Griffith Stadium

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Boundary Field was destroyed by a fire on March 17, 1911, started by a plumber's blowtorch. Thomas C. Noyes gained approval to build a new ballpark with a steel grandstand on the same site. Construction continued while the Senators were on the road and was not completed until July 24, 1911. The new ballpark had the diamond rotated so that home plate through second base pointed southeast. The outfield area was expanded significantly, especially in left field. The stadium was laid out at an angle within its block; the fence took an unusual right-angled jut into right-center field where a large tree and five houses stood, due to the unwillingness of the owners to sell. The right-field fence angled away from the infield sharply, and a fence about inside the lower outer wall blocked views from surrounding buildings. The field's orientation made center field east-southeast of home plate, causing difficult visibility for fielders in the late afternoon sun. The elevation of the natural grass playing field was approximately above sea level. The groundskeepers maintained a downhill slope from home plate to first base. The right field grandstand wall served as the right-field foul line for the last before the foul pole. The tall, hand-operated scoreboard in right-center was in play, as was the National Bohemian beer sign. Future MLB Commissioner Bowie Kuhn once operated the scoreboard. Lights were installed for the 1941 season; the Senators played their first home night game on May 28.

In Their Own Story

When the Washington Redskins moved from Boston in 1937, they found a venue that had already hosted World Series games in 1924, 1925, and 1933. The stadium adapted to football by running the gridiron along the third base line. By the mid-1950s, an inner fence was erected across left and center field, reducing home run distances but altering the game's geometry for both sports. The right-field wall featured a unique inward-pointing 90° angle in center field, reconstructed during the 1925 World Series to keep neighbors from watching for free. A 41-foot hand-operated scoreboard stood in play in right-center, once operated by future MLB Commissioner Bowie Kuhn as a youth. The natural grass field sat approximately 100 feet above sea level, with groundskeepers maintaining a downhill slope from home plate to first base to "help accelerate slow Washington batters." Lights installed for the 1941 season allowed the Senators to play their first night game on May 28.

Reader's Guide

The stadium's left field distance was reported as as late as winter 1936-1937, but fair territory extended more than 40 feet to the bleacher wall. After reconfiguration, the line went to the bleacher wall, and by winter 1937-1938 was reported as . By spring of 1943, that figure had been revised to . Center field was generally reported as , but the actual straightaway center field spot was never marked. The center field point, to the right of straightaway center where the flagpole was located, was reported as or . The right field foul line was typically reported as . In 1950, the left field area was reduced by , from to on the foul line and from to in left-center, but this change lasted only until May 8 of that same year and was quickly reverted. The outfield seats in left and center field butted up against 5th Street. The football field ran along the third base line.

Did You Know?

• The stadium was originally called National Park and then American League Park before being renamed Clark Griffith Stadium in 1920.
• The site of Griffith Stadium is now occupied by Howard University Hospital.
• The wooden ballpark that preceded Griffith Stadium was called Boundary Field or National Park and was destroyed by a fire on March 17, 1911.
• The stadium hosted the Negro World Series in 1943 and 1944 when the Homestead Grays played there.
• The right-field fence had an unusual right-angled jut because the owners of a large tree and five houses refused to sell during construction.