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Read Baseball in Cincinnati - A History by Harry Ellard to see if I could learn anything new about the Union Grounds. Didn't find much that I didn't already know but learned a lot about the Cincinnati Base Ball Club. One thing I learned that I didn't know previously was that the "Grand Duchess" portion of the stands wasn't originally there but was actually added on a year later in 1868.
Excerpt from the book on the original construction
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Owing to the increasing membership in the club, it was found necessary to construct a large clubhouse to accommodate the men. At a meeting held at the office of George B. Ellard, April 3, 1867, plans of the building intended to be erected were submitted by Duncan & Bunten, the old contractors and builders on Freeman Avenue. These plans were accepted and the new building erected at a cost of $2,400, with an additional expense of $1,350 for a more substantial fence around the grounds.
At a meeting held at the office of Geo. B. Ellard, on June 12, 1867, there were present Messrs. Wm. Resor, H. A. Glassford, D. Schwartz, Drausin Wulsin, Ben. F. Wright and Geo. B. Ellard. It was resolved that the members of the Cincinnati Baseball Club and the Union Cricket Club be admitted free to all matches, also that the rates of admission be fixed at ten cents for home matches and twenty-five cents for foreign matches. Ladies free.
On September 10 following, it was resolved that thereafter the charge for admission to the grounds on the occasion of all matches should be twenty-five cents and that ladies be charged the same as gentlemen. No disreputable characters were allowed on the grounds. The audience behaved themselves, and did not insult umpires or players.
We also notice among the rules and regulations of the club that “no ardent spirits shall be kept for sale on the grounds,” yet in looking over some of the old bills presented to the club we find one from the caterer, where the item “drinks and lemons for the policemen” is mentioned several times, at a cost ranging from forty-five cents to $1.75.
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Excerpt from the book on addition of octagonal portion of stands in 1868 which would later be referred to as the "Grand Duchess".
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The interest in the various games had increased to such an extent that the attendance was becoming larger at each game played. It was found necessary to increase the seating capacity, and plans were submitted to erect a large octagonal building at the southeast corner of the grounds. Those designed by James McLaughlin, the architect, were accepted, and the building was erected at a cost of $2,350.
As the Cincinnati Club did not require its grounds every day in the week, upon those days when they were not used the privilege of playing on the grounds was rented out to various other local clubs at a rental of $25 per month.
The clubs that used them were the Live Oaks, the Charter Oak, the Great Western and the Buckeye. When any local club had a game with the Cincinnati Club on its grounds they were given one-third of the net receipts, and when an Eastern or outside club came to play they were allowed one-half of the net receipts.
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