Heckscher Ballfields
Heckscher Ballfields consists of six fields for softball in an area defined by mature trees, impressive rock outcrops, and the midtown skyline in the south end of Central Park.
It’s one of three areas in Central Park with sports fields—the others being the Great Lawn and the North Meadow. All require a permit.
This area was designated in the 19th-century design for Central Park as the “Ball-ground” or the “Play-ground,” a place for playing fields games such as cricket or baseball. Although the growing popularity of these games led the Park planners to envision additional fields as part of the Park, they ultimately created only one. Because of overwhelming demand, they decided to prioritize its use for children. The nearby Ball-players House was created as a changing room and is now a cafe.
Later, more fields were added to the Park. Adults began to play on the ballfields in the 1920s.
Things you can do here
Activities
Baseball & Softball
Tags: For Groups / Kids and Families / Health & Fitness
Tours
Iconic Views of Central Park Tour
10:00 amVisit the iconic landmarks and landscapes that make Central Park the world’s most famous park.
Tags: History / Art & Architecture / Daily Tours
Self-Guided Tours
Richard Gilder Walk
This self-guided tour is dedicated to Richard “Dick” Gilder, Jr., a visionary philanthropist who grew up playing in Central Park.
Tags: History
Also in the area
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Things to See and Do
From the Mailbag: Solitude, Sports, and Skyline Views
We received curious inquiries on everything from the best places to take skyline photos to the history of the Minton tile ceiling in the Bethesda Terrace Arcade.
Tags: Tips for Visiting
Park Information
10 New Year’s Resolutions for a Central Park-Lover
Here are 10 ways to combine a desire for a new you in the new year with the joy of spending time in Central Park.
Park History
The Children's District: Then and Now
Not long after construction of Central Park began, the Park’s designers created the Children’s District in the lower end of the Park.
Tags: Families / Best for Kids
About the Conservancy
Central Park's Iconic Chess & Checkers House is Revived and Kinderberg Restored
Central Park's iconic Chess & Checkers House and Kinderberg are newly restored. See how the Conservancy's expert team of landscape architects, architects, project managers, and historians worked to revive the site, a destination for kids of all ages for over 150 years.
Tags: Conservancy Staff / Park Design / About the Conservancy / Rustic Architecture / History / Park Experts / Landscape Design / Restoration and Maintenance