Nostalgia & History > Griffith Park memories!

I can remember he first time I ever played a game in my hometown’s historic Griffith Park. It was baseball in the summer of 1966 and I had just turned the ripe old age of 11. It was the 1st game of the season and defensively I was good enough to start at 2nd base. But for some reason my coach put my scrawny little butt in the leadoff position. So I was the very first casualty for the opposing pitcher. He was a tall menacing black kid, and he had a blazing fastball for a 13 year old. My first instinct was to be terrified. But I was determined to hit him. Here came his pitches and I aggressively swung at everything. Strike 1. Strike 2. Foul ball. And then it happened. I swung and connected! I put my excited little legs into motion and was at first base by the time my meager pop-up settled into the 2nd baseman’s glove. But I didn’t care. I was elated beyond belief. So began my little league career...

The baseball field at Griffith had a classic, roofed structure from the old days. It had tall stately, but aging wooden bleachers surrounding home base which was in the southeast corner of the field. From those bleachers you could look out the back and watch Union Pacific trains rolling by just outside the stone wall guarding the south side of the park. And from those bleachers you could watch Rock Island trains rolling by just outside the stone wall guarding the north side of the park. Growing up I became a baseball & train nut all at the same time. So Griffith Park was heaven for me. Until Cico Park was constructed in the late ‘60s way out in the NW corner of town, Griffith doubled as Manhattan High School’s home football field. Sadly, by the time I matured into my adult softball days the wooden bleacher section had been torn down...

1. ROCK 4351 leads Belleville ~ Kansas City train 74(?) east over 11th St on December 26, 1978. Night lights shining from the north side Griffith Park can be seen at the far left.

2. CRI&P caboose 17826 trails Herington ~ Belleville train 28(?) is crossing over Manhattan Avenue (13th St). I’m just west of 11th St, standing on the stone wall rimming the north side of Griffith Park, also seen in image #1. Although the train was traveling compass west, it was considered an eastbound having departed Herington eastbound. Photo date: April 24, 1977.

3. UP 2823 leads Kansas City ~ Salina train 55 west past the southeast corner of Griffith Park. Over in the shadow at the left would be “yours truly” who was playing 3rd base in a church league softball contest. My team had just come in from the field, but I wasn’t going to be at bat for a few notches. This shot was taken by my wife who was “pinch-shooting” for me. (Thanks hon, don’t worry about that pole shadow... ;^)
Photo taken June 18, 1977 by Cheryl Garrels.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/08/25 07:29 by santafe199.

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Fast-forward to the 2010s: Today the former Rock Island right-of-way is now Ft Riley Blvd, the main E-W artery through town and Griffith Park is used mostly as a soccer field...

4. On August 14, 2012 UP’s elegant 4-8-4 #844 is stopped for routine service at Manhattan Avenue/13th St at the southwest corner of Griffith Park.

5. On January 3, 2016 UP 7612 is eastbound on the same spot the 844 was parked in 2012. You can see most of Griffith Park, including both the north side & south side stone walls. My goodness, the memories... :^)
All images taken in Manhattan, KS.

Thanks for looking back & forth!
Lance Garrels
santafe199



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/06/25 10:30 by santafe199.

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Nice series and look back...

JG

Nice back story and photos Lance.  I'm taking a guess here and thinking you're a Kansas City Royals fan who spanked my New York Mets in the 2015 World Series.

Oh THAT Griffith Park.
My  mind jumped to Los Angeles' Griffith Park which includes "Traveltown" with a good collection of rolling stock and once included a short out-and-back steam trip using Hawaiian 3' gauge equipment.
On a good day I could hear the whistle from our front yard. 
The two photos below are from one of my bicycle excursions to go see it in November, 1960. As you can see I had yet to learn much about photography.
The train made a tiny appearance in the musical movie "Music Man".
IIRC the steamer (outside frame 4-6-0) ran out of boiler time and was sent to a historical group back on Oahu along with an inoperative 2-6-2T and the passenger cars.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/06/25 17:30 by railstiesballast.

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stevelv Wrote: > ... I'm taking a guess here and thinking you're a Kansas City Royals fan ...

OH YEAH! I've been a Royals fan ever since Mr Brett showed up at my little league position in the early 70s... :^)

Lance (ex-little league 3rd baseman)

On Pic 2, I'm guessing based on the jointed rail and the gap between the hopper and box in front of the caboose that there was a bit of harmonic rocking in that train.

Orient Wrote: > ...a bit of harmonic rocking in that train ...

On the Rock Island that late in the game you had an entire symphony orchestra of track defects when a train lumbered forward... ;^)

Lance

Never heard it described that way but, I sure agree with it.