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Hadlock Field
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Delta Dental Park at Hadlock Field is a minor league baseball stadium in Portland, Maine. The stadium is home to the Portland Sea Dogs of the Eastern League and the Portland High School Bulldogs baseball team. The stadium is owned by the city and leased to the Sea Dogs, a Boston Red Sox affiliate owned by Diamond Baseball Holdings.
Key Information
The stadium is named for Edson B. Hadlock Jr., a long-time Portland High School baseball coach and physics teacher and member of the Maine Baseball Hall of Fame.
History and development
[edit]Hadlock Field is located between Interstate 295, the historic Fitzpatrick Stadium, and the Portland Exposition Building, the second-oldest arena in continuous operation in the United States.
The park opened on April 18, 1994. Its initial seating capacity of 6,000 was subsequently expanded to 6,500 in 1995; 6,860 in 1998; and 6,975 in 2002.[1] About 400 seats were added in right field before the start of the 2006 season, and the park currently seats 7,368.
In 2003, when the Sea Dogs affiliated with the Boston Red Sox, various features were added to the stadium to allude to Fenway Park: a replica Green Monster, called the Maine Monster, in left field;[4] a replica Citgo sign; and a large Coke bottle.[citation needed]
In 2006, the tenant Sea Dogs were Eastern League champions.[5]
New video boards were added before the 2014 season.[6]
Field of Dreams Day at Hadlock Field is held on the first Sunday of September. It features the team wearing 1926 Portland Eskimos uniforms. Much like the Hollywood film, with the cornfield set up in center field, the Sea Dogs players emerge through the stalks and run onto the field for the Fan Appreciation Day Game.[7][8]
In April 2018, Hadlock was named one of the ten best Minor League Baseball (MiLB) stadiums.[9] During the 2019 offseason, new lighting was installed, replacing the prior metal-halide lamps with LED lamps and reducing power consumption by nearly 50%.[10]
When a Sea Dogs player hits a home run, or when the team wins, a fog horn sounds and a light house emerges from behind the outfield fence.[11]
In 2024, Maine lawmakers granted the Sea Dogs $2 million in tax breaks for a new player clubhouse and to make renovations to the playing field. The stadium failed to meet facility requirements set by Major League Baseball for stadiums serving MiLB teams. The clubhouse for visiting teams is in the basement of the nearby Portland Exposition Center. After renovations, the Sea Dogs are to move into a new clubhouse, with visiting teams using the vacated clubhouse.[12]
In October 2024, the team announced that it had accepted an undisclosed amount of money to rename the stadium Delta Dental Park at Hadlock Field after the Delta Dental insurance network.[13]
Features
[edit]The left-field fence is 315 feet (96 m) from home plate, the center-field fence is 400 feet (120 m), and the right-field fence is 330 feet (100 m) away.
The left-field wall, dubbed the Maine Monster, is 160 feet long and made of wood. Like the Green Monster in Fenway Park, it is 37 feet (11 m) high, and green. There is a 12-foot (3.7 m) screen above the wall to catch home run balls. Seats cannot be added to the Maine Monster because the Union Branch railroad runs immediately behind it.[14]
It was built after the Portland Sea Dogs announced their affiliation with the Boston Red Sox in 2002, to help train future Red Sox left fielders for the Green Monster and to add character to the ballpark. Construction started on October 28, 2002. The name, Maine Monster, was chosen through a fan contest.[citation needed]
Gallery
[edit]-
The diamond, outfield, and the "Maine Monster", 2022
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Hadlock Field's picnic area is located alongside the right-field line.
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Hadlock Field. May 12, 2007
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d e f g h Knight, Graham (July 6, 2010). "Hadlock Field - Portland Sea Dogs". Baseball Pilgrimages. Retrieved September 24, 2011.
- ^ 1634–1699: McCusker, J. J. (1997). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States: Addenda et Corrigenda (PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1700–1799: McCusker, J. J. (1992). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States (PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1800–present: Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. "Consumer Price Index (estimate) 1800–". Retrieved February 29, 2024.
- ^ "Hadlock Field" (PDF). The Sheridan Corporation. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 1, 2014. Retrieved February 23, 2014.
