White Lot south of the White House

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Pre-pro Baseball
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Bob Tholkes RIM Tabulation

Awaiting Review
Location Washington, DC, United States
Modern Address President's Park
Description

Aka Potomac Grounds, because this was the home grounds of the Potomac Club. Cf the Washington Evening Star, Sept. 12, 1860.

One veteran playing there during the war (Cornelius Savage, who worked in DC) later recalled Pres. Lincoln watching the ball games played there, See the Rock Island Argus and other newspapers, Feb. 11, 1922.

Clubs evidently were being phased out from playing there by 1869. See National Chronicle, May 8, 1869.

Comment

In 1791, the first plan for the park was drawn up by Pierre (Peter) Charles L'Enfant. The Ellipse was known as "the White Lot" due to the whitewashed wooden fence that enclosed the park.

During the American Civil War, the grounds of the Ellipse and the incomplete Washington Monument were used as corrals for horses, mules, and cattle, and as camp sites for Union troops. In 1860, the Ellipse was the regular playing field for the DC baseball team the Washington Senators and was the site of the first game between the Senators and the Washington Nationals. In 1865, the Nationals hosted a baseball tournament with the Philadelphia Athletics, for which viewing stands were built and admission was charged.

Black baseball teams such as the Washington Mutuals and the Washington Alerts often used the White Lot until Blacks were banned from using the Ellipse in 1874.

Wikipedia, accessed 07/13/2022  (Entered by Gene Draschner)

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Found by Bruce Allardice
Entered by Bruce Allardice

Clubs

Club Years Edit Association with Field
Alert Club of Washington Prior to 1874 when they were banned from the field.
Mutual Club of Washington Prior to 1874 when they were banned from the field.
National Club of Washington 1861
Potomac Club of Washington 1860

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Games

Page Date City Borough State Team 1 Team 2 Score First in Contributor
Ballgame 1864-06-16 Washington DC Jefferson Club of Washington Union Club of Washington 25 - 17 Bob Tholkes
Ballgame 1865-08-15 Washington DC American Club I of Washington Good Will Club of Washington 32 - 31 Bruce Allardice
Ballgame 1865-09-01 Washington DC Mount Vernon Club of Washington American Club of Washington Bruce Allardice
Ballgame 1865-09-27 Washington DC Jefferson Club of Washington National Club of Washington 40 - 18 Bruce Allardice
Ballgame 1865-12-13 Washington DC Emerson Club of Washington Eagle (Jr.) Club of Washington 24 - 26 Bruce Allardice

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