Daniel S. Frawley Stadium
Judy Johnson Field | |
 | |
 | |
| Former names | Legends Stadium |
|---|---|
| Location | 801 Shipyard Drive Wilmington, Delaware |
| Owner | Delaware Stadium Corporation |
| Operator | Delaware Stadium Corporation |
| Capacity | 6,532 |
| 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 |
| Construction cost | $6,000,000 ($12.7 million in 2025 dollars[1]) |
| Architect | The Design Exchange, Wilmington, DE |
| General contractor | Minker Construction Company |
| Tenants | |
| Wilmington Blue Rocks, Delaware Sports Museum and Hall of Fame | |
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. 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.[2]
Amenities
The stadium seats 6,532 people. The Blue Rocks have a picnic area in the stadium named the Blue Moose Grill and a gift shop, The Quarry. 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
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 the Beach Boys, the Steve Miller Band, and recently the Round the Bases Tour, which featured Counting Crows, Live (band), and Collective Soul. Starting in 2008, the Delaware Indo-American festival was held at the site.
References
- ^ 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.
- ^ Maureen Milford (1993-03-14). "NORTHEAST NOTEBOOK: Wilmington, Del.; A 'Colosseum' For Baseball". New York Times.
Further reading
- "Field of Dreams a Nostalgic Ballpark and New Team for Wilmington". Philadelphia Daily News. 1993-04-05. p. B14.
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External links
- Official Team website
- Delaware Stadium Corporation website
- Delaware Sports Museum and Hall of Fame website
- Judy Johnson Field at Daniel S. Frawley Stadium Views - Ball Parks of the Minor Leagues
- Ballparkreviews.com entry
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