West End Park (Houston)

West End Park

West End Park in 1914 during a game between Houston and New York
Location	601 Andrews Street Houston, Texas
Coordinates	29°45′18″N 95°22′28″W / 29.75493°N 95.37443°W / 29.75493; -95.37443Coordinates: 29°45′18″N 95°22′28″W / 29.75493°N 95.37443°W / 29.75493; -95.37443
Public transit	San Felipe line
Owner	Houston Buffaloes (1905–1928) Houston Board of Education (1928–1940s)
Capacity	2,500
Record attendance	8,300
Surface	Grass
Construction
Broke ground	1905
Opened	April 1, 1905
Renovated	1908
Closed	1942
Tenants
Houston Buffaloes (STL, TL) 1905–1927 St. Louis Cardinals (MLB/spring training) 1906–1908 St. Louis Browns (MLB/spring training) 1909–1910, 1915 New York Yankees (MLB/spring training) 1914 Rice Owls football (NCAA) 1912, 1915 Houston Board of Education (UIL) 1928–1942

West End Park was a baseball park in Houston from 1905 to the 1940s. It was the primary ballpark for the city when it was constructed, and the city's first venue for Negro Major League games. From 1909 through 1910 and again in 1915, it also served as the spring training facility of the St. Louis Browns (known today as the Baltimore Orioles) as well as the 1914 New York Yankees of the American League and the 1906 through 1908 St. Louis Cardinals of the National League in Major League Baseball. After its use by its primary tenant, the Houston Buffaloes of the Texas League, the ballpark was sold to what is now known as the Houston Independent School District for its use until it was demolished.

Contrary to its name, the ballpark's location was not in West End, Houston, as that area had not yet been specifically designated as "West End", and the current municipal recreational park of the same has no relation to the ballpark. Instead, West End Park was located in the freedmen's town area of the Fourth Ward, with its entrance at Andrews and Heiner Streets. It was bounded by Andrews Street (third base line), Heiner Street (first base line), and Howe streets (left field fence). Today, the Interstate 45 "Pierce Elevated" passes over the area where the ballpark was, from Andrews Street to the Bagby Street exit.

Construction of a new ballpark in Houston became necessary after the redevelopment of Herald Park into a residential neighborhood during the 1904 season. While a temporary ballpark was used to host the rest of games for that season, poor transportation availability made travel difficult, and a new ballpark in the Westmoreland neighborhood was announced to be finished for 1905.