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31-589: The 1894 Pittsfield Colts hosted minor league home games at Wahconah Park , which is still in use today, having been listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2005. Pittsfield has a lengthy baseball history. In 2004, baseball historian John Thorn discovered a reference to a 1791 by-law prohibiting anyone from playing "baseball" within 80 yards (73 m) of a newly built meeting house in Pittsfield. The 1791 document, would be, as of 2004,

62-475: A Class C professional league. Present plans call for moving lights over from the softball diamond, constructing dressing rooms, and depending largely the present grandstand for seating facilities." In that era, night games across America were usually scheduled for 8 or 8:15 PM starts thus it really didn't matter, except for tradition, which way the ballparks faced, especially in the lower minors when ballparks were built pretty rapidly with WPA funding. It wasn't until

93-464: A covered wooden grandstand that was demolished in 1993 and replaced with the current concrete main stand. It has the shortest center field in all of professional baseball at 354 feet from home plate. The outfield wooden wall is 15 feet high and, in right field, there is a catwalk that is located under the current electronic scoreboard. The site of the catwalk used to be the location of a hand-operated scoreboard. The catwalk remains, and any ball hit onto it

124-435: A new facility, and both refused to finance it. This caused the then-Major League parent club Los Angeles Dodgers to relocate their California League affiliate from Bakersfield after the 1994 season. In 2012, new owners of The Blaze announced plans for a new stadium; scheduled to open in 2014. Unfortunately, funding needed for this new ballpark was not completed by the agreed-upon date, and the team's ownership then reverted to

155-401: A record crowd of 5,000 attended a vintage baseball game he organized at Wahconah Park between Pittsfield and Hartford, a game telecast live for over four hours on ESPN Classic as America's Pastime: Vintage Baseball, Live . Commentators included Bouton, Bill Lee , actor Tim Robbins , and baseball historians John Thorn and David Pietrusza . Eventually, Pittsfield politics intervened and Bouton

186-454: A record of 13–17, Pittsfield folded, along with Albany, leaving the league with four remaining teams. George Roberts and Edward Cain served as the Pittsfield managers during the short season. Pittsfield players Ira Davis , Mike Hickey , Frank McPartlin , John Pappalau and Pussy Tebeau all saw time playing in the major leagues. The Amsterdam Carpet Tacks eventually won the 1894 New York State League championship, finishing 2.5 games ahead of

217-500: A settlement. For the 2009 season, Duquette restyled the team the Pittsfield American Defenders, with a military theme. The park was called Nokona Stadium at Wahconah Park pursuant to a sponsorship deal with the manufacturer of baseball gloves that funded all-new bathrooms, stadium offices, and press box. On May 3, 2009, Williams College and Amherst College alumni played a game under 1859 rules to commemorate

248-404: Is a home run. Sam Lynn Ballpark's playing field was renovated for the 2006 season. The first-base (home) dugout has been expanded to hold more players, though many still sit on a bench outside of the dugout. The third-base (away) dugout retains its original smaller design prompting most players to either sit on the front edge or an adjacent bench located in foul ground. . Starting the 2015 season,

279-544: Is located at 143 Wahconah Street in Pittsfield, Massachusetts. Wahconah Park Wahconah Park is a city-owned baseball park located in Pittsfield, Massachusetts and nestled in a working-class neighborhood. One of the last remaining ballparks in the United States with a wooden grandstand, it was constructed in 1919 and seats 4,500. Through the park's history, 201 different Pittsfield players went on to

310-669: The New York State League . The Colts joined the Albany Senators , Amsterdam Carpet Tacks , Johnstown Buckskins , Kingston Patriarchs and Poughkeepsie Bridge Citys in beginning New York State League play on May 12, 1894. In the era, the league was Class B level league, which was the second highest level of minor league classifications. The Pittsfield Colts of the New York State League ended their 1894 season on July 3, 1894. On that date, with

