South End Grounds

South End Grounds

Walpole Street Grounds Grand Pavilion Boston Base-Ball Grounds
South End grounds in 1893
Location	Boston, Massachusetts
Coordinates	42°20′15″N 71°5′13″W / 42.33750°N 71.08694°W / 42.33750; -71.08694Coordinates: 42°20′15″N 71°5′13″W / 42.33750°N 71.08694°W / 42.33750; -71.08694
Owner	Boston Braves
Capacity	6,800 (1888)
Field size	Left Field – 250 ft Left-Center – 445 ft Deep Left-Center – 450 ft Center Field – 440 ft Right-Center – 440 ft Right Field – 255 ft * Dimensions for South End Grounds III
Surface	Grass
Construction
Broke ground	1871
Opened	May 16, 1871
Closed	August 11, 1914
Demolished	1914
Tenants
Boston Braves (MLB) (1871–1914)

South End Grounds refers to any one of three baseball parks on one site in Boston, Massachusetts. They were home to the franchise that eventually became known as the Boston Braves, first in the National Association and later in the National League, from 1871 to 1914.

At least in its third edition, the formal name of the park, as indicated by the sign over its entrance gate, was Boston National League Base Ball Park. It was located on the northeast corner of Columbus Avenue and Walpole Street (now Saint Cyprian's Place), just southwest of the current Carter Playground. Accordingly, it was also known over the years as Walpole Street Grounds; two other names were Union Baseball Grounds and simply Boston Baseball Grounds.

The ballpark was across the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad tracks, to the south, from the eventual site of the Huntington Avenue Grounds, home to the Boston American League entry prior to the building of Fenway Park.

The Boston club was initially known as the "Red Stockings", because four of its key players had come from the famous 1869–1870 barnstorming team known as the and took the nickname with them to Boston. Over time the team acquired other informal nicknames, such as "Beaneaters", "Red Caps", "Rustlers" and even "Doves". This team eventually adopted the official nickname "Braves", just a few years before abandoning South End Grounds.

With its tight foul lines and expansive center field, like a scaled-down version of the Polo Grounds, it was sometimes said that the South End had no right or left field, but only a center field.

South End Grounds was rebuilt twice during its lifetime, the first time by choice and the second time by necessity.

The first South End Grounds was opened on May 16, 1871. The last game was played on September 10, 1887. The ballpark's stands were demolished later that month to make way for a new structure.