The John T. Brush Stairway, built by the Giants in 1913, winds from Coogan's Bluff to the site of the old Polo Grounds below.
Ed Lucas ran down the John T. Brush Stairway, behind the Polo Grounds, a little boy thrilled about going to his first big league ballgame.
He and his father, Ed Sr., a lifelong Giants fan, were making their way down from Coogan's Bluff, the hillside overlooking the horseshoe-shaped ballpark in Upper Manhattan.
Several years later, Lucas negotiated the steep concrete steps more slowly, because this time he couldn't see them. At 12 years old, he was blinded by a freak baseball sandlot accident while recreating Bobby Thomson's famed "Shot Heard Round the World," the pennant-winning homer hit on Oct. 3, 1951.
Now 18, his love for baseball hadn't dimmed. In fact, the anticipation was even greater because he was going to interview the New York Giants' greatest player, Willie Mays.
"That was 1957, the last year the Giants were in New York," said Lucas, of Union, N.J. "I remember holding on my uncle's arm and going down the steps very slowly from Coogan's Bluff so I could go into the Polo Grounds through the press gate. My uncle, Gene Furey, was carrying a large Pentron reel-to-reel tape recorder. The door we entered went right through to the dugout, because if you remember, the clubhouses at the Polo Grounds were in center field. We were greeted by an attendant named Barney O'Toole. He set the tape recorder up in the dugout and brought different players over -- Willie Mays, Bobby Thomson, Gail Harris, Whitey Lockman, Don Mueller."
Millions of fans used the John T. Brush Stairway from 1913 until the Mets, who played their first two seasons at the Polo Grounds, left Manhattan for Queens following the 1963 season. Few people have more vivid memories of the steps than Lucas, or a greater appreciation for their place in New York baseball history. For the past half-century, he's gained the admiration and respect of countless ballplayers as a blind sports journalist.
The steps were named for the late Giants owner, who presided over the team from 1890 until his death in 1912. In fact, the third and final version of the Polo Grounds was called Brush Stadium from 1911, when it was reconstructed following a fire, until 1919. It was a name that never stuck.
The concrete-and-steel ballpark replaced the earlier wooden version. Home plate was near the base of Coogan's Bluff, with the diamond facing east toward The Bronx, on the opposite side of the Harlem River. The outfield was a massive expanse, 483 feet from home plate to the clubhouse steps in dead center field.
Harry N. Hempstead, Brush's son-in-law who succeeded him as owner of the Giants, had the John T. Brush Stairway built and presented it to the city during ceremonies on July 9, 1913.
From atop Coogan's Bluff, above and behind the Polo Grounds, the stairway went from Edgecombe Avenue, between 157th and 158th Streets, down to the ticket booths behind home plate. The stairs also gave people a way to reach the Speedway, a once-popular Harlem River promenade, in addition to seeing some of baseball's greatest and worst teams, from John McGraw's Giants, who played in nine World Series from 1903-24, to the 1962 Mets, who lost more games than any team.
For nearly a half-century, however, the stairway has played a different role, carrying tenants to a high-rise housing project that replaced the Polo Grounds, and until recently they had crumbled into a dim reminder of a once-proud, bygone era.
In 2011, the New York City Parks and Recreation Department launched a $950,000 restoration project and now the stairway is scheduled for a "soft opening" this spring. Major League Baseball gave $50,000 to the project, along with other old Polo Grounds tenants -- the San Francisco Giants; the Yankees, who played there from 1913-23; the Mets; the New York Jets (nee Titans), who played their first four AFL seasons there, and the New York football Giants, who played there from 1925-55.
About halfway up the stairway there is a landing, before the steps turn left to the top of the hill. Steel letters in the concrete landing say, "The John T. Brush Stairway. Presented by the New York Giants."
The original steel lettering has remained intact for the past century, although corners of the landing have broken away. During restoration, the landing is being returned to its original look.
