Terrapin Park - David B. Stinson Author

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Surveying Site of Old Oriole Park at Peabody Heights Brewery

By David Stinson on May 2, 2015

For several years I have wondered about the precise location of old Oriole Park’s home plate. From 1914-1915 the ballpark was known as Terrapin Park and later Oriole Park (V). The ballpark burned down in 1944 and is now the site of Peabody Heights Brewery.

Terrapin Park Postcard (Chessler Company, Baltimore, Maryland)

This past Thursday, the mystery was solved. Richard O’Keefe and J. Hollis B. Albert III of Peabody Heights Brewery (which sits on a portion of the former ballpark site) arranged for a survey of the site to determine the location of home plate, as well as the infield and the outfield.

Anne Leininger of S.J. Martenet Company, Surveying Former Site of Old Oriole Park, Baltimore, Maryland

Home plate was located on what is now a grass strip along Barclay Street, just south of the brewery and across the Street from the entrance to the Barclay School.

J. Hollis B. Albert III , Bernard McKenna, and Richard O’Keefe Standing at Former Site of Home Plate, Old Oriole Park, Baltimore, Maryland

The surveyors also determined the former site of the pitcher’s mound, which was located in a grassy patch of land just south of Peabody Heights Brewery.

Site of Old Oriole Park Pitcher’s Mound, Located Behind Peabody Heights Brewery, Baltimore, Maryland

Site of Old Oriole Park Pitcher’s Mound Looking Toward Home Plate, Baltimore, Maryland

The left field foul line ran parallel to what is now Barclay Street.

Left Field Foul Line marker, old Oriole Park, Baltimore, Maryland

Third base was located next to what is now a loading dock for Peabody Heights Brewery on Barclay Street.

J. Hollis B. Albert III standing next to former location of home plate, old Oriole Park, Baltimore, Maryland

J. Hollis B. Albert III standing next to former location of third base, old Oriole Park, Baltimore, Maryland

Peabody Heights Brewery is in the process of putting together a display about old Oriole Park. Second base was located inside the brewery and Peabody Heights Brewery plans to include it as part of its brewery tour.

Peabody Heights Brewery at Old Oriole Park, Baltimore, Maryland

The tap room/tasting room will include a recreation of the old Oriole Park grandstand with a display and information about old Oriole Park, as well as information about several other former professional ballparks that once dotted the area nearby. The Baltimore Sun’s Jacques Kelly, a baseball fan and historian who grew up nearby, wrote this fine article about the surveying at old Oriole Park. Be sure to stay tuned for more information.

This entry is filed under DBS Blog and tagged Anne Leininger, Barclay School, Bernard McKenna, former location of home plate, former location of pitcher's mound, J. Hollis B. Albert III, Old Oriole Park, Old Oriole Park Bohemian, Old Oriole Park Bohemian Lager, Peabody Heights Brewery, Peabody Heights Brewery at Old Oriole Park, Richard O'Keefe, S.J. Martenet Company, Terrapin Park. | 3 Comments

Baseball and Beer – Peabody Heights Brewery and Old Oriole Park

By David Stinson on February 11, 2015

Peabody Heights Brewery has a rare opportunity to celebrate both Baltimore baseball history and Baltimore Beer. The brewery is located on the former site of Old Oriole Park and Terrapin Park in the Peabody Heights section of Baltimore. The brewery opened a couple of years ago in the former Beverage Capital Corporation bottling plant at 401 E. 30th Street in Baltimore and plans now are underway to celebrate the former ballpark upon which the brewery is built.

Bernard McKenna, Richard O’Keefe, and J. Hollis Albert, III, Outside Peabody Heights Brewery, Baltimore, Maryland

Baseball and Beer in Baltimore go at least as far back as the early 1890s when Harry Von Der Horst, son of John Von Der Horst – the owner of Von Der Horst Brewery – was President of the American Association Baltimore Orioles. In 1892, Harry Von Der Horst’s Orioles joined the National League and just two years later brought Baltimore its first baseball World Championship. The National League Orioles played their home games at Union Park, which was located just four blocks south of what is now Peabody Heights Brewery. Harry Von Der Horst was something of an innovator, not only featuring Von Der Horst beer at Union Park, but also installing what perhaps was the first beer garden to be located in a Major League ballpark.

Richard O’Keefe Giving a Tour of Peabody Heights Brewery, Baltimore, Maryland

When it comes to baseball and beer, Richard O’Keefe, the owner of Peabody Heights Brewery, and J. Hollis Albert, III, General Manager of the brewery, are innovators as well.

Bernard McKenna, Richard O’Keefe, and J. Hollis Albert, III, Marking the Former Location of Oriole Park Second Base, Peabody Heights Brewery, Baltimore, Maryland

In addition to building one of the finest breweries in Baltimore, O’Keefe and Albert have begun plans to pay homage to the baseball history that lies underneath its building.

