Madison Avenue Grounds
Encyclopedia
Madison Avenue Grounds was a baseball
ground located in Baltimore, Maryland. It was built by the Waverly Club as the first enclosed ballpark in Baltimore, with spectator seating and player clubhouses, and was the site of the first intercity game played in Baltimore (Brooklyn Excelsiors 51, Baltimore Excelsiors 6) on September 22, 1860; it was the site of a 47-7 defeat of the local Marylands by the undefeated Cincinnati Red Stockings in 1869, and it was used by the Washington Olympics
for a professional game in 1871. On August 16, 1870, it was the site of an intercity game between black teams.
The ballpark was home to the Maryland
club of the National Association, who had a brief fling as a professional club in 1873. Retrosheet differs from Michael Benson's Baseball Parks of North America, in that Benson states the Maryland club lasted until July 11 at the ballpark. Retrosheet indicates that only one game was played there and that the July 11 game was at Newington Park
, the home of the relatively established Lord Baltimore
club. The Maryland club, in fact, played only six games as professionals: the first two against Washington, and the last four against their intra-city rivals.
The park was also reportedly the home to Baltimore's Union Association
entry in 1884, again for only one game as the club owners decided the grounds were unfit for use. However, Retrosheet indicates all home games were at the club's Belair Lot
field.
James H. Bready, in his book The Home Team, a history of the Baltimore baseball clubs, places the location (based on old maps) on a block roughly bounded by what is now Madison Avenue (southwest); Boundary Avenue (later North Avenue) (north); Linden Avenue (northeast); and an old, unnamed road (southeast). The location has also been given as "the end of Eutaw Street near the corner of Madison Avenue and North Avenue." Eutaw cuts through what was once the ballpark property.
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...
ground located in Baltimore, Maryland. It was built by the Waverly Club as the first enclosed ballpark in Baltimore, with spectator seating and player clubhouses, and was the site of the first intercity game played in Baltimore (Brooklyn Excelsiors 51, Baltimore Excelsiors 6) on September 22, 1860; it was the site of a 47-7 defeat of the local Marylands by the undefeated Cincinnati Red Stockings in 1869, and it was used by the Washington Olympics
Washington Olympics
The Olympic Club of Washington, D.C., or Washington Olympics, was an early professional baseball team.When the National Association of Base Ball Players permitted openly professional clubs for the 1869 season, the Olympics were one of twelve to go pro...
for a professional game in 1871. On August 16, 1870, it was the site of an intercity game between black teams.
The ballpark was home to the Maryland
Baltimore Marylands
The Baltimore Marylands were a short-lived professional baseball team that existed in the National Association season. Their existence consisted of a six games from April 14 to July 11, and finished with a win–loss record of 0-6...
club of the National Association, who had a brief fling as a professional club in 1873. Retrosheet differs from Michael Benson's Baseball Parks of North America, in that Benson states the Maryland club lasted until July 11 at the ballpark. Retrosheet indicates that only one game was played there and that the July 11 game was at Newington Park
Newington Park
Newington Park was a baseball grounds in Baltimore, Maryland. It was home to the Lord Baltimore baseball club of the National Association from 1872 to 1874 and to the Baltimore Orioles of the American Association for the 1882 season. There are apparently no surviving photographs of the grounds...
, the home of the relatively established Lord Baltimore
Baltimore Canaries
The Baltimore Canaries were a professional baseball club in the National Association from 1872 to 1874.-History:The team was usually listed as Lord Baltimore in the box scores of the day, and were also referred to as the Yellow Stockings...
club. The Maryland club, in fact, played only six games as professionals: the first two against Washington, and the last four against their intra-city rivals.
The park was also reportedly the home to Baltimore's Union Association
Union Association
The Union Association was a league in Major League Baseball which lasted for only one season in 1884. St. Louis won the pennant and joined the National League the following season...
entry in 1884, again for only one game as the club owners decided the grounds were unfit for use. However, Retrosheet indicates all home games were at the club's Belair Lot
Belair Lot
Belair Lot is a former baseball ground located in Baltimore, Maryland. The ground was home to the Baltimore Monumentals of the Union Association in 1884....
field.
James H. Bready, in his book The Home Team, a history of the Baltimore baseball clubs, places the location (based on old maps) on a block roughly bounded by what is now Madison Avenue (southwest); Boundary Avenue (later North Avenue) (north); Linden Avenue (northeast); and an old, unnamed road (southeast). The location has also been given as "the end of Eutaw Street near the corner of Madison Avenue and North Avenue." Eutaw cuts through what was once the ballpark property.