 The wooden ballpark was built a few blocks east and south from their first home, the original Polo Grounds, on a piece of land bounded by 109th Street (north), the East River (east), 107th Street (south), and First Avenue (west).The park had been built on a former dumping ground, a fact which contributed to its quick demise.The Mets played their first game at Metropolitan Park on May 13, 1884, amid a degree of publicity.