The Recreation Yard was the yard used by inmates of Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary between 1934 and 1963.
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Gps Coordinates / 37.8271384,-122.4239554
Alcatraz Recreation Yard Prison Yard 2013 VR Alcatraz Island
Recreation Yard, San Francisco, CA 94133, USA
In 1936, the previously dirt-covered yard was paved. The yard was part of the most violent escape attempt from Alcatraz in May 1946 when a group of inmates hatched a plot to obtain the key into the recreation yard, kill the tower guards, take hostages, and use them as shields to reach the dock.
The Alcatraz recreation yard has been a setting for scenes in numerous films and novels.
Link Location Gps -122.4238565
Gps Coordinates / 37.827197,-122.4238565
Inmates were permitted out into the yard on Saturdays, Sundays and on holidays for a maximum of 5 hours.
Link Location Gps / Gps Link -122.4238691 / Gps Link -122.4238887 / Gps Link -122.4239059
Gps Coordinates / 37.8270794,-122.4238691 / 37.8270915,-122.4238887 / 37.8271044,-122.4239059
During the Occupation of Alcatraz in 1970, between 400 and 700 Native Indians assembled in the recreation yard and demonstrated.
The yard featured several times in the 1979 Clint Eastwood film Escape from Alcatraz including a violent fight.
Link Location Gps / Gps Link -122.4239369 / Gps Link -122.4239554 / Gps Link -122.42398
Gps Coordinates / 37.8271223,-122.4239369 / 37.8271384,-122.4239554 / 37.8271252,-122.42398
Inmates who worked seven days a week in the kitchen were rewarded with short yard breaks during the weekdays.
Link Location Gps / Gps Link -122.4239554 / Gps Link -122.4239282 / Gps Link -122.4238987
Gps Coordinates / 37.8271384,-122.4239554 / 37.8271599,-122.4239282 / 37.8271768,-122.4238987
Badly behaved prisoners were liable to having their yard access rights taken away from them on weekends.
Parodied in the 1994 Leslie Nielsen film, Naked Gun 33+1⁄3: The Final Insult.
Link Location Gps / Gps Link -122.4238565 / Gps Link -122.4238081 / Gps Link -122.423771
Gps Coordinates / 37.827197,-122.4238565 / 37.8272183,-122.4238081 / 37.8272333,-122.423771
It is located adjacent to the Dining Hall northwest of the end of D-Block on a raised level surrounded by a high wall and fence above it.
Link Location Gps / Gps Link -122.423735 / Gps Link -122.4237019 / Gps Link -122.423667
Gps Coordinates / 37.8272489,-122.423735 / 37.8272372,-122.4237019 / 37.8272081,-122.423667
The gun gallery was situated in the yard, mounted on one of the dining hall's exterior walls. The recreation yard faced the mainland.
Link Location Gps / Gps Link -122.4236361 / Gps Link -122.4236294 / Gps Link -122.4236636
Gps Coordinates / 37.8271771,-122.4236361 / 37.8271482,-122.4236294 / 37.8271262,-122.4236636
The prisoners of Alcatraz were permitted to play games such as baseball, softball and other sports at these times, and intellectual games such as chess.
Link Location Gps / Gps Link -122.4237055 / Gps Link -122.4237461 / Gps Link -122.4237826
Gps Coordinates / 37.8271049,-122.4237055 / 37.827082,-122.4237461 / 37.8270636,-122.4237826
Basketball also appears to have been played on the yard judging by the markings which are still visible on the yard today.
Link Location Gps / Gps Link -122.4237806 / Gps Link -122.4237255 / Gps Link -122.4236533
Gps Coordinates / 37.8269999,-122.4237806 / 37.8269484,-122.4237255 / 37.8269077,-122.4236533
Baseball and softball were the most popular.
Link Location Gps / Gps Link -122.4235892 / Gps Link -122.4235382 / Gps Link -122.4234786
Gps Coordinates / 37.826878,-122.4235892 / 37.8268521,-122.4235382 / 37.8268265,-122.4234786
Because of the small size of the yard and the diamond at the end of it, a section of the wall behind the first base had to be padded to cushion the impact of inmates overrunning it.
Link Location Gps / Gps Link -122.4234279 / Gps Link -122.4233784 / Gps Link -122.4233334
Gps Coordinates / 37.8268202,-122.4234279 / 37.8268297,-122.4233784 / 37.8268368,-122.4233334
Inmates were provided gloves, bats, and balls, but no sport uniforms.
Link Location Gps / Gps Link -122.4233003 / Gps Link -122.4232735 / Gps Link -122.4232486
Gps Coordinates / 37.8268211,-122.4233003 / 37.8268013,-122.4232735 / 37.8267837,-122.4232486
In 1938, there were four amateur teams, the Bees, Oaks, Oilers, and Seals, named after Minor League clubs, and four league teams named after Major League clubs, the Cardinals, Cubs, Giants, and Tigers.
Link Location Gps / Gps Link -122.4232158 / Gps Link -122.4231794
Gps Coordinates / 37.82676,-122.4232158 / 37.8267395,-122.4231794
Bank robber and kidnapper Volney Davis was a pitching ace for the Oilers
A notable riot occurred on May 20, 1956, over racial taunts on the diamond between a white and black prisoner during a softball match.
Link Location Gps -122.4238258
Gps Coordinates / 37.827055,-122.4238258
Lorenzo Murrietta, doing 40 years for assault and robbery, was the best batter in Alcatraz league play. He had a .402 batting average, with 9 home runs and 45 RBIs for the Cardinals.
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Although many of the inmates relished the opportunity to exercise on weekends, violence occasionally occurred, often race related.
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We left some touring brochures below let us know how you got along.
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Freetoursbyfoot.com/alcatraz-tours/
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Alcatrazislandtickets.com/Alcatraz-Island-Tours/
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Thetourguy.com/travel-blog/usa/san-francisco/alcatraz/how-to-visit-alcatraz-island/
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