Club LF CF RF Capacity 1995 Attendance Albany 325 400 335 5,500 60,078 Glens Falls 310 380 330 6,500 56,544 Newburgh 330 413 343 3,000 21,000 Little Falls 373 360 378 3,300 12,000 Sullivan 350 400 350 3,000 38,000 Yonkers 320 390 320 1,200 5,200
P.O. Box 1061
608 East Main Street
Little Falls, NY 13365
(315) 823-2454
With the arrival of the Mets, the city installed, Class AAA, lighting, a new press box, new locker rooms, and a new clubhouse. The city also installed a new scoreboard and concession stand
Players such as Wally Backman, Kevin Elster, and Jody Davis began their careers at Veterans Memorial Park before going to the major leagues. Bud Harrelson started his managerial career in Little Falls and won the league championship in 1984. Current Mets third base coach, Mike Cubbage, also managed the team. Curiously enough, current NY Yankee manager Buck Showalter managed his first game for the Yankees at the park.
Also who could forget many of the fun times at the park! Dwight Gooden pitching 1/3 of an inning during his meteoric rise to the majors. Or John Elway getting 5 hits for the Oneonta Yankees while he waited for the then Baltimore Colts to trade him to the Denver Broncos.
Other fans remember Wally Backman riding a prized pony that was being given away in from right field to home plate. Or the game that was postponed because the Little Falls leftfielder was afraid of the skunk that was in the outfield. Or the mammoth home runs Jody Davis frequently hit over the centerfield lights or onto the little league field. Or the time that Hall of Famer, Willie Mays took batting practice during a promotional tour. Only a few years ago, Hall of Famer, Bob Feller called the ballpark one of the 10 best in the country.
Landsharks Souvenir Program
From Exit 29A you go north until you cross the Mohawk River, and then go west on Route 5. When in the city, take a right, at light take a right. Take the second right and go past the hospital and maybe 1/5 of a mile to field. Parking is free!
Souvenie Program for the Lumberjacks.
From Exit 18 go east One and a half miles into Glens Falls, right onto Hudson and continue onto Glen Street. Make a left at Ridge Street(9L) and go straight for 1/2 mile. Right at Dix Ave. and go 1 and a half miles to field.
From Vermont - From Route 4, take Route 254 westward onto Quaker Hill Rd. ,still 254, for 1/4 mile. Make a left onto Dix Ave and go for 1 mile. Note that 254 goes to Exit 19 of the Northway. Parking is free!
Ruth was chosen after she spoke eloquently and selflessly in support of the ball club at several town meetings, amoung hundreds of her fellow townspeople. Asked why she asserted herself in favor of the team (despite the fact that her home is adjacent to the parking areas), Ruth Said " Others were complaining about how afraid they were to have the ballfield near them. I am a widow, I should be the one most afraid, and I think it is the greatest thing to happen to Mountaindale in a long time"
The field also have special sigificance to Ruth because her fathers farm, where she grew up, was located on the land where the park was built.
According to Mountain Lions General Manager Pete Jameson, "Ruth embodies a lot of what makes Mountaindale such a wonderful place: hospitality, community pride and loyality to her hometown."
When asked how she felt about the park being named after her, Mrs. Baxter said, "It is great. This is the first time something liek this has happened to me. I really can not believe it yet, snd I will not believe it until the sign goes up." Look for her in the stands when you visit Baxter Park - she is the one who looks so at home...
1995 Official Program for the Mountain Lions.
From Route 209. Take exit 113(north) from 17, or exit 19(south) from I-87. When sign for Spring glen to the west, go 6 miles on road to Mountaindale. At light in Mountaindale, take a right and go 1/4 of a mile and take a right onto the parks road. If you are coming from the west, please call or consult a map. I believe parking is $1
Comments - The field is new, the grass in the outfield is not
grown by seed but rather pieces of real turf layed down. During their home
opener, which I attended, the outfielders were slipping on the outfield
grass as the pieces came up, as they had not rooted into the ground. Also,
there are no lights at this current time at the field, and I do not know
if they plan to get lights and when this would happen.
