St. George Cricket Grounds

rdf:langString St. George Cricket Grounds

rdf:langString St. George Cricket Grounds advertising poster

rdf:langString Sporting events

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rdf:langString New York City#New York#United States

rdf:langString New York Giants

rdf:langString New York Metropolitans

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rdf:langString St. George Cricket Grounds or St. George Grounds is a former baseball venue located on Staten Island, New York. St. George was the home park for the New York Metropolitans of the American Association for the 1886 and 1887 seasons. The grounds were also a part-time home to the New York Giants of the National League in 1889. The Cricket Grounds were also known as Mutrie's Dump or Mutrie's Dumping Grounds, referring to Jim Mutrie, manager of the Metropolitans and the Giants. The stadium, which was built in the style of a typical horse race track grandstand, was first used as a baseball field in 1853, with the first game between the New York Knickerbockers and the Washington Club. The site later became part of the development of the then-new community of St. George, Staten Island in 1886, by Erastus Wiman. Fans were able to watch games while watching the construction of the Statue of Liberty. Although the community and the ferry were successful, baseball was not. The Giants were a strong team through the latter part of the 1880s, and the Metropolitans folded after the 1887 season. The Giants played some games there from April 29 – June 14, 1889, while awaiting construction of the Polo Grounds; their move to Manhattan ended professional baseball at St. George. The parking lot of the current Richmond County Bank Ballpark was the location of the former Cricket Grounds.