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. The stadium has been home to the Pittsfield Dukes of the New England Collegiate Baseball League since 2005.

At the end of the 2003 season, the Berkshire Black Bears did not renew their lease. Jim Bouton proposed to renovate the park without any public dollars and bring professional baseball back.

On July 3, 2004, a record crowd of 5,000 attended a vintage baseball game that 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.

Pittsfield politics intervened and Bouton was forced out, a saga which was described in Bouton's new book, "Foul Ball plus Part II," published in paperback by Lyons Press in 2005.

In 2005, Pittsfield city officials reached an agreement with Dan Duquette for the Pittsfield Dukes, a New England Collegiate Baseball League summer team, to play at 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.

The agreement between the Dukes and the city of Pittsfield was jeopardized prior to the 2008 season when it was reported that the Dukes owed thousands of dollars in back maintenance fees, however Duquette and city officials reached a consensus that permitted the Dukes to continue play.

Field dimensions are 334' to left field, 374' to center field, and 333' to right field. Because the field was constructed before the advent of field lighting, no harm was seen in orienting the diamond due west. One of only two professionally used parks in the U.S. today facing west (the other being Sam Lynn Ballpark in Bakersfield, California built in 1941), games are sometimes temporarily suspended while the sun sets. Lights were not installed until 1946. In 1989 a mesh screen was placed in center field to help shield batters’ eyes.

In 1927, a dike was installed on the Housatonic River in an attempt to prevent recurrent flooding.

In the summer, concerts are held in Wahconah Park. Most recently, Bob Dylan performed there.

It is also home to Varsity Football games for Pittsfield area high schools.

Professional Teams at Wahconah Park

*Eastern Association: Pittsfield Electrics (1913-14)
*Eastern League: Pittsfield Hillies (1919-30)
*Canadian-American League: Pittsfield Electrics (1941-48), Pittsfield Indians (1949-50), Pittsfield Phillies (1951)
*Eastern League: Pittsfield Red Sox (1965-69), Pittsfield Senators (1970-71), Pittsfield Rangers (1972-75), Berkshire Brewers (1976), Pittsfield Cubs (1985-88)
*New York - Penn League: Pittsfield Mets (1989-2000), Pittsfield Astros (2001)
*Northeast League: Berkshire Black Bears (2002-2003)
*New England Collegiate Baseball League: Pittsfield Dukes (2005-present)

Notable Major Leaguers Who Have Donned A Pittsfield Uniform

*Greg Maddux
*Mark Grace
*George Scott
*Jason Isringhausen
*Joe Girardi
*Preston Wilson
*Shawon Dunston
*Edgardo Alfonzo
*A.J. Burnett
*Jeromy Burnitz
*Ty Wigginton
*Brian Daubach
*Rafael Palmeiro
*Jay Payton
*Terrance Long

External links

* [http://www.littleballparks.com/Stadium/2001/Pittsfield/Pittsfield.htm Wahconah Park Views - "Ball Parks of the Minor Leagues"]
* [http://www.davidpietrusza.com/Wahconah-Park.html Wahconah Park (from Baseball's "Canadian-American League")]
* [http://www.klx.com/guide/gallery/images/pittsfield/pittsfield1.jpgPhoto of stadium]
* [http://www.klx.com/guide/gallery/images/pittsfield/pittsfield2.jpgPhoto of right field]
* [http://www.minorleaguenews.com/graphics/baseball/Graphics/wahconah/wahconah2.jpgPhoto of sun setting into batter's eyes]
* [http://www.minorleaguenews.com/baseball/affiliated/ashort/nypenn/astros/articles2001/063001.html Minor League News] - The Sun Sets on Wahconah Park
* [http://www.ballparkreviews.com/pfield/pfield.htm BallparkReviews.com Photos and Review]