About Elysian Fields -- 2022

This Page Includes These Materials:

Some Favorite Sources on Elysian Fields.

An Elysian Fields Timeline from Tom Gilbert*

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Characterizing Base Ball Games at Elysian Fields

 Finding Elysian Fields Data on Protoball.org (In preparation)

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Favorite Sources on EF

New to the topic of Elysian Fields?  You can start here:

[] Baseball at Hoboken's Elysian Fields, 1845-1865: A Visual History,

with Irwin Chosid and Jonathan Popovich, June 2022,

at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cwJGWeWDHPA.

[] Chapter 3, "Escape from the City, in Tom Gilbert's  How Baseball Happened

(Godine, Boston 2020), pages 81-115.

[] Thorn, John, Chapter 4, "The Cauldron of Baseball,"

Baseball in the the Garden of Eden, (Simon and Shuster, 2011, pages 85-104.

[] Mann, William A., "Elysian Fields of Hoboken, New Jersey", 

​Base Ball, volume 1, no. 1, Spring 2007, pp 78. - 102.

To add other favorites, Please contact Larry

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An Elysian Fields Timeline from Tom Gilbert*

(*Subsequent additions noted by asterisk)

Version 1.4, 11/3//2022 

Tom Gilbert has made available his brief working notes on the history of Elysian Fields; they form a timeline of about 120 notable events at EF from 1784 to 1904.  Many of these events are discussed further in Chapter 3, "Escape From the City" (pp 81-115), of Tom's book How Baseball Happened.(David R. Godine, Boston, 2020; 381 pages)

Note:   If you encounter other key EF ballplaying events that might be added, let Larry know.

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Tom's Notes -- General Prefatory Points:

[] NB: Many cities had Pleasure Gardens, common names Tivoli, Vauxhall – commonly feat. Colonnade –NOLA Tivoli bb grounds

[] EF an antecedent of: amusement parks, faux nature urban parks a la Central Park, baseball parks etc., country clubs

[Socially] Elevated Uses: Cricket, yachting, turtle club, stag hunt, dueling, carriage driving

Lower Uses: boxing, rowing, blackface entertainment, agric exhib, drinking, smoking, picnics, magic, gang fighting, prostitution, ethnic celebrations, amusement park rides

Mixed: Horse racing, fireworks, theater, concerts, sex, target co./militia drills, outings, turtle dinners, promenading

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Tom's EF Timeline Entries [Later additions noted with asterisks]

1784.1 John Stevens purchases Hoboken as confiscated Tory prop (Bayard) [Bayard 1772 brick house conv by S Van Antwerp as hotel 1829 near the ferry -- LMc 

1804.1 Stevens lays out building lots, EF as amenity – “free from the danger of Yellow Fever, the restrictions of quarantine etc”

1804.2 Burr/Hamilton duel (at Weehaukan, near EF) in Hoboken)

1810.1 NYC panorama incl Hoboken ferry and Stevens Castle

1811.1 First steam ferry NYC to Hoboken  -- “Juliana”

1820.1 Co formed to drain/fill salt marshes

1822.1 New steam ferries (Pioneer, Fairy Queen) dep Barclay St (15 min trip)

1824.1 Footrace on “new race course” Hoboken

1826.1 Two girls drown

1827.1 Dueling Death

1829.1 Montagne Russe [Roller Coaster – first in US?] [found in UK pleas gdns 1820s]

1829.2 Hoboken NJ has 400-500 residents.

1830.1 Race $50 canoe v row boats, Indian war dance

1830.2 Hoboken July 4^th Celeb

1830.3 Show (pres by Mr Van Antwerp) Misses Peters “infant prodigies” dancing, tight rope etc.

1831.1 EF “thrown open to public” party pol bigwigs turtle soup

1831.2 Peabody’s views of NYC incl EF

1831.3 Pleasure Railway Ad (near Hoboken House)

1831.4 Acct of same “turtle grove” cleared, landscaped

1831.5 Colonnade bar open: H H Dyer prop. Music, food

1832.1 Ad Colonnade H H Dyer, landscaping food/drink

1832.2  Stevens under contr RR from ferry to EF (mile+); pub house now under mgmt. Mr Swift

1832.3  NY Mirror illustr EF by Jas Smillie from Wier pntg

1832.4  Mrs Trollope’s view of EF:

1833.1  Hoboken Hotel T Swift mgr

1833.2  Stag hunt Fox Hill Park 1000 feet west of colonnade EF site of Columbus Park (St G CC grounds)

1834.1 Beacon race course built

1834.2  Acc to NYT 1893, EF now “the” one popular resort for NYers

1834.3  Ferry fare 6.5 cents nyc to ef

1834.4 “Lamentable suicide”

