League Park stood at the northeast corner of East 66th Street and Lexington Avenue in Cleveland’s Hough neighborhood as the city’s first major-league baseball home. Originally built as a 9,000-seat wooden structure in 1891, it was completely rebuilt in concrete and steel in 1910, expanding to accommodate more than 21,000 fans and cementing its place as a permanent fixture of Cleveland sports life.
The park served as the primary home of the Cleveland Indians for over five decades, hosting its final MLB game on September 21, 1946, before the structure was demolished in 1951. The restored ticket house from 1909 still stands on the site today and houses the Baseball Heritage Museum, while a community baseball field reopened there in 2014.
Stats at a Glance
- Team(s): Cleveland Spiders (1891–1899), Cleveland Indians (1901–1946)
- Location: East 66th St. & Lexington Ave., Cleveland, Ohio (Hough neighborhood)
- Opened: May 1, 1891
- Rebuilt: April 21, 1910 (steel & concrete)
- Closed: September 21, 1946
- Demolished: 1951
- Capacity: About 21,400 (after 1910 rebuild)
- Notable Quirk: Right field fence — 290 ft, 40-ft high wall
Milestones on the Diamond
League Park was the stage for some of baseball’s most remarkable single-game moments. On October 2, 1908, pitcher Addie Joss threw a perfect game there. The park’s most celebrated chapter came during the 1920 World Series, when the Indians defeated the Brooklyn Robins for their first championship. Game 5 alone produced two historic firsts: the only unassisted triple play in World Series history, turned by second baseman Bill Wambsganss, and the first grand slam in World Series history, hit by outfielder Elmer Smith.
The stadium’s quirky geometry contributed to its legend. The right field foul pole sat just 290 feet from home plate, but a towering 40-foot wall stood guard — making it a perpetual puzzle for visiting sluggers. Babe Ruth solved it on August 11, 1929, when he drove his 500th career home run over that wall, one of the park’s most celebrated individual moments.
Decline, Demolition, and Revival
After Cleveland Municipal Stadium opened on the lakefront in 1932, the Indians split their schedule between the two parks, reserving League Park mainly for weekday and holiday games. The lack of lights at League Park made modern evening scheduling impossible, and the Indians played their last game there on September 21, 1946. The grandstands were torn down in 1951, leaving only the original 1909 brick ticket house and a stretch of the outer wall along East 66th Street.
The site was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1979. In 2014 the City of Cleveland invested $6.3 million to restore the grounds, converting the old ticket house into the Baseball Heritage Museum and installing an artificial-turf field for youth and community baseball — keeping League Park’s spirit alive more than 130 years after its founding.
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League Park FAQs
When did League Park close and why?
League Park hosted its final MLB game on September 21, 1946. The Indians had been splitting time between League Park and Cleveland Municipal Stadium since 1932, and the older park’s lack of lights made evening scheduling impossible. The structure was demolished in 1951.
What historic events happened at League Park?
The park hosted the 1920 World Series, during which the Indians won their first championship. Game 5 alone produced the first grand slam in World Series history and the only unassisted triple play in postseason history. League Park also witnessed Addie Joss’s perfect game in 1908 and Babe Ruth’s 500th career home run in 1929.
Can you visit the League Park site today?
Yes. The site was restored and reopened in August 2014 as Fannie Lewis Community Park, featuring an artificial-turf baseball field used for youth and community games. The original 1909 ticket house still stands and now serves as the home of the Baseball Heritage Museum.
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Photo: Unknown / Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.