Roosevelt Stadium stood at Droyer’s Point in Jersey City, New Jersey, as one of the finest minor league ballparks of its era. Built with $1.5 million in federal Works Progress Administration funds and designed by architect Christian H. Ziegler in the Art Deco style, the stadium opened on April 23, 1937, providing construction work for some 2,400 local workers during the Great Depression. Mayor Frank Hague named it in honor of President Franklin D. Roosevelt.
The stadium served as home to the Jersey City Giants — the Triple-A International League affiliate of the New York Giants — from 1937 to 1950, and later hosted the Brooklyn Dodgers for 15 MLB regular-season home games in 1956 and 1957 as the Dodgers pressured New York City for a new ballpark. Beyond baseball, the venue welcomed championship boxing bouts, soccer matches featuring Pelé, annual drum and bugle corps competitions, professional wrestling, concerts, and even NASCAR racing. It was demolished in 1985, and the Society Hill at Droyer’s Point residential community now occupies the site.
Stats at a Glance
- Location: Droyer’s Point, Jersey City, New Jersey
- Opened: April 23, 1937
- Demolished: 1985
- Capacity: About 24,000
- Architect: Christian H. Ziegler (Art Deco)
- Primary Tenant: Jersey City Giants, International League, 1937–1950
- Construction Cost: $1.5 million (WPA-funded)
- Notable Fact: Site of Jackie Robinson’s professional debut, April 18, 1946
Jackie Robinson and a Watershed Moment
On April 18, 1946, Roosevelt Stadium became the setting for one of the most important games in baseball history. Jackie Robinson, playing for the Montreal Royals — the Brooklyn Dodgers’ Triple-A affiliate — stepped onto the field against the Jersey City Giants in the International League’s season opener, breaking professional baseball’s color barrier. Robinson went 4-for-5 on the afternoon, belting a three-run home run and stealing two bases, as an overflow crowd packed every corner of the stadium to witness the moment.
The game was not merely a milestone for baseball — it was a turning point for American society. Roosevelt Stadium’s role in that single afternoon gave the old ballpark a permanent place in the national memory, long after its steel-and-concrete frame was gone.
Decline and Demolition
By the late 1970s and early 1980s, Roosevelt Stadium had fallen into serious disrepair. Collapsed scoreboards, ripped-out seats, smashed windows, and flooded tunnels rendered the facility unsafe. The Jersey City City Council voted in November 1982 to demolish the stadium in favor of a middle-income housing development.
Wrecking crews razed the Art Deco structure in 1985. The Society Hill at Droyer’s Point apartment community was subsequently built on the site, leaving little physical trace of the ballpark that once witnessed historic moments in American sport.
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Roosevelt Stadium FAQs
Why was Roosevelt Stadium historically significant?
Roosevelt Stadium was the site of Jackie Robinson’s professional debut on April 18, 1946, when he played for the Montreal Royals against the Jersey City Giants — the game that broke professional baseball’s color barrier.
When was Roosevelt Stadium demolished?
The stadium was demolished in 1985 after decades of deterioration. The Society Hill at Droyer’s Point residential development now occupies its former site in Jersey City, New Jersey.
Did Major League Baseball ever play at Roosevelt Stadium?
Yes. The Brooklyn Dodgers played 15 regular-season home games at Roosevelt Stadium in 1956 and 1957, using the venue as leverage in negotiations for a new ballpark in New York City.
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Photo: Unknown / Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.