League Park
Cleveland, OH

Home of the Cleveland Indians for over 50 years, many fans probably wish that the club would have stayed at the park instead of moving to Cleveland Municipal Stadium. A new ballpark was built for the Cleveland franchise of the national league, and was ready for opening day,

May 1, 1891. The ballpark,  called League Park could seat 9,000 fans. Built mainly of wood, the main single deck grandstand was behind homeplate, a covered pavilion was behind first base, and bleachers were located at various other places in the park. However, by the 1910 season, League Park had been completely dismantled and rebuilt of steel and concrete, allowing the capacity to increase. A double deck grandstand now extended from the right field foul pole to homeplate and around to about the left field foul pole. The lower deck extended around the left field foul pole and to left field. A small section of wooden bleachers were located in left center field. The ballpark could now seat around 18,000 fans.

League Park’s playing field was shaped like a rectangle. The owners of buildings next to League Park would not move or sell their property. This made the right field fence very short at 290 ft., and made it 40 feet high. In 1920, League Park was renamed Dunn Field in honor of the owner of the team James Dunn. Also in 1920, a section of bleachers were added in centerfield after the Indians won the pennant. The ballpark was renamed League Park in 1927. By the late 1920’s a new stadium was being built in the Cleveland area. The Indians decided to move to this new stadium, Cleveland Municipal Stadium on July 31, 1932. The team continued to play full time at Cleveland Municipal Stadium until the end of the 1933 season. However, beginning in 1934, the Indians began playing at League Park on weekdays and on holidays until 1947. The team finally moved out of League Park because the ballpark never had lights. League Park stood until 1951, when it was demolished. However, parts of the stadium still remain today. A two story ticket booth, and part of the original grandstand remain.