OpenStreetMap (new tab)

Google Map (new tab)

Google Streetview (new tab)

Building History

In 1938, banker Herbert Fleishhacker moved his San Francisco Mission Reds of the Class AAA Pacific Coast League to Los Angeles, CA, to become the second incarnation of the Hollywood Stars. Oil magnate, Earl Bell Gilmore (1887-1964), constructed 11,500-seat Gilmore Field as their home park near his Farmer's Market property; (the first incarnation of the team played at Wrigley Field, Los Angeles, 1926-1935); Brown Derby Restaurant owner, Robert H. Cobb (1899-1970) owned the second Stars team along with a syndicate of actual Hollywood stars, including Gene Autry, George Burns and Gracie Allen, Bing Crosby, William Powell, George Raft, Barbara Stanwyck, Robert Taylor, studio owner, Harry Warner, director, Cecil B. DeMille. Earl Gilmore, who had no ownership interest in the Hollywood Stars, took on most of the cost of erecting Gilmore Field on his land near Gilmore Stadium, where drivers raced midget cars, big-time boxers boxed, cowboys rode broncos and players contested pro and college football games. (Initially, the new team thought it could play at Gilmore Stadium but this facility was deemed unusable by 01/1938.) The first game at Gilmore Field pitted the the Stars against the Seattle Rainiers on 05/02/1939, which the visitors won, 9-5. The Stars' last Pacific Coast League game happened here on 09/05/1957.

Building Notes

Movie stars flocked to Hollywood Stars games to root for the home team and be photographed. Spectators sat extremely close to the players, only 24 feet away on the first and third baselines and 34 feet behind home plate. One would imagine that line-drive fouls may have injured many with these dimensions. Gilmore Field was built five years after Gilmore Stadium and both hosted sports events seen by an estimated 10 million fans between 1934-1958. (See Paul Zimmerman, "Earl Gilmore, True Sportsman," Los Angeles Times, 03/01/1964, p. K2.) The Los Angeles Rams National Football League team used Gilmore Field as a practice field until its demolition in 1958. They used Olive Field in Burbank, CA, from 1958-1963, at which time the team moved to the San Fernando Recreation Park at 208 Park Avenue, San Fernando, CA.

Alteration

Some sources indicated that Gilmore Field had a 11,500-seat capacity, while others stated it was 12,987. The latter figure was correct; according to the LA Times, the Stars played a double header with the Seattle Rainiers on 05/07/1939 before 13,000 fans, "...the largest turnout for a ball game in the Movie City...." (See Bob Ray, "Stars Break Even before 13,000 Fans," Los Angeles Times, 05/08/1939, p. A9.)

Demolition

Gilmore Field was torn down in 1958 to make room for a CBS Television City parking lot. Gilmore Stadium was torn down first, in the early 1950s, while Gilmore Field was leveled later in 1958.

PCAD id: 3926