Heritage Park Albany, NY 12211 (518)869-9234
As I said, the Albany Senators were a team. They folded in 1959, and Hawkins Stadium was sold for back taxes and razed in 1960. In 1971 after a lot of "talk" the Pittsfield, Mass Senators played one game against the Reading Phillies of the Eastern League in Albany at Bleeker Stadium on August 19, 1971. Bleeker was a small place, comfortable for 200 fans of the Albany Twilight League. More than 7,000 fans showed up early to the game. Erastus Corning, one of the great mayors of Albany said to the people, "Do you people want professional baseball?":. The people responded with a loud Yeah!. He said to them, Will you work for it? The croud said YEAH! Smiling, Corning replied to the croud, Then I will help you work for it!. Hall of Famer, Mike Schmidt would hit 2 home runs for the Phillies in their 4-3 game. Pittsfield first Baseman, Al "Fat Albert" Thompson pounded his league leading 23rd home run over the right-center fence. As he rounded the bases he heard cheers of ":Hey, Hey, Hey!" from a slew of Bill Cosby impersonators in the stands. "I will never forget that game in Albany. The reason is the croud. It is real nice to have so many people come out and cheer for you. With the kind of croud that was there that night, you really want to do your best". The estimation for the was over 10,000 although the official listing was 7,760.
Rip Rowan, a few days later received a mysterious phone call from Robert Turner claiming to represent an unnamed major league baseball team. They set up a meeting on September 27th and they met at Capital Newspapersfacility in Colonie. Mr. Turners guest was Jim Fanning, representing the Montreal Expos and John McHale, vice-president of the Nalional League. Turner wanted to put their International Triple A team in Albany. Upgrading Bleeker didn't bother the Expos, as they upgraded their Jarry Park from 2,000 to a 29,000 seat facility. And if Albany started their renovations in the winter, they promised the Albany Expos would throw out the first pitch in April, 1972.
Mayor Corning looked at the proposal and was torn. He had promised the croud to bring professional baseball back to Albany, yet Albany would need $100,000 to spruce up the stadium and another $200,000 for a parking garage. Five high-schools would have to find a new park and amateur and semipro organizations would have to find a new home. At the end of October Mayor Corning said he was forced to tell Mr. Fanning that it would be impossible for their IL team to play at Bleeker stadium in 1972.
It was 11 years later that Albany would get a professional team. In 1982, the Albany A"s would move in to newly built Heritage Park. This was in the Eastern League, Double A. In 1985 the Yankees moved in and stayed until 1994. The biggest croud was 14,000 when Ron Guidry was on a rehabilitation stint and pitched 3 innings. Albany Diamond Dogs Souvenir Yearbook
From Exit 4 of the Northway, go west on Route 155. You will pass the Airport enterence, go past there on Route 155, at next lights after the lights within 50 yards of the Airport enterence veer left, still on 155. Either take a right onto Albany-Shaker Road at lights or go straight on 155. With in 1/10 of a mile you will see the parking areas for the Dogs. Parking is also $1.25
Fleming Field Fillmore & Garfield Yonkers, NY 10710 (914) 968-4263 (GAME)
Directions - Fleming field is up Nodine Hill before the water tower on Prescott St. Use the Yonkers Ave West exit from the Cross Country Parkway(2) or Saw Mill Parkway(5). There is limited on-site parking and cars are in the path of Homeruns. You can freely park at Getty Square or the upper level of the Cross County Shopping center and take one of the free shuttle busses.
Delano-Hitch Stadium 375 Washington Street Newburgh, NY 12550 (914) 562-2262
Directions - Exit 17 off of I-87. Take 17k east into Newburgh.
About six or seven lights until the junction with Route 32, take a right
onto 32. THe park is on the left corner at the first light.