McCoy Stadium
Encyclopedia
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
.
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.
Professional baseball disappeared from Pawtucket for 16 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.
In 1969 the Boston Red Sox
came to scout McCoy Stadium. By April 1970, the Sox 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 three years playing for the Double-A Eastern League before being promoted to the Triple-A International League.
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
. During that year, the team was briefly known as the Rhode Island Red Sox, but that name lasted just one season. Just before the 1977 season, Canadian expatriate businessman Ben Mondor
arrived to resurrect the fallen franchise, and the PawSox have thrived since then. Mondor owned the team until his death on October 3, 2010, and was a well-beloved member of the community, as he has turned the ballpark and franchise into one of the most fan-friendly in all of professional baseball.
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.
The two dugouts are actually embedded into the wall underneath the grandstands (as are the luxury boxes, just beyond them). The first row of seats is elevated eight feet above field level. This has led to a unique fan-friendly tradition of McCoy Stadium. Those seeking the signatures of the next great BoSox players have found a way to contact their PawSox, despite the fact that the dugout configurations and height would normally keep would-be autograph seekers at bay. Fans wishing to have a scorebook, baseball, baseball card
, or other souvenir signed by a player will go autograph "fishing". Complete with hook and reel (or, often, a hollowed-out milk jug and a rope), autograph seekers lower their items over the front of the seats and dangle them down in front of the dugouts below. The ballplayers can sign the item, tug on the line, and the fan pulls up their newly autographed memorabilia.
A series of mural
s depicting notable former PawSox players was displayed in the stadium prior to the 1998 renovation, but was taken down since the new stadium configuration resulted in fans not passing them anymore. In 2004, after many fans asked what happened to them, funds were made available to restore and re-hang the old murals, as well as commission a few new ones of more recent players. Some six dozen paintings now adorn the entrance ramps throughout the stadium.
The left-field berm provides great views of the action, and affords families on a budget an inexpensive way to enjoy the ballpark. Above the berms are walkways, affording patrons 360-degree views of the ballpark. They are made especially for the handicapped from which to utilize and enjoy the game.
, Massachusetts
.
Eventually, owner Ben Mondor announced that they would renovate the facility, and that renovations would be done to maintain the historical integrity of the ballpark. The renovations began in 1998 and included a new terraced berm in left field, a grassy knoll where fans can sit next to the PawSox bullpen and watch the game up close.
The seating capacity
was increased to 10,031 by adding three full sections of seats. In addition to the original quarter-circle seating bowl, McCoy now features an extended left-field line seating area and souvenir stand, as well as outfield bleacher seating and new parking areas. Luxury boxes were constructed below the new seating area at field level. All seats are now accessed through an entry tower near third base, instead of the circular ramps which still remain behind home plate. The seats are elevated above the field, and patrons must climb two sets of stairs (or take an elevator) to reach the main concourse and outfield berm areas.
With the renovations to the stadium, the Pawtucket Red Sox have raised attendance exponentially. The PawSox have raised their daily average from 700 per game to over 7,000, with weekend games having standing room only crowds.
Although the renovations have helped rejuvenate the team, McCoy is now the oldest and still one of the smallest stadiums in the International League
.
and Charlotte's Knights Stadium
), and by only a few dozen seats at that.
In the first season of the expanded McCoy (1999), the PawSox averaged a paid attendance of 8,403 per game, and in 2000 it increased to 8,733. That figure represented 87% of every seat for every game being sold, where no other team in the league was above 70%. The club's top two attendance figures have come in 2004 and 2005, and with a paid attendance of 688,421, the '05 PawSox ranked fourth among all minor-league teams in any sport in North America
. In New England
, they ranked as the biggest draw of any sporting event except their parent club, the Red Sox at Fenway Park
.
