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Baseball Ground/Driving Park research

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Commercial Record newspaper clippings from 1886 to 1891, collected by James T. Faasen, about a 1884 horse-racing track and baseball ground that was once off the northeast corner of Maple Street and Old Allegan Road.
1886070201 driving.jpg 85KB; Commercial Record clipping from 02 July 1886
1886072301 driving park race.jpg 132KB; Cash prices at the Driving Park 1887090901 driving assoc.jpg; Trotting association to consider obtaining a charter to join the Allegan and Ottawa circuit. 1888072001 baseball.jpg; Douglas base ball club cr188507301x.jpg 793KB; Balloon ascension Prof. Hogan of Jackson, cr188507301z.jpg; Driving Park Association appoints F.A. Winslow, C.M. Cook, C.E. Wells, J.F. Henry, W.B. Griffin, A.C. Zwemer cr1884071801xc.jpg; Stephen Morrison cr1884072501dd.jpg; Track expected to be half-mile around and 40 feet wide, widening to 48-feet wide on the home stretch. F.W. Winslow, W.B. Griffin, John Nies, J.F. Henry, J.L. Brown, C.M. Cook cr1884080801xz.jpg cr1884081501bb.jpg cr1884092601rr.jpg cr1884101701ss.jpg cr1884102401ff.jpg; Trotting matinee cr1884103101rr.jpg; Humans listed: Chub Billings, Dr. Baldwin, Wells, Barber, Babcock cr1885060501x.jpg cr1885060501xx.jpg; Tr. Williams moved that Driving Park Association place ticket office at east end of Hoffman Street cr1885061201x.jpg cr1885062601x.jpg; Sham Battle cr1885062601xx.jpg; Account of newspaper editors tour of Saugatuck, Park House, Mt. Baldhead and the Driving Park cr1885070301xxx.jpg cr1885100201a.jpg cr1885100201b.jpg cr1885102301dd.jpg cr1886041601 baseball.jpg cr1886052101 baseball.jpg cr1886060401 driving track.jpg cr1886060401 trotter barber.jpg; D.L. Barber purchases Hambletonian colt from George Babcock. Hambletonian was one of the best Thoroughbred racehorses of the late 18th century. cr1886060401 trottng sale.jpg cr1886061101 baseball.jpg; Saugatuck and Douglas Base Ball Association cr1886070201 baseball.jpg cr1886070201 events1.jpg cr1886070201 events2.jpg cr1886070901 fouth party1.jpg cr1886070901 fouth party2.jpg cr1886072101 baseball2.jpg cr1886072301 baseball.jpg cr1886072301 driving 3.jpg cr1886072301 driving2.jpg; Soldiers' Reunion cr1886073001 baseball.jpg cr1886080601 baseball.jpg cr1886080601 baseball2.jpg cr1886080601 driving.jpg cr1886080601 race.jpg cr1886081301 baseball.jpg cr1886081301 race.jpg; Humans listed include J. Littlejohn, H. Joselyn, C. Burlingame, C.F. Goodrich, Scott Bros, L.L. Lance, Geo. Crawford cr1886082001 baseball.jpg cr1886082701 track.jpg cr1886102201 south haven race.jpg cr1887042201 horse.jpg; Linderman & Campbell, owners of the famous stallion Prince L. cr1887050601 track.jpg; G.A.R. exhibition drill cr1887061701 baseball.jpg cr1887070101 baseball.jpg cr1887072201 baseball.jpg; Amateur team consisting of businessmen from Saugatuck and Douglas including Capt. Rogers, Capt. Bird, T.W. Leland, C.M. Winslow, George Gill, Frank Breuckman, Will Pond, Milton Gerber cr1887090901 show at track.jpg; Kickapoo Indian Medicine Company, Dr. Hole-in-the-Day cr1888022401 driving.jpg; Squire Newnham draws up papers for Saugatuck Driving Association cr1888030201 driving park.jpg; Saugatuck Driving Association stock cr1888051801 baseball.jpg; Ed. Winslow cr1888052501 lakeshore driving.jpg; Lake Shore Driving Association cr1888060101 baseball.jpg cr1888060801 baseball.jpg cr1888072701 baseball.jpg cr1888072701 baseball2.jpg cr1889053101Douglas new ball field.jpg; new baseball grounds at Douglas cr1889060701 race.jpg cr1889070501 race.jpg; Millers hall, Evart Takken, R.E. Matthews cr1889070501 trotting circuit.jpg cr1889071201x.jpg cr1889071901 baseball.jpg cr1889080901 baseball.jpg cr1889081601x.jpg cr1889082301 baseball grounds.jpg cr1889082301 horsemen.jpg; M.V. Selkirk cr1889082301traning at the park.jpg; Scott Dickerson, Frank Raymond cr1889092701 DrivingPark.jpg cr1889092701-Saug-horses.jpg cr1890050901x.jpg cr1890053001-nighthawk fold.jpg; J.L. Coates cr1890053001-trotting damage.jpg cr1890070401 Griffin-horse.jpg cr1890081501-allegan race.jpg cr1890091901-SaugHorses.jpg cr1890092601-South haven race.jpg cr1890101701-trottng record.jpg cr1891061901Saugatuck baseball.jpg; Saugatuck Ball Club cr1891071701-Allegan-Driving-Kzo.jpg cr1891071701xAllegan track.jpg

2024.53.01

At a time when horse-drawn vehicles were used for transportation, local people participated in and were entertained by horse races and base ball games at this large park to the east of Saugatuck. The site was also used as a fair ground for G.A.R. exhibitions, sham battles on the 4th of July and balloon ascensions. The Saugatuck Driving Park and various driving associations were funded by local business people who bought shares in chartered associations. The site includes today's [2024] Saugatuck Christian Reform Church.

SportsSports: baseballFestivals, events, parades, celebrations

Winthers, Sally

Digital data in CatalogIt

Baseball Ground/Driving Park/Saugatuck Driving AssociationWinslow, Franklin A. 1853-1897Griffin, Wallace B. 1842-1904Nies, Jan "John" 1836-1920Henry, John F. 1834/6-1918Cook, Civilian Morse 1849-1928Baldwin, Dr. S.A.Wells, C.E.Barber, Daniel L. 1840-1909Babcock, George W. 1862-1941Littlejohn, F J.Crawford, George 1846-1895Rogers, Reuben Turner 1840-1926Leland, Thornton W. 1850-1930Winslow, Clarence Morton 1885-1958Pond, William H. 1855-1929Upham's Opera House/Miller's HallTakken, Evart E. "Edward" 1841-1916

11/12/2024

11/13/2024