Haight Street Grounds facts for kids
| Location | near Golden Gate Park San Francisco, California |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 37°46′3.17″N 122°27′5.46″W / 37.7675472°N 122.4515167°W |
| Record attendance | 22,000 (Nov. 25, 1889) |
| Surface | Natural grass |
| Construction | |
| Opened | March/April 1887 |
| Closed | March 1895 |
| Demolished | 1895 (130 years ago) |
| Tenants | |
| California League (professional baseball) Big Game (college football) |
|
The Haight Street Grounds was an important early sports field in San Francisco, California. It was one of the city's first places built just for baseball. This field was also famous for hosting some of the very first college football games. It opened in 1887 and was taken down in 1895.
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A Look Back at Haight Street Grounds
The Haight Street Grounds was a special place for sports in San Francisco. It was built for a professional baseball league called the California League. The field was located on the east side of Golden Gate Park. It was surrounded by streets like Stanyan, Waller, Shrader, and Frederick.
Opening Day Excitement
The very first game at Haight Street Grounds was played on April 3, 1887. It was a big event! Two teams, the Haverlys and the Pioneers, played that day. About 10,000 fans came to watch the game. Imagine how exciting that must have been!
The End of an Era
The California League, which used the grounds for baseball, stopped playing in 1893. By March 1895, there were plans to build houses on the land where the ballpark stood. The last baseball game ever played at the Haight Street Grounds was on March 10, 1895. Soon after, the field was torn down.
Birthplace of the Big Game
Even though it was built for baseball, the Haight Street Grounds is also famous for something else. It was the starting place for the Big Game. This is a huge annual college football game. It is played between two well-known California universities: Stanford and California.
Early Big Game Matches
The first four Big Games were all played at the Haight Street Grounds. These historic games happened on:
- March 19, 1892
- December 17, 1892
- November 28, 1893
- November 29, 1894
These early games helped start a long tradition of college football rivalry.
