I was looking thru some old photos on my laptop and came upon some pictures from 2006 from the time I gone to a Nashua Pride baseball game at Holman Stadium. My girlfriend at the time and I went up to New Hampshire for a Nascar race. The New Hampshire Fishercats were not home that weekend.
The Nashua Pride at the time were playing in the Can-Am League. For those who are not familiar with the Can-Am League, it is similar to the Atlantic League. It is one of many Independent League Baseball Leagues around the country. The league is a little smaller, the teams play less games and the teams have less revenue. The Pride originally were part of the Atlantic League till there attendance forced them to changed leagues. The light attendance was acceptable in the Can-Am League.
The Pride played at a small stadium called Holman Stadium which is located about 1 hr north of the City of Boston.
Holman stadium was built in 1937 and it has a lot of history since it opened. The stadium seats 4,375 fans.
The stadium was originally built as a public facility and it was not till 1946 when the Nashua Dodgers moved in. Walter Alston was a player/manager in 1946. Also on the 1946 team was Roy Campanella and Don Newcombe.
The Dodgers left after the 1949 season and affiliated ball did not return till 1983 when the Angels placed there AA in Nashua. The 1983 team had a few players that eventually made it to the majors. The most notable was Devon White and Kirk McCaskill.
After the 1983 season the Angels left and the Pirates took over the affiliation for 3 years.
Between 1984 and 1986 the most notable player to play in Nashua was Bobby Bonilla.
After the 1986 season, professional baseball did not return till 1995 in the form of the Nashua Hawks who played in the North Atlantic League, which was a small Independent league that only last a short time.
After a 2 year absence the Atlantic League placed a team in Nashua and the team name was the Pride. The Pride played in the Atlantic League till the end of the 2005 season when the team was transferred to the Can-Am League. The team name was changed after the team was sold and went by the name American Defenders of New Hampshire. After the 2009 season the team moved to Pittsfield.
Holman Stadium has not seen pro baseball since then and is now the home of a Summer Collegiate team.
The stadium had been renovated after the 2002 season when I believe the seats where replaced.
In my opinion the stadium could be used for nothing more than a Short Season A ball team.
I did not graph this game. The Pride played the Sussex Skyhawks. Neither team had many notable players. The most notable was the manager of the Pride, former Major League infielder Butch Hobson. Of the some what notable players, James Lofton, 8 games in 2001 for the Red Sox, Glenn Murray, 38 games in 1996 for the Phillies, Dan Reichert, pitched parts of 5 seasons with the Royals and Jays, Raul Valdes, pitched in parts of 5 seasons with the Mets, Yankees, Cardinals, Phillies, Astros and Terrell Wade, pitched parts of 4 seasons with the Braves.
Of all the minor league games I've attended, this had to be the most low key atmosphere for a game I've ever been to.
As you can see in the photo above the stadium is probably only of the only minor league stadiums with a brick outfield wall
I came across a few more pics of other minor league parks I've been prior to starting this blog. I will try to post shortly.
Thanks for Reading and Check Back soon!!!!
The Nashua Pride at the time were playing in the Can-Am League. For those who are not familiar with the Can-Am League, it is similar to the Atlantic League. It is one of many Independent League Baseball Leagues around the country. The league is a little smaller, the teams play less games and the teams have less revenue. The Pride originally were part of the Atlantic League till there attendance forced them to changed leagues. The light attendance was acceptable in the Can-Am League.
The Pride played at a small stadium called Holman Stadium which is located about 1 hr north of the City of Boston.
Holman stadium was built in 1937 and it has a lot of history since it opened. The stadium seats 4,375 fans.
The stadium was originally built as a public facility and it was not till 1946 when the Nashua Dodgers moved in. Walter Alston was a player/manager in 1946. Also on the 1946 team was Roy Campanella and Don Newcombe.
The Dodgers left after the 1949 season and affiliated ball did not return till 1983 when the Angels placed there AA in Nashua. The 1983 team had a few players that eventually made it to the majors. The most notable was Devon White and Kirk McCaskill.
After the 1983 season the Angels left and the Pirates took over the affiliation for 3 years.
Between 1984 and 1986 the most notable player to play in Nashua was Bobby Bonilla.
After the 1986 season, professional baseball did not return till 1995 in the form of the Nashua Hawks who played in the North Atlantic League, which was a small Independent league that only last a short time.
After a 2 year absence the Atlantic League placed a team in Nashua and the team name was the Pride. The Pride played in the Atlantic League till the end of the 2005 season when the team was transferred to the Can-Am League. The team name was changed after the team was sold and went by the name American Defenders of New Hampshire. After the 2009 season the team moved to Pittsfield.
Holman Stadium has not seen pro baseball since then and is now the home of a Summer Collegiate team.
The stadium had been renovated after the 2002 season when I believe the seats where replaced.
In my opinion the stadium could be used for nothing more than a Short Season A ball team.
I did not graph this game. The Pride played the Sussex Skyhawks. Neither team had many notable players. The most notable was the manager of the Pride, former Major League infielder Butch Hobson. Of the some what notable players, James Lofton, 8 games in 2001 for the Red Sox, Glenn Murray, 38 games in 1996 for the Phillies, Dan Reichert, pitched parts of 5 seasons with the Royals and Jays, Raul Valdes, pitched in parts of 5 seasons with the Mets, Yankees, Cardinals, Phillies, Astros and Terrell Wade, pitched parts of 4 seasons with the Braves.
Of all the minor league games I've attended, this had to be the most low key atmosphere for a game I've ever been to.
I came across a few more pics of other minor league parks I've been prior to starting this blog. I will try to post shortly.
Thanks for Reading and Check Back soon!!!!
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