Rock City Grounds

History:

The Rock City Grounds were the site of the home field of the Rock City Baseball Club. Both the grounds and the team were located in Little Rock, AR.

The exact location of the field is unknown, though it was commonly referred to be at the “head of Scott street” in Little Rock. The Rock City B. B. C. began using the field in 1868 after playing previously at the Little Rock Arsenal Grounds.

On July 4th, 1868, the grounds were the site of a particularly notable ballgame. Rock City played a club from Pine Bluff, AR in the first ever game between teams from different sections of Arkansas. Rock City won, 43-36, in what was called “the most exciting contest of athletic sports ever witnessed in the state”.

Prior to the game, awnings and seats for several hundred spectators were set up, as well as tents for each team to shade themselves from the July sun. Such is the first known record of either provided seats or “dugouts” at an Arkansas baseball park.

The Rock City Grounds were used for several more years, both by Rock City and other Little Rock teams. Rock City won the 1869 state championship, but shortly afterward faded out of history. What became of the their grounds is unknown.