is tied and the race is on to see who gets a plaque up there first.