Goodall Park is a baseball venue in Sanford, Maine, United States, which is home to the Sanford Mainers of the New England Collegiate Baseball League. The park opened in 1915. It has a seating capacity of 950 spectators.
History
The park opened on May 29, 1915. Its first game was between the Sanford Professionals and the Lewiston Pilgrims (of Lewiston, Maine). The game was played in front of 1,300 fans.http://www.sanfordmainers.com/news/news070603b.htm Sanford Mainers website, URL accessed November 27, 2008
In 1919, the park hosted an exhibition game between the Sanford Professionals and the Boston Red Sox. The game was Babe Ruth's last game in a Red Sox uniform. Ruth hit a three-run home run to lead the Red Sox to a come-from-behind 4-3 victory. Ruth did not play in another game for the Red Sox before being traded to the New York Yankees by Red Sox owner Harry Frazee. Goodall Park gallery, URL accessed December 13, 2008
1997 fire and rebuilding In 1997, an arsonist set fire to the park's grandstand and destroyed it. After debate in Sanford as to whether or not to rebuild the park, the grandstand was rebuilt in 1998 and rededicated on July 16, 1999. The grandstand was rebuilt at a cost of over $1 million.
Seating areas Most of the park's 950-spectator capacity comes from the grandstand located directly behind home plate. The grandstand consists entirely of chairbacked seats. The park also has a section of metal bleacher seating located down the first base line.
Photo gallery
References
External links NECBL website Sanford Mainers website
The Hero of Goodall Park: Inside a true-crime drama 50 years in the making