Bears & Eagles Riverfront Stadium
Encyclopedia
Bears & Eagles Riverfront Stadium is a 6,200-seat baseball park
in Newark, New Jersey
, USA
, that hosted its first regular season baseball game on July 16,1999, with former 1940's bear Yogi Berra
throwing the ceremonial first pitch, as the tenants of the facility, the Newark Bears
, took on the Lehigh Valley Black Diamonds. It was built as the home of the Newark Bears
baseball team, as well as to the college baseball teams of the Newark campus of Rutgers University and the New Jersey Institute of Technology
.
With the Bears' recent move from the Atlantic League
to the Can-Am League
, Bears & Eagles Riverfront Stadium joins Yogi Berra Stadium
as one of two Can-Am League venues in New Jersey.
in Bridgeport, Connecticut
during that first season, sharing the park with the Bridgeport Bluefish
. Since construction of the stadium was still not finished in 1999, the Bears played their first 20 home games at Skylands Park
in Augusta, New Jersey
, sharing the facility with the New Jersey Cardinals
.
The Bears have nicknamed the stadium "the Den," representing the home of a bear.
Originally, the stadium was to be built along the Passaic River
, perhaps at or near Riverbank Park, but the eventual site was at Broad and Orange Streets, a block from the New Jersey Transit
Broad Street Station
. A block of Orange Street, between Broad Street and McCarter Highway
, was vacated to allow for the ballpark to be built.
In 2001, the Bears added "Bears & Eagles" to the name of the park, to reflect the heritage represented by both the International League
's Bears, and the Negro National League
Newark Eagles
, both of whom had played at Ruppert Stadium (demolished in 1967) in the area now called the Ironbound
.
on the Newark Light Rail
line serves the stadium on game days and other scheduled events.
Baseball park
A baseball park, also known as a baseball stadium, ball park, or ballpark is a venue where baseball is played. It consists of the playing field and the surrounding spectator seating...
in Newark, New Jersey
Newark, New Jersey
Newark is the largest city in the American state of New Jersey, and the seat of Essex County. As of the 2010 United States Census, Newark had a population of 277,140, maintaining its status as the largest municipality in New Jersey. It is the 68th largest city in the U.S...
, USA
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, that hosted its first regular season baseball game on July 16,1999, with former 1940's bear Yogi Berra
Yogi Berra
Lawrence Peter "Yogi" Berra is a former American Major League Baseball catcher, outfielder, and manager. He played almost his entire 19-year baseball career for the New York Yankees...
throwing the ceremonial first pitch, as the tenants of the facility, the Newark Bears
Newark Bears
The Newark Bears are an American professional baseball team based in Newark, New Jersey. They are a member of the Canadian American Association of Professional Baseball, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball. Since the 1999 season, the Bears have played their home games at Bears &...
, took on the Lehigh Valley Black Diamonds. It was built as the home of the Newark Bears
Newark Bears
The Newark Bears are an American professional baseball team based in Newark, New Jersey. They are a member of the Canadian American Association of Professional Baseball, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball. Since the 1999 season, the Bears have played their home games at Bears &...
baseball team, as well as to the college baseball teams of the Newark campus of Rutgers University and the New Jersey Institute of Technology
New Jersey Institute of Technology
New Jersey Institute of Technology is a public research university in Newark, New Jersey. It is often also referred to as Newark College of Engineering ....
.
With the Bears' recent move from the Atlantic League
Atlantic League of Professional Baseball
The Atlantic League of Professional Baseball is a professional, independent baseball organization located primarily in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern United States, especially the greater metropolitan areas of the Northeast megalopolis. It operates in cities not served by Major or Minor League...
to the Can-Am League
Canadian-American Association of Professional Baseball
The Canadian American Association of Professional Baseball, based in Durham, North Carolina, is a professional, independent baseball league located in the Northeastern United States and the Canadian province of Quebec. It operates in cities not served by Major or Minor League Baseball teams and is...
, Bears & Eagles Riverfront Stadium joins Yogi Berra Stadium
Yogi Berra Stadium
Yogi Berra Stadium is a baseball stadium in Little Falls, New Jersey, US, on the campus of Montclair State University, which is located in Montclair...
as one of two Can-Am League venues in New Jersey.
