Kinsley Park was an athletic field, used for professional football, minor league baseball and pro soccer, located in Providence, Rhode Island at the corner of Kinsley Avenue (north, third base) and Acorn Street (west, first base), across Acorn from the Nicholson File Company Mill Complex. The field was used primarily by Providence Steam Roller, Providence Grays and the Providence Gold Bugs. The park was built primarily by Peter Laudati, a prominent Providence real estate developer and a part-owner of the Providence Steam Roller. He also built the Steam Roller's second stadium, the Cycledrome. During the 1930s the New York Yankees, featuring Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig played an exhibition game at that park.
First NFL night game
The field is best known for hosting the first night game in NFL history on November 6, 1929, between the Steam Roller and the Chicago Cardinals.[1] The game ended in a 16-0 Cardinals victory behind the running, passing and kicking of Ernie Nevers, who scored all of the games 16 points. He rushed 23 times for 102 yards and a touchdown. He also completed 10 of 15 passes for 144 yards and another touchdown. He also kicked a 33-yard field goal and an extra point.
The game was scheduled for Sunday November 3, however heavy rains made the Cyclodome unplayable. Rather than lose a contest with a high probability for a nice payday, the historic night game was hastily scheduled.
The game was considered a success because at least 6,000 spectators attended. According to newspaper accounts, the ball had been painted white so that it would be easier to see. The floodlights were also described as being just as good as daylight for the players. The Providence Journal, at the time, described the system as “33 giant projectors on poles 53 feet high, and nine poles on top of the grandstand.” Floodlights were then installed the next year at the Cyclodome and other NFL teams began playing at night as well. According to his 1930 contract with the Providence Steam Roller, which is now in the Pro Football Hall of Fame archives, Tony Latone was paid $125 for all NFL daylight games and 60 percent of that sum for NFL "floodlight" games. One of the original team's founders Pearce Johnson explained that the pay reduction for night games was arranged to help pay the installation costs of the floodlights at the Cyclodome.
Night soccer games
On October 6, 1929, the American Soccer League had suspended operations on October 9, pending a merger with the rival Eastern League of Professional Soccer. Hoping to regenerate fan interest during the situation, the Gold Bugs had cobbled together an exhibition schedule. The team then began playing under the new lights at Kinsley Park. On October 31, 1929, the Gold Bugs defeated the Boston Soccer Club, 2–1.
Kinsley Park was closed by the end of 1931. It was torn down in 1933 and no trace of the field remains.
References
- Sneddon, Rob (2009). "The NFL's first night game was in Providence 80 years ago". New England Sports History Examiner. September (12): 1–2.
- Rhode Island Artin Ruins: Providence Cyclodome
- Hogrogian, John (1980). "The Steam Roller" (PDF). Coffin Corner. 2 (3). Professional Football Researchers Association: 1–13. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2010-11-27.
- Carroll, Bob. "Steam Rolled" (PDF). Coffin Corner. Professional Football Researchers Association: 1–4. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2010-09-29. Retrieved 2010-01-11.
- ^ "NFL's first night game | Pro Football Hall of Fame Official Site". Archived from the original on 2009-02-03. Retrieved 2010-01-12.
Providence Steam Roller
- Defunct Independent and National Football League club 1916–33
- Based in Providence, Rhode Island
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The Franchise | |
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Stadia | |
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NFL Championships (1) | |
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Lore | |
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Seasons | |
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Early era: 1920–1940 | - League Park (Akron) (Akron Pros)
- Armory Park (Toledo Maroons)
- Baker Bowl (Philadelphia Eagles)
- Bellevue Park (Green Bay Packers)
- Bison Stadium (Buffalo Bison/Rangers)
- Borchert Field (Milwaukee Badgers, Green Bay Packers)
- Bosse Field (Evansville Crimson Giants)
- Braves Field (Boston Braves, Boston Yanks)
- Buffalo Baseball Park (Buffalo All-Americans)
- League Field (Canton) (Canton Bulldogs)
- City Stadium (Green Bay Packers)
- Clarkin Field (Hartford Blues)
- Cleveland Stadium (Cleveland Rams)
- Comiskey Park (Chicago Cardinals)
- Commercial Field (New York Brickley Giants)
- Crosley Field (Cincinnati Reds)
- Cubs Park/Wrigley Field (Chicago Tigers, Hammond Pros, Chicago Bears, Chicago Cardinals)
- Cycledrome (Providence Steam Roller)
- Dinan Field (Detroit Wolverines, Detroit Lions)
- Douglas Park (Rock Island Independents)
- Duluth's Athletic Park (Duluth Kelleys/Eskimos)
- East Hartford Velodrome (Hartford Blues)
- Ebbets Field (New York Brickley Giants, Brooklyn Lions, Brooklyn Dodgers)
- Eclipse Park (Louisville Breckenridges)
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- Frankford Stadium (Frankford Yellow Jackets)
- Griffith Stadium (Washington)
- Hagemeister Park (Green Bay Packers)
- Horlick Field (Racine Legion, Racine Tornadoes)
- Kinsley Park (Providence Steam Roller)
- Knights of Columbus Stadium (Orange Tornadoes)
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- Staley Field (Decatur Staleys)
- Star Park (possible, Syracuse Pros)
- Swayne Field (Toledo Maroons)
- Thompson Stadium (Staten Islands Stapletons)
- Triangle Park (Dayton Triangles)
- Wisconsin State Fair Park (Green Bay Packers)
- Yankee Stadium I (New York Yankees, New York Giants)
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Post-War and Pre-Merger era: 1941–1969 | - Alumni Stadium (Boston Patriots)
- Astrodome (Houston Oilers)
- Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium (Atlanta Falcons)
- Balboa Stadium (San Diego Chargers)
- Baltimore Memorial Stadium (Baltimore Colts)
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- Comiskey Park (Chicago Cardinals, Card-Pitt)
- Shibe Park/Connie Mack Stadium (Philadelphia Eagles, Phil-Pitt Steagles)
- Cotton Bowl (Dallas Texans, Dallas Cowboys)
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- Dyche Stadium (Chicago Bears)
- Ebbets Field (Brooklyn Dodgers/Tigers)
- Fenway Park (Boston Yanks, Boston Patriots)
- Forbes Field (Pittsburgh Steelers, Phil-Pitt Steagles, Card-Pitt)
- Frank Youell Field (Oakland Raiders)
- Franklin Field (Philadelphia Eagles)
- Griffith Stadium (Washington Redskins)
- Harvard Stadium (Boston Patriots)
- Jeppesen Stadium (Houston Oilers)
- Kansas City Municipal Stadium (Kansas City Chiefs)
- Kezar Stadium (San Francisco 49ers, Oakland Raiders)
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- Metropolitan Stadium (Minnesota Vikings)
- Miami Orange Bowl (Miami Dolphins)
- Milwaukee County Stadium (Green Bay Packers)
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- Nippert Stadium (Cincinnati Bengals)
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- Philadelphia Municipal Stadium (Philadelphia Eagles)
- Pitt Stadium (Pittsburgh Steelers)
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- Rice Stadium (Houston Oilers)
- Riverfront Stadium (Cincinnati Bengals)
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- Tulane Stadium (New Orleans Saints)
- War Memorial Stadium (Buffalo Bills)
- Wisconsin State Fair Park (Green Bay Packers)
- Wrigley Field (Chicago Bears, Chicago Cardinals)
- Yankee Stadium I (New York Yanks, New York Giants)
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Current era: 1970–present | |
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Stadiums used by NFL teams temporarily | |
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