BRAVES FIELD

BOSTON, MA

When Braves Field opened in 1915 it became the first stadium with over 40,000 seats. The Boston Braves began playing at South End Grounds II in Boston in 1894. South End Grounds II was a small wooden park. When James Gaffney bought the club in 1911 he renovated the ballpark. However, this was not enough for his club. When Boston Red Sox moved into Fenway Park in 1912, Gaffney decided it was time to build a new ballpark for his club. In 1914 he purchased a golf club on Commonwealth Avenue for his ballpark to be built on. Construction of the ballpark began March 20, 1915 and Gafney named the new ballpark Braves Field. Parts of Braves Field’s facade consisted of Spanish colonial and stucco with a red tile roof. The concrete and steel ballpark was built in only five months. The Braves played their first game at the ballpark when they played the St. Louis Cardinals.

Braves Field became the first ballpark to seat more than 40,000 people when it opened. A single deck of 18,000 covered seats extended around homeplate and down both foul lines. There were two pavilions behind both the right and left field walls that held 10,000 fans each. Located in right center field was an area called "The Jury Box" that seated 2,000 fans. Located at ground level in center field was the scoreboard. Original dimensions at Braves Field were 402 ft. (left), 550 ft. (center), and 402 ft. (right). The field was surrounded by a 10 foot wall. Behind this wall were the tracks of the Boston and Albany Railroad.

After the 1927 season, 6,000 seats were added in left and center field to increase the number of homeruns hit by the team. The fences became 353 ft. (left) and 387 ft. (center). However, this helped the opposing team more than the Braves and the seats were removed midseason. In 1936, the Braves were renamed the Bees and Braves Field was renamed National League Park. But in 1940, the ballpark and team names were changed back to their original ones. Other changes came in the 1940s. Fir trees were planted behind the centerfield fence to hide the smoke from the nearby rail yard. As part of a $500,000 to remodel Braves Field in 1946, lights were added and the field was turned slightly to the right. On opening day, fans went home with green clothes because the seats had been painted, but had not dried. A new 68 foot scoreboard was added in 1948.

Attendance at Braves Field reached one million in 1946. By the early 1950s attendance decreased dramatically as the Braves struggled on the field. After the 1952 season, the Braves moved from Boston to Milwaukee and into County Stadium. Braves Field never housed another professional baseball team again, but housed football. In 1960 Braves Field was bought by Boston University and was turned into a football field. The AFL Boston Patriots and the USFL Breakers used the facility. Most of the original Braves Field was demolished. However the right field stands and a long building that housed the ticket and executive offices still remain. Braves Field was renamed Nickerson Field and the grass surface was replaced with Astroturf. Boston University dropped football in 1997 but the stadium still remains.