Before Baltimore's Memorial Stadium pulled at America's heartstrings and even before Baltimore Municipal Stadium was built, the Charm City spent decades playing hot potato with various baseball teams named the Orioles as well as five different ballparks all called Oriole Park at one point of time.
Oriole Park I
By 1883, a vacant plot of land on Greenmount Avenue (25th Street) had been used by several amateur clubs for practice and games for decades when members of the American Association's Baltimore Orioles bought the spot from the Sadtler family to build a ballpark. In a sign of the times, the ballpark was built upward, not spread out, in order to blend in with the surrounding neighborhood. As a result, there was no room for concessions.
Both the right and left-field foul lines featured two long sets of wooden bleachers that each held over 2,000 fans and a small amphitheater style grandstand that sat 1,200 put the finishing touches on the simple ballpark. The ballpark's lone entrance sat opposite of the clubhouse all the way on the other side of the field.
The Orioles were dreadful in their inaugural season, finishing eighth in the AA with a 48-68 record. The following year, they won 64, lost 43 and tied twice while finishing sixth. Things were looking up for Billy Barnie's ballclub, but the tide quickly turned as they finished eighth in the next two years. After two years of winning no more than 43 games, they turned things around in 1887 by winning 77 and finishing third. It would be their best season ever as they finished their stay in Orioles Park I by finishing 57-80 and in fifth place in 1888.
Oriole Park II (1889-1891)
Built on the corner of 29th and Greenmount Street, the Baltimore Orioles moved into the second iteration of Orioles Park in 1889. This was actually the first to be referred to as "Orioles Park" since the first had been referred to in the media as the "Huntington Avenue Base Ball Grounds". With a capacity of 2,000, the grandstand was larger that the first Orioles Park. It even came accompanied with boxes for the press and VIP's. The bleachers on the first base side sat up to 3,500 and a covered pavilion along the third base line sat up to 1,500.
The ballpark had a little more elbow room than the first Oriole Park, so that way it could be spread out better. As a result, it came with a biergarten between the grandstand and pavilion. The most unique feature of the ballpark was that a tunnel connected the stands together. However, that just meant that traveling fans could potentially miss some of the action if they were on the move during the game. Two gates of entry greeted customers who braced the 25 cents that the Orioles charged for general admission.
Oriole Park III (1891-1899)
In 1891, beer wholesaler Harry von for Horst bought land across the street from the old Orioles Park I and built a ballpark. Naturally, Oriole Park III had a beer garden that drew many and he even held dances after games to draw even more attention to the new 6,000 seat venue.
However, the all wood structure burned down in 1894, but was quickly rebuilt later that year to include an increased capacity of 500 that also included a larger grandstand and bike barns along the street. Water from a nearby stream called Brady's Run was always seeping into right field and turning it into a muddy quagmire that proved to be less of a homefield advantage for the Orioles outfielders.
Still, despite the mud, the Orioles managed to win three National League Pennants from 1894 through 1896. It was during that period when the city of Baltimore first fell in love with its baseball team.
Oriole Park IV (1901-1914)
When the American League was founded in 1900, Baltimore was chosen as one of its original cities and an old Oriole from their great run of the decade before, John McGraw, was named manager of the new club. New AL president, Ban Johnson toured numerous sites in Baltimore to hold one of its original teams. Since Oriole Park III was still under National League control, Johnson chose 29th and York for the site of American League Park. Located just four blocks north of the abandoned Oriole Park III, as it turned out, that was also where Oriole Park II once stood.
Noted Baltimore landscaper Martin Liston made a name for himself by installing the grounds at the new ballpark. Leveling the field proved to be more difficult than expected since it had been used by the circus and was filled with ruts from heavy wagons and stakes driven into the dirt. But eventually, Liston's dedication to his craft prevailed and soon, a grandstand that seated 3,000, left field bleachers that seated another 3,000 and right field bleachers that seated half that rose from the foundation. At ground level sat private boxes and opera chairs for Baltimore's elite.
