League Park facts for kids
League Park from the air
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| Former names | Dunn Field (1921–1927) |
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| Location | E 66th St. & Lexington Ave. Cleveland, Ohio, United States |
| Coordinates | 41°30′41″N 81°38′39″W / 41.51139°N 81.64417°W |
| Capacity | 9,000 (1891) 21,414 (1910) 22,500 (final) |
| Field size | Left field – 375 ft (114 m) Left-center – 415 ft (127 m) Deep center – 460 ft (140 m) Center field – 420 ft (128 m) Right-center – 340 ft (104 m) Right field – 290 ft (88 m) |
| Surface | Grass |
| Construction | |
| Broke ground | 1891 |
| Opened | May 1, 1891 |
| Renovated | April 21, 1910 |
| Closed | September 21, 1946 |
| Demolished | 1951 |
| Architect | Osborn Engineering Company (1910) |
| Tenants | |
| Cleveland Spiders (NL) (1891–1899) Cleveland Lake Shores (WL) (1900) Cleveland Indians (MLB) (1901–1932; 1934–1946)* Cleveland Bearcats / Spiders (AA) 1914-1915 |
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League Park
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 Location in Cleveland
Location in Ohio
Location in the United States
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| Location | Lexington Ave. and E. 66th St., Cleveland, Ohio |
| Area | 1 acre |
| Built | 1908 |
| NRHP reference No. | 79001808 |
| Added to NRHP | August 8, 1979 |
League Park was a famous baseball park in Cleveland, Ohio. It was located at the corner of East 66th Street and Lexington Avenue. The park was first built with wood in 1891. Later, in 1910, it was rebuilt using stronger concrete and steel.
Many professional sports teams played at League Park. The most famous team was the Cleveland Indians of Major League Baseball. The park was also home to the Cleveland Spiders from 1891 to 1899. Later, the Cleveland Buckeyes of the Negro American League played there in the 1940s.
Besides baseball, League Park was also used for American football. Several early National Football League (NFL) teams played there. The Cleveland Rams of the NFL used League Park in 1937 and in the early 1940s. The Western Reserve Red Cats college football team also played many games at the park.
Even after Cleveland Stadium opened in 1932, the Indians still used League Park until 1946. They mostly played weekday games there. Most of League Park was torn down in 1951. However, some parts, like the old ticket office, still remain today. After a big renovation, the site reopened in 2014. It is now the Baseball Heritage Museum and Fannie Lewis Community Park.
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History of League Park
League Park was built for the Cleveland Spiders baseball team. The Spiders started in 1887. They joined the National League in 1889. The team owner, Frank Robison, picked the spot for the park. It was on a streetcar line he owned.
The park opened on May 1, 1891. It had 9,000 wooden seats. The first game was against the Cincinnati Reds. Cy Young threw the first pitch. The Spiders won the game 12–3.
The Spiders were a good team for a while. They won the Temple Cup in 1895. This was like an early version of the World Series. But in 1899, the team had a very bad season. Their owners moved most of their best players to another team. The Spiders won only 20 games and lost 134. They had very few fans come to their games. Other teams did not want to travel to Cleveland to play them.
After 1899, the Spiders team was removed from the league. A new team, the Cleveland Lake Shores, took their place in 1900. This team later became the Cleveland Indians.
Rebuilding the Park
The park was rebuilt in 1910. It became a modern stadium made of concrete and steel. The new park could hold over 18,000 people. This was more than double the old seating. It opened on April 21, 1910. The Indians lost to the Detroit Tigers 5–0. Cy Young was the pitcher in this game too.
From 1914 to 1915, a minor league team called the Toledo Mud Hens played at League Park. They were called the Cleveland Bearcats, then the Cleveland Spiders. This was done to stop another league from starting a team in Cleveland.
The Indians hosted games of the 1920 World Series at League Park. The Indians won the series. Game five was very special. It had the first grand slam in World Series history. It also had the only unassisted triple play in postseason history. This means one player made three outs by himself!
In 1921, the team owner, Jim Dunn, renamed the park "Dunn Field." After he passed away, the park's name changed back to "League Park" in 1927.
