Joe Wolfe Field is a baseball field in North Adams, Massachusetts, United States. The field is home to the North Adams SteepleCats of the New England Collegiate Baseball League, a collegiate summer baseball league based in New England.About the SteepleCats URL accessed November 30, 2008 The park was built in 1986, with the SteepleCats first utilizing the facility at their inception in the 2002 NECBL season. It has a seated capacity of 1,800 spectators, with additional seating and standing areas located down either foul line. The dimensions of the field are 325 ft. down the lines, 358 ft. in the gaps, and 385 ft. in dead center field. The park faces south in the Noel Field Athletic Complex. The field is lighted for night play with 8 light poles.
In 2012, the Division III MCLA Trailblazers baseball team of the nearby Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts played three home games at Joe Wolfe Field. The facility is also used by the baseball teams of Drury High School and Charles H. McCann Technical High School, both located in North Adams. Joe Wolfe Field also hosts other youth sports leagues. URL accessed December 13, 2008
History Joe Wolfe Field was built in 1986 on the site of Noel Field. Noel had served as North Adams' main baseball venue for decades, but its grandstand and playing surface had become outdated. In building Joe Wolfe, a new grandstand and lighting structures were added, and the field itself was renovated.
Then-mayor of North Adams John Barrett III and local sports figure Joe Wolfe were key to fundraising for and building the park. When Wolfe died in November 1986, shortly after the field's construction, Barrett and others involved in the development decided to name the field after Joe Wolfe. In addition to his involvement in the field's construction, Wolfe played semi-professional baseball, coached youth teams, and worked in local sports organizations.
In 2005, the field was renovated. An electronic scoreboard and concession stand were added, and the backstop was improved.
6,714 fans attended a July 4, 2006, game against the Holyoke Giants, won by Holyoke 3–2. The attendance mark is an NECBL record for regular season, postseason, and All-Star games.NECBL Record Book at necbl.com, URL accessed May 2, 2010. Archived May 2, 2010
The field hosted the 2007 NECBL All-Star Game. The visiting South Division All-Stars won the game, which was attended by 4,210 fans.South All Stars vs North All Stars (Jul 22, 2007) at necbl.com, URL accessed May 2, 2010. Archived May 2, 2010
SteepleCats attendance The following is a list of North Adams SteepleCats attendance figures at Joe Wolfe Field dating back to the team's inception in the 2002 season.
Season Game Avg. Season Total Lge. Rk. 2002 NECBL team statistics archive; URL accessed December 21, 2008 908 19,087 4th 2003 NECBL team statistics archive, URL accessed December 21, 2008 874 17,496 5th 2004 NECBL team statistics archive, URL accessed December 22, 2008 1,355 28,457 4th 2005 NECBL team statistics archive, URL accessed December 27, 2008 1,249 26,230 5th 2006 NECBL team statistics archive, URL accessed December 27, 2008 1,095 22,995 6th 20072007 NECBL team statistics URL accessed December 20, 2008 1,096 23,031 5th 2008 NECBL team statistics archive, URL accessed December 27, 2008 1,124 26,624 4th 2009Team Statistics 2009 at necbl.com, URL accessed August 1, 2009 1,025 20,511 6th 2010Team Statistics 2010 at necbl.com, URL accessed June 17, 2011 688 14,441 6th 2011 969 19,386 6th 2012 824 17,311 5th2013 913 18,264 5th2014 731 14,629 5th2015 805 16,902 5th
References
External links SteepleCats website NECBL website