Sodality Park
- David Hegler
- 4 days ago
- 2 min read
On March 8, 1908, the Sodality Athletic Association of St. Joseph's Parish was called to maintain the local ballpark in San Jose. according to an article at the time, the newly christened Sodality Park's main purpose was to "have in mind the promotion of a wholesome and innocent amusement for the young men and boys of San Jose". In the years to come, the quaint little ballpark did just that.
With new handlers, the ballpark went through some changes. A wooden grandstand was built along W. San Carlos Street that didn't have any stairs, rather all the aisles were runways to make moving around 900 people on a wooden structure easier. With bleachers on both the first and third base lines, the ballpark could squeeze 3,000.
It didn't have to wait long to enter the history books. In 1909, the Junior outlaws beat the Sodality Stars 11-9 in 22 innings. It's still one of the longest games in history. The little park on the banks of the Los Gatos Creek spent much of the next decade hosting numerous high schools, amateurs and minor league teams before it enjoyed its big break in the roaring '20's.
In 1920, Ty Cobb brought a team of All-Stars to San Jose on a barnstorming tour. However, he was never the most popular player and left early under a deluge of boo's.
Things were much better for Babe Ruth seven years later. Fresh off a World Series sweep of the Pittsburgh Pirate and setting the MLB record book with an incredible 60 home runs, Babe Ruth's Bustin' Babes and Lou Gehrig's Larrupin' Lous came through San Jose on a barnstorming tour.
Along with local legend Lefty O'Doul, Ruth and Gehrig lit up the San Jose sky with a a hitting display, the event highlighted with Ruth allegedly taking advantage of a short right field by blasting one into or across the Los Gatos Creek an into the nearby California Packing Corporation Cannery. After Gehrig played with Consolidated Laundry Nine and Ruth played with Fred Kelly's All Stars in front of 3,000, the Great Bambino called the city "the little burg in the orchard".
It was the ballpark's last hurrah. By the 1930's, Sodality Park was closed and demolished to make room for railroad expansion along the Los Gatos Creek and the original location for Orchard Supply Hardware, a Bay Area staple for the next 80 years.
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