A Hundred Years Of Action

The little town of Emeryville has seen a lot of big action over the years. Long before old John Stickney Emery, a stonemason from New Hampshire, officially founded the city that bears his name, the Bay Area knew it as a lively gaming center.

In 1871 for example, the Oakland Trotting Club was built there, only to be reborn 25 years later as the California Jockey Club in 1896. But the track saw a lot more than just the sport of kings. On the 4th of July, 1909, the first auto races there draw 10,000 spectators. Then, in 1914 the great Barney Oldfield challenged barnstormer Lincoln Beachey to a race of car against airplane. Barney barely beat Beachey by 20 feet!

By 1903 the Oakland Oaks Club was playing in Emeryville and in 1913 the Oaks opened their new ball yard on Park and San Pablo after winning the Pacific Coast League pennant the year before. Many a great ballplayer would grace that field over the next 42 season. In the early 20's, dog racing was popular in California and a track was built in Emeryville, the Blue Star Amusement Park. In the 30's walkathons were all the rage, and in 1932, the New Park Auditorium opened in Emeryville featuring the 24-hour marathon walking derbies.

Many cardrooms have come and gone in Emeryville. But the one consistent center of action has been the corner of Park and San Pablo, where gaming has been continuous since 1895. In that year, Conger's Tavern opened for card playing. In the mid-1930s, it was renamed the Oaks Card Club and has been on that same spot run by the same family non-stop ever since.