Lot # 1: Lease of Land To Build Brotherhood Park (Polo Grounds)

Category: Signed Bats

Starting Bid: $2,000.00

Bids: 1 (Bid History)

Time Left: Auction closed
Lot / Auction Closed




This lot is closed. Bidding is not allowed.

Item was in Auction "Historical Rarities Winter Auction",
which ran from 12/20/2017 12:00 PM to
1/13/2018 7:00 PM




Click Here to read the write-up in The Orange County Register.

(LOT 1)
Lease of Land To Build Brotherhood Park (Polo Grounds)

This unique document is the significant lease for the land upon which Brotherhood Park (home of the New York Player's League Giants) would be built. Eventually known to baseball enthusiasts as the iconic Polo Grounds, its inaugural 19th century name would be Brotherhood Park game. The lease is for 5 years, beginning November 1, 1889, at a yearly rent of $6,000. The lessee also had the right to renew the lease for an additional five-year period at a rent of $7,500. This historic lease is between John Ward (acting as President of the Brotherhood who oversaw the affairs of the Players' League until December 17, 1889 when the Articles of Agreement were signed) and Sarah Lynch, the wife of William L. Lynch who had many Manhattan real estate holdings.

This landmark deal was brokered by James Coogan; husband of the Lynch's daughter Harriet Gertrude Lynch. Coogan was the source of the iconic "Coogan's Bluff" Polo Grounds nickname and Coogan's Hollow names. An important clause of the lease was that the tenant was not allowed to assign or retract any portion of the premises without the landlord's consent UNLESS it is assigned to a corporation, organized under the laws of New York State, with at least $20,000 of fully paid capital stock. It should be noted that after the Player's League folded, the lease to the land upon which Brotherhood Park was built was assumed by the merged NY PL/ NY NL entity.

The NL Giants moved into Brotherhood park since it was superior to their prior stadium, the adjacent Polo Grounds II. Brotherhood Park was rechristened as the Polo Grounds (Polo Grounds III), and it remained the home of the Giants for the next 66 years, until their renowned relocation to San Francisco after the 1957 season. Additional information on the "NY Merger" is covered in Lot#15's description. 

MIN BID $2,000
_


Click Here to read the write-up in The Orange County Register.

Views: 1130