San Mateo Plays the Blues
Central Park’s semi-pro baseball team
1898. The San Mateo Blue amateur baseball club was founded. They originally played at a diamond on what is now Martin Luther King Center. They competed with other teams up and down the peninsula.
1924. The Blues move to Central Park and join the semi-pro California State League. They played against teams from all over northern California such as Santa Cruz, Modesto, San Jose, Alameda, Vallejo.
1935. Lights installed for night games.
1960. Major renovation – modern bleachers, announcers booth, snack stand, scoreboard.
1978. San Mateo Blues disband.
Justin ‘Fitz’ Fitzgerald. A native of San Mateo, he played for Santa Clara University and played professionally with the New York Yankees and Philadelphia Phillies. An arm injury cut his career short. Fitz managed the Blues from 1924 to 1935. He later served on the City Council, 1933-1937. In his honor, Central Park field was renamed Fitzgerald field in 1960.