Going into the 2006 season, the top 88 single-game attendance figures have come in the past seven years since the expansion. The current record crowd of 11,802 was set on September 5, 2004, for a late-season game against Scranton
with the PawSox in playoff contention. (The season finale the next day, at 11,067, ranks 13th.) Prior to the expansion, the notable single-game record occurred on July 1, 1982, when 9,389 showed up for the pitching match-up of Mark Fidrych
versus Dave Righetti
.
and Saint Raphael Academy
play their regular season games at the adjacent Pariseau Field (also known as the McCoy Annex). ( Saint Raphael Academy
's East Building (formerly St. Joseph's School) can be seen from the stadium.) But, for 73 years, the two schools played each other on Thanksgiving, with most of those games played inside McCoy Stadium. That holiday rivalry ended in 2001 but the games still continue. The schools alternate the use of the stadium. Tolman hosts their new rival, the crosstown Shea High School
, on the odd-number years. Saint Raphael now hosts Johnston High School
on the even-number years. In the mid-1990s the original Saints-Tolman game moved from Thanksgiving morning to the night before. The two schools continue to host their games on Thanksgiving Eve.
was the first to perform at the stadium in 2006. Collective Soul
, Live
and Counting Crows
performed in 2007. And in 2008, Boston-based bands Mighty Mighty Bosstones and Dropkick Murphys
stopped at McCoy as part of a three stadium tour. The other two stadiums were Lowell's LeLacheur Park
(home of the Red Sox's Single-A affiliate Lowell Spinners
) and Portland, Maine's Hadlock Field
(home of Double-A affiliate Portland Sea Dogs
).
Minor league baseball
Minor league baseball is a hierarchy of professional baseball leagues in the Americas that compete at levels below Major League Baseball and provide opportunities for player development. All of the minor leagues are operated as independent businesses...
stadium
Stadium
A modern stadium is a place or venue for outdoor sports, concerts, or other events and consists of a field or stage either partly or completely surrounded by a structure designed to allow spectators to stand or sit and view the event.)Pausanias noted that for about half a century the only event...
in Pawtucket, Rhode Island
Pawtucket, Rhode Island
Pawtucket is a city in Providence County, Rhode Island, United States. The population was 71,148 at the 2010 census. It is the fourth largest city in the state.-History:...
. It is currently home to the Pawtucket Red Sox
Pawtucket Red Sox
The Pawtucket Red Sox are the minor league baseball Triple-A affiliates of the Boston Red Sox and belong to the International League...
of the International League
International League
The International League is a minor league baseball league that operates in the eastern United States. Like the Pacific Coast League and the Mexican League, it plays at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball. It was so named because it had teams in both the United States...
.
History
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.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
Pawtucket Slaters (baseball)
The Pawtucket Slaters were a minor-league baseball team based in Pawtucket, Rhode Island. From 1946 through 1949, the team played its games at McCoy Stadium as a member of the class-B New England League, and was affiliated with the Boston Braves of the National League...
, a Class B affiliate of the Boston Braves
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
, was the first team to call McCoy Stadium home. The Pawtucket Slaters would play for 4 seasons in the New England League
New England League
The New England League was a mid-level league in American minor league baseball that played sporadically in five of the six New England states between 1886 and 1949. After 1901, it existed in the shadow of two Major League Baseball clubs in Boston and alongside stronger, higher-classification...
, as Braves affiliates.
Professional baseball disappeared from Pawtucket for 16 years. It finally returned in 1966 as a member of the Eastern League
Eastern League (U.S. baseball)
The Eastern League is a minor league baseball league which operates primarily in the northeastern United States, although it has had a team in Ohio since 1989. The Eastern League has played at the AA level since 1963. The league was founded in 1923 as the New York-Pennsylvania League...
. McCoy Stadium still hadn't found its true team yet and hosted the Double-A affiliate of the Cleveland Indians
Cleveland Indians
The Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field. The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...
, the Pawtucket Indians. After 2 years, the Indians moved to Waterbury, Connecticut
Waterbury, Connecticut
Waterbury is a city in New Haven County, Connecticut, on the Naugatuck River, 33 miles southwest of Hartford and 77 miles northeast of New York City...
. McCoy was again without a team.