341-955: The Pittsfield Colonials . In 2012, the Pittsfield Suns , an expansion franchise of the Futures Collegiate Baseball League (FCBL), began playing at Wahconah Park. Marvin Goldklang is the majority owner; the Goldklang Group also owns part of the club. Goldklang owned and operated the Pittsfield Mets. In March 2024, the FCBL announced that the Suns would not play the 2024 season because of safety issues at Wahconah Park. In

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372-595: The 150th-anniversary of the first college baseball game, played between the two schools. Duquette, an alumnus of Amherst, was instrumental in organizing the event. The Pittsfield American Defenders lasted only one season. In 2010, Duquette moved the NECBL franchise to his baseball camp in nearby Hinsdale , and moved his Can-Am League entry, the New Hampshire American Defenders, to Wahconah Park from Nashua, New Hampshire ; they were known as

403-496: The 1905 Pittsfield Hillies , who began a tenure of play as members of the Hudson River League and continued play at Wahconah Park. The Pittsfield Colts played 1894 minor league home games at Wahconah Park . The ballpark was built in 1892 and the early park was later reconstructed. The historic ballpark is still in use today. Wahconah Park was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2005. The ballpark

434-708: The 1941 season as a charter member of the California League . The ballpark's current tenant is called the Bakersfield Train Robbers , which plays in the Pecos League and are not affiliated with any team in Major or Minor League Baseball. It is one of two ballparks in organized professional baseball where the batter faces west, causing them to directly face the sun (the other being Wahconah Park in Pittsfield, Massachusetts ). This forces

465-514: The 1970s that starting times across America began moving earlier, first 7:30 then later around 7:15 PM. There have been calls to replace Sam Lynn Ballpark since the 1980s, but serious considerations have only come along since the rise of numerous California League teams building top-rate facilities, such as Rancho Cucamonga, Lancaster, Lake Elsinore, Stockton, Adelanto (High Desert), and San Bernardino (Inland Empire). The City of Bakersfield and Kern County have both been presented with proposals to build

496-529: The Major Leagues, and 100 different Pittsfield players already had some Major League experience. The park was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2005. In the July 23, 1990, issue of Sports Illustrated , author Daniel Okrent raved about the park in his column entitled Just A Little Bit of Heaven – Pittsfield's Wahconah Park is Baseball as it Oughta Be. In 2012, the stadium became

527-466: The Mariners organization opted to swap dugouts, placing the home team on the opposite side of the permanent seats. This was not met with enthusiasm by the fans or by sponsors. Prior to the start of the 2006 season, the bullpens, previously located behind the stands and hidden from the view of the teams playing the game, were moved into foul territory. Due to this change, the overall seating capacity of

558-624: The New York Mets from 1989 to 2000 and the Houston Astros in 2001. In 2002, the independent Berkshire Black Bears moved to Wahconah Park after three years of dormancy as the Massachusetts Mad Dogs. After the 2003 season, they did not renew their lease but moved to New Haven, Connecticut . Jim Bouton proposed to renovate the park without any public dollars and bring professional baseball back. On July 3, 2004,

589-486: The Train Robbers to start most games later than any team in professional ball. From mid-June to mid-August, games can begin as late as 7:58 PM. Sam Lynn Ballpark was named for the former local owner of a Coca-Cola bottling company who donated much of his income to youth baseball leagues in the area. The following is a list of Bakersfield franchise names dating back to 1941. Sam Lynn Ballpark originally featured

620-549: The ballpark was reduced by 700 general admission bleacher seats, from 4,200 to 3,500. There are several large illustrations of former star players who played in Bakersfield that greet fans as soon as they walk into the ballpark. Some of the former players honored on canvas include Hall of Famer Don Drysdale , Cy Young winner Pedro Martínez , NL ROY Eric Karros , Hall of Famer Mike Piazza , and former Rays outfielder Rocco Balldelli. Apparently, these banners were removed during

