Comiskey Park The First

Comiskey Park The First

Comiskey Park, located on Chicago’s South Side, was home to the Chicago White Sox for 80 years from 1910 to 1990.

The White Sox Park postcard
White Sox Park, Chicago, Illinois (publisher unknown)

The White Sox’s ballpark predated famed Wrigley Field (Weeghman Field) by four years. The Cubs did not begin play at Wrigley until 1916.

A postcard of the Chicago's Famed South and North Side Ballparks
Chicago’s Famed South and North Side Ballparks (Joboul Aero Distributing/Colourpicture Publishers)

The picture below shows the single-deck seating along first base. An upper deck was added to this area in the late 1920s.

An image of the Comiskey Park between 1910-1925
Comiskey Park Circa 1910-1925 (Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division Washington, D.C.)

South Side Park, home to the American League White Sox from 1901 until mid-season 1910, was located just four blocks south of Comiskey Field.

An old image of the Cubs vs. White Sox
Cubs vs. White Sox, City Championship series, Chicago, Oct. 9, ’09, South Side Park (Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division Washington, D.C.)

Demolition of Comiskey Park took place during the 1991 inaugural season of new Comiskey Park. As is true with many former ballparks, the former site of old Comiskey Park serves as parking for the new ballpark. In the photograph below, taken in 2003, the parking lot in the foreground is the former site of Comiskey Park. The parking garage attached to the right of the stadium sits in the footprint of old Comiskey Park’s first base grandstand.

The old Comiskey Park turned parking lot
Old Comiskey Park Site Turned Parking Lot Adjacent To New Comiskey Park (circa 2000)

Another view of the former site of old Comiskey Park looking west, taken from Interstate 94 in 2001. Notice the new stadium’s large upperdeck. A significant portion of that upperdeck, including the upper 10 rows of seating, were removed during renovation of the ballpark in the mid-2000s.

The new and old Comiskey Park site contrasts
New Comiskey Park and Old Comiskey Park Site to the Right as Seen From Interstate (circa 2003)

The front entrance of the new ballpark (for team officials and employees) sits just a short fly ball from the site of old Comiskey Park.

The entrance to the US Cellular Field
Entrance to Now U.S. Cellular Field (circa 2003)

The following shot of the employee entrance to the the new ballpark was taken from the roof of the parking garage that sits in the footprint of old Comiskey Park.

A view of the entrance to New Ballpark
View of Entrance To New Ballpark Taken From Parking Garage That Sits In Footprint of Old Comiskey Park (2003)

When it opened in 1991, the new ballpark also was named Comiskey Park, honoring the memory of the old ballpark. That changed in 2003 when the White Sox sold naming rights to the stadium to U.S. Cellular Field.

The retro scoreboard at new Comiskey Park
Retro Scoreboard at New Comiskey Park (circa 2000) Before Name Change

U.S. Cellular Field has undergone extensive renovation in its 20 years as a ballpark, including changes made to the stadium that sit in the footprint of old Comiskey Park.

A part of the extensive renovation of US Cellular Field
Part of the Extensive Renovation of U.S. Cellular Field Was in the Area that Once Sat in the Footprint of Old Comiskey Park Including Addition of the Chicago Sports Pavilion

In the parking lot just north of U.S. Cellular Field is a granite marker noting the former location of Comiskey Park’s home plate.

The old Comiskey Park home plate marker
Old Comiskey Park Home Plate Marker

The main building of the Illinois Institute of Technology, visible beyond center field (to the right of the tall building) in the postcard below is also visible in the above picture of home plate. The red brick building was constructed in 1891 and sits across I-90 from the old Comiskey ballpark site.

A 1950's postcard of Comiskey Park
1950’s Postcard of Comiskey Park (Plastichrome Postcard, published by Cameo Greeting Card Co., Chicago)

The home plate marker is located next to U.S. Cellular Field Gate 5 in Parking Lot B.

The home plate marker next to Gate 5
Home Plate Marker Next to Gate 5

The parking lot includes a recreated batters box and markings of the left and right field foul lines.

The third base foul line of old Comiskey Park
Third Base Foul Line of Old Comiskey Park

Straight away center field faces Toward Interstate 94.

Young fans at the re-created old Comiskey batters box
Young Fans Block My View of Re-created Old Comiskey Batters Box

Although no part of old Comiskey Park remains on site, one curious artifact does remain in its original spot.

The Chicago Sports Depot
Chicago Sports Depot Sits Located At Former Entrance to Comiskey Park

Nailed to a tree next to the Chicago Sports Depot, near what was once the entrance to old Comiskey Park, is a sign that warns: “Resale Of Tickets At Any Price Is Prohibited.” Presumably the policy against ticket resales remains in place as well.

An old ticket resale warning sign
Ticket Resale Warning Sign From Old Comiskey Park Still On Site at U.S. Cellular Field

A tribute to Comiskey Park resides 700 miles southeast of the old Comiskey site in Greenville, South Carolina, former home of White Sox great Shoeless Joe Jackson. In the center of town is a plaza erected in tribute of Jackson, which includes a statute of the famous player.

The statue of Shoeless Joe Jackson
Greenville, SC, Statute of Shoeless Joe Jackson With Bricks from old Comiskey Park

A plaque commemorating the plaza notes that the base of the statute is made from bricks taken from Comiskey Field after its demolition in 1990.

A plaque commemorating Shoeless Joe Jackson and Comiskey Park
Greenville Plaque Commemorating Shoeless Joe Jackson and Comiskey Park

The White Sox’s decision to demarcate the former site of home plate allows fans of the game to visualize a small portion of the lost ballpark. Luckily for fans, the White Sox were careful to construct the lot so that parking is not allowed atop the former home plate. The same is not true for the rest of the field and Season Ticket holders with access to Lot B, who get to the game early, can park their car on former infield, atop the pitchers mound, in the outfield, or maybe even where Shoeless Joe Jackson once roamed right field.

Byron Bennett

1 Comments

  1. […] plaque commemorating the plaza notes that the base of the statute is made from bricks from Comiskey Park, removed during its demolition in […]



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