In 1969 the Boston Red Sox
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
came to scout McCoy Stadium. By April 1970, the Sox had pulled their minor league affiliate out of their home in Pittsfield, Massachusetts
Pittsfield, Massachusetts
Pittsfield is the largest city and the county seat of Berkshire County, Massachusetts, United States. It is the principal city of the Pittsfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area which encompasses all of Berkshire County. Its area code is 413. Its ZIP code is 01201...
. They moved into McCoy Stadium, where they remain today, and became known as the Pawtucket Red Sox. The franchise would spend three years playing for the Double-A Eastern League before being promoted to the Triple-A International League.
In 1976, debt-ridden owner Phil Anez threatened to move the team to New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
, but sold the franchise to Marvin Adelson, who lost the ballclub after threatening to move to Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
. During that year, the team was briefly known as the Rhode Island Red Sox, but that name lasted just one season. Just before the 1977 season, Canadian expatriate businessman Ben Mondor
Ben Mondor
Bernard G. "Ben" Mondor was a Canadian-born American baseball executive.Mondor was born in 1925 in St. Ignace-du-Lac, Maskinongé, Quebec...
arrived to resurrect the fallen franchise, and the PawSox have thrived since then. Mondor owned the team until his death on October 3, 2010, and was a well-beloved member of the community, as he has turned the ballpark and franchise into one of the most fan-friendly in all of professional baseball.
The PawSox have brought two championship titles to McCoy Stadium and Pawtucket, winning the Governors' Cup
Governors' Cup
The Governors' Cup is the trophy awarded each year to the champion of the International League, one of the two current Triple-A level minor leagues of Major League Baseball.-Governors' Cup history:...
, the championship of the International League, in 1973 and 1984.
Stadium features
One of the unique features of the ballpark is the expansive foul territory. The ballpark is a complete semicircle, and in order to fit the baselines in between the ends of the seating areas, the area behind home plate is quite vast. McCoy may have the largest foul territory of any ballpark in minor league baseball.The two dugouts are actually embedded into the wall underneath the grandstands (as are the luxury boxes, just beyond them). The first row of seats is elevated eight feet above field level. This has led to a unique fan-friendly tradition of McCoy Stadium. Those seeking the signatures of the next great BoSox players have found a way to contact their PawSox, despite the fact that the dugout configurations and height would normally keep would-be autograph seekers at bay. Fans wishing to have a scorebook, baseball, baseball card
Baseball card
A baseball card is a type of trading card relating to baseball, usually printed on some type of paper stock or card stock. A card will usually feature one or more baseball players or other baseball-related sports figures...
, or other souvenir signed by a player will go autograph "fishing". Complete with hook and reel (or, often, a hollowed-out milk jug and a rope), autograph seekers lower their items over the front of the seats and dangle them down in front of the dugouts below. The ballplayers can sign the item, tug on the line, and the fan pulls up their newly autographed memorabilia.
A series of mural
Mural
A mural is any piece of artwork painted or applied directly on a wall, ceiling or other large permanent surface. A particularly distinguishing characteristic of mural painting is that the architectural elements of the given space are harmoniously incorporated into the picture.-History:Murals of...
s depicting notable former PawSox players was displayed in the stadium prior to the 1998 renovation, but was taken down since the new stadium configuration resulted in fans not passing them anymore. In 2004, after many fans asked what happened to them, funds were made available to restore and re-hang the old murals, as well as commission a few new ones of more recent players. Some six dozen paintings now adorn the entrance ramps throughout the stadium.
The left-field berm provides great views of the action, and affords families on a budget an inexpensive way to enjoy the ballpark. Above the berms are walkways, affording patrons 360-degree views of the ballpark. They are made especially for the handicapped from which to utilize and enjoy the game.
Renovations
For many years, McCoy Stadium was not up to International League standards. The park had only 6,000 seats, was barely handicapped accessible. There were also a number of broken seats, and the facility was starting to show structural issues in the mid 1990s. For several years, the team's ownership was unsure of what to do, and it was even announced that the PawSox might be moved to WorcesterWorcester, Massachusetts
Worcester is a city and the county seat of Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. Named after Worcester, England, as of the 2010 Census the city's population is 181,045, making it the second largest city in New England after Boston....
, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
.
