Huntington Avenue Grounds
Encyclopedia
Huntington Avenue American League Base Ball Grounds is the full name of the baseball stadium that formerly stood in Boston, Massachusetts and was home to the Boston Red Sox
(known informally as the 'Boston Americans' until 1908) from 1901
-1911
. The stadium, built for $35,000, was located across the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad
tracks from the South End Grounds
, home of the Boston Braves
.
The stadium was the site of the first World Series
game between the modern American and National leagues in 1903
, and also saw the first perfect game
in the modern era, thrown by Cy Young
on May 5, 1904. The playing field was built on a former circus lot and was fairly large by modern standards-530 feet to center field, later expanded to 635 feet in 1908. It had many quirks not seen in modern baseball stadiums, including patches of sand in the outfield where grass would not grow, and a tool shed in deep center field that was actually in play.
The Huntington Avenue Grounds was demolished after the Red Sox left at the beginning of the 1912 season
to play at Fenway Park
. Solomon Court at Cabot Center
, an indoor athletic venue belonging to Northeastern University, now stands on Huntington Grounds footprint. A plaque and a statue of Cy Young was erected in 1993 where the pitchers mound and home plate used to be, commemorating the history of this ballpark in what is now called World Series Way. Meanwhile, a plaque on the side of the Cabot Center (1956) marks the former location of the left field foul pole. Also, The World Series Exhibit Room in Cabot Physical Education Center is devoted to mementos of the 1901-1911 Red Sox era.
The Cabot facility itself is barely over a quarter-mile away to the southwest from another, still-standing Boston area sports facility of that era, Matthews Arena
(built in 1910), the original home of the NHL's Boston Bruins
when they started play in 1924.
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
(known informally as the 'Boston Americans' until 1908) from 1901
1901 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:* American League: Chicago White Stockings* National League: Pittsburgh PiratesWorld Series: Not played due to AL-NL war over player contracts.-Other champions:* Minor leagues** California League: San Francisco Wasps...
-1911
1911 in baseball
-Champions:*World Series: Philadelphia Athletics over New York Giants -Awards and honors:*Chalmers Award**Ty Cobb, Detroit Tigers, OF**Wildfire Schulte, Chicago Cubs, OF-MLB statistical leaders:-American League final standings:...
. The stadium, built for $35,000, was located across the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad
New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad
The New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad , was a railroad that operated in the northeast United States from 1872 to 1968 which served the states of Connecticut, New York, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts...
tracks from the South End Grounds
South End Grounds
South End Grounds refers to any one of three baseball parks on one site in Boston, Massachusetts. They were home to the Boston club in the National Association and the National League from 1871 to 1914....
, home of the Boston Braves
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
.
World Series
The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball, played between the American League and National League champions since 1903. The winner of the World Series championship is determined through a best-of-seven playoff and awarded the Commissioner's Trophy...
game between the modern American and National leagues in 1903
1903 in baseball
300px|thumb|1903 [[1903 Boston Americans season|Boston]] vs [[1903 Chicago White Stockings season|Chicago]] at [[Huntington Avenue Grounds]]-Major League Baseball:*World Series: Boston Americans over Pittsburgh Pirates , in the first modern World Series...
, and also saw the first perfect game
Perfect game
A perfect game is defined by Major League Baseball as a game in which a pitcher pitches a victory that lasts a minimum of nine innings and in which no opposing player reaches base. Thus, the pitcher cannot allow any hits, walks, hit batsmen, or any opposing player to reach base safely for any...
in the modern era, thrown by Cy Young
Cy Young
Denton True "Cy" Young was an American Major League Baseball pitcher. During his 22-year baseball career , he pitched for five different teams. Young was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1937...
on May 5, 1904. The playing field was built on a former circus lot and was fairly large by modern standards-530 feet to center field, later expanded to 635 feet in 1908. It had many quirks not seen in modern baseball stadiums, including patches of sand in the outfield where grass would not grow, and a tool shed in deep center field that was actually in play.
1912 in baseball
-Champions:*World Series: Boston Red Sox over New York Giants -Awards and honors:*Chalmers Award**Tris Speaker, Boston Red Sox, OF** Larry Doyle, New York Giants, 2B-MLB statistical leaders:-American League final standings:...
to play at Fenway Park
Fenway Park
Fenway Park is a baseball park near Kenmore Square in Boston, Massachusetts. Located at 4 Yawkey Way, it has served as the home ballpark of the Boston Red Sox baseball club since it opened in 1912, and is the oldest Major League Baseball stadium currently in use. It is one of two "classic"...
. Solomon Court at Cabot Center
Solomon Court at Cabot Center
Solomon Court at Cabot Center is the home of several indoor athletic teams of Northeastern University in Boston, Massachusetts. Built in 1954 and named in 1957 for patron Godfrey Lowell Cabot, the facility seats 2,500 fans for basketball and volleyball...
, an indoor athletic venue belonging to Northeastern University, now stands on Huntington Grounds footprint. A plaque and a statue of Cy Young was erected in 1993 where the pitchers mound and home plate used to be, commemorating the history of this ballpark in what is now called World Series Way. Meanwhile, a plaque on the side of the Cabot Center (1956) marks the former location of the left field foul pole. Also, The World Series Exhibit Room in Cabot Physical Education Center is devoted to mementos of the 1901-1911 Red Sox era.
The Cabot facility itself is barely over a quarter-mile away to the southwest from another, still-standing Boston area sports facility of that era, Matthews Arena
Matthews Arena
Matthews Arena, located in Boston, Massachusetts, is a basketball and ice hockey arena. Renovated several times, it is the oldest indoor ice hockey arena still being used for hockey and is the oldest multi-purpose athletic building still in use, in the world. It opened in 1910 on what is now the...
(built in 1910), the original home of the NHL's Boston Bruins
Boston Bruins
The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The team has been in existence since 1924, and is the league's third-oldest team and its oldest in the...
when they started play in 1924.