McCoy Stadium
From SoSH
| Location: | Pawtucket, Rhode Island |
| Opened: | June 6, 1946 |
| Owner: | |
| Surface: | Grass |
| Architect: | |
| Current Capacity: | 10,031 |
| Build Cost: | |
| Tenants: | Pawtucket Slaters (1946 - 1949) Pawtucket Indians (1966 - 1967) Pawtucket Red Sox (1970 - 1972) Pawtucket Red Sox (1973 - Present) |
McCoy Stadium, also known as "The Bucket", has been home of the Triple-A Pawtucket Red Sox since 1973. Immediately prior to that, they were home to a Double-A "Pawtucket Red Sox" that moved to Bristol, Connecticut, to make room for the Triple-A affiliate.
Contents |
History
The concept of a Pawtucket baseball stadium began in 1938, and was championed by Mayor Thomas P. McCoy. It was to be built on a swampy piece of land known as Hammond's Pond (hence the name of a nearby street, "Pond Road"). On November 3, 1940, the first cornerstone was laid by Mayor McCoy. The stadium was completed in 1942.
McCoy stadium was dedicated with the arrival of it's first professional team, the Pawtucket Slaters, Class B affiliate of the Boston Braves. However, the New England League lasted only through the 1949 season, and Pawtucket (and McCoy) were left baseball-less for 16 years.
Baseball returned to McCoy in 1966 as the Cleveland Indian AA affiliate came to McCoy. However, that relationship only lasted for two seasons. Boston Red Sox affiliates have occupied McCoy since 1970.
Stadium Features
Original Features
The stadium seating was originally built as a complete Semi-Circle, with seating only between the bases. There were two circular ramps on either side of the stadium which acted as entrances to the seating area.
The most unique element of McCoy is that the stadium was built on top of land, and no internal bowl was ever dug. Not only does this lead to climbing stairs/ramps to your seats, it also means that the park does not have traditional dugouts. The dugouts are built directly into the main infastructure, well below the seating area.
This design has not kept fans from getting autographs from their favorite ballplayers. One just has to be more inventive. As opposed to going to field level and asking for autographs, fans have devised a type of "signature lure:" a cut out milk carton with a string attached which is dangled down in front of the dugouts.
The ownership wanted to entertain fans as they walked to their seats via the original ramps, and so they commissioned murals of various players to place on the walls. With the renovation, these murals were put in storage, but popular demand brought them back in 2004.
1999 Renovation
The 1999 renovation was primarily done to increase seating capacity. Three sections of seats were added down the third Base line. Additionally, a concourse was built to extend to a new seating area above the Pawsox bullpen in left field, and bleachers behind the right field wall (next to the visitors' bullpen).
During this renovation, the Pawsox added a new entry way/pagoda, and abandoned usage of the old entry ramps. They also added an expanded souvenir shop and a new box office. They have also added a new centerfield video board.
McCoy Information
Dimensions
Distance to fences:
Leftfield - 325 ft.
Left Centerfield - 375 ft.
Centerfield - 400 ft.
Right Centerfield - 375 ft.
Rightfield - 325 ft.
Fence Heights - 8 Feet (5 feet at the bullpens)
Tickets
Seating Chart
Ticket Pricing
Buy Tickets
