Palace of the Fans
Encyclopedia
Palace of the Fans was a Major League
baseball
park located in Cincinnati
, Ohio
. It was the home of the Cincinnati Reds
from 1902
through 1911
.
The ballpark was on an asymmetrical block bounded by Findlay Street (south), Western Avenue (northeast, angling), York Street (north) and McLean Avenue (west). The "Findlay and Western" intersection was the home field of the Reds from 1884
through June 24, 1970, when the team moved to Riverfront Stadium
.
The location of the diamond
and consequently the main grandstand
seating area was shifted several times during the park's existence. Some of the moves resulted in different names being assigned to the ballpark during its 86½ seasons of use:
The Palace of the Fans, so audaciously named, also presented a striking appearance. Built partially of concrete, and designed in a neo-classic style reminiscent of Chicago's World's Columbian Exposition
of 1893
, the Palace featured an extravagant facade, with 22 hand-carved Corinthian columns with elaborate details at the top, and opera-style private boxes in front of the covered grandstand. The grandstand actually sat atop carriage
stalls so that the wealthy could simply drive directly to the game, an early precursor of "luxury suites".
The grandstand was unique: a blend of Roman and Greek styling that had never been used before in a grandstand, and has never been seen since. The 3,000-seat grandstand featured 19 "fashion boxes" along the front railing that could hold 15 or more well-to-do fans. Beneath the grandstand, at field level, was standing room for 640 more spectators in a rowdy section known as "Rooter's Row." This section was so close to the players, the fans could take part in on-field conversations. Rooters Row was also strategically placed by the bar. The facade behind home plate contained the word "CINCINNATI". This was obviously of no benefit to anyone in attendance, assuming they knew where they were, but it ensured that pictures of the stands would inform viewers. However, the designers of the park forgot to include dugouts or clubhouses for the players.
The original 1884 stand remained as right field seating, having escaped the fire. A less elaborate stand connected the old and the new structures. Both the contemporary club owners and modern baseball historians consider the 1902 structure to be a new ballpark. Cincinnati fans not interested in the hype continued to call the facility "League Park", hence the alternate historical name, "League Park III".
On Opening Day, April 17, 1902, some 10,000 spectators crowded into the park and watched the Reds lose to the Chicago Colts (a.k.a. "Cubs")
, by the score of 6-1.
The Reds had little on-field success during their stay at the Palace, but one event foreshadowed an historic development on this site: night baseball. On June 19, 1909, an exhibition game was held under temporary lighting at the Palace. This was not the first time night baseball had been attempted, but this experiment was deemed a success. Nothing would come of it, though, until the 1930s when night ball came to be seen as a necessity for boosting attendance.
Meanwhile, as with the original Columbian Exposition buildings, the Palace soon lost its lustre. For one thing, the seating area was too small. Then, over time, the structure fell into a state of disrepair; city inspectors began to note cracked girders, decayed supports and unsafe floors. Finally, another fire damaged the stands significantly. (Benson, p. 101) The Palace was done after 10 seasons.
The last game played at the Palace was on October 12, 1911, against the Cubs, the same team they played when the park was opened. By opening day of 1912, the Reds had an entirely new arena waiting for them on the site: Redland Field, which would later become known as Crosley Field
.
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
baseball
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...
park located in Cincinnati
Cincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio. Cincinnati is the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located to north of the Ohio River at the Ohio-Kentucky border, near Indiana. The population within city limits is 296,943 according to the 2010 census, making it Ohio's...
, Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
. It was the home of the Cincinnati Reds
Cincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the National League Central Division. The club was established in 1882 as a charter member of the American Association and joined the National League in 1890....
from 1902
1902 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:* American League: Philadelphia Athletics* National League: Pittsburgh Pirates1902 World Series: Not played due to AL-NL war over player contracts.-American League:*Home Runs: Socks Seybold, Philadelphia Athletics: 16...
through 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 ballpark was on an asymmetrical block bounded by Findlay Street (south), Western Avenue (northeast, angling), York Street (north) and McLean Avenue (west). The "Findlay and Western" intersection was the home field of the Reds from 1884
1884 in baseball
-Champions:*First World's Championship Series: Providence Grays over New York Metropolitans *National League: Providence Grays*American Association: New York Metropolitans*Union Association: St...
through June 24, 1970, when the team moved to Riverfront Stadium
Cinergy Field
Riverfront Stadium , later known as Cinergy Field , was the home of the Cincinnati Reds National League baseball team and the Cincinnati Bengals National Football League team. Located on the Ohio River in downtown Cincinnati, the stadium was best known as the home of "The Big Red Machine," as the...
.
