Red Wilson Field facts for kids
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| Full name | Merrill "Red" Wilson Field |
|---|---|
| Address | 210 Station Ave |
| Location | Yarmouth, Massachusetts |
| Coordinates | 41°40′39″N 70°11′38″W / 41.6774°N 70.1940°W |
| Capacity | 5,500 |
| Field size | Left Field: 346 ft Center Field: 352 ft Right Field: 338 ft |
| Surface | Grass |
| Construction | |
| Opened | 1957 |
| Renovated | 2009 |
| Tenants | |
| Yarmouth–Dennis Red Sox | |
Merrill "Red" Wilson Field is a cool baseball park in Yarmouth, Massachusetts. It's the home field for the Yarmouth–Dennis Red Sox. This team plays in the Cape Cod Baseball League (CCBL). The CCBL is a famous summer league for college baseball players. Right next to the field is Dennis-Yarmouth Regional High School. Red Wilson Field is special because it's one of only three ballparks in the CCBL that doesn't have lights for night games.
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The Story of Red Wilson Field
This baseball field was built in 1957. The team, then called the "Yarmouth Red Sox," started using it regularly in 1973.
Who Was Merrill "Red" Wilson?
In 1981, the field was renamed to honor a very special person: Merrill "Red" Wilson. He was a beloved teacher, school leader, coach, and athletic director at Dennis-Yarmouth High School.
Red Wilson was also a fantastic baseball player himself. He was a catcher for Yarmouth in the late 1950s and early 1960s. He was so good that he was chosen as a CCBL All-Star seven times! Later, he became the team's manager for 16 seasons. Because of his amazing contributions, he was inducted into the CCBL Hall of Fame in 2000. He was part of the very first group of people to be honored in the Hall of Fame.
Field Upgrades and Big Games
Red Wilson Field got some major improvements in 2009. This was possible thanks to a grant from the Yawkey Foundation. These upgrades helped make the park even better for players and fans.
Hosting All-Star Games
This ballpark has been chosen to host the CCBL's annual All-Star Game and Home Run Derby several times. These exciting events happened there in 1996, 2006, and 2013. It's a big honor for a field to host these games!
Championship Wins
The Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox have had a lot of success at Red Wilson Field. They have won eight CCBL league titles! Their most recent wins were three years in a row, from 2014 to 2016.
Future Major League Stars
Many talented baseball players have played at Red Wilson Field before becoming famous in Major League Baseball. Some of these future stars include Buster Posey, Craig Biggio, and Chris Sale. It's cool to think that you could be watching a future pro player there!
Unique Food at the Concession Stand
The concession stand at Red Wilson Field is famous for its creative food. It has even been featured in national publications like Baseball America and The Boston Globe.
The Donut Burger
Since 2004, thousands of "donut burgers" have been sold at the park. This unique idea came from "Burger Bob" Phillips. Instead of a regular hamburger bun, you can get your burger served between two halves of a sliced donut! There are different donut and topping combinations. They even have fun, baseball-themed nicknames for them like "The Hurler" and "The Sinker."
