Baseball Ground Memories

[winktheram]

8 hours ago, Angry Ram said:

Just trying to picture in my head where that wall is and if it was part of the BBG. I am assuming it was on the Ley side of the ground? But I don't remember that being part of the stand. Maybe the wall between the ground and Leys?

It's the columbo end. Right at the end of columbo Street as it hit the back of the Ossie end

[oldtimeram]

On 13/04/2017 at 21:10, londonbridgeram said:

Great thread and well done EllaFella for starting it. My Baseball Ground experience started in 1967 (Millwall 3-3) although my memory of that day is pretty much gone (have to dig the programme out for a refresher). But general memories of the BBG then and in the 70s are just of tremendous excitement and anticipation (and yes it did involve the prospect of running into the away fans and what might ensue). I don't think I appreciated at the time what I was seeing on the pitch, too young maybe to take in that something really great and memorable and history-making was taking place. When they first spoke or relocating I, like a lot of people I guess, was very much against it, thinking somehow we could redevelop the BBG. But of course that idea was just silly and we moved on.

Someone has mentioned the 1976 semi-final and that, along withe the Leicester play-off, has always been very hard to take. Still not over 1976 when we got a kicking on and off the pitch. Great memories though and looking forward to Brentford tomorrow. COYR!

I remember that game against Millwall.  3-1 down with about 3 mins to go and then we got two very late goals to level the game.

[Old Spalding Ram]

Boys corner (Normanton end) whilst me dad went with his mates in the Ossie end 1964/65.

Clough years through my teens, we were living the dream!

Favourite memory, 1981, played on it, won on it, got a winners trophy on it.................fantastic days!

https://www.pitchero.com/clubs/grahamstreetprims/photos/555681/14236647.html

[Kingpin]

On 14/06/2021 at 21:26, Turk Thrust said:

Just thought, to anyone under 20, a pipe for smoking is completely unknown

Crack?

[loweman2]

Bobby Davison & The Baseball Ground ! A match made in heaven !

[Premier ram]

3 hours ago, loweman2 said:

Bobby Davison & The Baseball Ground ! A match made in heaven !

loved Bobby , wish we had a clone of him now

[Kingpin]

Lump in the throat, tear to the eye. 
special memories, and not just the football ones. 

[MuespachRam]

Amazing memories, a real football ground….worst decision the club has ever made was to leave there and the abomination they did of “preserving” the place is frankly an absolute disgrace. 

[Bob Mash]

6 minutes ago, MuespachRam said:

Amazing memories, a real football ground….worst decision the club has ever made was to leave there and the abomination they did of “preserving” the place is frankly an absolute disgrace. 

Never felt that Pride Park was 'home'. First BBG game was Hinton's testimonial in 1976. The Rams lost to an England '11' but the atmosphere was magical. Totally agree about moving. Wish we'd stayed and upgraded. 

[Kingpin]

3 minutes ago, Bearwood Ram said:

Wish we'd stayed and upgraded

Was never viable though was it. 

[Bob Mash]

6 minutes ago, Kingpin said:

Was never viable though was it. 

Apparently not. Although, I do remember the plans for the BBG rebuild in the local press/programmes so it was planned. 

[Kingpin]

1 minute ago, Bearwood Ram said:

Apparently not. Although, I do remember the plans for the BBG rebuild in the local press/programmes so it was planned. 

Yes I do as well. 
Just think back though, how close the houses were to the BBG. Simply not the space to do much more than a few coats of paint. 

[Turk Thrust]

I seem to recall that in my first visits to the BBG back in the early 50s, there was a corner of the ground (can’t remember which end) called Pitcher’s Corner, a throwback to baseball days I presume.

[Kingpin]

2 minutes ago, Turk Thrust said:

there was a corner of the ground (can’t remember which end) called Pitcher’s Corner, a throwback to baseball days I presume.

Yes I remember this as well. 

[Elwood P Dowd]

4 minutes ago, Turk Thrust said:

I seem to recall that in my first visits to the BBG back in the early 50s, there was a corner of the ground (can’t remember which end) called Pitcher’s Corner, a throwback to baseball days I presume.

I thought it was where the Boys end used to be. 

[ram59]

I remember the good old days at the BBG, simple things, like being able to go to the ticket office and but a ticket.

Seriously though, I remember one game, when I didn't have a season ticket because of my job at the time, getting to the ground only to find a massive queues at the ticket office. So I went to the nearest phone box, phoned the ticket office and bought one, for collection at the ground, which didn't have a queue.

Happy days.

[Turk Thrust]

20 minutes ago, Bearwood Ram said:

Never felt that Pride Park was 'home'. First BBG game was Hinton's testimonial in 1976. The Rams lost to an England '11' but the atmosphere was magical. Totally agree about moving. Wish we'd stayed and upgraded. 

But the place was falling down and the plans for rebuilding was for about a 22,000 crowd. It was hemmed in on Shaftesbury Crescent by houses and Ley’s on the other side. It was designed originally in the centre of a good working class area when workers lived near to their works and few had cars. But by the 90s it had outlived its location. Pity but had to happen sooner or later.

[Turk Thrust]

5 minutes ago, Elwood P Dowd said:

I thought it was where the Boys end used to be. 

Yes you’re right. Pitcher’s Corner became the boys end

[Kingpin]

2 minutes ago, ram59 said:

simple things, like being able to go to the ticket office and but a ticket.

Seems like a groundbreaking concept now?. 
 

Also I didn’t know telephone collection was available at the BBG. 

Who else remember queuing straight AFTER matches to get your ticket for the next big game. Think we left games early in order to get a good place in the queue. 

[Bob Mash]

2 minutes ago, Turk Thrust said:

But the place was falling down and the plans for rebuilding was for about a 22,000 crowd. It was hemmed in on Shaftesbury Crescent by houses and Ley’s on the other side. It was designed originally in the centre of a good working class area when workers lived near to their works and few had cars. But by the 90s it had outlived its location. Pity but had to happen sooner or later.

Maybe they were forward thinking to the 21-22 season when 22,000 would be more than big enough for our current match day attendances...