Polo Grounds IV
From SoSH
Polo Grounds IV
| Location: | Harlem, New York |
| Opened: | June 28, 1911 |
| Owner: | New York Giants |
| Surface: | Grass |
| Architect: | Henry B. Herts and Osborn Engineering |
| Current Capacity: | 34,000 (1911); 55,000 (1923) |
| Build Cost: | N/A |
| Tenants: | New York Giants (1911-1957) New York Yankees (1913-1922) New York Mets (1962-1963) |
Contents |
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Stadium History
Built by the New York Giants in 1911 after the Polo Grounds III burned down. Temporary stands held fans until new infield stands were built with concrete in 1912. The outfield concrete double deck was finished in 1922.
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Trivia
- Site of the All Star game in 1934 and 1942.
- The Polo Grounds Towers (four 30-story apartment buildings) now stand where the field used to be. Willie Mays Field (an asphalt playground with 6 basketball backboards) is where center field used to be; a brass historical marker notes the spot.
- The outfield was slightly sunken. A manager, standing in his dugout, could see only the top half of his outfielders. At the wall, the field was 8 feet below the infield.
- A 2-foot-square section of sod from center field was removed and taken to San Francisco (where the Giants moved to) in the fall of 1957.
- Home plate was moved out toward center several feet by the Mets in the winter of 1961-1962.
- Bobby Thomson's "Shot Heard Round the World" homer occurred here at 4:11 PM on October 3, 1951 against the Dodgers and ended the "Greatest Game Ever Played."
- Demolition started on April 10, 1964, using the same wrecking ball that had demolished Ebbets Field.
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Field Dimensions
| Left Field | Left Center | Center Field | Right Center | Right Field |
| 277' | 447' | 433' | 449' | 256.25' |
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Wall Height
| Left Field | Center Field | Right Field |
| 10’ | 20’ | 12’ |
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External Links
Polo Grounds IV - Ballpark Profile Courtesy of Ballparks.com