- ^ Solloway, Steve (April 18, 2003). "Naming Game Is One That's So Easy to Lose". Portland Press Herald. p. 1D. Archived from the original on May 2, 2003.
- ^ Thomas, Kevin (May 22, 2014). "Sea Dogs Sweep Doubleheader Against Binghamton". Portland Press Herald. Retrieved May 26, 2014.
- ^ Thomas, Kevin (April 11, 2014). "Sea Dogs Win Hadlock Field Opener". Portland Press Herald. Retrieved May 26, 2014.
- ^ Sotos, Wendy (2008). The Portland Sea Dogs. Arcadia Publishing. ISBN 978-0-7385-5712-0.
- ^ Thomas, Kevin (September 6, 2015). "Sea Dogs take win on 'Field of Dreams' day at Hadlock". Portland Press Herald. Retrieved September 7, 2015.
- ^ Norris, Josh (April 25, 2018). "Top 10 Best Minor League Stadiums and Ballparks". Baseball America. Retrieved April 25, 2018.
- ^ "Sea Dogs unveil series of ballpark improvements". MiLB.com. Minor League Baseball. April 22, 2021. Retrieved April 23, 2021.
- ^ "Hadlock Field named one of America's top minor league ballparks". Portland Sea Dogs. Minor League Baseball. Retrieved August 1, 2023.
- ^ "Maine lawmakers grant Portland Sea Dogs $2 million in tax breaks for ballpark renovations". Maine Public. April 17, 2024. Retrieved May 10, 2024.
- ^ "Portland Sea Dogs ballpark, Hadlock Field, gets new name with Delta Dental partnership". WABI. October 3, 2024. Retrieved October 3, 2024.
- ^ "Parkside to the Portland Transportation Center Pathways Projects". portland.civilspace.io. City of Portland. Retrieved May 10, 2024.
External links
[edit]- "Edson J. Hadlock, Jr. Field - Portland, Maine". Little Ballparks. July 18, 2021.
Hadlock Field
View on GrokipediaHistory
Origins and early development
The site of Hadlock Field traces its origins to the 1930s, when it was developed as athletic fields primarily for Portland High School, establishing a longstanding connection to local amateur baseball.[5] The venue was named in honor of Edson Hadlock Jr., a longtime Portland High School baseball coach and physics teacher whose contributions to the sport in the region warranted the dedication.[2] Following renovations completed in 1993, Hadlock Field was rebuilt and expanded into a professional-grade facility to host minor league baseball, ending a 44-year absence of affiliated ball in Portland since the previous Portland Pilots folded after the 1949 season.[5] The stadium officially opened on April 18, 1994, coinciding with the debut home game of the expansion Portland Sea Dogs, then the Double-A affiliate of the Florida Marlins.[1] The Sea Dogs lost their inaugural contest at the park 7-6 to the Albany-Colonie Yankees, drawing strong local interest as the team averaged nearly 5,500 attendees per game during its first season.[5] Early operations emphasized community integration, with the stadium continuing to host Portland High School games alongside professional play, and notable visitors including former President George H. W. Bush and Barbara Bush attending contests as guests of team owner Daniel Burke.[5] This period solidified Hadlock Field's role as a hub for baseball in Maine, blending high school tradition with the excitement of minor league expansion.[2]Construction and initial operations
Hadlock Field was rebuilt in 1994 on the grounds of the former Portland Exposition Building, utilizing a site that had hosted athletic fields since the 1930s, including use by Portland High School teams. The City of Portland financed and oversaw the $3 million project to accommodate the relocating Portland Sea Dogs minor league baseball team, which was advancing from the High-A Florida State League to the Double-A Eastern League. Architect William E. Whited Inc. designed the facility, with construction managed by the city's Public Works Department.[6][5] The stadium was named for Edson B. Hadlock Jr., a longtime Portland High School baseball coach and physics teacher who contributed to local sports development. It debuted on April 18, 1994, hosting the Sea Dogs' first home game against the Albany-Colonie Yankees, drawing significant local interest as the franchise's inaugural season in Maine. Kathie Lee Gifford performed the national anthem at the opener, marking a ceremonial highlight for the new venue.[7][8] Initial operations featured a natural grass playing surface, uncovered bleacher seating for approximately 6,800 spectators, and basic concessions, aligning with standards for Eastern League ballparks of the era. The Sea Dogs, initially affiliated with the Florida Marlins, used Hadlock as their primary home, playing 70 home games per season while sharing the facility with local high school and amateur teams during off-periods. Early attendance averaged over 4,000 per game, reflecting community enthusiasm for professional baseball's return to Portland after a prior Triple-A team's departure in the 1980s.[1][6]Affiliation changes and Fenway-inspired transformations
