Trenton Thunder Ballpark facts for kids
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| Former names | Mercer County Waterfront Park (1994–2012) Arm & Hammer Park (2012–2021) |
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| Location | 1 Thunder Road Trenton, NJ 08611 |
| Coordinates | 40°12′12″N 74°45′39″W / 40.2032°N 74.7609°W |
| Public transit |   River Lineat Cass Street |
| Owner | Mercer County |
| Operator | Garden State Baseball, LP |
| Capacity | 6,440 |
| 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 Buffalo Bisons (AAAE) 2021 |
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Trenton Thunder Ballpark is a cool place to watch baseball in Trenton, New Jersey. It's the home field for the Trenton Thunder team. This team plays in the MLB Draft League, which is a league for college players.
Before 2021, the Thunder was a professional team in the Minor League system. In 2021, another team, the Buffalo Bisons, even played here for a short time. This happened because their usual stadium was being used by a bigger team. The ballpark can hold 6,440 fans, so there's plenty of room for everyone!
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History of Trenton Thunder Ballpark
The ballpark was built for the 1994 baseball season. It opened a few weeks late because of a tough winter. The grass on the field also had some trouble growing at first. There were even some games canceled because the field didn't drain water well. Luckily, this drainage problem was fixed in 1995.
What's in a Name? Ballpark Name Changes
When the stadium first opened in 1994, it was called "Mercer County Waterfront Park." In 1999, the name "Samuel J. Plumeri Sr. Field" was added. This was done by Joe Plumeri, who owned the Trenton Thunder team. Samuel J. Plumeri Sr. was Joe's father.
In 2012, a company called Church and Dwight, known for Arm & Hammer products, bought the rights to name the park. So, it became "Arm & Hammer Park." After the 2020 season, the Trenton Thunder team changed leagues. Because of this, the sponsorship ended, and the park got its current name: Trenton Thunder Ballpark.
Big Games and Special Events at the Ballpark
Trenton Thunder Ballpark has hosted some exciting games over the years.
- In 1996, it held the Double-A All-Star 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.
- In 2014, the park was home to the first-ever baseball medal games for the Special Olympics USA National Games. This was a very special event!
- In 2018, the ballpark hosted the Eastern League All-Star Game.
Record-Breaking Crowds at the Ballpark
The ballpark has seen some huge crowds!
- On July 3, 2011, a record 9,212 fans came to watch the Thunder play. This was a holiday weekend, and famous baseball player Derek Jeter was playing in the game. He was there to get back in shape after an injury.
- In August 2013, another famous player, Alex Rodriguez, played two games. The attendance for those games was also very high, with over 8,000 people each night.
Cool Features of Trenton Thunder Ballpark
The outfield walls in left and center field have lots of advertisements. These signs block the view of the nearby road and houses. But the right field fence is different! It's kept short so fans can see the beautiful Delaware River and even Pennsylvania beyond.
This means that left-handed batters can hit the ball right into the river! It's like hitting a home run "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 also part of a growing area in Trenton. There are other buildings nearby, like the CURE Insurance Arena. This arena hosts events like ice hockey and basketball games.
