🏛 Historic Stadium
Braves Field opened on August 18, 1915, on Commonwealth Avenue in Boston’s Allston neighborhood, and immediately claimed the title of the largest professional baseball stadium in the country. Designed by Osborn Engineering and built on the former Allston Golf Club grounds, the park debuted with a capacity of 40,000 — the first ballpark in major league history to reach that milestone — and eventually expanded to hold as many as 46,500 fans during its peak years.
Home to the Boston Braves from 1915 through September 21, 1952, the park witnessed some of baseball’s most memorable moments: three World Series, a 1936 All-Star Game, the longest game in major league history, and the final home appearances of Babe Ruth. When the Braves relocated to Milwaukee before the 1953 season, Boston University purchased the site, and most of the original structure was demolished by 1955 to create what is now Nickerson Field.
Stats at a Glance
- Team: Boston Braves (MLB, 1915–1952)
- Location: Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, Massachusetts
- Opened: August 18, 1915
- Closed: September 21, 1952
- Original Capacity: 40,000
- Peak Capacity: 46,500 (1928–1936)
- Architect: Osborn Engineering
- World Series Hosted: 1915, 1916 (Red Sox), 1948 (Braves)
Built for Baseball Royalty
When Braves Field opened in 1915 it set a new standard for ambition in ballpark design. The original outfield dimensions were staggering — center field measured 550 feet from home plate, making a true home-run ball over the fence a near-impossibility and turning the park into a pitcher’s haven in its early years. A single covered grandstand deck wrapped from behind home plate down both foul lines, providing 18,000 covered seats, while open bleachers extended deep into the outfield corners.
The Boston Red Sox recognized the park’s enormous capacity almost immediately. In both the 1915 and 1916 World Series, the Red Sox opted to play their home games at Braves Field rather than Fenway Park because it could accommodate far larger crowds, giving the park the rare distinction of hosting World Series action for two different franchises within its first two years of existence.
Landmark Moments and a University Afterlife
On May 1, 1920, the Brooklyn Robins and Boston Braves played to a 1–1 tie after 26 innings at Braves Field — then the longest game in major league history. The 1936 MLB All-Star Game brought the sport’s brightest stars to Commonwealth Avenue, and the park reached another peak in 1948 when the Braves won the National League pennant and hosted three games of the World Series against the Cleveland Indians, drawing some of the largest crowds in the ballpark’s history.
After the Braves departed for Milwaukee, Boston University acquired the property in 1953. Most of the historic structure was razed by 1955 and rebuilt as Nickerson Field, a multi-sport campus complex. The right-field pavilion grandstand and the original ticket-office building survived the demolition and remain on the BU campus today — the only visible remnants of a ballpark that once defined big-league baseball in New England.
Explore more: Historic Stadiums hub.
Braves Field FAQs
Why did the Boston Braves leave Braves Field?
Owner Lou Perini relocated the franchise to Milwaukee before the 1953 season, citing declining attendance in Boston. The Braves became the first major league team to move cities in fifty years, leaving Braves Field vacant after their final game on September 21, 1952.
Did the Boston Red Sox ever play at Braves Field?
Yes. The Red Sox used Braves Field as their home venue for the 1915 and 1916 World Series because its capacity of 40,000-plus far exceeded Fenway Park’s, allowing the club to sell more tickets for the Fall Classic.
Does any part of Braves Field still exist today?
Portions of the original structure survive on the Boston University campus. The right-field pavilion grandstand and the former ticket and executive-office building were preserved when BU converted the site into Nickerson Field in 1953–1955.
Get More from Braves Field
log the coasters, stadiums, and venues you’ve experienced, rate Braves Field, and see what your friends thought. Get the ThrillZing app.
Photo: Unknown authorUnknown author / CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.