Hadlock Field opened in 1994 as the home of the Portland Sea Dogs, who began play that year as the Double-A affiliate of the Florida Marlins in the Eastern League.[9] The team maintained this affiliation through the 2002 season, during which the Sea Dogs featured Marlins colors of teal, black, and orange in their uniforms and branding.[10] At the conclusion of the 2002 season, the Sea Dogs transitioned to a player development contract with the Boston Red Sox, effective for the 2003 campaign, replacing the displaced Sarasota Red Sox as the Red Sox's Eastern League affiliate.[11] This shift prompted updates to team aesthetics, including a change to Red Sox-inspired red, white, and navy blue color schemes.[10] To emulate Fenway Park and aid in player acclimation, the Sea Dogs constructed the "Maine Monster," a 37-foot-tall green wall in left field modeled after Fenway's Green Monster, featuring a manual scoreboard operated by fans.[9] Additional Fenway homages included renaming the stadium's skyboxes after Red Sox luminaries such as Ted Williams and Carlton Fisk, enhancing the developmental synergy between the affiliate and parent club.[11] These modifications supported Red Sox prospects' preparation for Fenway's unique dimensions and features, including training against the outfield wall.[12] The affiliation with Boston has remained continuous since 2003, surviving the 2021 Minor League Baseball reorganization that retained the Sea Dogs in the reconfigured Eastern League.[10]Physical Description
Site and layout
Delta Dental Park at Hadlock Field is located at 271 Park Avenue in Portland, Maine, within an urban setting owned by the City of Portland.[1] The site integrates into a local sports complex that encompasses adjacent facilities, including a 6,000-seat football stadium, a small ice rink, and a 3,100-seat multi-purpose arena.[13] The ballpark's layout adopts a classic minor league design with a brick façade evoking early 20th-century venues like Oriole Park at Camden Yards, paired with contemporary features such as a closed concourse for concessions access.[2] Seating is arranged in a "J"-shaped configuration around the infield, with tiered sections behind home plate comprising lower box seats nearest the field, followed by reserved and grandstand levels, and 17 luxury skyboxes.[13] [2] Outfield amenities include picnic areas along the right-field line and a pavilion atop the right-field fence providing drink rail seating modeled after Fenway Park's Green Monster bleachers.[1] In left field, the "Maine Monster"—a 37-foot-high green wall replicating Fenway's signature feature—incorporates a Citgo sign and oversized Coca-Cola bottles for aesthetic homage.[2] Reported seating capacity varies slightly by source: the Portland Sea Dogs list 6,868 fixed seats, while municipal records indicate 7,368 including general admission and lawn areas.[1] [2] Accessibility provisions feature multiple wheelchair seating locations at the back of lower box sections, along with elevators, accessible restrooms, and designated disability parking at the Park Avenue entrance.[2]Field dimensions and playing surface
Hadlock Field features standard minor league baseball dimensions with outfield distances of 315 feet to left field, 400 feet to center field, and 330 feet to right field.[1] The left field wall, dubbed the "Maine Monster," stands at 37 feet high, matching the height of Fenway Park's Green Monster and incorporating a manual scoreboard section inspired by the Boston landmark.[4] This design element was added in 2003 following the Portland Sea Dogs' affiliation with the Boston Red Sox organization.[4] The playing surface consists of natural grass, maintained through periodic resurfacing and leveling efforts to ensure playability.[1] In 2006, the field received new sod after leveling, addressing wear from heavy use.[14] Further upgrades in 2012 involved re-grading the infield and outfield, followed by installation of new turf and an improved irrigation system to enhance drainage and grass quality.[15] These interventions have preserved the natural surface amid the stadium's exposure to Maine's variable weather, including snow management protocols during off-seasons.[16]
