Fitton Field
Encyclopedia
Fitton Field is a multi-purpose sports stadium in Worcester, Massachusetts
. Primarily used for College of the Holy Cross
sporting events, the baseball stadium also serves as the home field for the Can-Am League Worcester Tornadoes
.
. Named after Reverend James Fitton
, who donated land to the Archdiocese of Boston to found the college, it is an irregularly shaped three-sided horseshoe
on the edge of the college's campus.
The northern football stands are shorter than the southern due to Interstate 290
being adjacent to the field. Because of the interstate and the football field, the baseball portion lacks any outfield bleachers.
football team. The field itself was used as the football field, and termed Fitton Field, as early as 1908. A wooden structure was constructed at that time, but a more sturdy cement structure did not appear until 1908. In 1924, the concrete was replaced with the steel structure that still stands today, increasing the stadium's capacity. It would remain identical until 1986, when the wooden seating was replaced with aluminum bleachers, further expanding its capacity to its current level.
Park at Fitton Field, the Holy Cross baseball team began playing at what was known as Fitton Field in 1905. The field became baseball-only following the 1924 renovation of the football field, as the baseball site was where most games were played. The stadium remained essentially the same until 2005, when the Worcester Tornadoes made it their home, changed the name, and upgraded the seating and lighting of the stadium, which has a capacity of approximately 3,000 spectators. In 2006, Fitton Field hosted the 100 Inning Game
benefit for Curt Schilling's
charity Curt's Pitch for ALS.
.
Worcester, Massachusetts
Worcester is a city and the county seat of Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. Named after Worcester, England, as of the 2010 Census the city's population is 181,045, making it the second largest city in New England after Boston....
. Primarily used for College of the Holy Cross
College of the Holy Cross
The College of the Holy Cross is an undergraduate Roman Catholic liberal arts college located in Worcester, Massachusetts, USA...
sporting events, the baseball stadium also serves as the home field for the Can-Am League Worcester Tornadoes
Worcester Tornadoes
The Worcester Tornadoes are a professional baseball team based in Worcester, Massachusetts, in the United States. The Tornadoes are a member of the Canadian-American Association of Professional Baseball, an independent baseball league which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball...
.
History and layout
The stadium opened in 1924 as the official home for the Holy Cross CrusadersHoly Cross Crusaders
The Holy Cross Crusaders are the athletic teams representing the College of the Holy Cross. They compete in NCAA Division I as members of the Patriot League. The men's and women's ice hockey teams compete in Atlantic Hockey Association and women's golf in the Big South Conference...
. Named after Reverend James Fitton
James Fitton
James Fitton was an American Catholic missionary, active in New England.-Life:...
, who donated land to the Archdiocese of Boston to found the college, it is an irregularly shaped three-sided horseshoe
Horseshoe
A horseshoe, is a fabricated product, normally made of metal, although sometimes made partially or wholly of modern synthetic materials, designed to protect a horse's hoof from wear and tear. Shoes are attached on the palmar surface of the hooves, usually nailed through the insensitive hoof wall...
on the edge of the college's campus.
The northern football stands are shorter than the southern due to Interstate 290
Interstate 290 (Massachusetts)
Interstate 290 runs for from Auburn, Massachusetts to Marlborough, Massachusetts. It is a continuation of I-395 north of I-90 and runs through downtown Worcester, Massachusetts, I-190 splits off, and I-290 runs across Lake Quinsigamond and east to I-495 in Marlborough...
being adjacent to the field. Because of the interstate and the football field, the baseball portion lacks any outfield bleachers.
Football
Officially known as Fitton Football Stadium, the football facility is a 23,500-seat stadium, home to the Holy Cross CrusadersHoly Cross Crusaders
The Holy Cross Crusaders are the athletic teams representing the College of the Holy Cross. They compete in NCAA Division I as members of the Patriot League. The men's and women's ice hockey teams compete in Atlantic Hockey Association and women's golf in the Big South Conference...
football team. The field itself was used as the football field, and termed Fitton Field, as early as 1908. A wooden structure was constructed at that time, but a more sturdy cement structure did not appear until 1908. In 1924, the concrete was replaced with the steel structure that still stands today, increasing the stadium's capacity. It would remain identical until 1986, when the wooden seating was replaced with aluminum bleachers, further expanding its capacity to its current level.
Baseball
Officially known as Hanover InsuranceHanover Insurance
The Hanover Insurance Group, Inc. , based in Worcester, Massachusetts, is one of the oldest continuous businesses in the United States, still operating within its original industry...
Park at Fitton Field, the Holy Cross baseball team began playing at what was known as Fitton Field in 1905. The field became baseball-only following the 1924 renovation of the football field, as the baseball site was where most games were played. The stadium remained essentially the same until 2005, when the Worcester Tornadoes made it their home, changed the name, and upgraded the seating and lighting of the stadium, which has a capacity of approximately 3,000 spectators. In 2006, Fitton Field hosted the 100 Inning Game
100 Inning Game
The 100 Inning Game is an annual charity fundraising event, founded by the Boston Men's Baseball League from Boston, Massachusetts, the largest amateur baseball league in New England, in 2004 to raise funds through sponsorship to support Curt's Pitch for ALS, a charitable organization started by...
benefit for Curt Schilling's
Curt Schilling
Curtis Montague "Curt" Schilling is a former American Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher. He helped lead the Philadelphia Phillies to the World Series in and won World Series championships in with the Arizona Diamondbacks and in and with the Boston Red Sox. Schilling retired with a...
charity Curt's Pitch for ALS.
In Film
Fitton Field was used to film the movie The Game PlanThe Game Plan (film)
The Game Plan is a 2007 family comedy film directed by Andy Fickman and starring The Rock. This is the last film in which Johnson uses his ring name "The Rock." This is also the last Disney film to be distributed by Buena Vista, due to Disney semi-retiring the name in May 2007, making all other...
.
External links
- Holy Cross College: Facilities
- Holy Cross Crusader Sports: Facility List.
- Worcester Tornadoes: Various Field Views.