Northampton, MA

In 1891, an enclosed ballpark was built at the city's Driving Park, a track designed for horse racing. It wasn't until 1909 until affiliated baseball came to Northampton. Gil Edwards, owner of the Lyric Theater, and Goldie Bowler, a former pitcher for the Springfield Ponies, purchased the Meriden club of Connecticut for $2,000 and moved them here. Driving Park was renovated and home plate moved closer to the grandstand. Bowler was the team's first manager. Massachusetts baseball was struggling at this time because of "blue laws", which prohibited baseball on Sunday. Lights were not ready for baseball yet, so the only day there was a good gate was Saturday and the occasional holiday. As a result, in 1911, the Meadowlarks and Holyoke teams were ejected from the league for "failure to pay debts."

© 2008-17 Paul Healey.