The Minersville Park (Photo courtesy of Ronald M. Coleman and Joseph E. Szeliga).
Being labeled the most dangerous NFL field ever is no small feat. Not in a league where players would be pelted into thin layers of AstroTurf covering blocks of cement in below-freezing temperatures. Minersville Park was different, though—more toxic.
Minersville Park Deets
The stadium was located in Minersville, Pennsylvania, which is near Pottsville, PA. Another place in the middle of nowhere.
5,000 people could sit at the stadium at one time—a low number of seats in those days. Football was a hit even back in the 1920s, especially in an area where little else was going on.
The NFL team, the Pottsville Maroons, would play at Minersville Park from 1925 to 1928. It was also used by the local high school’s football team, a terrifying prospect when you consider the danger of the field.
Why So Dangerous?
As outlined in the Pro Football Chronicle (available for sale here), Minersville Park was labeled as the worst playing surface of the 1920s (and likely ever).
Visiting teams would describe the field as being cut out of the side of a mountain and being more coal slag than grass.
A doctor at the time, Harry March, said the soil was so toxic after a good rain that players would have small wounds turn into dangerous infections.
Minersville Park Toxins?
I’m not a mining expert, but from what I gather, the drainage from used and abandoned mines ruins the water and soil in the area. The runoff may have looked a little different 100 years ago, but not by much.
Acid mine drainage (AMD) is the number one pollution problem in Pennsylvania today, so we will stick with that particular kind.
AMD comes from water running through the mines and connects with the metals present. When the metals come into contact with air and water, they turn into sulfuric acid. That acid can dissolve other harmful metals from the rock, like arsenic.
The not-so-good news is that once this water-metal interaction happens, it doesn’t stop. The mines have continued to leach out dangerous metals for centuries.
Minersville Park no more?
The park would be used by high school players up until 1933, when it was left behind. This was likely because of the low seating capacity. Hopefully, the new location was a little safer.
The Kings Village Plaza was built over the Minersville Park but when is unclear. The Plaza appears to be a strip mall although it is described as a shopping mall. It is one of the busiest shopping spots in the area.
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