Boundary Field, also known as American League Park II and National Park, is a former baseball ground in Washington, D.C. located on the site currently occupied by Howard University Hospital; bounded approximately by Georgia Avenue, 5th Street, W Street and Florida Avenue, NW. It was just outside what was then the city limit of Washington, whose northern boundary was Boundary Street which was renamed Florida Avenue in 1890.
History
The First Team
The ground was home to the Washington Senators of the American Association in 1891 and then of the National League from 1892 to 1899 after the League absorbed the Association. The National League contracted after the 1899 season and the Senators folded. From 1891 to 1893, the field was also the venue for home games of the Georgetown football program.
The Second Team
The field was also the home of the American League's Washington Senators (also known as the Nationals) from 1904 through 1910. When the American League declared itself a major league in 1901 and began raiding National League rosters for talent, the NL decided to retain its lease on the Boundary Field property. This forced the American League's new reincarnation of the Senators to find an alternative home field, The Senators' Manager, Jimmy McAleer came up with the idea and catcher Gabby Street was selected to catch the ball instead of star pitcher Walter Johnson after he declined the offer. however, at the last minute, President Taft threw it to Walter Johnson.
The Fire
The wooden stands were destroyed by fire on March 17, 1911. Around 11:30 in the morning, the fire started and spread rapidly due to a southwestern wind, threatening to destroy the nearby lumber yard owned by the Eisinger Brothers on 7th and W Street NW. It was detected when a bicycle police officer, T. F. Sweeney of the 8th precinct, James P. O'Dea, superintendent of the park and another man noticed a small curl of smoke coming from under the bleachers as they were standing at the main entrance. The police officer ran to the police telephone box located at 7th Street and Florida Ave NW. No. 7 Engine Company responded to the call while the superintendent attempted to put out the fire by hand, burning himself to the wrist. Upon arrival, it was determined that the fire was beyond the control of a single engine and reinforcement was called from another local police box.
The Fire Deputy Chief, G. J. Sullivan arrived at the scene in the chief's automobile. The nearby lumber yard had suffered significant damage in two previous fires, with the latest only four years prior and damaging the clubhouse and grandstand. Based on those facts and the height of the flames in the air, a general alarm was called. Two lines of hoses were laid through the main entrance but the fire spread in the opposite direction, sweeping around the north side of the grandstand. It reached the outfield bleachers and soon after, the old storehouses in the Freedman's Hospital and used by the lumber yard, causing $25,000 worth of damage. The Fire Department focused on saving the open bleachers on the south field and the main portion of the lumber yard by keeping the piles of lumber wet.