Music - Thunder Road by Bruce Springsteen and the E. Street band

Roosevelt Stadium - Demolished condominiums built on the site

Location - New Jersey State route 440 and Danforth Road.

Disclaimer - I only shot 3 of the photos for Roosevelt Stadium. It was torn down before I saw the site in 1995. All other photos were found on the Internet.

The location where New Jersey State route 440 and Danforth Road meet has a historical past. You would never now it now, since the site is dotted with condos and a park. At one time, this area known as Droyers point, housed a stadium. Roosevelt stadium to be exact. This minor league feel park was the site of Jackie Robinson breaking the color barrier in professional baseball on April 18, 1946. He was playing for the Brooklyn Dodgers triple A team, the Montreal Royals at the time. BUT, Droyers point had a history even before Roosevelt stadium was built.

In the 1920s this 19 acre parcel of land in the Greenville section of Jersey City was used as the Jersey City airport. Unfortunately, the airport fell on hard times in the early 30's. By 1935 Jersey City was deep into the depression, along with poverty and unemployment. In 1937, with the help of President Roosevelt and the "new deal," the stadium was built. The Jersey City airport was no more. A brand new sparkling 24,000 seat stadium arose from the runways.

While the stadium was used mostly for prep football and minor league baseball, the occasional heavyweight fight was held there. In 1940, Max Baer (YEP Jethro's dad) beat "two ton" Tony Galento, and in 1951 Jersey Joe Walcott beat heavyweight champion Ezzard Charles.

From 1937 to 1950, the park was home to the Jersey City Giants, a triple A farm team of the New York Giants. It was also home to the Jersey City Indians of the Double-A Eastern League in 1977 and, following a change in minor-league affiliation, the Jersey City A's of the Eastern league in 1978. It was here on that April day in 1947 that Jack Roosevelt Robinson made his pro debut. He went 4 for 5 with a home run and two stolen bases, and the color line had been FINALLY broken. The stadium however was not named for him. It was named for President Franklin Roosevelt, who authored the new deal and helped get the park built.

The main claim to fame for Roosevelt Stadium was the OTHER home of the Brooklyn Dodgers. Walter O'Malley was trying to secure a new park for the Dodgers in Brooklyn, so as part of his negotiating tactics, he scheduled seven "home" games there in 1956 and 1957. He claimed the stadium had parking for 12,000 cars while Ebbets field only had 700. The tactic didn't work as the Dodgers left Brooklyn for good after the 1957 season.

Roosevelt was also a training camp home to the New York football Giants. During the 70's and 80's, the main income was from rock concerts. In 1978, a thirty-foot light tower fell off the roof, which weakened the stadium's exterior walls and light towers. The stadium was in such a bad state of disrepair that it was finally demolished in 1985.

After the demolition, the site was once again re developed. This time condos went up. A new gated community called Society Hill opened in 1987. On April 17, 1996, the Hovnanian corporation placed a plaque in the gazebo at Society Hill to commemorate the fiftieth anniversary of the opening game of baseball at Roosevelt Stadium, as well as Jackie Robinson breaking the color barrier.

If you ever find yourself in Jersey City, head on over to SR 440 and Danforth Road. History was made on that patch of land. Thank you Jackie Robinson!