"The letters were removed and are being reinstalled," said Philip Abramson, parks department spokesman. "The stairway reconstruction maintains the location and characteristics of the prior stairway. While incorporating similar material elements of steel and concrete, the stairway is being upgraded to meet today's building code. The lower landscaped area of the stairway will include new picnic tables and add a game table, benches and landscape elements."
A rededication ceremony is anticipated, with details forthcoming when the project is complete. Fans of the New York Giants baseball team hope it will be on July 9, on the stairway's 100th anniversary. For them, it's the most exciting development at the site since their team won the 1954 World Series.
"This is the last piece of real evidence that the Polo Grounds existed, other than the plaque that indicates where the approximate location of home plate was," said Gary Mintz, president of the New York Giants Preservation Society. "It would be wonderful if they would add signage or statues in the area. Perhaps they can name some trails after famous Giants like Carl Hubbell, Mel Ott, John McGraw and Christy Mathewson or maybe have a statue of Mays making 'The Catch' or Thomson's 'Shot Heard 'Round the World.'
"This is historic ground and should be preserved and treasured any way possible. The Giants' history in New York was tremendous and judging by the legions of fans today, the New York Giants and San Francisco Giants haven't been forgotten in New York."
Paul Post is a contributor to MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
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last modified 7/2313
Not everyone is happy about these steps and there is a great concern about the security threat they will pose when they re-open. While they were in a state of disrepair they were mainly used as an access point for drug activity in the adjacent park. Once the steps were completely demolished to make way for the renovation, there was a huge decrease in this activity. The neighborhood is worried and we are in touch with Parks and Police about how to keep the area from returning to one that attracts drugs and prostitution.
ReplyDeleteI understand your concern for the neighborhood. Perhaps the police can get more involved with patrolling that area. Hopefully with all the improvements in the area these undesirable activities can be curbed. The only way to get more Police involvement is through community involvement. Perhaps a local group can organize a petition for this. Please let me know if anyone else has an interest in pursuing this.
DeleteHow do you express my concern to the police? Do I go to the precinct and tell them? How about the Parks Department? Can someone give us the steps we have to take to organize this effectively?
DeleteGeorge, You are taking the first step by showing concern for the issue. Get your neighbors and friends to chime in to the topic here so that the city officials can see where the real concerns are. There is nothing like greasing the wheel that squeaks.
DeleteGeorge 164th Street, Here are some people I strongly encourage you to reach out to with your concerns: - Steve Simon, head of Parks for upper manhattan steve.simon@parks.nyc.gov - Captain Fausto B. Pichardo, 33rd Precinct 2207 Amsterdam Ave., New York, NY, 10032 Community Affairs: (212) 927-3891/92
DeleteFor more information about organized efforts to address these issues and keep this park safe, email: 32uptownNYCvoice@gmail.com
DeleteBy the way, does anyone actually know when the stairs are going to be completed and dedicated? Please let us know.
ReplyDeleteI heard they would be done in late September.
DeleteWhen I went by there today (July 27) it looked like it was almost done. The landing at the bottom has to be poured and a lamp post at the top needs to be put in place. The whole thing needs to be painted and cleaned up.
DeleteI have been a long time resident of the neighbor hood and over the years I have witnessed drug deals, prostitution and muggings in the park. In all this activity, the stairs were used as an entrance and escape route. Why anyone would think restoring this stairway to nowhere was a good idea, certainly is not involved in the community. The police are aware of the dangers and are as frustrated as the residents in the thoughtless act in the name of “preservation”. Excuse me if I’m not as enthusiastic about the increased threat to the families that live here from a government funded pipeline back to the 1980’s New York where people were afraid to walk out their door.
ReplyDeleteI personally would not have spent the money on the reconstruction of the stairs, but the money came from private sources and is part of the redevelopment of the park. If it ends up that the park improves and the neighborhood improves because the park improved, then who are we to say that it should not be done. I agree with the others that the pressure should be placed upon the police and parks department to make sure that they are not used for illicit purposes. Let's get organized on this.
