For the first time since 2019, baseball will return to historic Wahconah Park in Pittsfield, Massachusetts this week.
Built in 1919, the park was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2005. With its rare wooden grandstand and neighborhood location just north of the city’s core, Wahconah has a rich history. Major leaguers like Greg Maddux, Edgardo Alfonzo and Rafael Palmeiro came up on its grounds in the minors, and Bob Dylan played the park in 2005 and 2006.
Wahconah has been home to Futures Collegiate Baseball League team the Pittsfield Suns since 2012. On Thursday, the Suns – one of eight in the league – will play their first home game since 2019 under new leadership.
“With COVID having shut us down last year, it's more bringing the fans back," said Pittsfield Suns General Manager Sander Stotland. “The fans are itching for something to do and get out there and just bring in a very fun atmosphere. We’ve lowered our ticket prices this year, both on season ticket level and a single game ticket level, as well as some more picnic packages. We're going to take a look at the potential to lower some concession prices as well. And just you know, do what we can with obviously with still COVID protocols in place to give the fans a something to do to they've been cooped up for long enough and sunny out there and enjoy the sun if we ever get some out here.”
Stotland, who came on board less than a month ago, is an industry veteran.
“I’ve been in sports entertainment about 20, almost 25 years now," he said. "Different aspects on from baseball to the arenas. I’ve been on both the operation side and the food and beverage side for several teams across the country. I was actually involved in 2011 with the FCBL with Chris Carminucci. And then I took over in 2012 the Torrington Titans, and I spent a season there before leaving the OP side and going back to the back and food and beverage world in Iowa.”
Suns head coach Matt Gedman is returning for the 2021 season, after leading the team to a 28-27 finish in 2019. Gedman, on the coaching staff of Trinity College in Hartford, played at UMass Amherst and in the Red Sox minor league system. His father is former Red Sox catcher Rich Gedman, the hitting coach for the Worcester Red Sox.
Stotland says Gedman has put together the best team possible before the season starts with an away game against the Brockton Rox on Wednesday.
“It’s a little bit of a challenge with the colleges going a little deeper into the summer, because the COVID, and the other sports that are playing, and so, we're going be very competitive, that I can tell you,” said the general manager.
COVID-19 will still hang over the season for the time being.
“We're going to follow the CDC and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts guidelines," said Stotland. "We're going to follow the same guidelines as far as you know, sanitation and cleaning and mask ordinance. And so we're staying on top of it. It’s ever fluid situation with you know, the state's opening up other things and such. So we're constantly monitoring that.”
The Suns’ season continues through August 11th, including 33 home games at Wahconah Park in Pittsfield. Thursday’s home opener against the New Britain Bees starts at 6:35. Capacity at the park is limited to 25%, or around 1,200 people, until May 29th. Proof of vaccination is not required.
