History
Baseball was played on this North Philadelphia block from 1864. In 1869 it hosted a game between the Olympic club and the Black Pythians, one of the earliest such games on record.
The professional Athletics played here in the National Association from 1871. On April 22, 1876, Boston beat the Athletics in the only National League game played that day, often cited as the start of major league baseball.
A rebuilt park served the American Association Athletics from 1883 until October 1890. The city-owned site is now the Athletic Recreation Center and a school; no marker notes its history.
Why it matters: It hosted the first game in National League history.
Timeline
- May 25, 1864
Baseball began on the grounds with a benefit game.
- September 3, 1869
One of the earliest reported games between white and Black clubs; Octavius Catto played for the Pythians.
- April 22, 1876
Boston beat the Athletics 6-5, the only NL game played that day.
- October 11, 1890Last major league game[1]
The American Association Athletics played the park's last major league game.
The site today
| Physical status | Site redeveloped |
|---|---|
| Current use | Athletic Recreation Center with ballfields, and a public school[1,2] |
| Mapped location | Former venue site |
Street View near the former site · Satellite view (external, current imagery)
Teams & events
| Philadelphia Athletics | American League · 1871–1875 |
|---|---|
| Philadelphia White Stockings | National Association · 1873–1875 |
| Philadelphia Athletics | American League · 1876 |
| Philadelphia Athletics | American League · 1883–1890 |
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 | Athletic Base Ball Grounds; Olympic Ball Ground; Athletic Park |
|---|---|
| Location | Block bounded by Jefferson St., 25th St., Master St. and 27th St., Philadelphia, Pennsylvania[1] |
| Venue type | Ballpark |
| Sports | Baseball |
| Level | MLB, National Association |
| Opened | May 25, 1864[1,2] |
| Last used for sports | October 11, 1890[1] |
| Physical status | Site redeveloped |
| Original capacity | 5,000[1] |
| Final capacity | 15,000[1] |
| Capacity notes | Wikipedia: 5,000 (1871), 5,200 (1883), 15,000 (1884). |
| Surface | Grass |
| Owner / operator | City of Philadelphia |
| Closure | Major league use ended with the American Association Athletics' final season in 1890. |
Documented details
Sources
- Jefferson Street Grounds, Wikipedia. Accessed 2026-10-19Supports: address, capacity, closed, coordinates, current land use, events, opened, teams
- Who will put the ball in motion?, PhillyHistory Blog (Philadelphia Department of Records). Accessed 2026-10-19Supports: current land use, events, opened
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 (1)
- Wikipedia lists two coordinate pairs, for the 1864-1876 and 1883-1890 layouts; the record uses 39.97806, -75.17639.
See something wrong or missing? Suggest a correction or submit a source.