History
The Reds opened Redland Field on April 11, 1912, on a West End block near Findlay Street. Harry Hake's firm designed it. The park was renamed in 1934 after owner Powel Crosley Jr.
On May 24, 1935, it hosted the first major league game played at night. The park sat in a low area near Mill Creek, and the January 1937 flood left the diamond under more than 20 feet of water.
The Reds played four World Series there, including the 1919 Series later linked to the Black Sox scandal. The park also had a left-field terrace, now a parking lot.
The last game was played on June 24, 1970, before the move to Riverfront Stadium. Demolition began in April 1972. Today the site has commercial buildings and an extended Dalton Street.
Why it matters: It hosted the first night game in major league history and was the Reds' home for nearly 60 years.
Timeline
- April 11, 1912
The Reds opened their new concrete-and-steel park, then called Redland Field.
- 19191919 World Series[1]
The Reds beat the White Sox in the Series later shown to have been fixed by gamblers.
- 1934
The park was renamed for new Reds owner Powel Crosley Jr.
- May 24, 1935
The Reds beat the Phillies 2–1 in the first major league game played under lights.
- January 1937
Floodwater from Mill Creek covered the field to a depth SABR puts at 21 feet.
- June 24, 1970
The Reds hosted the San Francisco Giants in the last game before moving to Riverfront Stadium.
- April 19, 1972
Pete Rose Jr. pulled the lever that sent the first wrecking ball into the park.
The site today
| Physical status | Site redeveloped[1,2] |
|---|---|
| Current use | Commercial and light-industrial buildings, with Dalton Street extended across the former playing field. Wikipedia says the home plate location is painted in an alley.[1] |
| Mapped location | Former venue site |
Street View near the former site · Satellite view (external, current imagery)
Teams & events
| Cincinnati Reds | National League · 1912–1970 |
|---|---|
| Cincinnati Reds | National League · 1933–1934 · tenant |
| Cincinnati Tigers | Negro American League · 1937 · tenant |
| Cincinnati Clowns | Negro American League · 1943–1945 · 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 | Redland Field (1912–1933) |
|---|---|
| Location | Findlay St. at Western Ave. and Dalton Ave., West End/Queensgate; block bounded by Findlay, Western, Dalton, York and McLean, Cincinnati, Ohio[1,2] |
| Venue type | Ballpark |
| Sports | Baseball, Football |
| Level | MLB, NFL, Negro Leagues |
| Opened | April 11, 1912[1,2] |
| Last used for sports | June 24, 1970[1,2] |
| Demolished | 1972[1,2] |
| Physical status | Site redeveloped |
| Original capacity | 20,696[1,2] |
| Final capacity | 29,488[1,2] |
| Capacity notes | Original design 20,696 (Wikipedia infobox and SABR), though Wikipedia's text says about 25,000 in 1912. Final capacity: 29,488 (Wikipedia, 1970) vs 29,401 (SABR, after the 1938 expansion). |
| Architect | Harry Hake (Hake & Hake)[1,2] |
| Construction cost | $225,000 per Wikipedia; $400,000 per SABR (1912)[1,2] |
| Surface | Grass |
| Owner / operator | Cincinnati Reds |
| Closure | The Reds moved to Riverfront Stadium in mid-season 1970. |
Documented details
Connected venues
Sources
- Crosley Field, Wikipedia. Accessed 2026-10-19Supports: address, architect, capacity, closed, construction cost, coordinates, current land use, demolished, events, opened, teams
- Crosley Field (Cincinnati), Society for American Baseball Research (Lon Garber). Accessed 2026-10-19Supports: address, architect, capacity, closed, construction cost, demolished, 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 (4)
- Construction cost: Wikipedia $225,000 vs SABR $400,000.
- Final capacity: Wikipedia 29,488 (1970) vs SABR 29,401.
- Demolition: Wikipedia gives the 1972-04-19 ceremonial start; SABR says summer 1972.
- Cross streets: SABR places the park at Findlay St. and Western Ave.; Wikipedia gives Findlay St. and Dalton Ave. Both fit the same block.
See something wrong or missing? Suggest a correction or submit a source.