The Polo Grounds, a name synonymous with New York City sports for decades, ultimately met its end in 1964, making way for a public housing complex. The stadium, which had hosted countless baseball and football games, faced a slow decline in its final years, marked by a combination of neglect, financial woes, and changing urban landscapes. Its demolition signaled the close of a significant chapter in New York's sporting history, leaving behind memories
of legendary games and a distinctive architectural presence.
Deterioration and Financial Strain
By the late 1940s, the Polo Grounds began to show its age. The stadium was not well maintained, a problem exacerbated by the complex ownership structure where the baseball Giants owned the stadium itself, but the Coogan heirs still owned the land it stood on. This arrangement likely contributed to a lack of investment in upkeep. The surrounding neighborhood also started to decline, further impacting the stadium's appeal and, consequently, ticket sales.
Even when the baseball Giants were performing well, these issues restricted attendance. For instance, in 1954, the year they won the World Series, the Giants only drew 1.1 million fans, a stark contrast to the over two million drawn by the Milwaukee Braves. This indicated a deeper problem beyond team performance, suggesting that the stadium itself was becoming a deterrent for potential attendees.
The Departure of Key Tenants
The financial situation worsened significantly with the departure of the football Giants. Following the 1955 NFL season, the football team moved across the Harlem River to Yankee Stadium, taking with them a crucial source of rental income for the Polo Grounds. This loss was a major blow to the stadium's financial viability.
Compounding this, the baseball Giants experienced a disastrous 1956 season, spending most of it in last place before a late-season surge moved them to sixth. This poor performance led to a further decline in ticket sales, with attendance less than half of their World Series-winning 1954 season and ranking last in Major League Baseball. The combined loss of the football Giants' rent and the collapse of the baseball Giants' gate financially devastated franchise owner Horace Stoneham, whose sole source of income was the Giants. Stoneham, not as wealthy as other owners, found himself with no money for stadium upkeep and was forced to lay off maintenance staff just to keep the franchise afloat.
Obsolescence and Relocation
The Polo Grounds' design also contributed to its obsolescence. Its final form had opened just two years after the Model T was introduced, meaning it was not designed for the automobile age. It had very little parking, a significant disadvantage in an era of increasing car ownership. Furthermore, the stadium's layout required fans to pour onto the field to exit via the center field gates, creating problematic situations whenever attendance neared capacity.
Frustrated with the dilapidated and obsolete stadium, and with no prospects for renovation or maintenance staff, Stoneham explored alternatives. He considered having the Giants become tenants of the Yankees in the Bronx or moving to a proposed city-owned stadium. When both plans failed, the Giants announced on August 19, 1957, that after 74 years of professional baseball in New York, they would relocate to San Francisco, California, at the end of the season, following their long-time rivals, the Dodgers, to the West Coast. The Giants had won five World Series titles at the Polo Grounds, making their departure a poignant end to an era. The stadium was eventually torn down in 1964, and the Polo Grounds Towers, a public housing complex, was built on its site.
A Legacy Remembered
Despite its eventual decline, the Polo Grounds left an indelible mark on sports history. It was the site of three different oval tracks for motorsports, hosting midget racing in 1940 and 1941, a board track briefly in 1948, and paved oval stock car racing in 1958 and 1959 after the Giants had moved. Other sporting events included soccer, boxing, and Gaelic football. Its final sporting event was a professional football game between the Jets and the Buffalo Bills. Shea Stadium opened in 1964, replacing the Polo Grounds as the home of the Mets and Jets, marking a definitive transition in New York's sports venues. The demolition of the Polo Grounds, while a practical necessity for urban development, closed a chapter on a unique and historic sports venue.
