Cincinnati in Hamilton County, Ohio — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
Site of Home Field of First Pro Baseball Team
Photographed By William Fischer, Jr., October 31, 2009
1. Site of Home Field of First Pro Baseball Team Marker
The first professional baseball team, the 1869 Cincinnati Red Stockings, played their home games on this site in a ballpark called Union Grounds. The facility included a main grandstand (nicknamed the “Grand Duchess”), two wings of bleacher seats down each baseline, and a clubhouse. Seating capacity was approximately 4,000, but as many as 12,000 were estimated to have filled the grounds for important games. The grounds were 550 feet square and were surrounded by a large fence.
Union Grounds opened in 1867 and hosted its first game on July 5th. After the Red Stockings disbanded in 1870, and with the owners of the club facing bankruptcy, the wooden stands and fence were dismantled and sold as scrap in 1872.
The ballpark was bounded by Kenner Street (to the north) and Hopkins Street (to the south). The main grandstand and home plate were located near this landmark and faced the northwest.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Man-Made Features • Notable Places • Sports. A significant historical month for this entry is July 1917.
Location. 39° 6.603′ N, 84° 32.175′ W. Marker is in Cincinnati, Ohio, in Hamilton County. Marker is on the grounds of the former Cincinnati Union Terminal (now the Cincinnati Museum Center), about 50 feet
this page online
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. John James Audubon in Cincinnati (within shouting distance of this marker); Cincinnati Union Terminal (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); From the Farewell Address of George Washington (about 300 feet away); Site of Home Plate Crosley Field (approx. 0.4 miles away); Crosley Field (approx. half a mile away); Camp Joy (approx. 0.6 miles away); Laurel-Lincoln World War II Memorial (approx. 0.6 miles away); The Gamble House (approx. ¾ mile away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Cincinnati.
Also see . . . Cincinnati Reds Ballparks. Team website entry (Submitted on October 31, 2009, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania.)
Photographed By William Fischer, Jr., October 31, 2009
2. Site of Home Field of First Pro Baseball Team Marker
Former Cincinnati Union Terminal in background.
Credits. This page was last revised on March 27, 2022. It was originally submitted on October 31, 2009, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania. This page has been viewed 1,773 times since then and 134 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on October 31, 2009, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania.
