History
The Phillies opened the park in April 1887. After a fire in 1894 it was rebuilt in steel and brick and rededicated in May 1895, with a cantilevered upper deck that was advanced for its time.
A very short right field, a tall wall and a slope over a railroad tunnel gave the park its character. Two stand failures, in 1903 and 1927, marked its history; the first killed 12 people. The Phillies won the 1915 pennant here, and Babe Ruth played his last game here in 1935.
The club moved to Shibe Park in mid-1938. The structure was destroyed in 1950, and the block now holds a gas station and car-related businesses, with a state marker on Broad Street.
Why it matters: It was one of the first ballparks built mainly of steel and brick and the Phillies' home for more than 50 years.
Timeline
- April 30, 1887
The Phillies beat the Giants 15-9 in the first game.
- August 6, 1894Fire[1]
Fire destroyed the original grandstand and bleachers.
- May 2, 1895
The rebuilt steel-and-brick park was dedicated.
- August 8, 1903
A section collapsed when fans rushed to look at a street disturbance, killing 12 and injuring more than 200.
- 1915World Series host[1]
The Phillies hosted the World Series after their only pennant at the park; President Wilson attended.
- May 30, 1935Babe Ruth's last game[1]
Ruth played his final major league game here with the Boston Braves.
- June 30, 1938
The Giants beat the Phillies 14-1; the Phillies then moved to Shibe Park.
- 1950
The remaining structure was destroyed in 1950.
The site today
| Physical status | Site redeveloped[1,2] |
|---|---|
| Current use | Gas station, convenience store, garages and a car wash[1] |
| Surviving remnants | Pennsylvania Historical Marker on N. Broad St. (dedicated August 16, 2000)[1] |
| Mapped location | Former venue site |
Street View near the former site · Satellite view (external, current imagery)
Teams & events
| Philadelphia Phillies | National League · 1887–1938 |
|---|---|
| Hilldale Club | Eastern Colored League · 1924–1925 · tenant |
| Philadelphia Eagles | NFL · 1933–1935 · tenant |
Listed here are organizations that used this physical venue. A franchise's history and a venue's history are tracked separately.
Venue facts
| Official name | National League Park |
|---|---|
| Other names | Philadelphia Baseball Grounds (1887–1895); National League Park (1895–1938); Huntingdon Street Grounds; The Hump |
| Location | Block bounded by N. Broad St., W. Lehigh Ave., N. 15th St. and W. Huntingdon St. (2622 N. Broad St.), Philadelphia, Pennsylvania[1,2] |
| Venue type | Ballpark |
| Sports | Baseball, Football, Soccer |
| Level | MLB, NFL, Negro Leagues |
| Opened | April 30, 1887[1,2] |
| Last used for sports | June 30, 1938[1,2] |
| Demolished | 1950[1,2] |
| Physical status | Site redeveloped |
| Original capacity | 12,500[1,2] |
| Final capacity | 18,800[1,2] |
| Capacity notes | Wikipedia: 12,500 (1887-94), 18,000 (1895-1928), 20,000 (1929), 18,800 (1930-38). SABR also gives 18,800 for the late 1930s. |
| Architect | John D. Allen[1] |
| Construction cost | $80,000 (1887)[1] |
| Surface | Grass |
| Owner / operator | Philadelphia Phillies |
| Closure | The aging park was abandoned when the Phillies became tenants at Shibe Park in July 1938. |
Documented details
Connected venues
Sources
- Baker Bowl, Wikipedia. Accessed 2026-10-19Supports: address, architect, capacity, closed, construction cost, coordinates, current land use, demolished, events, opened, remnants, teams
- Baker Bowl, Society for American Baseball Research (L. Robert Davids). Accessed 2026-10-19Supports: address, capacity, closed, demolished, events, opened
Research confidence
Key facts on this page (opening, closing, status and location) are each supported by sources, with key dates corroborated by at least two independent sources. Last reviewed 2026-10-19.
Where sources disagree (2)
- Wikipedia calls the 1903 collapse a bleacher collapse; SABR calls it a balcony wall collapse.
- SABR says only that the old park was 'destroyed' in 1950.
See something wrong or missing? Suggest a correction or submit a source.