Eventually, owner Ben Mondor announced that they would renovate the facility, and that renovations would be done to maintain the historical integrity of the ballpark. The renovations began in 1998 and included a new terraced berm in left field, a grassy knoll where fans can sit next to the PawSox bullpen and watch the game up close.
The seating capacity
Seating capacity
Seating capacity refers to the number of people who can be seated in a specific space, both in terms of the physical space available, and in terms of limitations set by law. Seating capacity can be used in the description of anything ranging from an automobile that seats two to a stadium that seats...
was increased to 10,031 by adding three full sections of seats. In addition to the original quarter-circle seating bowl, McCoy now features an extended left-field line seating area and souvenir stand, as well as outfield bleacher seating and new parking areas. Luxury boxes were constructed below the new seating area at field level. All seats are now accessed through an entry tower near third base, instead of the circular ramps which still remain behind home plate. The seats are elevated above the field, and patrons must climb two sets of stairs (or take an elevator) to reach the main concourse and outfield berm areas.
With the renovations to the stadium, the Pawtucket Red Sox have raised attendance exponentially. The PawSox have raised their daily average from 700 per game to over 7,000, with weekend games having standing room only crowds.
Although the renovations have helped rejuvenate the team, McCoy is now the oldest and still one of the smallest stadiums in the International League
International League
The International League is a minor league baseball league that operates in the eastern United States. Like the Pacific Coast League and the Mexican League, it plays at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball. It was so named because it had teams in both the United States...
.
Famous games and incidents
- On April 18, 1981, the Pawtucket Red Sox began a game at McCoy Stadium that seemed to go on forever. It would go down in history as the longest game in professional baseball history. For 20 innings, the PawSox battled the Rochester Red WingsRochester Red WingsThe Rochester Red Wings are a minor league baseball team based in Rochester, New York. The team plays in the International League and is the Triple-A affiliate of the Minnesota Twins major-league club. The Red Wings play in Frontier Field, located in downtown Rochester.The Red Wings were an...
in a 1-1 tie. The Red Wings would finally score in the top of the 21st inning to take the lead. The PawSox then scored a run in the bottom of the inning. The game was far from over. The game went on until 4:07 a.m. because the umpires did not have a curfewCurfewA curfew is an order specifying a time after which certain regulations apply. Examples:# An order by a government for certain persons to return home daily before a certain time...
rule in their copy of the rule book. Finally the league president was reached and demanded that the game be suspended. The score was tied, 2-2 after the 32nd inning. When the game finally did resume on June 23, it took only 18 minutes to complete, as Dave Koza of the PawSox drove in the winning run in the bottom of the 33rd inning. Two future Hall of Famers were part of the historic game. Cal Ripken, Jr.Cal Ripken, Jr.Calvin Edwin "Cal" Ripken, Jr. , nicknamed "Iron Man", is a former Major League Baseball shortstop and third baseman. He played his entire 21-year baseball career for the Baltimore Orioles ....
went 2-13 on the night playing third base for Rochester. Wade BoggsWade BoggsWade Anthony Boggs is an American former professional baseball third baseman. He spent his 18-year baseball career primarily with the Boston Red Sox, but also played for the New York Yankees and Tampa Bay Devil Rays...
played third base for Pawtucket and went 4-12 with a double and an RBI. Nineteen fans remained in the stands when the game was called for the night, and they received lifetime passes to McCoy Stadium.
- On April 9, 1992, during the PawSox' home opener against Rochester, then-WJAR-TV sports reporter Joe Rocco was trying to do a live report on the field for that day's 6:00 edition of "News Watch 10". Assumedly because the bright lights bothered some of the players, the home plate umpire went over and confronted Rocco and told him that they were not going to hold up the game for a live news report. Rocco tried to ask for 30 seconds to finish his report, but the umpire ejected him from the stadium, so Rocco had to toss it back to the studio immediately. The incident has since been seen on various blooper specials.
