List of baseball parks in San Francisco, California

Portsmouth Square

It has been speculated that the game of baseball was played in California by men during the Gold Rush of 1849

California Gold Rush

The California Gold Rush began on January 24, 1848, when gold was found by James W. Marshall at Sutter's Mill in Coloma, California. The first to hear confirmed information of the gold rush were the people in Oregon, the Sandwich Islands , and Latin America, who were the first to start flocking to...

when Alexander Cartwright

Alexander Cartwright

Alexander Joy Cartwright, Jr. is one of several people sometimes referred to as a "father of baseball". Cartwright is thought to be the first person to draw a diagram of a diamond shaped baseball field, and the rules of the modern game are based on the Knickerbocker Rules developed by Cartwright...

, who is sometimes referred to as "the father of baseball", came to San Francisco and is reported to have brought his baseball to the city in 1849. The Daily Alta California

The Daily Alta California

The Alta California or Daily Alta California was a 19th-century San Francisco newspaper...

newspaper reports a game of base ball being played upon the Plaza (Portsmouth Square)

Portsmouth Square

Portsmouth Square is a one-block park in Chinatown, San Francisco, California, that is bounded by Kearny Street on the east, Washington Street on the north, Clay Street on the south, and Walter Lum Place on the west....

"by a number of the sporting gentlemen about town", on February 3rd, 1851. Mention of the play of a game of Townball at Portmouth Square is recorded in The Daily Alta California newspaper on January 14, 1852. An early town leader serving on the city council as second alcalde, or assistant mayor, of San Francisco during the years 1849-1854 was Frank Turk

Frank Turk

Frank Turk was an American jurist and entrepreneur. He was noted as a pioneer of the city of San Francisco, California, and Turk Street there was named after him....

a New York Knickerbocker

New York Knickerbockers

The New York Knickerbockers were one of the first organized baseball teams which played under a set of rules similar to the game today. The team was founded by Alexander Cartwright, considered one of the original developers of modern baseball....

. According to historian Frank Joel, baseball was formally introduced into California, at San Francisco in 1859.

The beginning years, 1860s

In the 1860s baseball grew in prominence in San Francisco, with the first game reported to be between the Eagles and the Red Rovers on February 22, 1860. The San Francisco Directory in 1860 identifies three base ball clubs, the Eagle, Em Quad, and Excelsior Clubs. In 1867 it was reported that "baseball clubs are now the rage" and the game of baseball drew plaudits from influential quarters. That year marked the establishment of the first baseball league in San Francisco known as the Pacific Coast Base Ball Convention with play of 14 clubs from San Francisco, Oakland and Santa Clara county. The San Francisco clubs were named the Eagles, Pacifics, Lafayettes, Knickerbockers, Atlantics, Bay City, Empires, Brodericks and the Cosmopolitans. The 1867 championship game, between the Atlantic and Cosmopolitan clubs, was won by the Cosmopolitans by a score 50 to 45 on April 27, 1867. In the 1870s additional teams were named the Libertys, Wide Awakes (Oakland), Alhambra, Americans, Excelciors and the San Franciscos.

First baseball park, Recreation Grounds

California's and San Francisco's first enclosed professional baseball park, located in the heavily Irish workingman Mission District

Mission District, San Francisco, California

The Mission District, also commonly called "The Mission", is a neighborhood in San Francisco, California, USA, originally known as "the Mission lands" meaning the lands belonging to the sixth Alta California mission, Mission San Francisco de Asis...

, was named simply 'The Recreation Grounds' and opened November 26, 1868 and operated until November 23, 1884. Built on the site of the Pioneer Race Course, a horse race track owned by George Treat, and the facility was used for multi-purposes including base ball games and cricket matches as early as October 1860. The grandstand accommodated initially a capacity of 12,000 fans and was later expanded to hold 17,000. Home of the Pacific Baseball League beginning in 1878, was owned an operated by the politically active Captain Al Fritz of the influential Workingman's Party of California

Workingman's Party

The Workingman's Party was a California labor organization led by Denis Kearney in the 1870s. The party took particular aim against Chinese immigrant labor and the Central Pacific Railroad which employed them. Its famous slogan was "The Chinese must go!" They held large Sunday afternoon rallies...

in partnership with Samuel Shear on land leased from San Francisco Mayor Andrew J. Bryant. In the later years after the death of Fritz, the Recreation Grounds was leased by Waller Walace and Andy Pierce for organized ball play with the preeminent team of that era being the Haverlys. In 1879 league play included a new Military League, organized by newspaper reporter Joseph H. McCloskey, drawn from teams of local militias which were generally aligned along ethnic lines. The period of 1881 to 1886 saw league play from the California League

California League

The California League is a Class A Advanced minor league baseball league which operates throughout the state of California. Before 2002, it was classified as a "High-A" league, indicating its status as a Class A league with the highest level of competition within that classification, and the fifth...

which falied to achieve much organizational competence, during the year 1883 for instance, there was only 36 games among four teams.

The location of this ballpark bordered Harrison, Twenty-Fifth, Folsom and Twenty-Sixth Streets, including present day Garfield Square. Photo. Other teams paying in Recreation Grounds included the Niantics, Woonsocket and the Reddingtons.
37°45′2.6316"N 122°24′49.3272"W

Amateur and practice fields

19th Century amateur and practice fields. During the 1870s and 1880s baseball was a very popular recreation in San Francisco with amateur games and practices held prior to professional games at the professional parks, and at fields located at 15th and Folsom, 25th and Howard in the Mission District, at 8th and Harrison South of Market and at Filmore and Geary in the Richmond.. A sand lot baseball field was located at Pierce and Haight Streets, 1886 photo.

