Braves Field

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Braves Field was also home to multiple professional football teams between 1929 and 1948, including the first home of the National Football League (NFL) franchise that became the Washington Commanders. The pro football Braves played at the ballpark in their inaugural season of 1932, then were at Fenway Park for four seasons as the Boston Redskins before the move south in 1937 to Griffith Stadium in Washington, D.C. After the stadium was purchased, Boston University leased it to the new American Football League's Boston Patriots for the 1960–1962 seasons, before, like the Redskins, the team relocated to Fenway Park.

In Their Own Story

On May 1, 1920, Braves Field witnessed history when Brooklyn Dodgers pitcher Leon Cadore and Braves pitcher Joe Oeschger locked horns for a still-record 26 innings, ending in a 1–1 tie called on account of darkness. The park also saw the Boston Red Sox play select regular-season games from 1929 to 1932 due to grandfathered blue laws that did not apply to this location. In 1935, Babe Ruth played his final season for the Braves here. By September 21, 1952, the Brooklyn Dodgers defeated the Braves 8–2 in the final Major League game at the venue, with Roy Campanella hitting the last home run and Eddie Mathews batting third as a 20-year-old rookie. Despite low attendance in later years, the stadium hosted professional football teams, including the Boston Bulldogs, Shamrocks, and the franchise that became the Washington Commanders.

Reader's Guide

Located on Commonwealth Avenue at Babcock Street, the baseball field was aligned northeast, much as Fenway Park has been since it opened in April 1912. Most of the stadium was demolished in 1955, but significant portions of the original structure still stand and make up part of the Nickerson Field sports complex on the campus of Boston University.

Did You Know?

• Braves Field was nicknamed The Wigwam by fans.
• The stadium hosted the longest major league baseball game in history on May 1, 1920: a 26-inning tie between the Brooklyn Robins and Boston Braves that ended 1–1.
• Babe Ruth played his final season at Braves Field in 1935.

Architectural Design and Construction

Built by owner James Gaffney on the former Allston Golf Club site one mile west of Fenway Park, it was aligned northeast. The design featured a large rectangular plot with stands almost entirely in foul territory, leaving little beyond the fence. A stiff breeze from the Charles River further hindered home runs. Ty Cobb commented that nobody would ever hit a ball out of the park. The stadium had a capacity of 40,000 and included a trolley system.

Baseball History and Defining Moments

The Boston Braves played at Braves Field from 1915 until 1952. Babe Ruth played his final season for the Braves here in 1935.

Professional Football Legacy

Between 1929 and 1948, the stadium hosted multiple professional football teams, including the first home of the NFL franchise that became the Washington Commanders. The Boston Bulldogs played there in 1926 as part of the first American Football League, followed by the Boston Shamrocks in 1936 and 1937 during the second AFL. In 1932, it became home to the NFL's Boston Braves expansion franchise owned by George Preston Marshall; after a 4–4–2 season, they moved to Fenway Park as the Redskins before relocating to Washington in 1937.

Transformation and Enduring Legacy

After purchasing the Braves from Bob Quinn in 1945, owner Lou Perini moved the team to Milwaukee prior to the 1953 season due to low attendance. Boston University purchased the site on July 30, 1953, renaming it Boston University Field. The old ballpark was used until 1955, when remodeling began. By 1968, all but the right-field pavilion were replaced or incorporated into new structures like the Case Physical Education Center and dormitories.