Robison Field is the best-known of several names given to a former Major League Baseball park in St. Louis, Missouri.

Today's Cardinals of the National League began in 1882, as the St. Louis Browns of the then-major American Association.

For 1893, owner Chris von der Ahe moved his team a few blocks to the northwest and opened a "New" Sportsman's Park, on the southeast corner of Natural Bridge and Vandeventer.

Along with the basic stands, Von der Ahe had built an adjoining amusement park, a beer garden, a race track in the outfield, a "shoot-the-shoots" water flume ride, and an artificial lake (used for ice skating in winter).

Von der Ahe was able to secure financing to rebuild the permanent stands, albeit in a much more modest design than before.

The only thing that kept the baseball situation in balance was that the new Browns of the American League (who moved from Milwaukee to St. Louis in 1902) generally fared equally poorly in the pennant races.

In its final form, the park was typical for its era: a wooden structure, with a covered grandstand behind home plate and extending to first and third base; open bleachers extending to the left field corner; bleachers in parts of the outfield; and a covered pavilion from first base to the right field corner.

Helene Britton, daughter of Frank Robison, inherited the Cardinals team and the ballpark from her uncle Stanley upon his death in 1911.

In late August, the Cardinals were in a close three-way race with the New York Giants and the Boston Braves (who eventually won the National League title).

The crowd swarmed the field between games, and Giants' manager John McGraw strenuously complained to the umpiring crew.

[St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Aug. 30, 1914, sec.4 p.1] Once the Robison family was no longer associated with the team, the park was often called simply Cardinal Field in its final years.

After their constant on-field struggles at the old park, the club had begun to improve after their move, and with some fresh cash, they were ready to taste success.