Baseball: Chicago Baseball Trivia

Baseball as America : Chicago Baseball Trivia

Which Chicago ballpark was built first—Wrigley Field or the original Comiskey Park?

Built in 1910, the original Comiskey Park was designed by architect Zachary Taylor Davis, who would also later design cross-town Wrigley Field in 1914. Charles Comiskey, who owned the White Sox from 1900 to 1931, built the park to relocate the team from the 39th Street Grounds four blocks south, a site built originally for cricket playing during the 1893 World’s Fair. After Comiskey Park opened, the 39th Street Grounds became home to Chicago’s Negro league teams until the 1940s.

The White Sox played their last game at old Comiskey on September 30, 1990. Literally across the street, new Comiskey Park opened on April 18, 1991, and will host the 2003 Major League Baseball All-Star game on July 15.

Other fun facts about Comiskey Park:
	•	Because of greater crowd capacity, the Chicago Cubs played their 1918 World Series home games at Comiskey Park rather than at Wrigley Field.
	•	The first night game in Chicago was played at Comiskey Park on August 14, 1939. The first night game at Wrigley Field would happen nearly 50 years later on August 9, 1988.

Take a look at bricks from old Comiskey Park and other objects from White Sox history in Baseball As America.

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