Dexter Park
From SABR Encyclopedia
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Rosner and Strong wanted to modernize the baseball grounds but lacked the capital. They were able to attract two investors, Lewis Whitelaw a jeweler with an investment of $37,000 and Mr. Flounlacker a member of the real estate firm of Stone and Flounlacher who invested $7,500. | Rosner and Strong wanted to modernize the baseball grounds but lacked the capital. They were able to attract two investors, Lewis Whitelaw a jeweler with an investment of $37,000 and Mr. Flounlacker a member of the real estate firm of Stone and Flounlacher who invested $7,500. | ||
| - | The old wooden stands were torn down and a 6,000 seat steel beam grandstand was erected with 650 box seats, on each side of the grandstand wooden bleachers were built with a seating capacity of 1,800- | + | The old wooden stands were torn down and a 6,000 seat steel beam grandstand was erected with 650 box seats, on each side of the grandstand wooden bleachers were built with a seating capacity of 1,800-2,000. Admission was .50 for the grandstand and .25 for the bleachers the box seats were $1. |
All children were half price. In 1924 2,000 more bleacher seats were added along the left field foul line and in deep left field which was 418 feet from home plate. A low fence ran from the left field bleachers along the hill in centerfield and on over to right center. From home plate to center it was 431 feet and 443 feet to right center. Right field was 304 feet on the foul line an eight foot high wooden fence ran from the foul line to right center. Behind the fence were the backyards of the houses. The people who lived in the houses could watch the games for free some sat on the roofs of their gargages others looked out the rear windows. Behind the centerfield fence several rows of wooden benches added. This added another 1,500 seats for a total seating capacity of about 12,000. | All children were half price. In 1924 2,000 more bleacher seats were added along the left field foul line and in deep left field which was 418 feet from home plate. A low fence ran from the left field bleachers along the hill in centerfield and on over to right center. From home plate to center it was 431 feet and 443 feet to right center. Right field was 304 feet on the foul line an eight foot high wooden fence ran from the foul line to right center. Behind the fence were the backyards of the houses. The people who lived in the houses could watch the games for free some sat on the roofs of their gargages others looked out the rear windows. Behind the centerfield fence several rows of wooden benches added. This added another 1,500 seats for a total seating capacity of about 12,000. | ||
Revision as of 12:29, 8 April 2010
| Dexter Park | |
| Location: | New York (Queens), NY (US) |
|---|---|
Dexter Park was the home of the Brooklyn Bushwicks.
In the spring of 1913 Max Rosner founded his second semi-pro team the Brooklyn Bushwicks. Playing their games at the Wallace Grounds on Sunday mornings. Rosner's baseball operations were prosperous. Then on September 19, 1917 the grandstand at Wallace Grounds was destroyed by fire. Max made arrangements with the owners (Ulmer Brewery) of Dexter Park to play their games on Sunday afternoon starting in April 1918.
The effect of Prohibition in the 1920's effected the Ulmer Brewery forceing them to divest their ownership of Dexter Park. On September 30, 1922 Rosner and his partner Nate Strong purchased Dexter Park for $200,000. They paid $75,000 in cash an gave the brewery a purchase-mortgage for $125,000.
Dexter Park consisted of the baseball grounds and 10 acres of land that included a hotel, dance hall, carousel, bowling alleys and shooting gallery. It was located in the Woodhaven section of Queens County on the north side of Jamaica Avenue just across the border from Brooklyn.
Rosner and Strong wanted to modernize the baseball grounds but lacked the capital. They were able to attract two investors, Lewis Whitelaw a jeweler with an investment of $37,000 and Mr. Flounlacker a member of the real estate firm of Stone and Flounlacher who invested $7,500.
The old wooden stands were torn down and a 6,000 seat steel beam grandstand was erected with 650 box seats, on each side of the grandstand wooden bleachers were built with a seating capacity of 1,800-2,000. Admission was .50 for the grandstand and .25 for the bleachers the box seats were $1. All children were half price. In 1924 2,000 more bleacher seats were added along the left field foul line and in deep left field which was 418 feet from home plate. A low fence ran from the left field bleachers along the hill in centerfield and on over to right center. From home plate to center it was 431 feet and 443 feet to right center. Right field was 304 feet on the foul line an eight foot high wooden fence ran from the foul line to right center. Behind the fence were the backyards of the houses. The people who lived in the houses could watch the games for free some sat on the roofs of their gargages others looked out the rear windows. Behind the centerfield fence several rows of wooden benches added. This added another 1,500 seats for a total seating capacity of about 12,000.
The Bushwicks were now attracting many semi-pro teams from New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Michigan as well as the more famous Black teams. Each year in mid October after the World Series various All-Star teams made up major leaguers would visit Dexter Park on a Sunday for a double header with the Bushwicks.
In 1931 Max's son Herman an electrical engineer installed steel light towers generating a total of over 500,000 watts of electricty. The Bushwicks then began playing night games from June through September on Wednesday and Friday nights. Their season attendance increased to over 350,000.
Sources
. Times Newsweekly, 1991-09-19.