Sharing with Cleveland Stadium
In 1932, a much bigger stadium opened, Cleveland Stadium. The Indians played some games there. But players and fans did not like the huge outfield. It made it harder to hit home runs. Also, during the Great Depression, fewer people came to games. So, the Indians moved back to League Park for the 1934 season.
From 1937, the Indians started splitting their games. They played Sunday and holiday games at Cleveland Stadium. Other games were played at League Park. League Park never had permanent lights. So, no major league night games were played there.
The last Indians game at League Park was on September 21, 1946. They lost to the Detroit Tigers. After this, the Indians played all their games at Cleveland Stadium. League Park was the last Major League Baseball stadium never to have permanent lights.
The Indians sold League Park to the city of Cleveland in 1950. Most of the park was torn down in 1951. This was to make space for local sports and recreation. The Cleveland Browns football team used it as a practice field for many years.
Park Structure and Design
When League Park first opened in 1891, it had 9,000 wooden seats. There was a main grandstand behind home plate. There were also bleachers in other areas. The park's shape was a bit unusual. This was because it had to fit into Cleveland's street layout.
The fences were quite far away. The left field fence was 385 feet away. Center field was 460 feet away. The right field fence was 290 feet away. Batters had to hit the ball over a 40-foot-tall fence to get a home run. For comparison, the Green Monster at Fenway Park is 37 feet high.
The park was rebuilt in 1910. It then had concrete and steel double-deck grandstands. The seating capacity grew to 21,414. The design was done by Osborn Engineering, a local company. They also designed other famous ballparks like Comiskey Park and Fenway Park.
After the rebuild, the left field fence was moved closer to 375 feet. Center field was 420 feet away. The right field fence stayed at 290 feet. The 40-foot-tall home run fence remained a challenge for batters.
League Park Today
Today, the site of League Park is a public park. A small part of the original brick wall still stands. The old ticket office is also still there. This ticket office is now home to the Baseball Heritage Museum. Local youth teams still play baseball on the field.
In 2011, the Cleveland City Council approved a plan to restore the park. The plan included fixing the ticket house and the remaining wall. They also built a new baseball field in the same spot. The project also added a community park with walking trails.
The restoration was finished in 2014. League Park reopened on August 23, 2014. The Baseball Heritage Museum moved into the restored ticket house. It shows items from baseball history and from League Park itself.
Notable Moments at League Park
Many important events happened at League Park:
- May 1, 1891: The park opened. Cy Young threw the first pitch.
- October 2, 1895: League Park hosted the first games of the Temple Cup Series.
- October 2, 1908: Addie Joss pitched a perfect game against the Chicago White Sox. This means no batter reached base.
- October 10, 1920: Game 5 of the 1920 World Series had several "firsts":
* Elmer Smith hit the first grand slam home run in World Series history. * Pitcher Jim Bagby hit the first home run by a pitcher in a World Series game. * Bill Wambsganss made the only unassisted triple play in World Series history.
- October 12, 1920: The Cleveland Indians won their first World Series title.
- August 11, 1929: Babe Ruth hit his 500th career home run. He was the first player to do this.
- July 16, 1941: This was the last game of Joe DiMaggio's amazing 56-game hitting streak.
- 1945: The Cleveland Buckeyes won the 1945 Negro World Series.
- September 21, 1946: The last Major League Baseball game was played at League Park.
- November 24, 1949: The final college football game was played. Western Reserve beat Case Tech 30–0.
| Events and Tenants | ||
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| Preceded by National League Park |
Home of the Cleveland Spiders 1891–1899 |
Succeeded by last ballpark |
| Preceded by first ballpark |
Home of the Cleveland Indians 1901–1946 (shared with Cleveland Stadium from 1932–1933 and 1936–1946) |
Succeeded by Cleveland Stadium |
| Preceded by first stadium Cleveland Stadium |
Home of the Cleveland Rams 1936 (AFL) 1937–1942; 1944–1945 (NFL) |
Succeeded by Shaw Stadium Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum |
Images for kids
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The ticket house building as the Baseball Heritage Museum in 2021.
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League Park, circa 1905
