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Arm & Hammer Park facts for kids
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| Former names | Mercer County Waterfront Park (1994–2012) |
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| Location | One Thunder Road Trenton, NJ, 08611 |
| Public transit |   River Lineat Cass Street |
| Owner | Mercer County |
| Operator | Garden State Baseball, LP |
| Capacity | 6,150 |
| Field size | Left Field: 330 feet (100 m) Center Field: 407 feet (124 m) Right Field: 330 feet (100 m) |
| Surface | Grass |
| Construction | |
| Broke ground | September 29, 1993 |
| Opened | May 9, 1994 |
| Construction cost | $16.2 million ($32 million in 2022 dollars ) |
| Architect | Clarke & Caton Faridy Thorne Fraytak P. C. |
| Project manager | Burris Construction Company- Phase 2 |
| Structural engineer | Harrison-Hamnett, P.C. |
| Services engineer | Paulus, Sokolowski & Sartor, LLC. |
| General contractor | V.J. Scozzari & Sons Inc.- Phase 1 |
| Tenants | |
| Trenton Thunder (EL/MLBDL) (1994–present) | |
Arm & Hammer Park is a cool baseball stadium in Trenton, New Jersey. It's also known by its older name, Mercer County Waterfront Park. This park is the home field for the Trenton Thunder. The Thunder is a collegiate summer baseball team that plays in the MLB Draft League. Before this, they were a Double-A team in Minor League Baseball. The stadium can hold 6,150 fans.
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History of Arm & Hammer Park
This baseball park was built for the 1994 baseball season. It opened a few weeks later than planned. A tough winter made construction difficult. Also, the grass on the field didn't grow well at first. The field also had problems draining water, which caused some games to be canceled. These drainage issues were fixed by 1995.
How the Park Got Its Name
When the stadium first opened in 1994, it was called "Mercer County Waterfront Park." In 1999, "Samuel J. Plumeri, Sr. Field" was added to the name. This was done by Joe Plumeri, who owned the Trenton Thunder team. Samuel J. Plumeri, Sr. was Joe Plumeri's father.
In November 2012, a company called Arm & Hammer bought the rights to name the ballpark. This means they pay money so the stadium can use their name. They plan to keep this sponsorship until 2032.
Big Games at the Park
Arm & Hammer Park has hosted some exciting baseball events.
- On July 8, 1996, it hosted the Double-A All-Star Game. In this game, All-Stars from teams linked to the National League played against All-Stars from teams linked to the American League. The National League team won 6–2. Over 8,300 people watched the game.
- In June 2014, the park was chosen to host the first-ever baseball gold and bronze medal games for the Special Olympics USA National Games. This was a very special event.
- In 2018, the park hosted the Eastern League All-Star Game again.
Record-Breaking Crowds
Arm & Hammer Park has seen some huge crowds.
- On July 3, 2011, the park set a record for game attendance. The Trenton Thunder played the Altoona Curve. This game was popular because it was on the Independence Day holiday weekend. Also, famous baseball player Derek Jeter of the New York Yankees played in the game while recovering from an injury. A total of 9,212 fans came to watch.
- In August 2013, another famous player, Alex Rodriguez, played two games there. The official attendance for those games was 8,080 and 8,113 fans.
Features of the Park
The stadium has some cool features. In left and center field, there are many advertising signs. These signs block the view of nearby roads and houses. However, the fence in right field is kept short. This allows fans to see the Delaware River and the state of Pennsylvania beyond it.
The river is a tempting target for left-handed hitters. Some players have even hit baseballs right into the water! It's a bit like Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati, Ohio, which is also next to a river that forms a state border. At Arm & Hammer Park, it's possible for a player to "hit one out of the state" because the middle of the Delaware River is the border with Pennsylvania.
On June 7, 1994, Tony Clark was the first player to hit a fair ball into the Delaware River.
The stadium is an important part of a renewed area in Trenton. This area also includes office buildings and other entertainment spots. The CURE Insurance Arena, which hosts ice hockey, basketball, and arena football, is also just a few blocks away.