The Connecticut Defenders were a Minor League Baseball team based in Norwich, Connecticut . The team, which played in the Eastern League , was the Double-A affiliate of the San Francisco Giants major-league club from 2003 until following the 2009 season, when the Defenders relocated to Richmond, Virginia and are now known as the Richmond Flying Squirrels .
26-767: The Defenders played in Senator Thomas J. Dodd Memorial Stadium , located in Norwich; opened in 1995, it seats 6,275 fans. The Defenders had been known as the Norwich Navigators from 1995 until October 2005. Prior to the 2003 season, the Navigators had been an affiliate of the New York Yankees . The Defenders were last managed by Steve Decker, who was announced as the team's new skipper on December 28, 2008. The Defenders were scheduled to host
52-543: A large covered picnic area which can be rented out, and a kids' play area with inflatable slides. One room off the concourse has been made into a video arcade . The stadium is located in the Norwich Business Park, and the parking fee is $ 3. Season ticket holders park on a paved lot on the first-base side of the stadium; all other parking is in a large gravel area. Dodd Stadium hosted the 12th and final Double-A All-Star Game on July 10, 2002, in front of
78-718: A request to transfer the lease on Dodd Stadium to Richmond Baseball Club LC , chaired by Bryan Bostic. On Wednesday, April 22, 2009, the Richmond Times-Dispatch reported that the Richmond Metropolitan Authority (RMA) signed an agreement with the Richmond Baseball Club LC to allow a professional baseball team to play at The Diamond . On September 23, 2009, the Eastern League officially announced that
104-671: A standing-room-only crowd of 8,009. The three Double-A leagues began holding their own separate All-Star Games starting in 2003, with Dodd Stadium hosting the Eastern League game once again on July 11, 2007. (That game was ultimately canceled in the 3rd inning due to excessive fog.) The facility has also been the site of the New England Collegiate All-Star Game; the Big East Conference baseball tournament ; several concerts including
130-811: Is a stadium in Norwich, Connecticut . It is primarily used for baseball , and since 2010, has been the home of the Norwich Sea Unicorns , who were previously known as the Connecticut Tigers. It was the home field of the Connecticut Defenders (previously known as the Norwich Navigators) minor league baseball team until 2009 when the Defenders announced their move to Richmond, Virginia , to become known as
156-428: Is a third category of general-admission seats making up the top 10 rows. A wide concourse runs around the top of the seating area, with concession stands, restrooms, and a gift shop. The press box is also located at concourse level, overlooking the field. Other than behind the press box, fans can continue to watch the game while standing in line or while walking around the stadium. There are 18 skyboxes, elevated above
182-731: Is the home of Richmond Flying Squirrels of the Eastern League and the Virginia Commonwealth University baseball team . From 1985 to 2008, it was the home of the Richmond Braves , the Triple-A minor league baseball affiliate of the Atlanta Braves . The Diamond seats 12,134 people for baseball; however, for Flying Squirrels games, advertising banners cover up the top rows of the upper deck, reducing seating capacity to 9,560. The Diamond replaced
208-654: The Beach Boys , Willie Nelson , Bob Dylan , and Clint Black / Dwight Yoakam ; and a TNA Wrestling event. During the fall of 2006, the stadium was used as the setting for the ESPN miniseries The Bronx Is Burning , based on a Jonathan Mahler book of the same name. From 2002 to 2004, the stadium hosted the Atlantic 10 Conference baseball tournament . The event was won by George Washington in 2002, Richmond in 2003, and St. Bonaventure in 2004. It also has hosted
234-647: The Northeast Conference baseball tournament since 2014 along with the 2011 and 2012 seasons. The Connecticut Huskies baseball team holds some home games at Dodd Stadium, including four in 2012. As part of the 2010 NCAA Division I baseball tournament , the Huskies hosted an NCAA Regional at Dodd Stadium. The Diamond (Richmond, Virginia) The Diamond is a baseball stadium located in Richmond, Virginia , USA, on Arthur Ashe Boulevard . It
260-615: The Richmond Flying Squirrels . It was built in 1995 and has a seating capacity of 6,270. It is named for Eastern Connecticut native Thomas Dodd who was a United States senator and Representative from Connecticut, and the father of U.S. Senator Christopher Dodd . The stadium is sunk into the surrounding ground, so that all fans enter at street level and walk down to get to their seats. Each section has 22–25 rows of seating, split into box seats (closest to field) and reserved seats. Beyond first and third bases, there
286-468: The 2003 season. In 2005, the team was bought by a group led by boxing promoter Lou DiBella . With attendance figures declining, management announced an overhaul of the franchise's image and held a contest during the season allowing the public to select a new name submitted by Robert Schaub of East Hampton, Connecticut . and logo for the franchise. These were unveiled on November 14, and a new mascot (a bald eagle ) debuted eight days later. Another contest
SECTION 10
#1732775897815312-684: The Defenders fell short in the end, losing three games to one to the Akron Aeros . On Friday, February 13, 2009 the Norwich Bulletin reported that a Virginia businessman Bryan Bostic, was interested in purchasing the franchise and relocating the team to Richmond, Virginia in time for the 2010 season. On Monday, March 16, 2009 the Norwich Bulletin reported that the Norwich City Council unanimously approved
