Pine Tree Park
Pine Tree Park was the name of a former athletic field in South Portland, Maine. At its peak, from 1904 to 1910, the baseball park was considered one of the finest in the state of Maine, attracting even the Boston Red Sox to play a game there in 1909. After 1910, Pine Tree Park was primarily used for school baseball and football games for the next several decades. Starting in the 1920s, the park also became used for traveling circuses and carnivals in the summer.
The former field was purchased by the Geo. C. Shaw Company in 1950 when the whole area was still considered to be part of the Knightville neighborhood. The name Mill Creek came into being around 1955 when the Mill Creek Shopping Center was built. The former Pine Tree Park site was later developed into a commercial section of Mill Creek. The site is now covered by the Shaw’s Plaza, a portion of Waterman Drive, Market Street, and the Mill Creek Shopping Center.[1][2]
History
Prior to 1904, Pine Tree Park was simply an open field in the Knightville neighborhood of South Portland. In May, 1904, a group of local businessmen and sports enthusiasts formed the Pine Tree Athletic Association (“PTAA”).[3] Raising capital through the sale of stock certificates, the PTAA leased the field, began grading the grounds, erected a fence around it, and built a 400-seat grandstand with additional bleachers on either side.[4] The completed field was named Pine Tree Park. Entrance to the park was via the end of E Street.
The first game played at Pine Tree Park was held on June 18, 1904 – the Holy Name Society vs the PTAA’s semi-professional team, known then as the South Portland baseball club.[5] Playing for the South Portlands in that first game were the following:
- George Edgar, catcher
- Harry Lord, third base
- Frederick S. "Duke" Kilfeder, shortstop
- Charles A. Jenney, center field
- Meserve, right field
- Bryant, first base
- Stearns, second base
- Edward Willard, left field
- Walter M. “Pop” Williams, pitcher
The first manager of the baseball team was Elmer M. Cobb; he resigned in July, 1904, and was replaced by Frederick C. Morrill for the remainder of the season.[6]
After a very successful first season of baseball, the stockholders of the PTAA met on September 29, 1904, and voted to reinvest their profits in improvements to Pine Tree Park, including the construction of a more commodious, 600-seat grandstand with covered seating and room underneath for offices and changing rooms for the players. At the meeting, they also reported that the field was being converted for use as a football field for the fall, and that, in 1905, the baseball team would likely drop the “South” from its name and become simply “Portland.”.[7]
The new grandstand, plus an elaborate entrance, was designed by Portland architect, Austin W. Pease.[8]
At the annual meeting of the PTAA, the directors were in favor of replacing the dedicated manager of the baseball team with a player/manager.[9] From 1905 to 1909, the team was managed by veteran player, Walter M. “Pop” Williams.
For the 1905 and 1906 seasons, the Portlands were the only semi-pro baseball team playing in Portland. That changed in 1907, however, after the Portland Baseball Association formed and started their own Portland team, the Portland Blue Sox.[10][11] The PTAA team added the letters “P.T.” to their Portland team jerseys and became known as the “Pine Trees” to distinguish themselves from the other Portland team.
Third baseman Harry Lord, who played for the South Portlands/Portlands in 1904 and 1905, went on to play for the Boston Americans. That team changed its name to the Boston Red Sox in 1908. In 1909, Lord arranged for the Boston Red Sox to come and play an exhibition game at Pine Tree Park. On October 5, 1909, the Boston Red Sox played at Pine Tree Park against the “All-Maine” team, in front of roughly 4,500 spectators. The All-Maine team consisted of two Red Sox players who were originally from Maine, Harry Lord and Bill Carrigan, along with other up-and-coming star players.[12]
Decline and Later Development
Since the second Portland baseball team had been established, the PTAA had struggled with attendance and lagging ticket sales. In 1910, Harry Lord leased Pine Tree Park with the hope of bringing higher-level ball there.[13] Although the Pine Trees continued to play, the hoped-for renaissance at Pine Tree Park did not happen. Lord was able to arrange for a game in October between a team of American League professional players and a team of players from both the major and minor leagues.
For the next several decades, most of the activity at Pine Tree Park consisted of school baseball and football games. Starting in 1924, the park also was utilized in the summers by traveling circuses and carnivals.[14]
The land was purchased in 1950 by the Geo. C. Shaw Company that was looking for a place to build a grocery store in the Knightville neighborhood of South Portland. The area that used to be Pine Tree Park is now covered by the Shaw’s Plaza, a portion of Waterman Drive, Market Street, and the Mill Creek Shopping Center.
References
- ↑ DiPhilippo, Kathryn Onos (May 2, 2025). “Early baseball and the Boston Red Sox at Pine Tree Park (Mill Creek), South Portland,” Wordpress.com. Early Baseball and the Boston Red Sox at Pine Tree Park (Mill Creek), South Portland
- ↑ DiPhilippo, Kathryn Onos (May 16, 2025). “More on Pine Tree Park (Mill Creek) and the Pine Tree Athletic Association baseball team.” Wordpress.com More on Pine Tree Park Mill Creek and the Pine Tree Athletic Association Baseball Team
- ↑ “South Portland A.A. incorporates for $5,000.” Portland Evening Express. May 14, 1904.
- ↑ “Pine Tree Athletic Ass’n hustling work on new grounds – fence and grand stand to be built.” Portland Evening Express. June 2, 1904.
- ↑ “South Portland opens new field by shutting out H.N.S. in great battle.” Portland Sunday Telegram. June 19, 1904.
- ↑ “New manager Pine Tree A.A.” Portland Evening Express. July 27, 1904.
- ↑ “Been a success: Happy meeting of the Pine Tree Athletic Association.” Portland Evening Express. September 30, 1904.
- ↑ “New grand stand and entrance at Pine Tree Park, So. Portland.” Portland Evening Express. October 13, 1904.
- ↑ “Pine Tree A.A.: Plans for coming season made at annual meeting.” Portland Evening Express. January 4, 1905.
- ↑ “First steps are taken to form state baseball league; Move by Portland.” Biddeford Daily Journal. January 18, 1907.
- ↑ “Pine Tree Assn. explains stand lately taken.” Portland Sunday Telegram. February 17, 1907.
- ↑ “Record crowd sees Red Sox win their game at Portland.” Daily Kennebec Journal. October 6, 1909.
- ↑ “Capt. Harry Lord of the Red Sox has leased Pine Tree Park.” Lewiston Evening Journal. March 21, 1910.
- ↑ DiPhilippo, Kathryn Onos (May 9, 2025). “Circuses and carnivals at Pine Tree Park (Mill Creek), South Portland.” Wordpress.com. Circuses and Carnivals at Pine Tree Park (Mill Creek) South Portland
External Links
South Portland Historical Society Online Museum, Site #204 - Pine Tree Park.
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