Crosley Field
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Location | Cincinnati, Ohio |
Opened | April 11, 1912 |
Closed | June 24, 1970 |
Capacity | 30,000 |
Owned By | Cincinnati Reds |
Architect: |
Harry Hake |
Dimensions:
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Crosley Field was a baseball stadium that stood in Cincinnati, Ohio from 1912-1970. Various baseball stadiums had actually stood on the site since 1884, though the exact positions of the grandstands had been repeatedly shifted. Crosley was the home of the National League's Cincinnati Reds. In 1912, the stadium was rebuilt in steel and concrete at a cost of $225,000.
The stadium was known as Redland Field from 1912-1933, when team owner Powel Crosley chose to rename the stadium in his own honor - advertising his Crosley automobiles to boot. Crosley was the site of the first major league night baseball game on May 24, 1935.
The field of play was known for the sloping hill or "terrace" that led up to the fence (and to street level) across left field, which remained throughout the entire time the stadium stood, and the short fence in center field. The team claimed that the fence was 390 feet away, but both the home and opposing pitchers were certain it was shorter.
The stadium began to decline in the 1960s, and the surrounding neighborhood became rather dangerous, particularly at night. These factors, along with the city's desire to build a single stadium that could house both the Reds and the Cincinnati Bengals of the NFL led to the closure of Crosley and the mid-season move of the Reds in 1970 to Riverfront Stadium. Crosley Field was demolished two years later, and a business park now stands on the site.