Comiskey Park

Comiskey Park
"The Baseball Palace of the World"
Old Comiskey Park
White Sox Park
Comiskey Park in 1990, its final season
Map
Former namesWhite Sox Park
(1910–1912, 1962–1975)
Location324 West 35th Street
Chicago, Illinois
Coordinates41°49′54″N 87°38′03″W / 41.83167°N 87.63417°W / 41.83167; -87.63417
OwnerChicago White Sox
OperatorChicago White Sox
Capacity28,000 (1910–1926)
52,000 (1927–1937)
50,000 (1938)
51,000 (1939)
50,000 (1940–1946)
47,400 (1947–1953)
46,550 (1954–1972)
44,492 (1973–1982)
43,695 (1983–1985)
44,087 (1986–1987)
43,931 (1988–1989)
43,951 (1990)
Record attendance55,555 (largest)
May 20, 1973
White Sox vs. Minnesota
511 (smallest)
May 6, 1971
White Sox vs. Boston
Field size(1910)
Foul lines – 363 ft (111 m)
Power alleys – 382 ft (116 m)
Center field – 420 ft (128 m)
Backstop – 98 ft (30 m)
(1986)
Foul lines – 347 ft (106 m)
Power alleys – 382 ft (116 m)
Center Field – 409 ft (125 m)
Backstop – 86 ft (26 m)
SurfaceNatural grass
AstroTurf infield (1969–1975)
Construction
Broke ground1910
OpenedJuly 1, 1910[1][2][3][4]
ClosedSeptember 30, 1990[5]
Demolished1991
Construction costUS$750,000
($24.5 million in 2023 [6])
ArchitectZachary Taylor Davis
Osborn Engineering
General contractorGeorge W. Jackson[7]
Tenants
Chicago White Sox (MLB) (1910–1990)
Chicago Cardinals (NFL) (1922–1925, 1929–1930, 1940–1958)
Chicago Bulls (AFL) (1926)
Chicago American Giants (NAL) (1941–1952)
Card-Pitt (NFL) (1944)
Chicago Mustangs (NASL) (1967–1968)
Chicago Sting (NASL) (1980–1985)

Comiskey Park was a ballpark in Chicago, Illinois, located in the Armour Square neighborhood on the near-southwest side of the city. The stadium served as the home of the Chicago White Sox of the American League from 1910 through 1990. Built by White Sox owner Charles Comiskey and designed by Zachary Taylor Davis, Comiskey Park hosted four World Series and more than 6,000 Major League Baseball games. The field also hosted one of the most famous boxing matches in history: Joe Louis' defeat of champion James J. Braddock, launching his 11-year run as the heavyweight champion of the world.[8][9]

The Chicago Cardinals of the National Football League also called Comiskey Park home when they were not playing at Normal Park, Soldier Field, or Wrigley Field. They won the 1947 NFL Championship Game over the Philadelphia Eagles at Comiskey Park. Much less popular than the Bears, the Cardinals had their last season at Comiskey in 1958, and they left for St. Louis in March 1960. The Chicago American Giants of the Negro American League called Comiskey Park home from 1941 to 1950.[10] The park was also home to the Chicago Mustangs and Chicago Sting of the NASL, and hosted the final edition of the original Soccer Bowl.

The park was demolished in 1991, after a new Comiskey Park stadium (later renamed U.S. Cellular Field, then Guaranteed Rate Field) opened just to the south.

  1. ^ Sanborn, I.F. (June 18, 1910). "New home of Sox will open July 1". Chicago Daily Tribune. p. 12. Archived from the original on July 12, 2023. Retrieved June 15, 2017.
  2. ^ "Diamond at new White Sox Park where sodding was finished yesterday". Chicago Daily Tribune. (photo). p. 13. Archived from the original on July 12, 2023. Retrieved June 15, 2017.
  3. ^ Sanborn, I.E. (July 1, 1910). "Commy to greet Sox fans today". Chicago Daily Tribune. p. 12. Archived from the original on July 12, 2023. Retrieved June 15, 2017.
  4. ^ Sanborn, I.E. (July 2, 1910). "Big army of fans greets "Commy"". Chicago Daily Tribune. p. 10. Archived from the original on July 12, 2023. Retrieved June 15, 2017.
  5. ^ Hersh, Phil (October 1, 1990). "At Comiskey, farewell to an old friend". Chicago Tribune. p. 1. Archived from the original on July 12, 2023. Retrieved June 15, 2017.
  6. ^ 1634–1699: McCusker, J. J. (1997). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States: Addenda et Corrigenda (PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1700–1799: McCusker, J. J. (1992). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States (PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1800–present: Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. "Consumer Price Index (estimate) 1800–". Retrieved February 29, 2024.
  7. ^ "Ballparks by Munsey and Suppes". Ballparks.com. Archived from the original on November 15, 2015. Retrieved October 16, 2016.
  8. ^ Bachin, Robin F. (2004). "Comiskey Park". Encyclopedia of Chicago. Archived from the original on May 4, 2017. Retrieved June 12, 2017.
  9. ^ "Joe Louis". Biography. April 27, 2017. Archived from the original on May 19, 2017. Retrieved June 12, 2017.
  10. ^ "The Chicago American Giants of the Negro Leagues". MLB.com. Archived from the original on December 27, 2022. Retrieved March 11, 2023.