Reggie! Reggie! Reggie… no, it’s Where & When, and you can chant all you want, but we’re not going away. Today’s the day we’ve all been waiting for/dreading (depending on your proclivities of course), so why not kick off the season with something spectacularly obvious:
Need I say more? Maybe; the date isn’t obvious of course… let’s say that this is what today is, but the year is the last year that this place was when the referred-to team had a day like this before they moved temporarily to another spot down the hill a little. So, name this place, the region it resides in and the year first and you get a hot dog with anything you like on it along with the associated beer that is standard with these occasions (and if you’re like me, you can substitute that with a root beer of choice). Of course, if you can also name year that a different team shared the jernt, er, joint with, for how long and why, then I will upgrade that dog & beer combo to a cheeseburger, fries and shake from Shake Shack. I’m feeling generous today, but hey: it is what it is >;)
Everyone else will get a cream soda for playing, of course, so sign in with your tales of similar days and expectations to claim your fictional drink to quaff during the later part of the day in celebration. I’ll see you if and when I see you; no peeking at the photo credit!
[Photo Credit: Shorpy]
Gotta be from the Highlander days. It's not Yankee Stadium nor the Polo Grounds.
So, Hilltop Park is where the Highlanders first played 1903-12 according to wikipedia.
And a quick Google picture search brings up the photo, 1912:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hilltop_Park
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Hilltop_Park_Entrance.jpg
Happy Opening Day everyone. Will be late to the game, have to get back to the dojo now that the snow has melted and back is not so bad.
Opening Day was April 11, 1912, a 5-3 loss to a certain team from northeast:
http://www.baseball-almanac.com/teamstats/schedule.php?y=1912&t=NY5
Hilltop Park indeed. 165th to 168th on Broadway. And I think this Hilltop is why they were called "Highlanders" (the Polo Grounds were down low nearby).
If I understand the clue, it must be opening day 1912.
The Giants played there in 1911 after the infamous Polo Grounds fire.
Yep, Hilltop Park on Opening Day in 1912, before New York's American League nine moved "down the hill" (and over the bluff) into the Polo Grounds.
The year before, the Giants spent a couple of months as roomies there after the Polo Grounds suffered a fire - thanks Wikipedia.
A bit wistful as the site of Hilltop Park is now occupied by (and commemorated with a plaque at) New-York Presbyterian Hospital -- a longtime point of pride for my mom, who was a nurse there and whom we lost not long ago.
You can see the modern-day plaque and some other images of the old yard at http://deadballbaseball.com/?p=958 in addition to the Wiki entry.
Crud, now I read on and that web entry I linked to, which dates from 2010, says the plaque was removed as part of a construction project. A quick search leaves it murky whether it was ever reinstalled. (Plenty of photos... are they old or new?)
Will have to check on that next time I'm around there. In the meantime, I hope no one local has any unpleasant need to be around a hospital, but if you happen by, would love to know.
Home with the flu ...why didn't I get the vaccine? I figured this was Hilltop and obviously pre-NY Americans at the Polo Grounds. That's a great photo. The two women heading to the expensive seats. The swell riding in the back of the car. The two kids in their knickers and ties with baseball gloves. Thanks Chyll.
[4] sorry to hear about your Mom, a fun lady. I have a lot of fond memories of her from when i was friends with your youngest brother.
I also worked and schooled at 168th, and would eat lunch on the Highlanders Home Plate plaque as often as the weather allowed.
April 11, 1912
and because I'm the type of person who looks these things up...right around the time this picture was taken, the Titanic was pulling away from Queenstown, Ireland bound for New York.
[7] Thanks. A rotten time but getting to hear memories like that is a silver lining.
[8] Damn.
9) I'm also sorry to hear that. When I think of your Ma I think of a woman smiling.