Greg--The site of Tiger Stadium was used for baseball parks at least as far back as the 1890s, and the site of Sportsman's Park in St. Louis was almost continually used for baseball from the 1860s (if I remember correctly). As you are well aware, it would depend on what you count as "new" and what as "renovated", but I would guess that that corner of Grand and Sullivan in north St. Louis was home to more than four ballparks: off the top of my head, I can think of the concrete-and-steel Sportsman's Park (built by the Browns in 1909); the wooden facility it replaced that arose in 1902 (when the team that became the Browns moved down from Milwaukee), with the diamond situated in a different corner; the "joke park" that was the NL Browns home in the 1890s--a diamond situated among carnival rides and other superfluities; and the old park that is pictured on the 1850s/60s-era map in the wonderful green-covered book that came out in the '90s, and whose name I can't recall right now. I don't know how many truly /new/ parks stood on that site in the mid/late 1800s, but I do believe that site has Findlay and Western in Cincy beat! Ray Miller

Greg Rhodes wrote:

Beginning in 1884, at the corner of Findlay St. and Western Ave. in Cincinnati, the Reds built 4 different ballparks on this site. This included a completely new facility in 1884 and 1912, while the 1894 and 1902 parks are probably best referred to as renovations instead of "new" parks, since in both cases the new facility included a new main grandstand and adjacent bleachers, but also included much of the old stands.

1884-1893, Cincinnati Ball Park or League Park;

1893-1900, Cincinnati Park or Cincinnati Ball Park (or League Park 2 as it is often called today);

1900-1901, temporary quarters on the same grounds after League Park 2 burned; I am not including this as a "new" park

1902-1911, Palace of the Fans;

1912-1970, Redland/Crosley Field.

Is there any other major league ballpark site that has been home to four different ballparks?

Greg Rhodes
Executive Director Hall of Fame and Museum
Cincinnati Reds
Great American Ball Park
100 Main Street
Cincinnati, OH 45202-4109
grhodes@reds.com
Voice 513-765-7920
Fax 513-765-7928
http://www.cincinnatireds.com/

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