McCoy Stadium

McCoy Stadium is a Minor League baseball stadium in Pawtucket, Rhode Island. It is currently home to the Pawtucket Red Sox of the International League.

Related Topics:
Minor League baseball - Stadium - Pawtucket, Rhode Island - Pawtucket Red Sox - International League

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The project to build the stadium began in 1938 and was championed by then Pawtucket Mayor Thomas P. McCoy. It was to be built on a swampy piece of land known as Hammond's Pond and, to this day, the stadium sits at the end of Pond Street. On the afternoon of November 3, 1940, Mayor McCoy laid the foundation cornerstone.

Related Topics:
Thomas P. McCoy - Hammond's Pond

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The stadium was completed in 1942 and in 1946 was officially dedicated and named in honor of Mayor McCoy. McCoy Stadium first began hosting affiliated Minor League Baseball in 1946. The Pawtucket Slaters, a Class B affiliate of the Boston Braves, was the first team to call McCoy Stadium home. The Pawtucket Slaters would play for 4 seasons in the New England League, as Braves affiliates.

Related Topics:
Pawtucket Slaters - Boston Braves - New England League

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Professional baseball disappeared from Pawtucket for 18 years. It finally returned in 1966 as a member of the Eastern League. McCoy Stadium still hadn't found its true team yet and hosted the Double-A affiliate of the Cleveland Indians, the Pawtucket Indians. After 2 years, the Indians moved to Waterbury, Connecticut. McCoy was again without a team.

Related Topics:
Eastern League - Cleveland Indians - Pawtucket Indians - Waterbury, Connecticut

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In 1969 the Boston Red Sox came to scout McCoy Stadium. By April of 1970, Boston had pulled their minor league affiliate out of their home in Pittsfield, Massachusetts. They moved into McCoy Stadium where they remain today and became known as the Pawtucket Red Sox. The franchise would spend 3 years playing for the Double-A Eastern League before being promoted to the Triple-A International League.

Related Topics:
Boston Red Sox - Pittsfield, Massachusetts

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In 1976, debt-ridden owner Phil Anez threatened to move the team to New Jersey, but sold the franchise to Marvin Adelson, who lost the ballclub after threatening to move to Massachusetts. Just before the 1977 season, Canadian expatriate businessman Ben Mondor arrived to resurrect the fallen franchise, and the PawSox have thrived since then. Mondor still owns the team, and is a well-belowed member of the community, as he has turned the ballpark and franchise into one of the most fan-friendly in all of professional baseball.

Related Topics:
Phil Anez - New Jersey - Marvin Adelson - Massachusetts - Ben Mondor

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The PawSox have brought two championship titles to McCoy Stadium and Pawtucket, winning the Governors' Cup, the championship of the International League, in 1973 and 1984.

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