The Sanford Mainers are a collegiate summer baseball team based in Sanford, Maine. The team, a member of the New England Collegiate Baseball League, plays their home games at Goodall Park.
History In late 2001, New England Collegiate Baseball League approached the Town of Sanford about the potential of having a team. Sanford's former Parks and Recreation Director Marcel Blouin met with various officials, and proposed Goodall Park as the home field for a team.
Start-up funds were provided through local businessmen Allen Mapes, Ron Woodward, and Geoff Titherington, as well as Neil Olson, a businessman from Bethel, Maine who had previously been involved with the Lowell All-Americans organization, a former member of the NECBL. In the second year, local investors Bob Hardison, Bob Gonyou, Joe Vitko, Gary Miller, and Curtis Jacks also joined the management team. After a few years, the Mainers' management group agreed the team should be operated by the shareholders, and shifted ownership to a volunteer group of citizens of Sanford-Springvale and local communities, becoming a non-profit organization.
Mainers attendance The following is a list of Sanford Mainers attendance figures at Goodall Park dating back to the team's inception in the 2002 season. The team's record average attendance came in the 2005 season, when an average of 699 spectators attended each home game.
Season Game Avg. Season Total League Rank 2002 NECBL team statistics archive; URL accessed December 21, 2008 658 13,829 6th 2003 NECBL team statistics archive, URL accessed December 21, 2008 474 9,968 7th 2004 NECBL team statistics archive, URL accessed December 22, 2008 607 12,760 7th 2005 NECBL team statistics archive, URL accessed December 27, 2008 699 14,692 7th 2006 NECBL team statistics archive, URL accessed December 27, 2008 613 12,889 7th 2007http://www.necbl.com/2007webstats/pd.htm#team.gms NECBL team statistics archive, URL accessed December 20, 2008 559 11,751 7th 2008 NECBL team statistics archive, URL accessed December 27, 2008 548 11,513 9th 2009Team Statistics 2009 at necbl.com, URL accessed August 1, 2009 516 9,818 9th 2010 495 10,389 8th 2011 555 11,090 9th 2012 504 10,089 7th 2013http://necbl.bbstats.pointstreak.com/attendance.html?leagueid=204&seasonid=21986 NECBL team statistics archive, URL accessed July 27, 2016 436 9,601 8th 2014http://necbl.bbstats.pointstreak.com/attendance.html?leagueid=204&seasonid=26715 NECBL team statistics archive, URL accessed July 27, 2016 480 10,084 7th 2015http://necbl.bbstats.pointstreak.com/attendance.html?leagueid=204&seasonid=28998 NECBL team statistics archive, URL accessed July 27, 2016 483 10,151 9th20164649,7478th201751611,3517th201856710,7786th20194539,9698th2020No season.Cancelled.COVID-1920214778,5839th20224769,9939th20234028,4419th202454911,5468th202557612,0907th202652113,5218th
Team history +YearRegular SeasonPostseason200215-27DNQ200328-132-2200423-196-3*200523-190-2200626-163-2200719-24DNQ200828-146-1*200923-163-3201023-191-2201120-212-3201210-241-2201318-220-2201422-174-3201522-181-2201626-164-4201717-26DNQ201823-181-2201914-27DNQ2020No season.COVID-19202115-240-1202222-222-2202324-192-2202426-185-2202522-222-3202626-156-2*Overall515-476 (52.0% winning percentage)51-45 (53.1%) KEY: * - WON Championship; DNQ - Did Not Qualify
Postseason appearances Since 2002, the Sanford Mainers have claimed the league championship three times: 2004, 2008, and 2026. The Mainers have also appeared in the final round in 2014, 2016, and 2024.In the franchise's history, the team has made the postseason all but three times. YearDivision Semi-FinalsDivision FinalsNECBL Championship Series Sanford Mainers2003North Adams SteeplecatsW (2-0)Keene Swamp BatsL (0-2)2004North Adams SteeplecatsW (2-1)Keene Swamp BatsW (2-1)Newport GullsW (2-1)2005Keene Swamp BatsL (0-2)2006Keene Swamp BatsW (2-0)Vermont MountaineersL (1-2)2008Vermont MountaineersW (2-1)Keene Swamp BatsW (2-0)Newport GullsW (2-0)2009North Shore NavigatorsW (2-1)Newport GullsL (1-2)2010North Shore NavigatorsL (1-2)2011North Shore NavigatorsW (2-1)Laconia MuskratsL (0-2)2012Newport GullsL (1-2)2013Newport GullsL (0-2)2014Keene Swamp BatsW (2-1)Vermont MountaineersW (2-0)Newport GullsL (0-2)2015North Adams SteepleCatsL (1-2)2016Upper Valley NighthawksW (2-1)Valley Blue SoxW (2-1)Mystic SchoonersL (0-2)2018Keene Swamp BatsW (1-0)Valley Blue SoxL (0-2)2021North Adams SteepleCatsL (0-1)2022Newport GullsW (1-0)Vermont MountaineersL (1-2)2023Mystic SchoonersW (2-0)Bristol BluesL (0-2)2024Keene Swamp BatsW (2-0)Vermont MountaineersW (2-0)Newport GullsL (1-2)2025North Adams SteepleCatsW (2-1)Keene Swamp BatsL (0-2)2026Valley Blue SoxW (2-0)Bristol BluesW (2-1)Danbury WesternersW (2-1)
Media The team's games are broadcast on the NECBL Broadcast Network through BlueFrame Technology, as well as locally on 104.3 FM, AM 1220 The Legends WWSF. Until the 2012 season, games were only broadcast on the NECBL Broadcast Network. The radio station announced in March 2012 plans to broadcast away games, as well.
In 2024, the Mainers were selected as one of three NECBL pilot broadcast sites for ESPN+ (alongside with the Bristol Blues and Vermont Mountaineers), with 10 Mainers games airing exclusively on the streaming platform.
References
External links Sanford Mainers Official Site NECBL Website