Harrison Park

• Built: 1915
• Capacity: 20,000

Home of Newark Pepper in 1915

In 1914, Tulsa oil magnate Harry Sinclair purchased the Indianapolis Hoosiers of the Federal League and moved the franchise to Newark, NJ. He built Harrison Park one block from the Passaic River in Harrison, NJ.

The league folded after the 1915 season and the minor league Newark Bears took occupancy of the park. In 1917, the New York Giants, New York Yankees and Brooklyn Dodgers arranged to play Sunday games in the park as they had been unsuccessful in their attempt to get the city to allow for Sunday ball. It was also home of the West Hudson Soccer team.

The ballpark burned down on August 18, 1923. The Bears moved to the Meadowbrook Oval and shared the facility with the Newark Eagles of the Negro National League.

Afer the 1925 season, Charles David built a 15,000 seat stadium as home for the Bears. This stadium was expanded in 1931 to 19,000 seats and renamed Ruppert Stadium.

Related Sites

• Harrison Park (Harrison, NJ) at the SABR Bio Project