 Originally (mostly in the old jewel box parks) these variations resulted from the shape of the property where the park was constructed.If there was a street beyond left field, the distance to the left field fence would be shorter, and if the distance was too short, the fence would be higher.For example, in the old Griffith Stadium in Washington, D.C., part of center field had to be built around a cluster of apartment houses and the result was a rather large angular indentation in the left-center field fence.