At the Old Ball Game…

Baseball has had a long history in the Gem City. Citizens have been gathering in various open lots and ball fields for over a century to cheer on their favorite teams, both amateur and professional. One popular venue for America’s favorite pastime was Hudson Field, also known as Ducks Park. The field, located at 2400 West Third, was originally built by native Daytonian and Major League player Howard ‘Ducky” Holmes in 1933, with a seating capacity of approximately 3,500. Holmes operated the ball park until 1942, when the Second World War put a stop to the Mid-Atlantic League, of which the Dayton Ducks was a member. The Brooklyn Dodgers Baseball Club had acquired the field in the late 1930s, and sold it back to the city of Dayton in 1945 in support of the Dayton Amateur Baseball Commission. Later that year, the field was rededicated as “Hudson Field” in honor of the late Sergeant Ben Hudson, an active member of the DABC. This photograph is from the William Preston Mayfield/Marvin Christian Collection at Dayton History.

To see other historical images from our collection, search our Digital Photo Archive.