J. Hollis Albert, III, and Richard O’Keefe, at Former Location of Oriole Park Third Base, Peabody Heights Brewery, Baltimore, Maryland

The two brewery officials have enlisted the help of others, including baseball historian Bernard McKenna (McKenna was responsible recently for locating the first known photograph of the Baltimore Black Sox’s home field Maryland Park). On a rainy day last December, McKenna and yours truly met with O’Keefe and Albert to tour the facility and determine what portions of Old Oriole Park lies within the brewery grounds.

Beer Bottling Near the Former Infield of Old Oriole Park, Boxing Beer in the Former Outfield of Old Oriole Park, Peabody Heights Brewery, Baltimore, Maryland

We discovered that the former site of both second and third base lies within the brewery building, as well as a portion of right field, center field, and left field. The two story fermenting tanks sit near second base and stretch into what was once right field.

Beer Fermenting Tanks In Old Oriole Park’s Former Right Field, Peabody Heights Brewery, Baltimore, Maryland

The brewery’s boxing area sits in what was once left and center field.

Boxing Beer in the Former Outfield of Old Oriole Park, Peabody Heights Brewery, Baltimore, Maryland

Brewmaster Ernie Igot’s mixing tanks sit in the former right field near the first base grandsstand.

Ernie Igot, Head Brewer, Peabody Heights Brewery, Baltimore, Maryland

Portions of Old Oriole Park remain on the site, including a concrete support wall that runs along an alley that parallels Greenmount Avenue.

Richard O’Keefe Walks the Eastern Perimeter of Peabody Heights Brewery, Next to Old Oriole Park Concrete Support Wall

Also on the site is a section of the former left field brick fence.

Old Oriole Park Left Field Fence, Peabody Heights Brewery, Baltimore, Maryland

Old Oriole Park Left Field Fence as Seen Inside Brewery Compound, Peabody Heights Brewery, Baltimore, Maryland

Old Oriole Park Left Field Fence as Seen From Street, Peabody Heights Brewery, Baltimore, Maryland

The brewery’s loading docks located along the back of the building stretch from left field to center field.

Loading Dock Located in Old Oriole Park Left Field, Peabody Heights Brewery, Baltimore, Maryland

The former site of Oriole Park’s home plate is located on the sidewalk that parallels Barclay Street, just south of Peabody Heights Brewery.

Former Location of Old Oriole Park Home Plate Just South of Peabody Heights Brewery, Baltimore, Maryland

With the former site of Old Oriole Park as a backdrop, O’Keefe and Albert are transforming one of Baltimore’s finest breweries into a place where fans of the game can not only take a tour of the brewery, but learn first hand the story of Old Oriole Park, Union Park, and three other professional baseball parks located within walking distance of Peabody Heights.

Richard O’Keefe, David Stinson, and J. Hollis Albert, III, Outside Peabody Heights Brewery, Baltimore, Maryland

The past is all around, you just have to know where to look.

This entry is filed under DBS Blog and tagged American Association, Baltimore, baseball, Bernard McKenna, Beverage Capital Corporation, David Stinson, Ernie Igot, Harry Von Der Horst, J. Hollis Albert III, John Von Der Horst, Old Oriole Park, Old Oriole Park Bohemian, Old Oriole Park Bohemian Lager, Peabody Heights Brewery, Richard O'Keefe, Terrapin Park, Union Park, Von Der Horst Brewery. | 3 Comments

Touring the Lost Ballparks of Baltimore With Author Burt Solomon

By David Stinson on March 14, 2013

Burt Solomon and Terry Hartzell Touring the Former Site of Union Park

As a die-hard Baltimore Orioles fan and amateur historian, one of my all-time favorite books is Burt Solomon’s Where They Ain’t, The Fabled Life and Untimely Death of the Original Baltimore Orioles, the Team That Gave Birth to Modern Baseball, ranking right up there with James Bready’s Baseball in Baltimore, The First Hundred Years. Thanks to Terry Hartzell, a fan of both Burt’s book and my book Deadball, A Metaphysical Baseball Novel, I had the opportunity to take both Burt and Terry on one of my Lost Ballparks of Baltimore Tours. Our first stop was the former site of Union Park at the corner of East 25th Street and Guilford Avenue, followed by a walking tour up Barclay Street to East 29th Street and the former site of American League Park, which is now a McDonald’s.

Burt Solomon and David Stinson Standing in Front of Memorial Stadium's Former Infield, Now a Youth Baseball Park Courtesy of the Ripken Foundation.

Next we walked across East 29th Street to the former site of Terrapin Park/old Oriole Park, where we confirmed that the 16 original row houses that sat behind what was once right-center field all remain at the site. After walking back to the car, we drove less than a mile from Union Park to the former site of Memorial Stadium, where pieces of brick and concrete from the stadium still can be found amongst the dirt, exposed by the weather.

