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Baseball Ground Memories


Ellafella

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17 hours ago, angieram said:

I have fond memories of the Baseball Ground, saw us win the Championship there, but it was of its time. 

I love the views, facilities, ease of access and safety at Pride Park and wouldn't wish us to go back. There have been lots of great days at PP, and there will be lots more.

I agree with you @angieram - as always.

One thing: "the views" at the BBG. My Dad used to joke that standing on the Popside, he never saw the corner flags on our side of the ground ?

Oh and of course, the facilities at the BBG.  For the men a wall. For the women, were there any?

Edited by IslandExile
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10 minutes ago, IslandExile said:

I agree with you @angieram - as always.

One thing: "the views" at the BBG. My Dad used to joke that standing on the Popside, he never saw the corner flags on our side of the ground ?

Oh and of course, the facilities at the BBG.  For the men a wall. For the women, were there any?

There were several younger females in the 70s that would stand at the back of the Vulcan Street End, I started in the Kids Pen, Then moved to the Columbo End as a very young teen where me and my mate would climb up the corner near the floodlights and tie ourselves with scarves to the metal fence with the away supporters walking underneath us.

Getting older a move to the Vulcan Street was a must, With the red metal fence walkway seperating home and away fans, Many a suicide fan would jump them to have a close chat with the away fans, At the back of the Popside where a hot bovril was served there was no segregation and all hell would break loose at HT, A fence was later put up to seperate both waring factions, Then a portion of the Columbo and Vulcan street was segregated for the more normal fan, So home fans would enter the Columbo end to great the away fans, All cash turnstiles so no checking the fans, Eventually moving to the Ossie End after Chelsea and Leeds wrecking the seats fiasco, Then onto the more sedate "C" Stand Paddock ?.

As a football arena I don't think there was a more intimidating ground than the BBG, Away players who were going to take a corner at the "C" stand paddock area would often have a change of heart when scores of Lads got to their feet and hurl abuse at them, Away players would often have their shorts pulled on when taking a throw in, Or if you were a Fulham player...getting kicked/tripped, The Hunter/Lee fracas, Lee was initially punched... the reason...Lee was a master at tripping himsel up in the penalty area, Which he did when Hunter was chasing him down, Ref gave a Pen and we scored, Hunter bided his time, And got a good one in right on Lees nose, Ref sends them both off then the fun began with Lee throwing several punches and NOT one landing on Hunter, Only for Hunter to fall over, Word has it that Hunter refused to come out of the changing rooms until Lee had left the BBG.

For me, DCFC lost something when moving to PP, I bought a ST in the East stand, The view was great right in line with the 18 yard line, The Atmosphere was lost for me, It became more sterile, But I Lived with it I guess, As long as I have my memories I can always visit the BBG anytime I choose ?

 

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1 hour ago, IslandExile said:

I agree with you @angieram - as always.

One thing: "the views" at the BBG. My Dad used to joke that standing on the Popside, he never saw the corner flags on our side of the ground ?

Oh and of course, the facilities at the BBG.  For the men a wall. For the women, were there any?

Just remembered one females name "Freddie", Around my age now mid to late 60s if still around, Always up for a giggle ?

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1 hour ago, IslandExile said:

I agree with you @angieram - as always.

One thing: "the views" at the BBG. My Dad used to joke that standing on the Popside, he never saw the corner flags on our side of the ground ?

Oh and of course, the facilities at the BBG.  For the men a wall. For the women, were there any?

Yes, just, but please don't remind me of them! 

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20 hours ago, Grumpy Git said:

I've said it before many times on here, but my first venture to the hallowed Popside was the 3-2 game v Leeds and I was stood level with the 18 yard line, so had a front-row view of the Lee v Hunter heavyweight final.?

Happy, happy days.

Glory Hunter!

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16 minutes ago, Kingpin said:

More space around SJP in general. Nowhere near as compact. 

There was plenty of room around the baseball ground to extend It to what we needed, all we needed was a 25k capacity stadium, but the influx of huge sponsorship deals and TV company money had started and Derby didn’t want to miss out on a piece of that pie, the only way they could do this was build a legoland stadium and make It all nice and clean and shiny. 
 

such a shame 

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1 minute ago, loweman2 said:

that was the key club 

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The picture shows the fences we had to peer through until Hillsborough. I remember how great the view seemed afterwards. Can anyone remember the first game after the fences came down? I'm sure i was there but can't recall the opposition.

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5 minutes ago, davenportram said:

No it wasn’t - I was in the key club when it started and I was behind the goal to the left  of the bridge in the normanton terrace. 

Sorry to be unclear I meant the painted area at the Normanton end not of course that area to the for of the picture in the osmaston end, hence why I included to newspaper report, all to try and clear up the earlier confusion in the thread of the key club placing, not meaning to add further confusion ?

Edited by loweman2
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1 hour ago, loweman2 said:

Taken from the March 1992 programme celebrating 100 years at the BBG

19AE7651-BDC0-4737-A4C8-57297969B7A0.jpeg

2F05C019-4E6B-4622-9904-FEC3FC2E8262.jpeg

Have any idea what happened to the time capsule that was buried at the Osmaston End for this match? I'm sure it was this one. I assume dug up when the ground was demolished? 

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