History
The Newark Bears had joined the Atlantic League at its founding in 1998 but played their 'home' games at The Ballpark at Harbor YardThe Ballpark at Harbor Yard
The Ballpark at Harbor Yard is a 5,300-seat baseball park in Bridgeport, Connecticut that hosted its first regular season baseball game on May 21, 1998, as the tenants of the facility, the Bridgeport Bluefish, lost to the Aberdeen Arsenal. The stadium is located next to the Arena at Harbor Yard...
in Bridgeport, Connecticut
Bridgeport, Connecticut
Bridgeport is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Connecticut. Located in Fairfield County, the city had an estimated population of 144,229 at the 2010 United States Census and is the core of the Greater Bridgeport area...
during that first season, sharing the park with the Bridgeport Bluefish
Bridgeport Bluefish
The Bridgeport Bluefish is an American professional baseball team based in Bridgeport, Connecticut. They are a member of the Liberty Division of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball...
. Since construction of the stadium was still not finished in 1999, the Bears played their first 20 home games at Skylands Park
Skylands Park
CenturyLink Field at Skylands Park is a baseball stadium located in Augusta, New Jersey. Skylands Park opened in 1994 and was built for the New Jersey Cardinals, the New York-Penn League affiliate for the St. Louis Cardinals. The Cardinals called the park home until 2005, after which the team was...
in Augusta, New Jersey
Augusta, New Jersey
Augusta is an unincorporated area located within Frankford Township, Sussex County, New Jersey.Augusta is the home of the New Jersey State Fair and the Sussex County Farm and Horse Show....
, sharing the facility with the New Jersey Cardinals
New Jersey Cardinals
The New Jersey Cardinals were a Short-Season A minor league baseball team affiliated with the St. Louis Cardinals. They were a member of the New York - Penn League and played at Skylands Park in Augusta, New Jersey from 1994-2005.-History:...
.
The Bears have nicknamed the stadium "the Den," representing the home of a bear.
Originally, the stadium was to be built along the Passaic River
Passaic River
The Passaic River is a mature surface river, approximately 80 mi long, in northern New Jersey in the United States. The river in its upper course flows in a highly circuitous route, meandering through the swamp lowlands between the ridge hills of rural and suburban northern New Jersey,...
, perhaps at or near Riverbank Park, but the eventual site was at Broad and Orange Streets, a block from the New Jersey Transit
New Jersey Transit
The New Jersey Transit Corporation is a statewide public transportation system serving the United States state of New Jersey, and New York, Orange, and Rockland counties in New York State...
Broad Street Station
Broad Street Station (Newark)
Newark Broad Street is a New Jersey Transit commuter rail station at 25 University Avenue in Newark, New Jersey. Built in 1901-03 on the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad main line from Hoboken to Denville, Scranton and Buffalo, the station's historic architecture includes an elegant clock...
. A block of Orange Street, between Broad Street and McCarter Highway
Route 21 (New Jersey)
Route 21 is a highway in northern New Jersey, running from the Newark Airport Interchange with U.S. Route 1/9 and U.S. Route 22 in Newark, Essex County to an interchange with U.S. Route 46 in Clifton, Passaic County...
, was vacated to allow for the ballpark to be built.
In 2001, the Bears added "Bears & Eagles" to the name of the park, to reflect the heritage represented by both the International League
International League
The International League is a minor league baseball league that operates in the eastern United States. Like the Pacific Coast League and the Mexican League, it plays at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball. It was so named because it had teams in both the United States...
's Bears, and the Negro National League
Negro National League (the second)
The second Negro National League was one of the several Negro leagues which were created during the time organized baseball was segregated. It established in 1933, two years after the first Negro National League had disbanded...
Newark Eagles
Newark Eagles
The Newark Eagles was a professional Negro league baseball team that played in the second Negro National League from 1936 to 1948.- Formation :...
, both of whom had played at Ruppert Stadium (demolished in 1967) in the area now called the Ironbound
Ironbound
The Ironbound is a large working-class neighborhood in Newark, New Jersey. This close-knit, multi-ethnic community covers approximately four square miles . Historically, the area was called "Dutch Neck," "Down Neck," or simply "the Neck," because of the way the Passaic River curved to form what...
.
Light rail service
Since its opening on July 17, 2006, the Riverfront Stadium stationRiverfront Stadium (NLR station)
Riverfront Stadium is a light rail station on the Newark Light Rail's Broad Street Extension. Service on this line opened on July 17, 2006 at 1:00 p.m...
on the Newark Light Rail
Newark Light Rail
The Newark Light Rail is a light rail system under New Jersey Transit Bus Operations serving Newark, New Jersey. The service consists of two segments, the original Newark City Subway, and the extension to Broad Street station...
line serves the stadium on game days and other scheduled events.