Hanlan's Point Stadium
Encyclopedia
Hanlan's Point Stadium was a baseball
stadium
and lacrosse
grounds in Toronto
. It was erected in 1897 at Hanlan's Point on the Toronto Islands
for the minor league Toronto Maple Leafs baseball club. It was destroyed by fire twice, in 1903, and again in 1909. Adjacent to the Hanlan's Point Amusement Park, the site was in use for various sports until the late 1930s.
s were built on the site. When the Toronto Ferry Company
acquired the Leafs, it moved the team from Sunlight Park near the mouth of the Don River to the Hanlan's Point field. The Company built a new semi-circular grandstand, with the old grandstand converted to bleachers. That stadium and the adjacent bar, both managed by Lol Solman
, were destroyed by a fire on September 10, 1903. The stadium was rebuilt.
In 1908, the stadium was replaced with Maple Leaf Park, a new baseball stand and grounds at Hanlan's Point. When it was built, Maple Leaf Park had 3,000 seats, covered bleachers that could accommodate another 4,500, and uncovered bleachers with room for about another 1,800. On opening day, May 12, 1908, the Leafs came from behind to defeat the Jersey City Skeeters
in extra innings with paid attendance of 6,192. The stadium was destroyed by a fire on August 10, 1909 that also wiped out the amusement park at Hanlan's Point.
A new stadium was built on the site, opening in 1910 and described at the time as the largest in all of the minor leagues with over 17,000 seats. It was designed by Toronto-based architect Charles F. Wagner. Initial advertising referred to the site as Hanlan's Point Stadium. It was also sometimes called Island Stadium. The first baseball game at the stadium—but not the first event in the building—took place on May 9, 1910 with the Leafs rallying to defeat the Baltimore Orioles
in the bottom of the ninth inning in front of a paid crowd of 12,867.
The stadium is notable for being the location of Babe Ruth
's first professional home run
on September 5, 1914. Ruth was playing for the visiting Providence Grays
and pitched a one-hitter against the Leafs to go along with his three-run home run over the right-field wall in a 9-0 win for Providence.
The Maple Leafs left the Toronto Islands for Maple Leaf Stadium
after the 1925 season. In March 1927, the parks commissioner of the City of Toronto requested tenders for the demolition of the bleachers. The city architect had deemed them to be unsafe. The field remained in use until the construction of the Toronto Island Airport in 1937, when the area surrounding the airfield was converted to parkland.
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
stadium
Stadium
A modern stadium is a place or venue for outdoor sports, concerts, or other events and consists of a field or stage either partly or completely surrounded by a structure designed to allow spectators to stand or sit and view the event.)Pausanias noted that for about half a century the only event...
and lacrosse
Lacrosse
Lacrosse is a team sport of Native American origin played using a small rubber ball and a long-handled stick called a crosse or lacrosse stick, mainly played in the United States and Canada. It is a contact sport which requires padding. The head of the lacrosse stick is strung with loose mesh...
grounds in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
. It was erected in 1897 at Hanlan's Point on the Toronto Islands
Toronto Islands
The Toronto Islands are a chain of small islands in the city of Toronto, Ontario. Comprising the only group of islands in the western part of Lake Ontario, the Toronto Islands are located just offshore from the city centre, and provide shelter for Toronto Harbour...
for the minor league Toronto Maple Leafs baseball club. It was destroyed by fire twice, in 1903, and again in 1909. Adjacent to the Hanlan's Point Amusement Park, the site was in use for various sports until the late 1930s.
History
Initially, a grandstand and bleacherBleacher
Bleachers is an American term used to describe the raised, tiered rows of seats found at sports fields or at other spectator events...
s were built on the site. When the Toronto Ferry Company
Toronto Ferry Company
The Toronto Ferry Company was formed from the merge of John Doty Engine & Ferry Company with A.J. Tymon's Island Ferry Company, two of Toronto's early ferry operators to Toronto Islands in 1890. TFC was founded and headed by businessman Lol Solman. The company's ferry license and ships was later...
acquired the Leafs, it moved the team from Sunlight Park near the mouth of the Don River to the Hanlan's Point field. The Company built a new semi-circular grandstand, with the old grandstand converted to bleachers. That stadium and the adjacent bar, both managed by Lol Solman
Lol Solman
Lawrence "Lol" Solman was a prominent businessman in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.Born in Toronto, Solman was educated in public schools and grew up in profile when compare to his later life...
, were destroyed by a fire on September 10, 1903. The stadium was rebuilt.
In 1908, the stadium was replaced with Maple Leaf Park, a new baseball stand and grounds at Hanlan's Point. When it was built, Maple Leaf Park had 3,000 seats, covered bleachers that could accommodate another 4,500, and uncovered bleachers with room for about another 1,800. On opening day, May 12, 1908, the Leafs came from behind to defeat the Jersey City Skeeters
Jersey City Skeeters
The Jersey City Skeeters were a minor league baseball team which operated in Jersey City, New Jersey. The club started in the 1860s and by 1870 joined the National Association of Base Ball Players....
in extra innings with paid attendance of 6,192. The stadium was destroyed by a fire on August 10, 1909 that also wiped out the amusement park at Hanlan's Point.
A new stadium was built on the site, opening in 1910 and described at the time as the largest in all of the minor leagues with over 17,000 seats. It was designed by Toronto-based architect Charles F. Wagner. Initial advertising referred to the site as Hanlan's Point Stadium. It was also sometimes called Island Stadium. The first baseball game at the stadium—but not the first event in the building—took place on May 9, 1910 with the Leafs rallying to defeat the Baltimore Orioles
Baltimore Orioles (minor league)
The city of Baltimore, Maryland has been home to two minor league baseball teams called the Baltimore Orioles.-Name history:"Orioles" is a traditional name for baseball clubs in Baltimore . It was used by major league teams from 1882 through 1899 in the American Association/National League and by...
in the bottom of the ninth inning in front of a paid crowd of 12,867.
The stadium is notable for being the location of Babe Ruth
Babe Ruth
George Herman Ruth, Jr. , best known as "Babe" Ruth and nicknamed "the Bambino" and "the Sultan of Swat", was an American Major League baseball player from 1914–1935...
's first professional home run
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
on September 5, 1914. Ruth was playing for the visiting Providence Grays
Providence Grays (minor league)
The minor league Providence Grays was the name of several minor league baseball teams between and . These teams were unconnected to the Major League Baseball Providence Grays....
and pitched a one-hitter against the Leafs to go along with his three-run home run over the right-field wall in a 9-0 win for Providence.
The Maple Leafs left the Toronto Islands for Maple Leaf Stadium
Maple Leaf Stadium
Maple Leaf Stadium was a baseball stadium in Toronto built in 1926 by Lol Solman for his Toronto Maple Leafs baseball team of the International League on the site of a stadium that had been built in 1907. It continued to be the home of the Leafs for 42 seasons, until the team left town following...
after the 1925 season. In March 1927, the parks commissioner of the City of Toronto requested tenders for the demolition of the bleachers. The city architect had deemed them to be unsafe. The field remained in use until the construction of the Toronto Island Airport in 1937, when the area surrounding the airfield was converted to parkland.