The following is an abridged extract from my forthcoming book (Ballparks of the Deadball Era by McFarland coming out Fall/Winter 2008).  All of the information concerning the unique home run pole at Burns Park comes from an article in the Detroit Evening News (August 4, 1902) that was discovered and thoughtfully supplied by SABR researcher Paul Wendt.

 

Ron Selter

 

 

 

Burns Park American League: 1901-1902

 

 

Burns Park was the ballpark used by the Detroit Tigers for Sunday games in 1901-03.  The-wooden ballpark was located in the Michigan township of Springwells-a small municipality that in the 1901-03 time period was conveniently located just outside the Detroit city limits.  The ballpark was reported to have been located on Dix St, a street that in 2006 runs at an angle mostly east-west, between Waterman St, and Livernois Ave, both of which run north-south.  In 2006, the area between Waterman St, and Livernois Ave amounted to four city blocks.  Today, this location is in the southwest portion of the city of Detroit.

The ballpark was built before the 1900 season for the purpose of playing Sunday baseball games by (in 1900 the minor league) Detroit Tigers.  The park was used for Detroit Sunday games because Sunday baseball was prohibited in the city of Detroit until 1907.  The ballpark was built on land owned by the then (1900-1901) owner of the Tigers-James D. Burns-who modestly named the park after himself.  Burns Park was an all wooden ballpark that had been quickly constructed.  The structural strength of the park can be judged from an incident early in the 1901 season-on April 20, 1901 a wind blew the roof of the grandstand onto the field.

The park was opened on May 6, 1900 when it was first used for minor league baseball by the Detroit Tigers (recall that in 1900 the AL was a minor league).  On Opening Day 1900 the park consisted of a grandstand with a seating capacity of about 3,000.  On Opening Day and at several other Sunday games that season there were unruly overflow crowds.  During the 1900 season the grandstand was expanded.  Opening Day 1901 drew over 10,000 fans including an overflow crowd in the outfield.  As the 1900 expansion of the grand stand had proved inadequate, a set of bleachers 160 feet long were built in May 1901 down the RF line.  This expansion eliminated most overflow crowds.  In 1901, the Tigers played 13 Sunday games at Burns Park.  During the 1902 season additional bleachers were built, that permitted the outfield, for at least that game, to be clear of spectators.  Continuing to use Burns Park for Sunday games the Tigers played an additional 10 Sunday games in the 1902 season.  Playing Sunday games at Burns Park was a success, as attendance for the Burns Park games in 1901 averaged 5,208 per game vs. 3,364 for non-Sunday games at the regular Detroit home park-Bennett Park.  Likewise in 1902: attendance averaged 4,473 per game at Burns Park vs. 2,539 for games at Bennett Park.  However, the park suffered from being in an unsavory area-both numerous stockyards and saloons were nearby.  After forcing a sale of the club after the 1901 season, the AL put pressure on the new Tigers ownership to cease the use of Burns Park as the AL sought an improved image for the AL and baseball in general vs. the rowdy, liquor-laden, fight-prone crowds at Burns Park.  While the moral reputation of the park was none too good, AL hitters certainly thought highly of the place-Burns Park posted run park factors of 137 and 172 in its two seasons of ML baseball.  Home runs were especially noticeable as Burns Park in 1901-02 averaged 0.83 home runs per game compared to 0.24 home runs per game at the main Detroit ballpark: Bennett Park.

Late in the 1902 season, the configuration of Burns Park was modified by the addition of a very unusual home run pole.  This pole was installed behind the mid point of the LF scoreboard.  Fair balls hit over the LF fence to the left of the pole were now doubles, while balls hit over the fence to the right of the pole continued to be home runs.  The home run pole was installed before the next Sunday game on game of August 10, 1902.  The impact of the home run pole on batting at Burns Park is difficult to judge.  Only three games late in the 1902 season were played at Burns Park in its new configuration.  Home runs, that in the earlier configuration had averaged 0.9 per game, dropped to .33 per game (one in three games) with the home run pole.

There is no available dimensional data for this ballpark.  Based on the batting data, and in particular the home run data, LF was most likely small, while CF and RF were more moderate sized.  Estimates of the average outfield distances are LF 305-315, CF 380-390, RF 355-365.  The CF and RF estimates are merely guesses.  The LF dimensions are based on comparisons of the Burns Park home run data to the home run data for other 1901-02 AL parks.  Thus the park size is unknown, but inferred from the batting data as most likely small.  The less than specific location of this park, the total absence of park photos, and the lack of any Sanborn map makes the park’s dimensions and the overall park size simply informed estimates.

 

Park data and dimensions for Burns Park are shown below:

 

                        Dimensions (All Estimated)

 

Years               LF        SLF     LC       CF       RC       SRF     RF

1901-02           295      305      340      390      392      352      290

 

 

                        Average Outfield Distances

 

Years               LF                   CF                   RF

1901-02           310                  380                  358

 

 

Park Size/Composite Average Outfield Distance: 349

 

Capacity: 3,000 (1900), 6,000 (1901 Est.) 6,500 (May-September 1902 Est.)

 

Park Site Area: 3-4 acres (Est.)

Deadball Era Run Factor: 154 (Rank: AL 1)