venue . ▁ ▁The ▁field ▁was ▁used ▁at ▁least ▁as ▁early ▁as ▁June ▁ 1 6 , ▁ 1 8 6 0 , ▁when ▁Equ ity ▁defeated ▁Pennsylvania ▁ 6 5 - 5 2 ▁in ▁what ▁author ▁Charles ▁P ever elly , ▁writing ▁about ▁" the ▁national ▁game ", ▁called ▁the ▁" first ▁baseball ▁game ▁played ▁in ▁Pennsylvania ." ▁ ▁During ▁the ▁Civil ▁War , ▁a ▁caval ry ▁of ▁the ▁Union ▁Army ▁occupied ▁the ▁park . ▁In ▁ 1 8 6 6 , ▁with ▁new ▁houses ▁border ing ▁the ▁field , ▁a ▁nine - foot ▁f ence ▁was ▁ere cted ▁and ▁the ▁field ▁was ▁put ▁back ▁in ▁shape ▁for ▁baseball . ▁But ▁it ▁was ▁poor ly ▁maintained ▁by ▁ 1 8 7 1 ▁and ▁used ▁less ▁and ▁less . ▁ ▁The ▁Philadelphia ▁Cent enn ial s ▁of ▁the ▁National ▁Association ▁le ve led ▁and ▁res od ded ▁the ▁field , ▁built ▁a ▁ 1 0 - foot ▁f ence , ▁club house ▁and ▁grand stand s ▁in ▁ 1 8 7 5 . ▁They ▁called ▁it ▁Cent enn ial ▁Park . ▁The ▁league ▁fol ded ▁that ▁year , ▁and ▁the ▁park ▁decl ined . ▁ ▁Alfred ▁J . ▁Re ach ▁bought ▁the ▁field ▁in ▁ 1 8 8 2 , ▁ren aming ▁it ▁" Rec re ation ▁Park ". ▁He ▁cleared ▁the ▁grounds , ▁res od ded ▁the ▁field , ▁built ▁a ▁three - section ▁wooden ▁grand stand ▁and ▁field ed ▁the ▁independent ▁team ▁called ▁" Fill ies ." ▁ ▁There ▁is ▁no