The location of the diamond
Infield
Infield is a widely used term in sports terminology, its meaning depends on the sport in which it is used.- In baseball :In baseball the baseball diamond plus a region beyond it , has both grass and dirt, in contrast to the more distant, usually grass-covered outfield...
and consequently the main grandstand
Grandstand
A grandstand is a large and normally permanent structure for seating spectators, most often at a racetrack. This includes both auto racing and horse racing. The grandstand is in essence like a single section of a stadium, but differs from a stadium in that it does not wrap all or most of the way...
seating area was shifted several times during the park's existence. Some of the moves resulted in different names being assigned to the ballpark during its 86½ seasons of use:
- 1884–1901: League ParkLeague Park (Cincinnati)League Park was a Major League baseball park located in Cincinnati, Ohio, United States. It was the home of the Cincinnati Reds from 1884 through 1901....
- 1902–1911: Palace of the Fans
- 1912–1970: Redland Field, renamed Crosley FieldCrosley FieldCrosley Field was a Major League Baseball park located in Cincinnati, Ohio. It was the home field of the National League's Cincinnati Reds from 1912 through June 24, 1970, and the original Cincinnati Bengals football team, members of the second and third American Football League...
in 1934
History
World's Columbian Exposition
The World's Columbian Exposition was a World's Fair held in Chicago in 1893 to celebrate the 400th anniversary of Christopher Columbus's arrival in the New World in 1492. Chicago bested New York City; Washington, D.C.; and St...
of 1893
1893 in baseball
-National League final standings:-Events:*August 16 – Bill Hawke of the Baltimore Orioles pitches a no-hitter against the Washington Senators in a 5–0 win. It is the first no-hitter thrown from the modern-day pitching distance of 60'6"....
, the Palace featured an extravagant facade, with 22 hand-carved Corinthian columns with elaborate details at the top, and opera-style private boxes in front of the covered grandstand. The grandstand actually sat atop carriage
Carriage
A carriage is a wheeled vehicle for people, usually horse-drawn; litters and sedan chairs are excluded, since they are wheelless vehicles. The carriage is especially designed for private passenger use and for comfort or elegance, though some are also used to transport goods. It may be light,...
stalls so that the wealthy could simply drive directly to the game, an early precursor of "luxury suites".
The grandstand was unique: a blend of Roman and Greek styling that had never been used before in a grandstand, and has never been seen since. The 3,000-seat grandstand featured 19 "fashion boxes" along the front railing that could hold 15 or more well-to-do fans. Beneath the grandstand, at field level, was standing room for 640 more spectators in a rowdy section known as "Rooter's Row." This section was so close to the players, the fans could take part in on-field conversations. Rooters Row was also strategically placed by the bar. The facade behind home plate contained the word "CINCINNATI". This was obviously of no benefit to anyone in attendance, assuming they knew where they were, but it ensured that pictures of the stands would inform viewers. However, the designers of the park forgot to include dugouts or clubhouses for the players.
On Opening Day, April 17, 1902, some 10,000 spectators crowded into the park and watched the Reds lose to the Chicago Colts (a.k.a. "Cubs")
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
, by the score of 6-1.
The Reds had little on-field success during their stay at the Palace, but one event foreshadowed an historic development on this site: night baseball. On June 19, 1909, an exhibition game was held under temporary lighting at the Palace. This was not the first time night baseball had been attempted, but this experiment was deemed a success. Nothing would come of it, though, until the 1930s when night ball came to be seen as a necessity for boosting attendance.
Meanwhile, as with the original Columbian Exposition buildings, the Palace soon lost its lustre. For one thing, the seating area was too small. Then, over time, the structure fell into a state of disrepair; city inspectors began to note cracked girders, decayed supports and unsafe floors. Finally, another fire damaged the stands significantly. (Benson, p. 101) The Palace was done after 10 seasons.
The last game played at the Palace was on October 12, 1911, against the Cubs, the same team they played when the park was opened. By opening day of 1912, the Reds had an entirely new arena waiting for them on the site: Redland Field, which would later become known as Crosley Field
Crosley Field
Crosley Field was a Major League Baseball park located in Cincinnati, Ohio. It was the home field of the National League's Cincinnati Reds from 1912 through June 24, 1970, and the original Cincinnati Bengals football team, members of the second and third American Football League...
.
Sources
- Cincinnati's Crosley Field: The Illustrated History of a Classic Ballpark by Greg Rhodes and John Erardi, 1995, Road West Publishing
- Baseball Library.com
- Green Cathedrals, by Phil Lowry, 1992
- Baseball Parks of North America, by Michael Benson, 1989
- The Cincinnati Reds, by Lee AllenLee Allen (baseball)Leland Gaither "Lee" Allen was an American sportswriter and historian on the subject of baseball. He was known for an accessible writing style that made history more interesting, typically focusing on the people in the stories as much as the events. A native of Cincinnati, Ohio, Allen was the son...
, Putnam, 1948.