Sexy Savanah

posted by Savanah on Jan 28

What is a “parade ground”?  I had heard the word, and had no idea what it meant, as parades take place on city streets, not confined to a “ground”.  A parade ground is an area of a city park, that is set aside from the park proper, an area where sports are played without worry to the damage that could be caused to the stretches of green lawn and the landscaping.  They could be called simply baseball diamonds, or soccer fields.

The Parade Ground in Prospect Park has not only provided the residents with memories and incredible stories, but is the historical site where some of the best and most famous ball players in early history first stepped up to bat, or first took to the pitching mound.  Every time I have visited and stayed in one of the best hotels, New York City has offered me these kinds of historical tidbits, these stories of the past that make it all seem so much more real, as if I was there the first time Johnny Franco or Joe Torre stepped up to bat.  And I’m not even into the sport of baseball, but it is a nostalgic quest for me I guess.

Many aspects of public parks were changing in during the 19th Century, due to the innovative designers, and the Parks Commissioner of New York,  and the Parade Ground was one of the many examples of a growing interest in urban design.  It was based on the grounds used for military training exercises, grounds that were stomped on, walked on, and marched on extensively.  In Prospect Park, the grounds were a place to play, to play ball!

As with many of the buildings and facilities of the park, during the early half of the 20th Century, the Parade Ground was in need of restoration.  Now it is the site for baseball games, complete with lighting for night time games, a lawn bowling green and a Youth Center.  Upon restoration, many long time residents wrote in with stories of themselves, either playing or experiencing the first years of some of the major ball players careers.  It was not just a section of a park that was renovated, but the spirit of the city as well.