Firemen’s Memorial Field marks 100 years

Village residents, dignitaries, volunteer firefighters, and even vintage baseball players, or “ballists” as they’re called, gathered at the gated entrance of Firemen’s Memorial Field to celebrate the field’s 100-year anniversary on Oct. 15.

The six-acre property that residents know as Firemen’s Memorial Field has four baseball diamonds, a football field, and a fully appointed clubhouse. The parcel was just a privately owned piece of farmland a century ago. The beloved landmark was donated to the Valley Stream Fire Department in 1922.

A few years later, the field was deeded to the village for the sum of $8,500 under the condition that it keeps the name honoring its original recipients: “Firemen’s Memorial Field.” And it has been that way ever since.

Throughout the field’s early history, America’s national pastime felt right at home. The field housed a number of amateur and semi-pro baseball and football teams, some alternating between being amateur and semi-pro depending on the year.

“Home baseball teams included the Sago Athletic Club, the Fire Department Vamps, and the Valley Stream Baseball Club, also known as the Streamers,” according to village historian Bill Florio. “Using Firemen’s Field as their home turf, they played other local semi-pro and amateur athletic teams, as well as a number of famous barnstorming teams like the House of David.

According to Florio, Negro League teams such as the Havana Red Sox, Cuban Black Sox, the New York Black Yankees, and the Pennsylvania Red Caps of New York also played away games on the field against the Valley Stream teams.

In 1936 and 1937, fans were introduced to donkey baseball, which is exactly what it means. This 1930s trend featured most of the players riding donkeys while fielding the ball and running the bases.

“The field lays claim to a very colorful history,” said Mayor Edwin addressing the crowd. “It was the location of tryouts for the Chicago Cubs in 1946. Even the Washington Redskins and Detroit Lions can trace early players to the football grounds here on Firemen’s field. Many luminaries have visited Fireman’s Field, including Kate Smith, Yankees co-owner Dan Topping, Bill Shea, whom any Mets fan knows was instrumental in bringing National League Baseball back to New York, and Shea Stadium named after him, as well as Jim Thorpe, the American athlete and Olympic gold medalist.”

Today the field continues to host a variety of adult and youth softball, baseball, and football games. The village also uses the field for community events, most notably wowing crowds during its annual Independence Day fireworks display.

At the rededication ceremony, the National Anthem was sung by Moises Rodriguez from Valley Stream Fire Department Hook and Ladder Company 2 alongside the presentation of colors by the Valley Stream Fire Department. A gilded plaque was also unveiled on the gated entrance of the field at the ceremony.

To cap off the rededication, baseball players dressed in vintage uniforms took part in a friendly 1864-era exhibition game between the New York Mutuals and the Valley Streamers harkening back to the classic, more “gentlemanly” days of the game.

Have an opinion about the centennial ceremony? Send an email to jlasso@liherald.com.