1835.1 “Pugilistic riot” bareknuckle match

1835.2  Music composer/pub S H Dyer suicide by hanging [rel to Dyer mgr colonnade?]

1835.3  Foot race prize from J Stevens $1000 for running 10 miles in one hr on trotting course

*1835.4 Military drill by militia at EF. New York Evening Star, May 25, 1835

1836.4  Ferry landing Christopher st to Hoboken (Barclay ferry hourly, C st every 4 hrs) liquor served on ferries

*1837.1 Highlanders Society meeting at EF, with music and Scottish sports. The New York Commercial Advertiser, Sept. 13, 1837

*1837.2 Boat club regatta and rowing races at EF. New York Herald, Aug. 18, 1837

1838.1 Colonnade “pavilion” mgr Dyer, rowing

1838.2 Plough exhibition and cattle sale EF

1838.3 Hoboken Turtle Club @ Turtle Grove

1838.4 Boar Race ad; “Dyer’s EF”

*1839.1 Shinty played in the Scottish games, at the Elysian Fields in Hoboken. See Chronologies 1839.8

1841.1  Mary Rogers case

1842.1 Music concerts Mon Wed Sat – ferries to and from Barclay canal Christopher

1842.2   Ex diary priggish (afraid to go to Niblo’s and theater in gen.) Sam’l Ward tourist from Bos: 8/10/42; EF: places of amusement, eg flying deer, swings etc – “great many people but…few respectable ones” live music, scots in kilts “a place not noted for morality” crowds on sun

1843.1  Letter from “Willis” (Nathaniel parker) 10,000 people July 5 EF; Penobscots with baskets for sale; EF “finest public pleasure ground in the world”; jugglers and rope dancers; flying horses, great yellow gondola, oyster “crib” no “patent leather crowd” ie gents, but recommends for variety and pretty girls

1843.2  Ad,  NY Eve Po: “a great benefit to all who, having been confined to a crowded city during the winter, require fresh air and healthful exercise”

1843.3  “The suicide bus. Has commenced for the season over at Hoboken. 2 suicides at EF, Sybils cave, ref to many prev.

1843.4 “In the woods or under the trees in the EF, those who wish for quiet can be as exclusive as they please” obl ref to sex?

1843.5   Race at EF Indians “and squaw” canoe vs a “crack club race boat ‘Thos. Jefferson’” after: grand war dance etc. cf Am Mus

1843.6   German band at EF

1843.7  NY Cricket Club founded at EF (staff PSOT)

1844.1  McCarty; gymnastic & strength exhib

1844.2  Perf Eissler (sic) Bros (Mr McCarty of “magnificent hotel at that place”) comic panto, Dr Sangrado, or Rire, Toujours Rire, cf famous Ravel family also “gymnastic exercises”

1844.3  AD: EF Gymnastic Exhib and panto etc Ellsler Bros. (theatrical family American), tableaux of Athenian games

1845.1  Rowing races; blackface entertainment

1845.2  Single wicket 1 on 1 cricket match BK Star CC

1845.3  Free exhib every pm at 3 pm: McCarty: Fakir of Angelina, Hindoo Festivities, etc. Magic show, Indian games, dancing/singing, acrobats, Burletta, “O’Connell, the celebrated tattooed dancer,” brass band. 

[ENTERTAINMENT TYPICAL OF PLEASURE GARDENS]

FIRST TEAM SPORTS:

1845.4  Oct 21, 1845: “A Great Match at Base Ball” NY bbc vs Brooklyn Club at EF “will attract large numbers…”

1845.5  October /25: See box score bb match return game at Brooklyn (and cricket matches incl H Wilson and A Barrett) Van Nostrand!

[CONNECTION TO GYMNASTICS?]

1845.6  July 15: NY Yacht Club regatta start from “anchorage off EF”

1845.7  n front of McC’s Hotel a stage back to river 20 feet wide/deep (Young Francisco aka fakir of Angelina misses Barber dancers, descr. NYYC clubhouse,

1845.8 Beacon Race Track at EF closed

1846.1   EF “considerable improvement w/in last few months”. New bldgs., new hotel nr ferry Mr T Swift, “Atlantic Hotel”, “We were happy to see the Knickerbocker Cricket Club (sic) in full operation upon these grounds. Their playing excited much attention…”   [ff. KBBC mistaken for “cricket” club!]

