Home of the
Cincinnati Reds from 1912 until they moved to
Riverfront Stadium (nee
Cinergy Field) in 1970. Called
Redland Field until 1933. Site of the first
major league baseball night game on May 24, 1935.
Built on the corner of Findlay and Western, where the Palace of the Fans and League Park had once stood. Often overlooked in favor of other parks built in the same era (Fenway Park, Wrigley Field, Ebbets Field, etc.) in part because it didn't last as long. But Crosley Field (named for then-Reds owner Powel Crosley) shared many of the characteristics of these parks: small, with seats very close to the field, and a few quirks. In Crosley's case, the quirk was a steep incline leading up to the outfield fence called the "Terrace," where fans were sometimes allowed to sit, but mostly was an injury hazard for outfielders.
Also housed the Cuban Stars (1921), the Cincinnati Tigers (1934-37), and the Cincinnati Clowns (1943-45) of the Negro Leagues.
Hosted four World Series, including the 1919 series in which the Reds defeated the Chicago Black Sox (also 1939, 1940, and 1961).
Pete Rose Jr. was at the helm of the crane that sent the first wrecking ball into Crosley Field in 1972. There is a plaque at the corner of Findlay and Western commerating the park, and part of a row of seats from the park sit along Findlay.
Crosley Field was resurrected not once, but twice after its first incarnation. Larry Luebbers, a Reds fan, bought a good portion of the stadium before it was demolished and recreated it in his backyard. This version of Crosley lasted until 1987, when Luebbers sold the property. In 1988 Blue Ash, Ohio, a suburb of Cincinnati, decided to use a rebuilt version of Crosley as their town baseball park. The field's current address is 11540 Grooms Road.