- On July 3, 2001, McCoy was the site of one of the most bizarre incidents in recent times. PawSox player Israel "Izzy" AlcantaraIzzy AlcántaraIsrael Cristostomo "Izzy" Alcántara is a former Major League Baseball player for the Boston Red Sox and Milwaukee Brewers.-Minor leagues:...
was hit by a pitch by Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Red BaronsScranton/Wilkes-Barre Red BaronsThe Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees are a professional minor league baseball club located based in the Scranton-Wilkes-Barre area. They currently play in the International League's Northern Division and are the Triple-A affiliate of the New York Yankees Major League Baseball club...
pitcher Blas Cedeño. Feeling that he had been thrown at, he responded by kicking catcher Jeremy Salazar in the chest, karate-style, before charging the mound. The pitcher wisely backed out of his way, and after momentarily trying to get anyone on the Red Barons to fight him, was engulfed in the ensuing bench-clearing brawl. Alcantara was suspended; his career never recovered.
- On July 14, 2004, McCoy Stadium hosted the Triple-A All-Star GameAll-star gameAn all-star game is an exhibition game played by the best players in their sports league, except in the circumstances of professional sports systems in which a democratic voting system is used...
between the International League and the Pacific Coast LeaguePacific Coast LeagueThe Pacific Coast League is a minor-league baseball league operating in the Western, Midwestern and Southeastern United States. Along with the International League and the Mexican League, it is one of three leagues playing at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball.The...
. The IL won the game 4-3 before a crowd of 11,192.
- On April 26, 2006, Durham BullsDurham BullsThe Durham Bulls are a minor league baseball team that currently plays in the International League. The Bulls play their home games at Durham Bulls Athletic Park located in the downtown area of Durham, North Carolina. Durham Bulls Athletic Park is often called the "DBAP" or "D-Bap". The Bulls are...
player and Tampa Bay Devil Rays prospect Delmon YoungDelmon YoungDelmon Damarcus Young is an American professional baseball outfielder with the Detroit Tigers of Major League Baseball. He is the younger brother of former major league outfielder and first baseman Dmitri Young. He was born in Montgomery, Alabama.Young is known for having a strong and accurate...
(younger brother of the Washington NationalsWashington NationalsThe Washington Nationals are a professional baseball team based in Washington, D.C. The Nationals are a member of the Eastern Division of the National League of Major League Baseball . The team moved into the newly built Nationals Park in 2008, after playing their first three seasons in RFK Stadium...
' Dmitri YoungDmitri YoungDmitri Dell Young is a former Major League Baseball first baseman. Young is 6'2" and 275 pounds...
) threw a bat at a replacement umpire who had ejected him from the game. Young struck out on a called third strike, and stood at the plate (silently, according to PawSox catcher Corky MillerCorky MillerCorky Abraham Phillip Miller is a Major League Baseball catcher. His real given name is Corky and he was given two middle names .-College career:...
) before walking away. When the umpire signaled that he was ejected, Young responded by throwing his bat, end-over-end, at the umpire, who was hit in his chest protector with the bat. The International LeagueInternational LeagueThe International League is a minor league baseball league that operates in the eastern United States. Like the Pacific Coast League and the Mexican League, it plays at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball. It was so named because it had teams in both the United States...
suspended Young for 50 games for the incident.
- McCoy has seen two perfect gamePerfect gameA perfect game is defined by Major League Baseball as a game in which a pitcher pitches a victory that lasts a minimum of nine innings and in which no opposing player reaches base. Thus, the pitcher cannot allow any hits, walks, hit batsmen, or any opposing player to reach base safely for any...
s thrown by PawSox pitchers. On June 1, 2000, Tomokazu Ohka defeated the Charlotte KnightsCharlotte KnightsThe Charlotte Knights are a minor league baseball team representing Charlotte, North Carolina. The team, which plays in the International League, is the Triple-A affiliate of the Chicago White Sox of the American League...
2-0, needing just 76 pitches to retire all 27 Charlotte batters. On August 10, 2003, Bronson ArroyoBronson ArroyoBronson Anthony Arroyo , is a Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher for the Cincinnati Reds and an aspiring musician. He has previously played for the Pittsburgh Pirates between 2000 and 2002 and Boston Red Sox from 2003 to 2005...
blanked the Buffalo BisonsBuffalo BisonsThe Buffalo Bisons are a minor league baseball team based in Buffalo, New York. They currently play in the International League and are the Triple-A affiliate of the New York Mets...
by a score of 7-0. Arroyo was called up to the Boston Red SoxBoston Red SoxThe Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
later that month.
