Smith (Wendell) Park

Smith Playlot Fieldhouse

Smith Park

Location:

9912 S. Princeton Ave.
Chicago, IL 60628

Supervisor: Natasha Thomas

Phone Numbers: Main (312) 747-6689

Hours

Park Hours

Weekday	Time slot	Comment
Sunday:	7:00 am-11:00 pm
Monday:	7:00 am-11:00 pm
Tuesday:	7:00 am-11:00 pm
Wednesday:	7:00 am-11:00 pm
Thursday:	7:00 am-11:00 pm
Friday:	7:00 am-11:00 pm
Saturday:	7:00 am-11:00 pm

Fieldhouse Hours

Weekday	Time slot	Comment
Sunday	Closed
Monday	10:30 am-6:30 pm
Tuesday	11:00 am-7:00 pm
Wednesday	10:30 am-6:30 pm
Thursday	11:00 am-7:00 pm
Friday	10:00 am-4:00 pm
Saturday	Closed

Description

Located in the Roseland community, Smith (Wendell) Park totals 4.62 acres and features a multi-purpose clubroom. Outside, the park offers a playground, two basketball courts, and a baseball diamond. Many of these spaces are available for rental including our multi-purpose room and baseball diamond.

Park-goers can participate in seasonal sports, arts & crafts, and Cubs Care Baseball. After school programs are offered throughout the school year, and during the summer, youth can participate in the Chicago Park District’s popular six-week day camp.

In addition to programs, Wendell Smith Park hosts fun special events throughout the year for the entire family, including holiday-themed events.

History

In 1961, the Chicago Park District acquired property to create a park in the increasingly-populated Roseland neighborhood. In 1964, an ordinance was passed to vacate alleys within the park boundary. By 1970, the 3-acre site included a small recreation building. Twenty years later, the Park District began to manage nearly an additional acre of City-owned right-of way property as part of Wendell Smith Park.

In 1975, the park was officially named for Wendell Smith (1914-1972), for whom a nearby school is also named. A sports reporter for WGN-TV and The Sun-Times, Smith, an African-American, fought for equality for black sportsmen throughout his life. He encountered discrimination early, when he was dropped from a Detroit American Legion sandlot baseball team at 16. He was reinstated only through the intervention of Henry Ford, for whom his father worked as a chef. As a young man, Smith joined the sports staff of the Pittsburgh Courier, the nation's largest African-American weekly. While working at the Courier, Smith played a significant role in breaking the baseball color line by introducing Jackie Robinson to Branch Rickey, general manager of the Brooklyn Dodgers, by whom Robinson was recruited. In 1947, Smith came to Chicago, joining the staff of the Chicago American, and becoming the first full-time black sportswriter on a large daily paper. Smith later moved to WGN-TV, where he was the principal evening sports announcer. At the time of his death, Smith was president of the Chicago Press Club.

Parking/Directions

For directions using public transportation visit www.transitchicago.com.

Name	Number	Type	Category	Ages	Dates	Fee
Spring Break Camp at Smith Playlot	516650	Camp	General Interest	At least 6 but less than 13	From March 24, 2025 to March 28, 2025 Each Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday from 9am to 3pm	$5.00
Park Kids - Winter at Smith Playlot	517778	Instruction	After School	At least 6 but less than 12	From January 6, 2025 to March 14, 2025 Each Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday from 3pm to 6pm	Free
Leadership Camp at Smith Playlot	510485	Camp	General Interest	At least 13 but less than 15	From January 6, 2025 to March 21, 2025 Each Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday from 3pm to 6pm	Free
Low Impact Aerobics at Smith Playlot	510668	Instruction	Aerobics	18 and up	From January 7, 2025 to March 20, 2025 Each Tuesday,Thursday from 6pm to 6:45pm	$10.00
Knitting Club at Smith Playlot	510469	Open	Textiles	18 and up	From January 6, 2025 to March 17, 2025 Each Monday from 12pm to 2:30pm	Free
Teen Club at Smith Playlot	511607	Open	Clubs	At least 13 but less than 18	From January 10, 2025 to March 21, 2025 Each Friday from 5pm to 6pm	Free
Walking Club at Smith Playlot	511941	Open	Walking	18 and up	From January 10, 2025 to March 21, 2025 Each Friday from 1pm to 2pm	Free

Name

Number

Type