Ballpark on Harlem prior to HIP circa 1950


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Ballpark on Harlem prior to HIP circa 1950
Posted by: Bruce Kelleher ()
Date: November 06, 2011 07:03PM

It mustr have been around 1951 that as a liul kid, we went to a baseball game at a stadium just off Harlem around FP Dr. It had women's baseball leagues..aka A League of Their Own. Am I the only one that remembers it???

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Re: Ballpark on Harlem prior to HIP circa 1950
Posted by: jak378 ()
Date: December 25, 2011 01:16PM

As a southsider I have no knowldge of that field, but I do remember being taken to Shewbridge Stadium, around 75th and Morgan and owned by Leo High School, to watch women's fast pitch softball in the late 40's or early 50's. I don't clearly remember any of the teams, but I seem to remember my grandmother talking about one of them named the Bloomer Girls.

Merry Christmas morning to all.

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Re: Ballpark on Harlem prior to HIP circa 1950
Posted by: HOLTANEK ()
Date: December 25, 2011 06:12PM

I checked the Norridge area on historic aerials and in 1951 the only thing noticeable there was some kind of an oval track. Anyone know of some kind of race track there? Also shown was the Harlem Outdoor.

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Re: Ballpark on Harlem prior to HIP circa 1950
Posted by: Bruce Kelleher ()
Date: December 27, 2011 03:19PM

I believe this was prior to 1951. May have been gone by then. It was about the size of a pony league park with maybe a thousand bleacher seats. Think it was north of FPD and east of Harlem. Wasn't much around there then. Don't really recall the outdoor theatre but that was further north yet. There were no shops along Irving for instance until yo got to Harlem and then it was only a fireworks place that we frequented. No strip malls then.

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Re: Ballpark on Harlem prior to HIP circa 1950
Posted by: Rustymuscle ()
Date: December 28, 2011 12:51PM

A 1955 Chicago Tribune article talks about a benefit in August where baseball games will be played on the little league diamond at Lawrence and Cumberland. In the same article they mention a girls baseball team, the "Norrettes." Might this be the team and location you refer to? Interestingly, I don't see a baseball field in that location in the 1951 or 1962 view on historical aerials.

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Re: Ballpark on Harlem prior to HIP circa 1950
Date: December 28, 2011 11:49PM

[b]What's FPD ??[/b]

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Re: Ballpark on Harlem prior to HIP circa 1950
Posted by: HOLTANEK ()
Date: December 29, 2011 01:04PM

Forest Preserve Drive which runs SW from around 7000 Montrose to around River Road. I believe it used to be known as the "Indian Boundry Line"

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Re: Ballpark on Harlem prior to HIP circa 1950
Posted by: Bruce Kelleher ()
Date: January 02, 2012 05:01PM

Thaks for the input, guys. I knew I wasn't nuts. The Norettes. I'll have to do some research on them.

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Re: Ballpark on Harlem prior to HIP circa 1950
Posted by: Richie ()
Date: July 10, 2015 03:33AM

I believe the field was west of Harlem and south of the Eisenhower (Congress) Expressway. Located close to the candy company (Ferrara's?).

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Re: Ballpark on Harlem prior to HIP circa 1950
Posted by: twaflyer1 ()
Date: July 27, 2015 09:31PM

Bruce Kelleher! Did your family live on Kimball, just North Of Irving Park rd.? I knew a Marianne Kelleher that lived there in the 1960s! Sure would like to communicate with some of those people!

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Re: Ballpark on Harlem prior to HIP circa 1950
Posted by: rjmachon ()
Date: July 28, 2015 08:31AM

HIP was a pig farm prior to becoming a shopping center.

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