Attendance
When current owner Ben Mondor bought control of the team in 1977, the PawSox drew only 70,354 fans (1,082 per game) to McCoy, which seated 5,800 people at the time. A few seats were added along the way, and during the mid-1990s, the park's capacity was listed as 7,002. However, until the renovated McCoy opened in 1999, it remained the league's smallest park, and even with the expansion, is still right near the bottom. Currently, McCoy's capacity exceeds the stadiums of only two other IL teams (Durham Athletic ParkDurham Athletic Park
Durham Athletic Park, affectionately known as "The DAP" , is a former minor league baseball stadium in Durham, North Carolina. The stadium was home to the Durham Bulls from 1926 through 1994...
and Charlotte's Knights Stadium
Knights Stadium
Knights Stadium is the home of the International League's Charlotte Knights, the AAA affiliate of the Chicago White Sox. It was opened in 1990 and seats 10,002 fans. The park is actually across the state line from Charlotte, North Carolina in Fort Mill, South Carolina.Knights Stadium is easily...
), and by only a few dozen seats at that.
In the first season of the expanded McCoy (1999), the PawSox averaged a paid attendance of 8,403 per game, and in 2000 it increased to 8,733. That figure represented 87% of every seat for every game being sold, where no other team in the league was above 70%. The club's top two attendance figures have come in 2004 and 2005, and with a paid attendance of 688,421, the '05 PawSox ranked fourth among all minor-league teams in any sport in North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
. In New England
New England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
, they ranked as the biggest draw of any sporting event except their parent club, the Red Sox at Fenway Park
Fenway Park
Fenway Park is a baseball park near Kenmore Square in Boston, Massachusetts. Located at 4 Yawkey Way, it has served as the home ballpark of the Boston Red Sox baseball club since it opened in 1912, and is the oldest Major League Baseball stadium currently in use. It is one of two "classic"...
.
Going into the 2006 season, the top 88 single-game attendance figures have come in the past seven years since the expansion. The current record crowd of 11,802 was set on September 5, 2004, for a late-season game against Scranton
Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Red Barons
The Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees are a professional minor league baseball club located based in the Scranton-Wilkes-Barre area. They currently play in the International League's Northern Division and are the Triple-A affiliate of the New York Yankees Major League Baseball club...
with the PawSox in playoff contention. (The season finale the next day, at 11,067, ranks 13th.) Prior to the expansion, the notable single-game record occurred on July 1, 1982, when 9,389 showed up for the pitching match-up of Mark Fidrych
Mark Fidrych
Mark Steven Fidrych , nicknamed "The Bird", was a Major League Baseball pitcher. He pitched his entire career for the Detroit Tigers ....
versus Dave Righetti
Dave Righetti
David Allan Righetti is a former left-handed pitcher for various Major League Baseball teams, primarily the New York Yankees. He is currently the pitching coach for the San Francisco Giants and was the first player in history to both pitch a no-hitter and also lead the league in saves in his career...
.
High school football
Once a year, on Thanksgiving Eve, football is played inside McCoy Stadium. Tolman High SchoolWilliam E. Tolman High School
William E. Tolman Senior High School is one of two public high schools located in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, United States. It was built and opened in 1926 along the east bank of the Blackstone River as a "state of the art" educational facility...
and Saint Raphael Academy
St. Raphael Academy
Saint Raphael Academy is a Roman Catholic, coeducational, college preparatory school in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, USA. It was founded in the tradition of Saint John Baptist de Lasalle and rooted in the Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ. The Academy welcomes students that are academically, economically,...
play their regular season games at the adjacent Pariseau Field (also known as the McCoy Annex). ( Saint Raphael Academy
St. Raphael Academy
Saint Raphael Academy is a Roman Catholic, coeducational, college preparatory school in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, USA. It was founded in the tradition of Saint John Baptist de Lasalle and rooted in the Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ. The Academy welcomes students that are academically, economically,...