After bidding adieu to Burt, Terry and I continued on to New Cathedral Cemetery, where four Hall of Fame Orioles are interred (John McGraw, Joe Kelley, Ned Hanlon, and Wilbert Robinson). Our final stop for the day was the former site of St. Mary’s Industrial School for Boys, where a young Babe Ruth was raised as a ward of the Archdiocese of Baltimore. The historic baseball site includes the field where Babe Ruth learned to play the game, a building from St. Mary’s dating back to Ruth’s time at the school (the former Industrial Arts Building), and the former St. Mary’s Chapel, which was converted into a school building prior to Cardinal Gibbons High School arriving there in 1962.

I hope to conduct another Lost Ballparks of Baltimore Tour some time this spring. If you are interested in coming along, just send me a comment to this post.

This entry is filed under DBS Blog and tagged Babe Ruth, Baseball In Baltimore The FIrst Hundred Years, Burt Solomon, Deadball, Deadball A Metaphysical Baseball Novel, James Bready, Joe Kelley, John McGraw, Memorial Stadium, Ned Hanlon, New Cathedral Cemetery, Oriole Park, St. Mary's Industrial School for Boys, Terrapin Park, Terry Hartzell, Union Park, Where They Ain't The Fabled Life and Untimely Death of the Original Baltimore Orioles the Team That Gave Birth to Modern Baseball, Wilbert Robinson. | 20 Comments

Touring The Lost Ballparks of Baltimore

By David Stinson on December 6, 2012

Looking for a baseball fix this off-season? Can’t get enough of the Baltimore Orioles? Read on.

While conducting research for my book Deadball, A Metaphysical Baseball Novel I became quite familiar with the lost ballpark sites of Baltimore, including Union Park, home of the 1890’s world champion National League Baltimore Orioles, and American League Park, home of the 1901-02 American League Baltimore Orioles and the 1903-1914 International League Orioles – including Babe Ruth (a previous ballpark known as Oriole Park once sat at the same location as American League Park and was where the American Association Baltimore Orioles played from 1890 until May 1891). Union Park and American League Park were located just four blocks apart, Union Park at the southwest corner of East 25th Street and Guilford Avenue, and American League Park at the southwest corner of East 29th Street and Greenmount Avenue.

Baltimore's Union Park

In addition to Union Park and American League Park, two other ballparks were once located nearby. Terrapin Park (also known as Oriole Park), home of the 1914-15 Federal League Terrapins, the International League Orioles, and the 1938-1944 Negro American League Baltimore Elite Giants, was located directly across the street from American League Park at the northwest corner of East 29th Street and Greenmount. Memorial Stadium (and its earlier incarnation known as Municipal Stadium) home of the International League Orioles (1944-1953) and the “new” American League Orioles (1954-1991) was located .7 miles north and east of American League Park on 33rd Street.

Over the past few years, I occasionally have given tours of the old ballpark sites to die-hard Orioles fans and history buffs. This fall, I continued that tradition. In October, Bruce Brown, a friend and fellow SABR member toured the sites of Union Park, American League Park, and Terrapin Park.

Bruce Brown Standing in the Approximate Location of American League Park's Home Plate

And most recently, this past November, I made the same trek to Baltimore with friend and fellow author Austin Gisriel (Safe at Home, A Season in the Valley). Austin and I also toured the former site of Memorial Stadium, which Austin chronicled on the SABR blog Seamheads (see Seamheads.com).

Author Austin Gisriel at the Former Site of Union Park. The Building in the Background Once Sat Just To the Right of Union Park's Third Base Side Grandstand (see above picture of Union Park)

If you are interested in a tour of these sites, let me know. Just send me a comment to this posting (you may need to click on the title to this post – “Touring The Lost Ballparks of Baltimore” and scroll to the bottom of the page for the reply option) or send me a note on my facebook page – David B. Stinson. If there is enough interest, I’ll arrange a tour. With winter soon upon us, a tour of Baltimore’s lost ballpark sites could provide that much needed off-season baseball fix. In the meantime, below are four entries from my companion blog deadballbaseball.com with pictures and information about these lost ballpark sites. Enjoy!

Union Park

American League Park

Terrapin Park/Oriole Park

Memorial Stadium

Go O’s!

This entry is filed under DBS Blog and tagged American League Park, Austin Gisriel, Babe Ruth, Baltimore Elite Giants, Baltimore Federal League, Baltimore Orioles, Baltimore Terrapins, Bruce Brown, Deadball, Deadballbaseball.com, International League Orioles, Memorial Stadium, Municipal Stadium, Oriole Park, seamheads.com, Terrapin Park, Union Park. | 6 Comments

Surveying Site of Old Oriole Park at Peabody Heights Brewery

Baseball and Beer – Peabody Heights Brewery and Old Oriole Park

Touring the Lost Ballparks of Baltimore With Author Burt Solomon

Touring The Lost Ballparks of Baltimore

Buy Deadball, A Metaphysical Baseball Novel

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