After breaking ground on February 12, 1901, American League Park opened to the public on April 20 of that same year as Joe McGinnity lead the Orioles to a 10-6 victory over the Boston Americans in front of 10,371 spectators. As per custom of the Charm City, the ballpark opened to a parade that ran down Eutaw Street, past City Hall and towards the new wooden ballpark.
Things quickly went south for the Orioles. In July 1902, McGraw left for the New York Giants where he would stay for the next three decades. Left without their indomitable leader, the Orioles plummeted in both the standings and the box office. By the end of the season, they were owned by the league. Their last game was a 9-5 loss to Boston in front of just 138 fans at American League Park.
Ned Hanlon soon bought the ballpark for just $3,000 in hopes of securing a franchise from either the National League of the Eastern League. Eventually, the Eastern League's Montreal Royals moved to Baltimore to become the latest iteration of the Orioles.
Of course, a parade welcomed the new team to town. When the team took the field for the fist time, New York writer and box score inventor Henry Chadwick threw the first pitch to officially start the new era. The team never placed lower than fourth place in any of their first four years of existence.
By 1908, the ballpark and club were both up for sale and were sold to former Oriole Jack Dunn for $70,000. From the very beginning, he was always battling the city over its Blue Laws. He always knew that a money could be made on Sundays, so he built another ballpark outside of city limits. On Sundays, Jack Dunn's Orioles played at Buck River Park. It was a battle that would rage for well over a decade and into a new ballpark.
In 1914, the Orioles signed a young promising pitcher named George Herman "Babe" Ruth. He was sensational that year and soon became the talk of the town. At the same time, the Orioles were in fierce competition with another Baltimore team, the Terrapins, who were playing their games just across the street.
Oriole Park V
The Federal League was founded in 1913 and immediately began the Terrapins in Baltimore. Seeking funds for a new ballpark, owner Ned Hanlon suggested selling $10 shares to fans. Ground was broken just across the street from Orioles Park IV on January 20, 1914 and construction was overseen by architect Otto G. Simonson. Seeing how badly Orioles Park III was affected by poor drainage, a network of underground passages was dug to help drain excess water.
A twelve-foot high wooden fence surrounded the outfield to guard against outside gawkers and intruders. Meanwhile, the grandstand was a site for sore eyes. Underneath were the dressing rooms and on top was the press box. Four turnstiles greeted customers at three different entrances while five different exits ensured a quick exit from Terrapin Park after the game.
Opening Day on April 13, 1914 was like any other first day for a Baltimore-area ballpark. A parade was held along Baltimore Street and Mayor Preston declared the day a municipal holiday so that city employees could attend the festivities. More than 45,0000 attended all three games of the Terrapin's opening series. Meanwhile, the Orioles lost to the New York Giants at Orioles Park IV on that same afternoon.
Despite the opulence, the new ballpark's operators recognized that upgrades were needed. A taller fence was built in center field immediately after the opening series so that batters could see the ball better and a screen was installed on the grandstand to shield right field attendees from the sun. The Terrapins started off with a hot hand and were in first place until a little over a month into the season when they fell to third where they stayed the remainder of the year. The Terrapins' run lasted just one more year until the Federal League folded.
When the Terrapins folded, the Orioles moved in and promptly renamed the venue from Terrapin Park to Oriole Park V. The Orioles won the International League seven straight times from 1919 through 1925 and were runner up to the Toronto Maple Leafs in 1926. By 1936, the IL had implemented a championship series and the Orioles were in it. They lost to the Buffalo Bisons that year and were swept by the Newark Bears in 1937.
The Negro League's Elite Giants moved in to Oriole Park V in 1939 and promptly won the championship over the Washington Homestead Grays. They played in that ballpark until a fight broke out amongst fans on May 10, 1942. Rattled by the incident, the ballpark's owners decided to no longer allow Negro League games to be played on the grounds.
On July 4, 1944, Oriole Park V burned to the ground, forcing the Orioles to move to Baltimore Stadium to finish their title run. Inspired by the sudden loss of their home, the Orioles beat the Newark Bears in seven games.
Today, row houses, Barclay Elementary School and the Peabody Heights Brewery occupy the spot where Oriole Park V once stood. A marker now commemorates the former ballpark in the brewery's beer garden.
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