Below, you’ll find our comprehensive list of the New England region’s minor-league ballparks, where you can save money and see some of the best up close.
Pawtucket Red Sox, McCoy Stadium, Triple A
The Pawtucket Red Sox have long been considered one of the most successful minor-league teams in the country. Perhaps no other minor-league team in New England has captured the hearts of fans like the PawSox. This is where the Boston team really begins. Nomar, Roger Clemens, Jim Rice … they all remember their early days at McCoy Stadium. One of the most striking features of this ballpark is seeing the murals of the famous players during their time in Pawtucket. The longest game in baseball history was played here April 18, 1981, against the young Cal Ripkin Jr. and his Rochester Red Wings. It was a 33-inning marathon.
One Columbus Ave., Pawtucket, RI; 401-724-7300.
New Britain Rock Cats, New Britain Stadium, Double A
Over 250,000 fans stream through the gates to watch this one-time Red Sox (now Minnesota Twins) affiliate play in seven-year-old New Britain Stadium, one of the minor leagues’ most elegant — it’s sometimes called a “mini-Camden Yards.” One of 12 teams in the Eastern League, the club pays attention to detail: Their Web site practically lets you take in a game without leaving home. A picnic area and a kids’ zone with interactive baseball events make this a park families love.
John Karbonic Dr., New Britain, CT; 860-224-8383.
New Haven Ravens, Historic Yale Field, Double A
Feel the history in this grand ballpark, built in 1927 and modeled after Yankee Stadium. Over the years Yale Field fans have seen Ted Williams, Jimmy Foxx, Yogi Berra, Derek Jeter — even former President George Bush, who played here as a Yale undergrad — take the field. The Ravens, in their first season as a Toronto Blue Jays affiliate, are being touted as one of the strongest teams in the league. A $3 million facelift in 1993-94 spruced everything up, but this summer Ravens fans will experience an old-time baseball “theme park.”
252 Derby Ave., West Haven, CT; 203-782-1666.
Portland Sea Dogs, Hadlock Field, Double A
There’s no better way to top a day in Maine’s lovely bayside city than with a night rooting for the Red Sox’s newest Double A team at an intimate brick ballpark. Last season, the nearly 400,000 fans (one of the highest AA fan totals in the country) watched in awe as Sea Dog pitcher Josh Beckett, touted as the next Nolan Ryan, dominated opposing batters with his 97-mile-per-hour fastball, en route to being named Baseball America’s Minor League Player of the Year. Plus, kids will love the Sea Dog mascot.
271 Park Ave., Portland, ME; 800-936-3647.
Lowell Spinners, Edward A. LeLacheur Park, Single A
A jewel of a park in a city on the comeback trail. When you join the throng advancing to the open gates, you get the feeling that this is how a city keeps a small-town flavor. For a family outing, it beats a movie at the mall any day.
Aiken St., Lowell, MA; 978-459-2255.
Vermont Expos, Centennial Field, Single A
Just an hour and a half south of Montreal, this Montreal Expos affiliate plays in the short-season New York-Penn League in one of America’s oldest ballparks. Mom, Dad, and two kids can enjoy Vermont’s only professional baseball for just $10. Burlington and Lake Champlain are worth a visit anytime; taking in an Expos game and seeing the kids laugh at Champ, the ebullient mascot, make a weekend even more memorable.
Colchester Ave., Burlington, VT; 802-655-4200.
Bridgeport Bluefish, The Ball Park at Harbor Yard, Independent
The Bluefish compete in the Atlantic League, with a state-of-the-art $19 million stadium giving a big-league feel to the hometown game. A perennial power, the team and its stadium are an integral part of Bridgeport’s revitalization.
500 Main St., Bridgeport, CT; 877-462-5837, 203-345-4800.
Nashua Pride, Holman Stadium, Independent
A new $4 million facelift lets the Nashua Pride keep pace with the best minor-league baseball venues in the Northeast. With the fiery former Boston Red Sox skipper Butch Hobson at the helm, there’s a big-league flavor to each and every game. Baseball history was made at Holman Stadium in 1946 when Don Newcombe and Roy Campanella integrated professional baseball here.
67 Amherst St., Nashua, NH; 603-883-2255.
