West Side Park

Chicago, IL

Team: Chicago Cubs	Opening Day: June 6, 1885
Capacity: 6,000	Cost: $30,000
Closing Day: October 3, 1891	Dimensions: LF/RF 216 SLF/SRF 306 LC/RC 412 CF 400

Memorable Moments:

1885, 1886 National League Pennants

The plot for this land was 460 feet by 660 feet and enclosed with a 12 foot brick wall all the way around. The park was bathtub shaped and had a bicycle track surrounding it. The park peaked in the middle and sloped off gradually in all directions to promote drainage. The bleachers seat 3,500 and the grandstand holds 2,500. The grandstand is horseshoe shaped with twelve luxury boxes on the roof. All of the wood is terra-cotta colored. There was a two story building that held ticket stands and team offices. There was a "neatly furnished" toilet with a separate entrance for the ladies. The clubhouse was in center field near right center. Also in right center was parking for carriages where home runs were occasionally hit. Rent on the land went up and forced Albert Spalding to move the Cubs yet again, this time after only six short years.