Before the Lights and Megascreens: 13 Vintage Photos of Famous Baseball Stadiums

Written by Rachel Schneider on October 21, 2025

A large crowd gathers outside Wrigley Field in Chicago, decorated with bunting. People in coats and hats wait near the entrance beside a classic car, under a sign for the 1945 National League Champion Chicago Cubs.

America’s deep-rooted love for baseball is as poignant as ever. That love goes way back to a time when you could get a beer and a hot dog without it breaking the bank, or when fans were still respectable when trying to catch a fly ball. These old photos of famous baseball stadiums return us to the earlier days of Major League Baseball.

1. Fans Exiting Yankee Stadium via the Center Field Gates (1946)

A large crowd of people fills a baseball field and outfield on a sunny day, with scoreboards, advertisements, and city buildings visible in the background. The stands are full, suggesting a significant event has just occurred. — morganmonroe81 / Reddit.com

2. Fans Buying Hot Dogs While Waiting for the Gates To Open at Ebbets Field in Brooklyn (1920)

A sepia-toned photo shows men in suits and hats gathered around outdoor food vendors with tables, boxes, and food items in front of a large building with arched windows and a crowd above. — UserDeleted / Reddit.com

3. Babe Ruth Signing Autographs at Fenway Park (1934)

A baseball player in uniform signs autographs for an excited crowd of fans, mostly boys and young men, leaning over a green fence at the edge of a stadium. A seated boy watches from the dugout area. — UserDeleted / Reddit.com

4. Building the Bleachers at Wrigley Field (1937)

Workers construct or repair stadium seating, using tools and materials, while wearing work clothes and hats. The scene overlooks a city street with cars and buildings in the background. — ibkeepr / Reddit.com

5. The Center Field Bleachers at Tiger Stadium in Detroit (Late 1970s)

Black and white photo of a baseball stadium with scattered spectators sitting in bleachers beneath a large scoreboard showing the game between Cleveland Indians and Detroit Tigers. A sign reads "No Standing In Aisle. — AxlCobainVedder / Reddit.com

6. University of Pittsburgh Students Looking Down on the World Series Game at Forbes Field From the Top of the Cathedral of Learning (1960)

A group of people on a rooftop excitedly wave and cheer while overlooking a crowded baseball stadium below, with cars parked outside and a cityscape visible in the distance. — UrbanAchievers6371 / Reddit.com

7. Fans Lining Up To Enter Shibe Park in Philadelphia for the World Series (1914)

Crowd of people in early 20th-century attire gather outside Shibe Park baseball stadium. Vintage cars, a horse and carriage, and streetcars are visible along the busy street, with a brick building in the background. — baseballincolor / Reddit.com

8. Boy Running the Scoreboard at Griffith Stadium in Washington, D.C. (1956)

A man peers through an opening in a large wooden baseball scoreboard, with scores for Boston and Washington visible beside him. — AlexReads / Reddit.com

9. Opening Day for the Chicago White Sox at Comiskey Park (1980)

Black-and-white photo of people lined up outside Comiskey Park. Two people in large Chicago White Sox mascot costumes walk in front, wearing baseball uniforms and oversized hats. The stadium entrance is visible in the background. — AxlCobainVedder / Reddit.com

10. Groundskeepers at the Astrodome Getting Ready for Baseball Season (1966)

A color photo of an empty indoor baseball stadium with a large scoreboard, a Gulf Oil advertisement, a vintage red pickup truck parked near the outfield, and two workers tending the grass. — MyDogGoldi / Reddit.com

11. Aerial View of Dodger Stadium (1977)

Aerial black-and-white photo of Dodger Stadium surrounded by a full parking lot, with downtown Los Angeles and a cloudy sky visible in the background. — pubwithnobeer / Reddit.com

12. Bat Day at Yankee Stadium (1968)

A black-and-white photo of a baseball stadium packed with fans, many of whom are holding up inflatable baseball bats, creating a dense sea of sticks throughout the crowded stands. — AgainforthrFirstTime / Reddit.com

13. Shea Stadium in Flushing, New York (1970)

A crowded baseball stadium seen from the stands behind home plate. Fans in hats sit close together, watching players on the field below during a daytime game. — AxlCobainVedder / Reddit.com

More sports stories:

A baseball player swings a bat at home plate during a game, with a catcher, umpire, and crowded stadium in the background. The image is black and white, highlighting the classic, historical feel of the scene. — Thelegitcrip/Reddit.com

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