MLB historian John Thorn posted this picture to his Facebook account today, with the caption: New York Mets at their Staten Island home park, Harper’s Weekly, May 15, 1886.
Thorn also included the following information:
From Orem: “The Metropolitans had a fine new grounds at Staten Island, at a cost of $25,000, large for the period and within 100 yards of the seashore. When fully completed the grandstand was to have a ladies’ buffet, an ice cream saloon and dining rooms. The structure was three stories high, 400 feet long, and also included another dining hall and a lunch counter.”
When asked if it was at the same location as the current Staten Island Yankees park, Thorn replied:
Yes. The Mets’ park coordinates were: Left Field (E) Upper Bay, Third Base (N) Kill van Kull and Bedloe’s (later Liberty) Island with the Statue of Liberty on it, First Base (W), Right Field (S); at St. George on Staten Island, just up the shoreline from the Staten Island Ferry dock.
Commenter Tom Shieber offered the following:
Found this tidbit in “Sporting Life”, May 5, 1886: “The Mets have, on their new grounds at Staten Island, a neat little tent for the players to repose under when not actively engaged. The universal adoption of such a scheme would be a good thing for the players.”
SI actually had an NFL team believe it or not.The Staten Island Stapletons.