May 10, 1990 in the days of the atlanta crackers baseball club, a large magnolia tree stood in center field, on a terrace rising just above. The atlanta crackers were minor league baseball teams based in atlanta, georgia, between. Fifty years ago, in 1966, the baseball landmark was demolished to make way for a shopping mall. Late in the 1923 season, the park was destroyed by a. May 23, 2018 atlanta didnt always have major league baseball. Atlanta crackers photograph collection atlanta history center. Nov 11, 2007 the park was torn down in favor of a parking lot good call shortly after atlanta stadium aka atlanta fulton county stadium was built in 1962. It was a minor league facility and home to the atlanta crackers until 1965 when they moved to the newly built atlanta stadium. Built in 1903, the original allwood stadium seated 11,000 fans. Atlanta history a journal of georgia and the south. Reconnect with the past, redefine the future 725 ponce. Courtesy of georgia archives the tree grew its way into fans and players hearts. Atlanta native sharon foster jones, a former divorce lawyer, has found her true calling in researching and gathering local history.
Deep in centerfield, a magnolia tree planted in the 1860s remained. The park has disappeared due to the urbanization of atlanta and only the large magnolia tree, a. Atlanta crackers photograph collection, 19561958 vis 103 the atlanta crackers were a minor league baseball team that played from 1901 to 1965. Before the braves moved there in 1966, the city was home to the crackers of the southern association and the black crackers of the negro leagues. The first stadium held 6,800 fans and was quickly expanded to hold 8,000. Babe ruth, atlanta, and the longest home run ever hit. Doors open to a new generation who want to reconnect with the past while reimagining and redefining the future of atlanta. It was definitely an event, said longtime braves usher walter banks, who was a 9yearold atlanta resident when robinson came to town. Spring festival on ponce in olmsted linear park on. Morehouse college and morris brown college were used when home game schedules conflicted for the teams. The atlanta crackers were one of the most successful franchises in history.
Parking is available in the adjoining residential neighborhoods, but please be courteous and adhere to all posted parking rules. Atlanta crackers photograph collection atlanta history center album. Feb 27, 2012 atlanta native sharon foster jones, a former divorce lawyer, has found her true calling in researching and gathering local history. The atlanta black crackers were founded in 1919 as the atlanta cubs, a semipro team of black college students. Atlantas first famous baseball park was also home to a giant.
The majority of this collection consists of members of the atlanta crackers baseball team. A fire destroyed the park in 1924 and it was rebuilt by atlanta cubs owner r. For a time, this was also home to the atlanta black crackers, a negro league baseball team. Author tim darnell has written a book detailing the history of the atlanta crackers. Atlanta crackers 1957 home jersey ebbets field flannels. Crackers stadium sears building atlanta time machine. The 1954 dixie series society for american baseball research. Sixtyfive years of cracker baseball came to an end after the 1965 season when the milwaukee braves announced their intention to move to atlanta. Images of players include buddy bates, charles bicknell.
A couple of the team photos were ones i had saved from programs as a kid when my dad had taken me to the game. Riddle is a living history of tales like those, proudly accepting his ties to atlanta s storied baseball past. Atlanta crackers photograph collection digital library. The atlanta police will be enforcing parking regulations. Organized in 1919, the atlanta black crackers later toured in rural towns across the south and other parts of the nation for over twenty years. The atlanta crackers of the southern association ended the 1952 season with a record of 82 wins and 72 losses second in the sa. Playoffs atlanta crackers 4 games, toronto maple leafs 2 finals atlanta crackers 4 games, jacksonville suns 3. Spiller field had the only ground rules in baseball history allowing for a tree in the outfield. The atlanta black crackers society for american baseball. Atlanta crackers photograph collection from the atlanta history center. The atlanta crackers played their first game on may 23, 1907. The crackers won one of the three games, and the series marked the first time in atlanta history that blacks and whites competed against each other in. The ballpark was torn down in 1966, and the site has been home to numerous retail operations since then. Adjacent to the ford motor company assembly plant, built in the early 1900s, this land has been in the national register of historic places since 1984.
Babe ruth and eddie mathews were said to have both hit balls that got stuck in the tree during exhibition games. The park was torn down in favor of a parking lot good call shortly after atlanta stadium aka atlanta fulton county stadium was built in 1962. It was then reverted back to its original name in 1933. This is an original picture of him on the 1925 atlanta crackers. They played the fastest game in organized baseball history at the time on september 17, 1910, losing 21 at home to the mobile sea gulls in 32 minutes. Nat peeples appeared two games for the atlanta crackers in 1954 both on the road and was the only black player even to don a southern associaton uniform.
The ball park was built in 1907, but was destroyed by fire in 1923. Owner earl mann deserves credit for signing the leagues only black player nat peeples. The crackers won one of the three games, and the series marked the first time in atlanta history that blacks and whites competed against each other in a professional sports event. Take a look back at the building through the years, from its opening in 1926 to now. The atlanta crackers played in the southern association. Atlantas first famous baseball park was also home to a. Buck riddle embraces link to successful atlanta crackers. Brooklyn dodgers team listed for 1942 1b herman, 2. The allwooden ballpark opened in 1907, but was destroyed by a mysterious fire in 1923. Bob montag obituary atlanta, ga atlanta journalconstitution. Before the atlanta braves, there were the crackers.
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