History
The Federal League's Terrapins opened the wooden park in April 1914 directly across 29th Street from the minor league Orioles' park. Competition from the new league hurt the Orioles so badly that they sold Babe Ruth to the Red Sox.
After the Federal League collapsed, Orioles owner Jack Dunn bought the park in 1916 and renamed it Oriole Park. The Orioles played here for nearly three decades, and the Elite Giants used it for some games.
A fire in July 1944 destroyed the park, and the Orioles moved to Municipal Stadium. A SABR marker at a brewery on the site recalls the park.
Why it matters: It was one of the Federal League's major league parks and Baltimore's main ballpark for three decades.
Timeline
- April 13, 1914Opening Day[2]
The Terrapins beat Buffalo 3-2 before 27,692 paying fans.
- March 1916Bought by Jack Dunn[2]
Orioles owner Jack Dunn bought the park after the Federal League folded.
- April 18, 1919
Ruth hit four home runs in an exhibition game.
- September 4, 1930First night game[1]
The park's first night game drew 12,000.
- July 3, 1944
A night fire destroyed the wooden ballpark.
The site today
| Physical status | Site redeveloped |
|---|---|
| Current use | Rowhouses, Barclay Elementary School and Peabody Heights Brewery[2] |
| Surviving remnants | SABR historical marker at the brewery (2020)[2] |
| Mapped location | Former venue site |
Street View near the former site · Satellite view (external, current imagery)
Teams & events
| Baltimore Terrapins | Federal League · 1914–1915 |
|---|---|
| Baltimore Orioles | International League · 1916–1944 |
| Baltimore Elite Giants | Negro American League · 1939–1942 · 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 | Oriole Park |
|---|---|
| Other names | Terrapin Federal League Ball Park (1914–1915); Oriole Park (V) (1916–1944); Oriole Park |
| Location | Block bounded by 29th St., Greenmount Ave. (formerly York Rd.), 30th St. and Vineyard Lane, Baltimore, Maryland[1,2] |
| Venue type | Ballpark |
| Sports | Baseball |
| Level | Federal League, Minor League, Negro Leagues |
| Opened | April 13, 1914[2] |
| Last used for sports | July 3, 1944[1,2,3] |
| Physical status | Site redeveloped |
| Original capacity | 13,000[2] |
| Capacity notes | SABR: about 13,000 seats per the architect's plans; opening-day paid attendance was 27,692. |
| Surface | Grass |
| Closure | Destroyed by fire in July 1944. |
Documented details
Sources
- Oriole Park (V), Wikipedia. Accessed 2026-10-19Supports: address, closed, coordinates, events, teams
- Terrapin Park (Baltimore), Society for American Baseball Research (David Stinson). Accessed 2026-10-19Supports: address, capacity, closed, current land use, events, opened, remnants, teams
- Terrapin Park, Baseball-Reference Bullpen. Accessed 2026-10-19Supports: closed, teams
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)
- Fire date: Wikipedia and Bullpen say the night of July 3, 1944; SABR says July 4, 1944.
See something wrong or missing? Suggest a correction or submit a source.