Tree that Babe Ruth put a baseball in

Yesterday I ran an errand on my way home from work. Looking for better bike access to the shopping center, I wound my way along the tracks behind the shopping center, and came across the Center-Field Magnolia.

The story behind this tree concerns the Atlanta Crackers, their ballpark, and the only ground rule in baseball history that included a tree in center field.

The shopping center has been built on the grounds of Atlanta's old Ponce de Leon Park, home of the Atlanta Crackers. The stands were taken down when Atlanta built Fulton County Stadium as part of bringing the Braves to Atlanta and now we have a shopping center.

While searching for a photo of the tree sitting in center-field, I came across the blog of another local who has run across the tree.

I also came across this aerial photo probably taken around 1960. This photo shows the ballpark's orientation relative to the large building now used as City Hall East, and also known as the old Sears Building. The magnolia is probably the tree that can barely be seen at the lower right corner.

One of the merchants in the shopping center has placed this plaque at the base of the tree. It doesn't mention Babe Ruth, but this article does.