History
Connie Mack's Athletics opened the small wooden park in April 1901, the American League's first season. It cost about $35,000 and sat on one city block in Brewerytown.
The Athletics won pennants in 1902 and 1905 here, and the park hosted two games of the 1905 World Series. The Philadelphia Giants, a leading Black independent team, also played here.
The park soon proved too small, and the Athletics moved to Shibe Park in 1909. The old park was demolished around 1911-12, and the block was divided for housing. Wikipedia reports no marker at the site.
Why it matters: It was the first home of the American League Athletics and hosted the 1905 World Series.
Timeline
The site today
| Physical status | Site redeveloped[1,2] |
|---|---|
| Current use | Residential housing built after a 1913 sale; Turner and Nicholas Streets were cut through the block[1] |
| Mapped location | Former venue site |
Street View near the former site · Satellite view (external, current imagery)
Teams & events
| Philadelphia Athletics | American League · 1901–1908 |
|---|---|
| Philadelphia Athletics | American League · 1902 · tenant |
| Philadelphia Giants | Independent · 1902–1908 · tenant |
Listed here are organizations that used this physical venue. A franchise's history and a venue's history are tracked separately.
Venue facts
| Other names | Columbia Avenue Grounds |
|---|---|
| Location | Block bounded by 29th St., Oxford St., 30th St. and Columbia Ave. (now Cecil B. Moore Ave.), Brewerytown, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania[1] |
| Venue type | Ballpark |
| Sports | Baseball, Football, Soccer |
| Level | MLB, NFL |
| Opened | April 26, 1901[1,2] |
| Last used for sports | October 3, 1908[1,2] |
| Demolished | 1911–1912[1,2] |
| Physical status | Site redeveloped |
| Original capacity | 9,500[1,2,3] |
| Final capacity | 13,600[1,2,3] |
| Capacity notes | Both sources give 9,500 at opening and 13,600 after bleacher additions. |
| Construction cost | $35,000 (1901)[1,2] |
| Surface | Grass |
| Closure | The Athletics outgrew the park and moved to the new Shibe Park in 1909. |
Documented details
Connected venues
Sources
- Columbia Park, Wikipedia. Accessed 2026-10-19Supports: address, capacity, closed, construction cost, current land use, demolished, events, opened, teams
- Columbia Park, Ballparks of Baseball. Accessed 2026-10-19Supports: capacity, closed, construction cost, demolished, opened, teams
- Columbia Park (PHI10), Baseball Data Hub. Accessed 2026-10-19Supports: capacity, coordinates
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)
- Demolition: Wikipedia 1912; Ballparks of Baseball 1911.
- Wikipedia lists April 5, 1901 (first practice) as the infobox opening; the record uses the first league game.
See something wrong or missing? Suggest a correction or submit a source.