When I was a kid, there were actually polo matches every Sunday. There were even horses boarded in the now empty stables next door. Otherwise, it was a great place to run, bike, fly model airplanes, or play American football at the west end. Even had goalposts, though we could never make a field goal. In the sixties, it was the site of many a free rock concert and focal point for protesting the Vietnam War. Fast forward a few years and add the growing popularity of soccer and now it provides much needed space for that activity as well as biking, running, par course, walking, or just feeling the huge space. Other venues such as Outside Lands make use of the space, as well.
San Francisco has a rich history of bike racing, and Golden Gate Park played an important role in supporting the endeavors of both leisure riders and competitive events. During the early 20th century, bicycle racing was the ‘it’ thing to do – before motorcycles and auto racing started to gain followers. In the western section of the park, the Golden Gate Park Stadium had a velodrome constructed in 1906, which later became known as Polo Field.
Before and after the Second World War, the best cyclists in the region would come to Golden Gate Park – it was known as the hot spot in all of the West Coast. From the 1900s to the 1950s, racing bikes had only one gear, lacked a freewheel, and possessed no brakes. This meant that the accelerating and decelerating of the bikes came from the strength of the cyclist. Today, cyclists still visit Polo Field in Golden Gate Park, but they must share the space with many other activities.
Congrats to deadley for FTF! An honor to have you visit.