John L, Rockland County, NY -- Mar 15, 2007 17:18 PM
1 visit(s). My rating: 5
Hi, I have posted some footage my grandfather shot of an Army Navy game played at what I first thought was the Polo Grounds sometime in the 1920s. Some people who have seen it think it may be Yankee Stadium, making the game 1930 or 1931 according to Wikipedia... Can you tell whether this is the Polo Grounds or Yankee Stadium? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=URfkVLCtn8k Thanks so much. John L

Bill Dovhan, Cambridge, MA -- Apr 14, 2008 01:37 AM
1 visit(s). My rating: 9
It hard to tell by the washed out quality of your grandfather’s old movie. The clips are very short and there is no panorama view of the stadium. For a clearer look at the 1951 Polo Grounds see http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1nT7opK5rOs pause at 0:27 seconds. Search/Google for other pictures but the tell tale, most identifiable thing about the Polo Grounds IV (1911-1963) was the large clubhouse beyond the CF nook. It looks like your movie has the nook @ 0:11 seconds, but @0:27 of the 1951 clip the CF nook is clearly seen. The clubhouse had a large Chesterfield sign and later on a Knickerbocker beer sign. Fans would walk across the field to exit under the clubhouse. CF in this nook was 483', yea 483' from home plate. Your movie does have the era characteristic columns, rising up holding up the roof causing obstructed views. All early stadiums had these (Tiger Stad,Fenway,Yankee Stadium,Polo Grounds,etc) but the upper deck in your movie does not have the steep characteristics of the original Yankee Stadium (House that Ruth Built). At 0:07 of your movie there seem to be three or four apartment bldgs in the distance. This would support the site being the Polo Grounds

Brian S, Kerman, CA -- Jul 28, 2008 20:27 PM
1 visit(s). My rating: 5
/\/\/\ Not sure if your question has been answered yet but it looks like Yankee Stadium up until 0:43, and then the Polo Grounds thereafter. Yankee Stadium had the football field running from home to left, which it is in the first part, while the Polo Grounds had it running from home to center.