1846.2.  “Aquatic Sport at the EF, Hoboken” list of NYYC yachts incl E A Stevens

1847.1 Temperance MTG at EF; pres, NYS Gov Wm Bouck (Dem)

1847.2   Sched. of ferry trips to EF, Canal via 19^th St 15 min canal to 19^th, 15 min 19^th st to EF

1848.1:  Ad emph security

1849.1  Nine  boats per diem Hoboken to Barclay St until 12 o clock

1849.2   “A most superb game of old-fashioned base-ball” at EF. KBBC v “amateurs” (pick up team) amateurs won 11-4.  Amateurs challenged KBBC to rematch for a chowder. A’s incl. editors of the American Statesman and Nat. Pol Gaz, scored by Dr Walters NYC coroner.       [G Wilkes played?]   Tom asserts that "OFBB" here reflects a game played by Knick rules, not as throwback versions of earlier folk play -- LMc 

       

1850.1 : May 21: Germans celeb Feast Pentecost, drilling (“socialists”), gymn, singing

1851.1:  Christian Advocate: during past yr 150 houses of 1^st class erected 200 more predicted for next yr; pop c 3k 1k more by may, incl many French and Germans – moral improvement: no longer duels prize fights, races etc. “Sabbath breaking is practiced beyond a parallel” 20k on one Sun!

1851.2  May 27: EF Riot: 10k Germans May Festival to Fox Hill (site of Columbus Park?) near EF, broken up by NY rowdies, 4-12 dead 100s wounded, NYC PD refused to help      [KBBC game broken up!]      

1851.3  May 28: Germans vs “short boys” rioters broke hotel windows, vand houses, houses of …MR Wright (Sam?) riddled with stones; short boys fight at McCarty’s: knife fight, shooting at race course, Germans pursued short boy into McCs, family barely escaped; Mr McC def self with shotgun, Mrs McC beaten, robberies german victims

1851.4  Jury in Dutch Fight: “one juror proposed closing EF ”and adjacent pleasure grnds” as “injurious to the peaceable inhabitants of Hoboken…” others disagreed; Germans in Hoboken discuss forming militia

1851.5  July 31:woods surr EF transformed into “beautiful park”, marshy parts drained, opening broad and winding carriage rd mile and a half, “if ever the property shd pas from the hands of the Messrs. Stevens, it wd in our opinion, be highly important to the city of NY to secure it as a place of public resort in perp” Gypsies (“tinkers”) from UK settled nr EF

       [Central Park begins condemn eminent  domain 1853, C and V plan 57, ext to 110 st 63 ]

    [gradual pressure to acc working class activities, incl sports and perf arts]   

1851.6 Sept 23: Target Company outing Junior Vandeveer Grd (Bkln) at EF

1851.7  Hoboken Land Company (Stevens) requirements quick bldg. plus standards

1852.1  March 5: Michael McCarthy (sic) prop Pavilion EF “killed by the accidental discharge of a fowling-piece”

1852.2  July 5: Mrs McC fired black waiters of Pav, hired white (Irish) replacements, customers complained and she reversed. Irish ex waiters attacked a black waiter Chas Williams 20-1, stabbed him to death.

       [A-A vs Irish competition in waiter prof. A-A had won $16 salary vs 12$ for others]

       

1852.3  August 1: 8Cricket match Star CC of upstate club - LMc West Utica vs NYC at EF “great many spectators…ladies”

1854.1  Rich cannot enjoy EF because “common”

1855.1  EF as usual were vis by a large crowd and among them some of the light-fingered gentry, who relieved a German of a valuable gold watch and another of his portmonnaie.

1855.2  Sept 7: EF “great crowds of the ‘fancy’” [gamblers?] to see bb and cricket; cc made up mostly of Englishmen; “BB is quite national; the boys learn it in school” “Hoboken is now princ given over to the sporting gentry. It was formerly a fav aft resort of nurses and children and quiet family after dinner parties, but rowdyism has made the place its own.”