651-546: The earliest known reference to the game in America. ( See Origins of baseball . ) The document is available on the Pittsfield Library 's web site. According to Thorn, the document makes it clear that not only was "baseball" played in 1791 Pittsfield, it was played enough to have a written ordinance against it to protect the new building. The Pittsfield "Colts" began minor league baseball play in 1894, as members of

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682-402: The game's first pitch during the summer months takes place after the sun sets and is based on a timetable that has been updated annually by the official scorer. During this part of the season, the time of the game's first pitch ranges from 7:15 PM to 7:45 PM. A large steel and sheet metal screen (125 by 50 feet) was constructed in left-center field, but it only offers a minimal amount of help since

713-467: The home field of the Pittsfield Suns , an expansion franchise of the Futures Collegiate Baseball League . The Suns will not play the 2024 season because of safety issues at Wahconah Park. Former park dimensions were 334 feet to left field, 374 feet to center field, and 333 feet to right field. The current field dimensions are 310 feet down the left field line, 377 feet to left field, 374 feet to center field, 403 feet to right-center field, and 305 feet down

744-471: The latest renovations to the stadium. Sam Lynn Ballpark's faces west (into the setting sun). Due to the setting sun creating a potential hazard for batters, night games were scheduled for several decades with an 8:00 PM start. Years later, night games were scheduled for earlier starting times then delayed in progress until the sun had set and it was safe for the batters. The last in-game sun delay took place on July 3, 1996 and lasted three minutes. Since 1997,

775-564: The measurements for the sun screen were taken during the off season prior to 1993 when the setting sun was not a factor. The question of the ballpark's strange construction was finally solved by Kevin Eubanks, then-editor of Bakersfield Life Magazine. Eubanks, a former public address announcer for the Bakersfield Blaze, discovered documentation that stated that the ballpark was built inside the one-mile oval horse racing track at what

806-529: The right field line. Because the field was constructed before the advent of field lighting, no harm was seen in orienting the diamond due west. It is one of only two professional ballparks in the U.S. today that faces west (the other being Sam Lynn Ballpark in Bakersfield, California , built in 1941). Lights were not installed until 1946. In 1989 a mesh screen was placed in center field. Nevertheless, some umpires still briefly suspend games at sunset, so that

837-463: The second place Poughkeepsie Bridge Citys and 3.5 games ahead of the third place Johnstown Buckskins. Pittsfield was the only 1894 New York State League team located out of the state of New York, and the club faced financial issues due in part to bad weather causing the cancellation of home games at Wahconah Park . Minor league play resumed in Pittsfield a decade later, then the Colts were succeeded by

868-544: The setting sun will not interfere with the batters' view of the pitch. In 1927, a dike was installed on the Housatonic River to prevent recurrent flooding. The Pittsfield Mets were a minor-league baseball team moved to Pittsfield, Massachusetts from Little Falls, New York, by an investment group organized by Michael T. Casey. The team played in the New York ;- Penn League, and were affiliated with

899-628: The summer, concerts are held in Wahconah Park. It is also home to varsity football games for Pittsfield-area high schools. Sam Lynn Ballpark Sam Lynn Ballpark (also known as "Historic" Sam Lynn Ballpark) is a baseball venue in Bakersfield, California and was the oldest ballpark of the Class-A Advanced California League . It was built in 1941 for the Bakersfield Badgers, which began

930-637: Was forced out. In 2005, former Boston Red Sox General Manager Dan Duquette brought the Pittsfield Dukes , a New England Collegiate Baseball League (NECBL) team, to Wahconah Park. During the 2007 season, the Dukes attracted a season attendance of 28,955 through 21 home games, averaging 1,378 fans per game. His agreement with the City of Pittsfield was jeopardized prior to the 2008 season over back maintenance fees, but Duquette and city officials reached

961-424: Was the original Kern County Fairgrounds , on Chester Avenue. According to a December 4, 1940 article appearing in the town's newspaper, The Bakersfield Californian , the story begins: "Preliminary work of grading and planting grass seed was under way today by the county work relief department within the mile track at the fairgrounds in preparation for the 1941 baseball season, when Bakersfield will be represented in

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