's East Building (formerly St. Joseph's School) can be seen from the stadium.) But, for 73 years, the two schools played each other on Thanksgiving, with most of those games played inside McCoy Stadium. That holiday rivalry ended in 2001 but the games still continue. The schools alternate the use of the stadium. Tolman hosts their new rival, the crosstown Shea High School
Shea High School
Charles E. Shea High School, commonly known as Shea High School, is an American secondary school in Pawtucket, Rhode Island. Shea is part of the Pawtucket School Department. The mascot is the "Shea High Raider". The school was named after a well-known Pawtucket resident, Charles E...
, on the odd-number years. Saint Raphael now hosts Johnston High School
Johnston Senior High School (Rhode Island)
Johnston Senior High School is a public high school located in Johnston, Rhode Island, USA. This school serves as part of the Johnston Public School System, and is home to approximately 900 students in grades 9 through 12. The school colors are Columbia Blue and White, and the School Mascot is a...
on the even-number years. In the mid-1990s the original Saints-Tolman game moved from Thanksgiving morning to the night before. The two schools continue to host their games on Thanksgiving Eve.
Concerts
For one night a summer, for the last three summers, McCoy Stadium has hosted a concert. Bob DylanBob Dylan
Bob Dylan is an American singer-songwriter, musician, poet, film director and painter. He has been a major and profoundly influential figure in popular music and culture for five decades. Much of his most celebrated work dates from the 1960s when he was an informal chronicler and a seemingly...
was the first to perform at the stadium in 2006. Collective Soul
Collective Soul
Collective Soul is an American rock band originally formed in Stockbridge, Georgia. Collective Soul broke into mainstream popularity with their first hit single, "Shine", which came from their debut album Hints, Allegations, and Things Left Unsaid, released in 1993...
, Live
Live (band)
Live is an American rock band from York, Pennsylvania, composed of Chad Taylor , Patrick Dahlheimer , and Chad Gracey . Lead singer and principal songwriter Ed Kowalczyk left the band in November 2009....
and Counting Crows
Counting Crows
Counting Crows is an American rock band originating from Berkeley, California. Formed in 1991, the group gained popularity following the release of its debut album in 1993, August and Everything After, which featured the hit single "Mr. Jones"...
performed in 2007. And in 2008, Boston-based bands Mighty Mighty Bosstones and Dropkick Murphys
Dropkick Murphys
Dropkick Murphys are an Irish-American punk rock band formed in Quincy, Massachusetts in 1996. The band was initially signed to independent punk record label Hellcat Records, releasing five albums for the label, and making a name for themselves locally through constant playing and yearly St....
stopped at McCoy as part of a three stadium tour. The other two stadiums were Lowell's LeLacheur Park
Edward A. LeLacheur Park
Edward A. LeLacheur Park is a baseball park located on the banks of the Merrimack River in Lowell, Massachusetts. It is home to the New York-Penn League Lowell Spinners, the Class A Short Season Affiliate of the Boston Red Sox...
(home of the Red Sox's Single-A affiliate Lowell Spinners
Lowell Spinners
The Lowell Spinners are a Short-Season A minor league baseball affiliate of the Boston Red Sox.-History:Founded in 1996 after Clyde Smoll moved the Elmira Pioneers to Lowell, Massachusetts, the Spinners play in the New York - Penn League, which has a Short-Season A classification with 76 games a...
) and Portland, Maine's Hadlock Field
Hadlock Field
Hadlock Field is a Minor League baseball stadium in Portland, Maine. It is primarily home to the Portland Sea Dogs of the Eastern League. It is also the home of the Portland Bulldogs and Deering Rams baseball teams. The stadium is named for Edson J...
(home of Double-A affiliate Portland Sea Dogs
Portland Sea Dogs
The Portland Sea Dogs are the Double-A minor league affiliate of the Boston Red Sox. Established in 1994 and based in Portland, Maine, the Sea Dogs play in the Northern Division of the Eastern League....
).