1855.3  Outrage in the EF: rape charge

1856.1*  Chadwick happens upon EF game -- later says it showed him that "baseball was just the game for Americans" (see HBH, page36)

1857.1  Cricket ground, 157 acres, EF “provided gratuitously for NYers” [field was built before 1857 <date known?> -- LMc]

1859.1  Serious base ball accident

 [Mid to late 50s: decline in social status: dep of NYYC, Turtle Club see ff]

1860.1  Circa: Hoboken Turtle Club moves to Manhattan

1860s.1  [Transition to sporting venue spectators, paid att]

1861: EF contains North (Mutual and Gotham) and South bb Grounds (Eagle and Empire)

1861.2.*  EF Benefit game held for Jim Creighton and Dickie Pearce (see HBH, page 196)

1861.3*  Wilkes SOT: EF to benefit from 40 members of Seventh National Guard from 90-day hitches (see HBH, page 286)

1863.1: Desrc club rooms of KBBC, Goth Eagle Empire Mutual  Active

1865.1  New base ball ground on North Field EF Hoboken by Mutuals  Pres John Wildey  Is this also known as 'West field'? -- LMc

1865.2  St Geo CC lost grnds at Hoboken, staged exhibition at Central Park to show effect on grass

1867.1*  [found by Bob Tholkes, Oct 2022]  "The Elysian Fields and the adjoining property, at Hoboken, have been sold to the Pacific Railroad Company . . . All ball clubs therefore, in the habit of playing at Hoboken, should prepare for a change of quarters."  Ball Players Chronicle, 10/31/1867. 

1867.2*  Stevens prohibits interclub games at EF, allows practice games -- Mutual Club is reported leaving EF"   "The Mutual Club have left the Elysian Fields, in consequence of Mr. Stevens . . . having prohibited anything but practice games . . . [Police Gazette, 1867]   (from John Thorn)

1869.3* Hoboken tells police to disallow "any base ball playing within the city limits."   (from Jon Popovich 10/24; chron entry in process)

1869.1  Weird attempted drowning child

1870.1  Find of counterfeit $

1871.1   April --  “Last season crowds of roughs used to gather there every evening and annoy the reg ballplayers so much that finally the Hoboken auth interfered and put a stop to ballplaying ex by clubs having spc perm from city” – S Field only KBBC Eag Social allowed N Field Goth Col Coll club.   Western Fld set apart for newspaper nines

1871.2 Gang fight

187­1.3 “prob last season of the once famous EF as a place of resort for our metro bbcs” march of improvement, rr trax cut thru Mut field,  part of ext Wash Street; another street cut planned next yr; lower fld (KBBC) intact but by another yr or so…  C T Perry and Son mgrs. EF for so many yrs, keep clubhouse etc .. doomed

         [departure of pros, top clubs]         

1875.1 : 3000 spectators Hoboken BBC v Flyaway NYC at EF

1877.1   Trotting course

1878.1  Body dead child found EF

1879.1  First ann fall games NJ Ath club @ EF

1879.2  Student At Stev Inst suicide at EF; NJ Yacht Club at EF (8^th ann regatta)

1880.1 : Reorg Eag BBC @ EF

1881.1  Suicide EF

1883.1  Suicide + death accident?

1884.1  New ferry 14th St NYC to 14^th St Hoboken EF; death

1884.2  Reminiscence EF, loss thereof, suicide record/stats

1885.1  Shanty on 19^th St near EF used as rendezvous for “abandoned men and women”

1886.1 : Manhattan cc founded c 30 years ago played old fox hill c ground at Hoboken occupied  by old NY CC, then occ grounds of their own at EF, then to grounds leased by Stev Inst and St G club. (Hudson City) relo to Pros Park BK

1886.2  Party of young men insulted wives of “several Italians,” knife fight

1886.3  : Coney Island , Central Park replacing EF et al

1887.1  Acc death near EF

1887.2  Cuban Giants to play at EF!

1888.1  Digging for Doubloons at EF – story that pirate buried treas there “Like days of 49” “high board fence around bb ground”

1888.2  Colored Champ’ship played at EF July

1888.3  Bway theater employees vs 14^th St theater at EF

1888.4  Suicide

1888.5  Lawn Tennis tournament at EF

1888.6*  [Added by Irwin Chusid, October 2022] "Negro league championship matches" were played in 1888.

  

1889.1 Nola T=P nostalgia for old EF

1890.1* [Reported by Irwin Chusid, October 2022]  "The Hoboken Pioneer and the Independent Pioneer [c]lubs will play a match game of baseball at the Elysian Fields on next Saturday."  Jersey City News, July 1890 . 

                Irwin notes that "ball games were played at the EF through at least 1890 . . . . 

1895.1  NYT remin about forgotten EF: colonnade demolished ‘a short time ago” once known as “cannon lots”  Stevenses experiments with artillery

1901.1  base ball  played at St G cricket grnds “gold mine” terr dispute

1903.1  NYYC regains old clubhouse

1904.1  original NYYC house moved to Glen cove

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Characterizng Ballgames at Elysian Fields; What Protoball Knows

L. McCray, version 1.4, 11/4'2022