Daniel S. Frawley Stadium

Daniel S. Frawley Stadium is a stadium in Wilmington, Delaware. It is primarily used for baseball, and is the home field of the Wilmington Blue Rocks minor league baseball team. The park was originally known as Legends Stadium when it was built in 1993. It was renamed in 1994 for Wilmington mayor Daniel S. Frawley, who had pushed for a return of the Blue Rocks. The field is named separately for Judy Johnson, a local Negro league baseball star.

Daniel S. Frawley Stadium
Judy Johnson Field

Former namesLegends Stadium (1993)
Location801 Shipyard Drive
Wilmington, Delaware 19801
Coordinates39°43′56″N 75°33′52″W
Public transitBus transport DART First State bus: 25
OwnerDelaware Stadium Corporation
OperatorDelaware Stadium Corporation
Capacity5,911 (1993–2000)
6,532 (2001–2015)
6,404 (2016–present)
Field sizeRight Field – 325 feet
Center Field – 400 feet
Left Field – 325 feet
SurfaceGrass
Construction
Broke groundNovember 1, 1992
OpenedApril 16, 1993
Expanded2001[1]
Construction cost$6,100,000
($12.4 million in 2022 dollars[2])
ArchitectThe Design Exchange, Wilmington, DE
Project managerOpening Day Partners
General contractorMinker Construction Company
Tenants
Wilmington Blue Rocks (CL/High-A East/SAL) 1993–present
AEC Tournament 1995, 1997–2001
Delaware Stars (MFB) 1998

History

The stadium was designed by architect Trish England, head of Design Exchange, who had previously designed dozens of commercial buildings in Delaware. Construction began on November 1, 1992, and was headed by contractor Matthew Minker, a part owner of the team. The 20-acre (81,000 m2) stadium site was once part of a Christina River shipbuilding operation. In 1986, the 86-acre (350,000 m2) Dravo Shipyard, with several buildings, was bought by Verino Pettinaro, a local contractor, for a little more than $1 million. Pettinaro sold 6 acres (24,000 m2) for the stadium to the Delaware Stadium Corporation for $300,000. The Delaware Stadium Corporation, a city and state entity, has owned the stadium since its construction.[3]

Amenities
A view of left field at Frawley Stadium and the scoreboard

The stadium seats 6,404 people. The Blue Rocks have a picnic area in the stadium named the Blue Moose Grill and a gift shop, The Quarry.[4] A formerly abandoned building across the street has been renovated to be similar to Camden Yards. The facility is administered by the Delaware Stadium Corporation.

Other uses

In 1995 and from 1997 to 2001, stadium hosted the America East Conference baseball tournament. The hosting Delaware Blue Hens won the tournament in each year except for 1997.[5]

In 1998, the stadium hosted the Delaware Stars, a team in the single-season Maryland Fall Baseball league.[6]

The Delaware Sports Museum and Hall of Fame has exhibit space through an entrance on the outside of the stadium. The stadium has also held many concerts, including Wilco, the Beach Boys, the Steve Miller Band, and recently the Round the Bases Tour, which featured Counting Crows, Live, and Collective Soul. Starting in 2008, the Delaware Indo-American festival was held at the site.

References
  1. "Expansion Plans". Delaware Stadium Corporation. 2000. Retrieved March 4, 2014.
  2. 1634–1699: McCusker, J. J. (1997). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States: Addenda et Corrigenda (PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1700–1799: McCusker, J. J. (1992). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States (PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1800–present: Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. "Consumer Price Index (estimate) 1800–". Retrieved May 28, 2023.
  3. Milford, Maureen (March 14, 1993). "Northeast Notebook: Wilmington, Del.; A 'Colosseum' For Baseball". The New York Times. Retrieved August 11, 2013.
  4. "A-Z Guide". Minor League Baseball. February 7, 2009. Retrieved February 24, 2014.
  5. "Baseball Record Book" (PDF). America East Conference. p. 12. Archived from the original (PDF) on May 27, 2012. Retrieved February 12, 2012.
  6. Salisbury, Jim (August 25, 1998). "Green To Replace Grace In The Rotation". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Archived from the original on August 16, 2016. Retrieved July 1, 2016. The Phillies will send five minor-league players to the Delaware Stars of the Maryland Fall League... The Delaware team will play its home games at Frawley Stadium in Wilmington.

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