Haight Street Grounds

Haight-Street Recreation Grounds
Haight Street Grounds
Haight Street Grounds was one of San Francisco's earliest baseball parks. It was built for use by the California League and was located on the east side of Golden Gate Park, bounded by Stanyan, Waller, Shrader, and Frederick streets. The opening game on April 3, 1887 between the Haverlys and the...

. Following a league dispute at the Central Park grounds, James Fair established a new ball park in 1886 known as the Alameda Grounds on the island of Alameda for play of the California League

California League

, which was moved the following year for play at a new baseball park in the Haight District. With grandstands seating 14,000 and located at the terminus of a railcar line

Market Street Railway Company

The Market Street Railway Company was a commercial streetcar and bus operator in San Francisco. The company was named after the famous Market Street of that city, which formed the core of its transportation network...

.. 1887 to March 1895. The borders of this ball park were Stanyan, Waller, Cole and Frederic Streets Photo. Teams playing in this park included the Greenhood & Morans both of Oakand, the Colonels of the California League (1887-89), the Haverlys andFriscoes - California League (1887-1893), the San Franciscos - California State League (1896 only), Brewers - California League (1897-1901) and the Pirates - Pacific National League (1903).
37°46′3.17"N 122°27′5.46"W

Central Park

1884-1906 In the South of Market district, known under the name 'Central Park' at the corner of 8th and Market Streets, a stadium with seating for 15,000, Daniel R. McNeil opened a professional baseball stadium on Thanksgiving Day of 1884, and was used for play of the Pacific Coast Baseball League from 1886 until June of 1887. 37°46′25.81"N 122°24′30.79"W

This ball park on April 28th, 1888 became the home of the newly formed California State League

California State League

There were at least three class D California State Leagues in operation at some point in minor league baseball history. Two lasted just a single season and the other lasted a whole three seasons 1913 through 1915....

. This park was destroyed by 1906 earthquake/fire.

Location: 8th and Market Streets 1901 Photo.

Occupants:

San Francisco Seals - Pacific Coast League

Pacific Coast League

The Pacific Coast League is a minor-league baseball league operating in the Western, Midwestern and Southeastern United States. Along with the International League and the Mexican League, it is one of three leagues playing at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball.The...

(1903-1906 part)

Recreation Park

Mission District Recreation Park
Recreation Park (San Francisco)
Recreation Park was the name applied to several former baseball parks in San Francisco, California in the late 19th Century and early 20th Century....

April 6, 1907 until 1930. - 1930s 37°46′1.87"N 122°25′23.93"W

Occupants:

San Francisco Seals - Pacific Coast League

Pacific Coast League

(1907-13) (1915-30)

Oakland Oaks

Oakland Oaks (PCL)

The Oakland Oaks were a minor league baseball team in Oakland, California that played in the Pacific Coast League from 1903 through 1955, after which the club transferred to Vancouver, British Columbia...

- Pacific Coast League

Pacific Coast League

(1907-12)

?San Francisco Baby Seals - California Baseball League (1910 only)

Mission Reds

The Mission Reds were a minor league baseball team located in San Francisco, California, that played in the Pacific Coast League from 1926 through 1937.-Original Missions:...

- PCL (1914 only)

?San Francisco - California State League (1915 only)

Mission Reds

The Mission Reds were a minor league baseball team located in San Francisco, California, that played in the Pacific Coast League from 1926 through 1937.-Original Missions:...

- PCL (1926-30)

Location: 14th Street (north, right field); Valencia Street (east, first base); 15th Street (south, third base); Guerrero Street (west, left field) Photo.

Currently: Housing project

Ewing Field, 1914

Ewing Field - 1914, located in the Richmond District, one block south of Geary at Masonic, the Seals played at Ewing Field for one year in 1914, with many criticisms for the cold windy foggy weather, relocated back to the Valencia Street Recreation Park in the Mission District the following year.. Photo of Ewing Field.
1914

Occupants:

San Francisco Seals - Pacific Coast League

Pacific Coast League

(1914)

Seals Stadium

Seals Stadium was a minor league baseball stadium that stood in San Francisco from 1931 through 1959.Built during the depression, Seals Stadium opened on April 7, 1931, It cost $600,000 to construct, and Seals President "Doc" Strub described how laborers would leap onto the running boards of his...

1931 through 1959

Occupants:

San Francisco Seals - Pacific Coast League

Pacific Coast League

(1931-57)

Mission Reds

The Mission Reds were a minor league baseball team located in San Francisco, California, that played in the Pacific Coast League from 1926 through 1937.-Original Missions:...

- PCL (1931-37)

San Francisco Giants

The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....

- National League

National League

The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league. Founded on February 2, 1876, to replace the National Association of Professional...

(1958-59)

Location: Bryant Street (west, first base); 16th Street (south, right field); Potrero Avenue (east, left field); Alameda Street (north, third base)

Currently: Potrero Center, a shopping mall

Candlestick Park April 12, 1960 to September 30, 1999

Occupant: San Francisco Giants

San Francisco Giants

The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....

- National League

National League

(1960-1999)

Location: 602 Jamestown Avenue

AT&T Park

AT&T Park is a ballpark located in the South Beach neighborhood of San Francisco, California. Located at 24 Willie Mays Plaza, at the corner of Third and King Streets, it has served as the home of the San Francisco Giants of Major League Baseball since 2000....

March 31, 2000 - present

Occupant: San Francisco Giants

San Francisco Giants

The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....

- National League

National League

(2000-present)

Location: 24 Willie Mays Place

Sources

Peter Filichia, Professional Baseball Franchises, Facts on File, 1993.
Phil Lowry, Green Cathedrals, several editions.
Michael Benson, Ballparks of North America, McFarland, 1989.

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