Ainsworth Field Entrance Circa 1967

Ainsworth Field in Erie, PA prior to its renovation.

Thousands of fans have passed through the gates at Ainsworth Field in Erie, PA. The ballpark is located at West 23rd and Washington Place, right behind Roosevelt School. Baseball legend Babe Ruth played here. So did the Erie Sailors and the Erie Cardinals. The Erie Tigers, a name that is almost lost to history, played one season at Ainsworth in 1967. Their logo is painted above the old entrance to Ainsworth, aiding in dating this photo of the park prior to its renovation.

Find more fun historical facts and old photos of Erie, Pennsylvania at Old Time Erie

Tarzan Swam at the Downtown YMCA in Erie PA

Olympic gold medalist Johnny Weissmuller visited Erie, Pa on December 15, 1915 as a guest of YMCA director James C. Ainsworth. 

If the name Johnny Weissmuller doesn't ring a bell, it should. He was the star of a dozen Tarzan movies, starting with 'Tarzan the Ape Man' in 1932. He then played Jungle Jim in a series of movies (and later a TV series) during the forties and fifties.

Johnny got his start as a freestyle swimmer, winning five gold medals in the Olympics, three in 1924 and two in 1928. He also set 67 world records.

Johnny appeared at the Downtown Y on West 10th Street. "The largest audience ever to witness a swimming exhibition in this city jammed its way into the limited capacity of the Y.M.C.A. tank last night and was amply rewarded...The biggest upset of the program, however, was Bill Wright's triumph over Johnny Weismuller, world's champion swimmer, in a special 40-yard race...It was this same Wright that finished second to him last year in the Olympic trials that saw the Erie boy disqualified. -Erie Dispatch-Herald, December 16, 1925.

The 'Erie boy' that Weissmuller competed against was William Wright.

Enjoy more historic facts and photos of Erie, PA at: oldtimeerie.blogspot.com