Daniel S. Frawley Stadium

Daniel S. Frawley Stadium
Judy Johnson Field
Former names Legends Stadium (1993)
Location 801 Shipyard Drive
Wilmington, Delaware 19801
Coordinates 39°43′56″N 75°33′52″W / 39.73222°N 75.56444°W / 39.73222; -75.56444Coordinates: 39°43′56″N 75°33′52″W / 39.73222°N 75.56444°W / 39.73222; -75.56444
Owner Delaware Stadium Corporation
Operator Delaware Stadium Corporation
Capacity 5,911 (1993–2000)
6,532 (2001–2015)
6,404 (2016-present)
Field size Right Field – 325 feet
Center Field – 400 feet
Left Field – 325 feet
Surface Grass
Construction
Broke ground November 1, 1992
Opened April 16, 1993
Expanded 2001[1]
Construction cost $6,100,000
($10 million in 2016 dollars[2])
Architect The Design Exchange, Wilmington, DE
Project manager Opening Day Partners
General contractor Minker Construction Company
Tenants
Wilmington Blue Rocks (CL) (1993–present)
AEC Tournament (1995, 1997–2001)

Daniel S. Frawley Stadium is a stadium in Wilmington, Delaware. It is primarily used for baseball, and is the home field of the Wilmington Blue Rocks minor league baseball team. The park was originally known as Legends Stadium when it was built in 1993. It was renamed in 1994 for Wilmington mayor Daniel S. Frawley, who had pushed for a return of the Blue Rocks. The field is named separately for Judy Johnson, a local Negro league baseball star.

History

The stadium was designed by architect Trish England, head of Design Exchange, who had previously designed dozens of commercial buildings in Delaware. Construction began on November 1, 1992 and was headed by contractor Matthew Minker, a part owner of the team. Mechanical, Plumbing and Electrical systems for the stadium were designed by Richard C. Sokoloski, P.E., who has provided engineering services for most of the commercial buildings along the Wilmington Riverfront. The 20-acre (81,000 m2) stadium site was once part of a Christina River shipbuilding operation. In 1986, the 86-acre (350,000 m2) Dravo Shipyard, with several buildings, was bought by Verino Pettinaro, a local contractor, for a little more than $1 million. Mr. Pettinaro sold 6 acres (24,000 m2) for the stadium to the Delaware Stadium Corporation for $300,000. The Delaware Stadium Corporation, a city and state entity, has owned the stadium since its construction.[3]

Amenities

A view of left field at Frawley Stadium and the scoreboard.

The stadium seats 6,404 people. The Blue Rocks have a picnic area in the stadium named the Blue Moose Grill and a gift shop, The Quarry.[4] A formerly abandoned building across the street has been renovated to be similar to Camden Yards. The facility is administered by the Delaware Stadium Corporation.

Other uses

In 1995 and from 1997–2001, stadium hosted the America East Conference Baseball Tournament. The hosting Delaware Blue Hens won the tournament in each year except for 1997.[5]

In 1998, the stadium hosted the Delaware Stars, a team in the single-season Maryland Fall Baseball League.[6]

The Delaware Sports Museum and Hall of Fame has exhibit space through an entrance on the outside of the stadium. The stadium has also held many concerts, including Wilco, the Beach Boys, the Steve Miller Band, and recently the Round the Bases Tour, which featured Counting Crows, Live, and Collective Soul. Starting in 2008, the Delaware Indo-American festival was held at the site.

References

  1. ↑ "Expansion Plans". Delaware Stadium Corporation. 2000. Retrieved March 4, 2014.
  2. ↑ Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis Community Development Project. "Consumer Price Index (estimate) 1800–". Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. Retrieved October 21, 2016.
  3. ↑ Milford, Maureen (March 14, 1993). "Northeast Notebook: Wilmington, Del.; A 'Colosseum' For Baseball". The New York Times. Retrieved August 11, 2013.
  4. ↑ "A-Z Guide". Minor League Baseball. February 7, 2009. Retrieved February 24, 2014.
  5. ↑ "Baseball Record Book". America East Conference. p. 12. Archived from the original (PDF) on February 12, 2012. Retrieved February 12, 2012.
  6. ↑ Salisbury, Jim (August 25, 1998). "Green To Replace Grace In The Rotation". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Retrieved July 1, 2016. The Phillies will send five minor-league players to the Delaware Stars of the Maryland Fall League... The Delaware team will play its home games at Frawley Stadium in Wilmington.

Further reading

External links

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