North Meadow

In the original competition for Central Park, designers were asked to include three areas for playing ball. After all, the sport of baseball was gaining popularity from coast to coast by the late 19th century.

The winning park design called for fields at North Meadow, in the southwest corner of the Park, and at the site of what is now the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Today, North Meadow has 7 baseball and 5 softball fields, which become soccer and touch football fields every fall. But on a spring or summer afternoon, the fields are full of softball teams.

If you look carefully, you might even spot a celebrity stepping up to bat. The casts of Law and Order, Sex and the City, and The Sopranos have all played ball here.

The brick building to the south is the North Meadow Recreation Center, which is run by the Central Park Conservancy.  The Conservancy is central to the Park. From mowing lawns and pruning trees to rebuilding playgrounds and hosting events, the Conservancy keeps the Park clean and green.