West Indianapolis in Marion County, Indiana — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)

Federal Field

Baseball Grounds for the Indianapolis Hoosiers and the Federal League Pennant 1913 and 1914

Photographed by Devry Becker Jones (CC0), April 20, 2019

1. Federal Field Marker

Inscription. One of the best baseball parks ever erected in Indiana is the unanimous verdict. A record was made in erecting the grandstand. In just eleven days from the hour of excavating for the steel framework the grandstand was under roof and the seats were being installed. The entire Park was erected in only thirty-one days. Few people realize the size of the grandstand. The structure extends 268 ft north and 252 ft west, is 60 ft wide and 70 ft tall, with 44 ft under roof, seating capacity 6,500, and there are fifty-eight boxes, with 12 seats each, making the grandstand seating 7,196...ad three mammoth bleachers each seating 4,000 to 4,500 persons and the total seating capacity of the park is 19,964, though 25,000 persons can be accommodated if the field is used.
Indianapolis Sunday Star 12 April 1914

One beneficiary of emptying portions of Greenlawn Cemetery was a rival to the American Association's Indianapolis Indians, the Federal League's Indianapolis Hoosiers. Building an imposing ball ground in 1913 less than half a mile from the Indian's Washington Park, downtown office workers, train men, and union workers from the

Paid Advertisement

Click or scan to see
this page online

slaughter houses and manufacturers along the White River briefly enjoyed competing ball grounds located on opposite sides of the river. Folk-lore speaks of how railroad yard workers would move freight cars onto the tracks along Kentucky Avenue and park opposite centerfield, hidden behind a 15ft tall tin fence, and create temporary bleachers to watch games for free. With ball players like Harry Billiard, Al Kaiser, Vin Campbell, Edd Rousch, Biddy Dolan, Charlie Carr, Cy Faulkenberg, Bennie Kauff, George Mullin and Frank LaPorte Indianapolis played against other teams such as the Chicago Whiles (whose ball park became Wrigley Field), the Baltimore Terrapins, the Brooklyn Tip-Tops, and the St. Louis Terriers. Winning the Pennant the Hoosiers challenged the American and National League pennant winners to a World Series for the unchallenged right to be called World Champions. The offer was declined. This would be the last hurrah for major league baseball in Indianapolis as huge debts forced the team to relocate in 1915 to the larger New York City market and become the Newark Peppers.

Lamping the Lads at Fed Park
As a game of ball, it was full of action, with plenty of close, hair-raising plays, a pitching duel enhanced by starting bits of defensive work. One of the fastest plays seen around this old burg in many a day was pulled off in the sixth. With two down and Campbell, one of the speediest men in baseball, on second, Kauff banged a screeching single to right. Tobin came tearing in on the ball, fielded it cleanly, made a perfect pass to Harley, nipping Campbell by an eyelash.

It was one sweet play. Campbell made a great slide, but Miller's peg was perfect, and the Hoosiers lost their best chance of scoring.

Opening Day at Federal Park
St. Louis Brownies 3
Indianapolis Hoosiers 0

Redlegs

Photographed by Devry Becker Jones (CC0), April 20, 2019

2. Federal Field Marker

Are Putting Up Classy Ball
The Hoosiers are surprising their enthusiastic admirers by the way they are performing against the Chicago Whales. Following the last appearance of Chicago, the Hoosiers start a long eastern jaunt. Baltimore, Brooklyn, Buffalo and Pittsburg will be met in order before the team comes back to finish up the season. Call it breaks, hard luck, the fact remains that the team has yet to win an eastern invasion. But if another championship rag is to hang from the flag pole at the Kentucky Avenue lot this coming invasion of the sunrise half of the circuit has to be different.
September 1914 The Indianapolis Star

The Federal League's Indianapolis Hoosiers challenge to the winners of the World Series probably won't receive more than a barrel of attention from the members of the National Commission and the owners of the club that takes the long end of the big splurge this fall, but it is going to get a whole lot of attention from the public and the great army of fans are going to yelp for the opportunity to give the Feds the once over for the purpose of comparing them with the majors in actual competition. Wait and

Photographed by Devry Becker Jones (CC0), April 20, 2019

3. Federal Field Marker

see. The challenge may never bee accepted, but nevertheless a big percent of the bugs will ylep for it.
Playing the Field: Jack Veiock, The Indiana Daily Times

Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Sports. A significant historical date for this entry is April 12, 1914.

Location. 39° 45.709′ N, 86° 10.509′ W. Marker is in Indianapolis, Indiana, in Marion County. It is in West Indianapolis. It is on South White River Parkway West Drive south of West Washington Street, on the right when traveling north. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Indianapolis IN 46221, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Central Indiana.

It is also in the American Midwest

and in the Corn Belt.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture

and also the Northwest Territory.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Greenlawn Cemetery (here, next to this marker); Manufacturing for Transportation

Paid Advertisement

(a few steps from this marker); The Pumphouse (approx. 0.4 miles away); a different marker also named The Pumphouse (approx. 0.4 miles away); McCormick Cabin Site (approx. 0.4 miles away); Washington Park Baseball (approx. half a mile away); Politicians, Poets, and Lion Tamers (approx. half a mile away); National Road Legacy Project (approx. half a mile away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Indianapolis.

Credits. This page was last revised on February 4, 2023. It was originally submitted on April 26, 2019, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 480 times since then and 33 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on April 26, 2019, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.

Editor’s want-list for this marker. Clear, daylight photo of the marker • Clear, daylight context photo of the marker • Can you help?