DeleteWhat happened to this thread. Did you all just give up and accept the fate that the druggies and the prostitutes are going to return?
ReplyDeleteWho is organizing this thing? Let's get moving on this. The neighborhood is achanging and we need to get ahead of the problems, not behind them.
Mark, we would love for you to sign the petition: http://chn.ge/12fPW81 to help get funding for security for the park. please also pass along to your friends and neighbors. Thank you.
DeleteLatest word is that parks is asking for funding for lights to help with security.
ReplyDeletePeople are still working on it... writing emails and making calls to leadership. The next big push will be when the stairs get set to open. There is likely to be a media campaign and it will be important for the journalists writing to know the full story. email 32uptownNYCvoice@gmail.com for more information.
ReplyDeleteI have lived across the street from the stairs for nine years. Many years before they were fenced off while waiting for this new construction, they remained blighted and decrepit, serving only thugs who used them as egress after committing crimes. My concern now is that the new and improved stairway will once again facilitate thugs. To prevent this, I suggest installing plenty of lighting and also a video camera at each end to help identify the thugs fleeing. If they fear having their pictures taken, perhaps they will think twice about what they are doing? In addition this the police should make a point of getting out of their patrol cars and walking this beat during the day and evening. I don’t recall being asked for feedback about this project and would have voted to do something other than this to celebrate the historical importance of the stairs. But now they are a fact that we the neighbors get to live with. I hope the ball clubs who contributed to this project take these on
ReplyDeleteWe have just launched an online petition. http://www.change.org/petitions/new-york-city-parks-and-the-yankees-mets-giants-and-jets-provide-security-funding-for-the-park-next-to-the-john-t-brush-stairway
ReplyDeleteAs soon as we have a number of signatures we will begin forwarding to the leadership of the sports teams, Parks, community leaders and the media.
Please sign and pass along to your friends and neighbors. Thank you.
Update: The work on the stairway is scheduled to be done by Mid October. NYC Parks Dept has requested 5 additional park lights for the surrounding area and 2 spotlights which should be placed close to the stairs. There will be an 11pm curfew in place for the stairs. Parks is still searching for private funding for cameras. They are working on that and are hoping they can present this to the community soon.
ReplyDeletePlease sign the petition! http://chn.ge/12fPW81
I went by the stairway yesterday Jan 14, 2014. It looks like all the construction work is done, but the construction fence is still in place and the stairway cannot be used. I would not be surprised that Parks and Rec keep it closed until the spring when baseball season opens, or they get the funding to patrol the stairs for security purposes.
ReplyDeleteTime will tell. If anyone knows anything please let us know.
The lights have now been energized, but construction fencing is still in place. Timing of open still TBD.
ReplyDeleteI went by the stairway again on April 26 (2014). Still has the fencing. Is this some kind of joke? Are they really ever going to open the stairway? Maybe the new administration doesn't want a stairway there. Anyone with information?
ReplyDeleteI'm going by there Thursday.. Any idea if it's open?
ReplyDeleteI think it would have been commented upon if it were. I do not know what the holdup is. Maybe they want to open it at the same time that the High Bridge will open in late December (lol).
DeleteThe Daily News is reporting today, August 6, 2014 that the Stairway to Heaven has opened. See the article:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/uptown/harlem-stairway-polo-grounds-back-isn-stadium-anymore-article-1.1893069
The steps are now open and look nice, as does the park down below. We hope that the Parks Department and the Police will keep the area safe so that the steps don't become a conduit for crime. Next step is to get a cross walk somewhere on Edgecombe so pedestrians can safely cross over to the park.
ReplyDeleteIt may be the Stairway to Heaven, but on a practical basis, does anyone use it for getting to or from anywhere?
ReplyDelete