338-772: The Defenders were leaving Norwich and moving to Richmond, where they will play in The Diamond while continuing to seek proposals for a new ballpark in the Richmond vicinity. Also, the "Defenders" nickname will not be retained, rather the new team will be called the Richmond Flying Squirrels after a name-the-team contest. Notable players to pass through the franchise include... (Place indicates finish in Northern Division) Notes Sources Senator Thomas J. Dodd Memorial Stadium Senator Thomas J. Dodd Memorial Stadium
364-672: The Eastern League All-Star Game at Dodd Stadium on July 11, 2007, but the game was ultimately canceled due to fog . The fan activities and home run derby went on as scheduled, with over 6,500 fans attending events throughout the day. On June 3, 1994, the Yankees announced they would move their double-A franchise from Albany, New York , where it had been known as the Albany-Colonie Yankees since 1985, to Norwich, Connecticut , and would be known as
390-517: The Navigators won their first and only Eastern League championship with a five-game series victory at home over Harrisburg , under the direction of rookie manager Luis Sojo . Within weeks, the Yankees announced that they were ending their affiliation with the Navigators and beginning one with the Trenton Thunder . Later that fall, the Giants signed on as the new parent club, effective for
416-495: The Norwich Navigators. Ground was broken for a new stadium in Norwich on November 3 of that year, and the team began play on April 6, 1995, with a win over Bowie . The home opener occurred 11 days later and was another Navigators victory (this time over Reading ). Norwich reached the Eastern League playoffs four times in six years, with many current or former New York Yankees leading the way. On September 14, 2002,
442-689: The ballpark and the RMA gave an additional $ 75,000 for upgrades. On October 28, 2009, the Richmond Flying Squirrels started renovations on the Diamond. They tore out aluminum benches and started to replace them with 3,200 dark green seats with cup holders. There are now 6,200 seats in the lower level. A new larger sized store was built for the Squirrels. Extensive gutting and remodeling of the offices and new indoor batting cages are parts of
468-523: The company that submitted this ballpark plan withdrew it. Under the plan, the Richmond Braves would have moved to the new stadium while the Diamond would become the sole home to Virginia Commonwealth University athletics. VCU Baseball previously shared the facility with the Braves for home games. The new team announced on October 2, 2009 that they were going to spend $ 1.5 million on renovations to
494-420: The concourse and accessible by stairs or elevator for ticket-holders only. The skyboxes and their outdoor seating serve as cover for the main concourse below, and for the top couple rows of reserved seats. Down the left- and right-field lines are grassy berms which are popular with children because they abut the bullpens . These are also frequent landing places for foul balls. The left-field side also features
520-417: The demolished Parker Field , which had been built in 1934, as part of the fair grounds. Parker Field had been converted for baseball in 1954, replacing Mooers Field. Parker Field housed the Braves from 1966 to 1984, with the last game played on August 30 of that year. In 2003, part of The Diamond's roof was destroyed by Hurricane Isabel , and in 2004 a piece of a concrete beam the size of a football fell on
546-447: The foul lines will remain the same. The venue hosted the 1987 and 1988 Colonial Athletic Association baseball tournaments , won by East Carolina and George Mason , respectively. The ballpark hosted the 1992 Triple-A All-Star Game . The team of American League -affiliated All-Stars defeated the team of National League -affiliated All-Stars, 2–1. The Diamond also hosted the 2019 Eastern League All-Star Game before 9,560 fans,
SECTION 20
#1732775897815572-476: The largest crowd in the game's history. The ballpark is also home to Virginia Commonwealth University's Rams baseball team. VCU hosts Atlantic 10 and regional teams at the Diamond. The venue was to host the 2020 Atlantic 10 Conference baseball tournament , which was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic . The Flying Squirrels and VCU will be leaving The Diamond in 2026 and will begin playing home games at
598-673: The renovation plan as well. For 2011, the scoreboard was enhanced and two new party decks were built in the upper level. Ownership of The Diamond was transferred from the Richmond Metropolitan Authority to the city of Richmond in 2014. Ahead of the 2020 season, and in consultation with the San Francisco Giants and VCU Baseball, the Flying Squirrels are reducing outfield distances at the Diamond from 8 to 10 feet from left center field around to right center field. Exact distances are yet to be determined. Distances up
624-700: The stands below, though no fans were injured. The Richmond Braves relocated to Gwinnett County, Georgia , after the 2008 season. One factor in the franchise's decision to relocate was reportedly a failure to reach an agreement on building a new ballpark in Richmond. There was plan by a development group called the Richmond Baseball Initiative to build a new stadium in Shockoe Bottom near Main Street Station. But in August 2009
650-598: Was eventually removed from the list. In September 2008 the San Francisco Giants renewed their PDC with the Defenders until 2010. The following season, the Defenders won the Southern Division title and qualified for the Eastern League playoffs, defeating the New Britain Rock Cats three games to one in the ELDS to advance to the second Eastern League Championship Series in franchise history. However,
676-712: Was held to name the mascot, and on February 11, 2006, "Cutter" was christened. The "Defenders" name, and the bald eagle mascot, are a reference to the United States Coast Guard Academy located a short drive away in New London , and also to the U.S. submarine base also located nearby in Groton . In 2005, the team sponsored several rallies in support of the sub base after it was placed on the Base Realignment and Closure list. The base
#814185