The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-10-14
THE GLORIES OF PROSPECT PARK.
BrookIyn's Big Pleasure Ground and Its
Many sporting Facilities.

! Prospect Park is the pleasure ground Of the
| people Of Brooklyn. Its great beauties and
manifold facilities for sports of all kinds allure
| immense numbers OF persons OF every age and
taste. No matter how unpleasant the day. the
park will always be found inhabited TO some
| extent. SO much time and money have been
| wisely spent in improving the Park In every di-
rection that Brooklynites and even people from
this city regard IL as the chief place I'm which
a convenient and almost costless outing
NAV be taken. To show how greatly the park is
appreciated by the people of this vicinity. Il is
only necessary to state that over 1000. 900
persons enjoyed its many advantages last year.
Owing tn the particularly fine weather we have
had during the past season this number, Accord
ing tn the park authorities, will be eclipsed by
the next official total.
The park may he reached 80 readily from all
parts Of Brooklyn and from this city below
Thirtieth street that II has become the Mecca of
many classes of sportsmen. large number of
baseball and football teams from this city find
Prospect Park II suitable place in which to play
their games, while riders and drivers from all
over New York and vicinity use the park drives
on their way to Coney Island and the races.
These drives are 5ta miles long aad lead from
what is known the Eastern Parkway. through
the park itself, and out upon the Boulevard
leading to the ocean. They more particu-
larly set apart for the use OF carriages and road
wagons, in which many people take their out
ings. A considerable number of Brooklynites
never think of driving beyond the confines of
the park, and the pretty way in which these
drives are laid out sources of never-endinR
pleasure. Then there the narrow. enticing
roads, built especially for the of eouestrians
OF this class there are hundreds who enjoy the
park almost from one years end 10 another.
They are usually the early morning freauenters
of the vast pleasure ground. On Sunday morn
ings In particular one may see whole troops of
horsemen, and horsewomen too, cantering gayly
along the broad drives. and disappearing anon
into the leafy DEPTHS of the saddle roads.
But II is the man who has laid bv enough
money to purchase bicycle that really enjoys
all the splendors and privileges OF the early
morning hours in the Park. He Is down to the
island and hack TO the bark long before the other
returns until as late as o A. NJ; he is monarch Of
all he surveys. Not only may he use the regular
which later in the day are Reserved for mt the ass
OF 6 PsdefS, s is quite bi@RSssbe to deter
the hundreds, On Sunday mornings whselmen
use g the park In dTrSSyes' many OF them going
among them. some wearing boomers Of the most
For those I who are just learning to ride wheel
the sidewalk OF earth, arChed over by shade
trees; which runs around the park from
III.
fords ample opportunity. IL is both level and
smooth, anu Is not often patronized by expert
riders. The road is particularly convenient for
the morning hours IL Is practically deserted
TO show the use 10 which the parade grounds |
are put during the baseball season IL may be |
We're played. There are forty dia%ond d and
they are all in use on Saturday afternoons. Su- |
perlntendent O'Brien told THE Sun reporter |
that about one hundred games were played /
control. Probably 5000 persons watched these |
games which number, added TO the players |
who enjoy the privileges in this portion OF the |
park alone.
While baseball is by far the leading sport at |
the park football Is every, year growing in
for twenty hye games OF football at time. The |
footballists are allowed the use OF the lockers in
their season, which extends from October until
the snow flies, The Park supplies one set OF /
goal posts and boundary flags, but more are alb /
sOlutely needed. When two teams are playing 4
regular game they should be allowed TO rope
Last season the crowds were so great that II Was
i'm possible TO play decent game on the grounds. |
Football is mostly played ON Wednesdays and
Aquatic sports are enjoyed on and about the
si1ty-hye acres Of lakes and waterfalls While /
swimming is not permitted, boating and fishing
may be had in abundance, The park fisher
mans Joys were recOunted in THE SUS not long
ago, The boating is good, the oaTsmen being
able 20 row over about hfty acres OF lakes;
In the winter time Brook lynites eagerly look
for the red balls In the car windows. which tndl-
cate that the park lakes are frozen over suf-
hciently 70 admit OF skating. When safe the
half hundred acres Of frozen water are opened
20 the public, and the skaters enjoy themselves
hugely, The shores are lighted here and there
At night and eolored lamps CLEAN from the
treal In carnival times There sere about
twenty five days Of skating la 1888, bat not 20
many during the early part Of this ysAE.