History
Gus Greenlee, owner of the Crawford Grill, built the park on Bedford Avenue in 1932 so his Crawfords would no longer need white-owned fields. It was designed by Black architect Louis Bellinger and cost a reported $100,000.
In the mid-1930s the Crawfords featured Satchel Paige and Josh Gibson, and Paige threw two no-hitters at the park. The 1935 club won the Negro National League championship series there over the New York Cubans. The field also hosted boxing, night games under early lights, and civic gatherings.
Attendance fell late in the decade, partly over the park's refusal to hire Black workers for some jobs. Greenlee sold the team after 1938, and demolition began that December. The housing authority bought the land for the Bedford Dwellings project, and a state marker now stands near the old entrance.
Why it matters: It is recognized as the first Black-owned stadium in Negro league baseball and was home to the legendary 1930s Crawfords.
Timeline
- April 29, 1932
The Crawfords lost 1-0 to the New York Black Yankees in the park's official opener.
- July 15, 1932Satchel Paige no-hitter[2]
Paige no-hit the Black Yankees in a 6-0 win.
- July 4, 1934Second Paige no-hitter[2]
Paige no-hit the Homestead Grays, 4-0.
- September 3, 1938Last scheduled home game[2]
The Crawfords' final scheduled home game, against the Homestead Grays.
- December 1938
After lights and steel were sold, workers began tearing down the grandstand.
- July 17, 2009
Pennsylvania dedicated a historical marker recognizing the first Black-owned Negro league stadium.
The site today
| Physical status | Site redeveloped[1,2,3,4] |
|---|---|
| Current use | Bedford Dwellings public housing[1,2,3] |
| Surviving remnants | No structure survives; a Pennsylvania state historical marker was dedicated in 2009 where the entrance gates stood[2,4] |
| Mapped location | Not yet mapped. The exact site has not been confirmed from a published source. |
Teams & events
| Pittsburgh Crawfords | Negro National League · 1932–1938 |
|---|---|
| Homestead Grays | Negro leagues · 1932–1937 · secondary |
Listed here are organizations that used this physical venue. A franchise's history and a venue's history are tracked separately.
Venue facts
| Location | 2500 block of Bedford Avenue (2501 Bedford Ave.), Hill District; marker at Bedford Ave. and Junilla St., Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania[1,2,3] |
|---|---|
| Venue type | Ballpark |
| Sports | Baseball, Football, Boxing & wrestling |
| Level | Negro Leagues |
| Opened | April 29, 1932[1,2,3,4] |
| Last used for sports | 1938[1,2] |
| Demolished | December 1938[1,2,3,4] |
| Physical status | Site redeveloped |
| Original capacity | 7,500[1,2] |
| Capacity notes | Wikipedia lists 7,500. SABR says the grandstand was first reported at 5,000 plus about 1,000 bleacher seats, with later baseball crowds of 7,000-7,500, and boxing and football configurations up to 10,000-15,000. |
| Architect | Louis Arnett Stuart Bellinger[1,2] |
| Construction cost | $100,000 (reported)[1] |
| Owner / operator | Gus Greenlee / Bedford Land Company |
| Closure | Declining attendance and finances; Greenlee sold the Crawfords and the property was sold for public housing. |
Documented details
Sources
- Greenlee Field, Wikipedia. Accessed 2026-10-19Supports: address, architect, capacity, closed, construction cost, current land use, demolished, opened, teams
- Greenlee Field in Pittsburgh, Society for American Baseball Research (NoirTech Research). Accessed 2026-10-19Supports: address, architect, capacity, closed, current land use, demolished, opened, remnants, teams
- Greenlee Field, Clio. Accessed 2026-10-19Supports: address, current land use, demolished, opened
- Greenlee Field to be Commemorated Today, Ballpark Digest. Accessed 2026-10-19Supports: demolished, opened, remnants
Research confidence
Some facts on this page rely on a single source or are still being corroborated. Treat specific dates and figures with care. Last reviewed 2026-10-19.
Where sources disagree (3)
- Opening: Wikipedia's infobox gives April 29, 1932 but its text describes the first game as April 30; SABR gives an unofficial opener on April 28 and the official one on April 29; Clio gives April 29.
- Marker dedication: July 17, 2009 (Wikipedia, SABR, Ballpark Digest) vs June 17, 2009 (Clio).
- Location: Wikipedia describes Bedford Ave. between Chauncey and Duff; SABR says between Junilla and Watt Streets.
See something wrong or missing? Suggest a correction or submit a source.