McCurdy Field

39°24′36″N 77°25′24″W / 39.41000°N 77.42333°W / 39.41000; -77.42333OwnerCity of FrederickCapacity2,500 (1924)Field sizeLeft Field: 348
Center Field: 600
Right Field: 506 (1924)SurfacegrassConstructionOpenedMay 13, 1924Renovated1974Construction cost$15,000 (1924)
$200,000 (1974)TenantsFrederick Hustlers (BRL) 1924–1928
Frederick Warriors (BRL) 1929–1930
Syracuse Chiefs (IL) 1943 (spring training)
Philadelphia Athletics (MLB) 1944–1945 (spring training)
Frederick Keys (CL) 1989
Francis Scott Key Post #11 (American Legion) 1986-PresentWebsiteMcCurdy Field

McCurdy Field, located in Frederick, Maryland, is the former home of the Frederick Hustlers, Warriors, and Frederick Keys, a class A minor league affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles. The current stadium structure is largely an aluminum superstructure with dual brick buildings on the sides. The field first opened in 1924.^[1] McCurdy Field was the home of the Frederick teams of the minor league baseball Blue Ridge League from 1924 to 1930.

On Monday, September 6, 1937, the Washington Redskins played their first Washington-area game following their move from Boston. Washington beat an American Legion All-Star team by a score of 50-0 before a crowd of 1,000 at McCurdy.^[2]

During World War II, professional baseball teams conducted spring training in the north. The International League Syracuse Chiefs held spring training at McCurdy in 1943^[3] and the Philadelphia Athletics also held spring training in Frederick in 1944 and 1945 and played their exhibition games at McCurdy Field.^[4]

Lights were installed in 1947. In 1968, the old wooden grandstand was condemned. It was torn down in 1971, leaving just the field. Bob Marendt led an effort to renovate the park, raising $50,000 in donations, and federal and state government paid for the balance. A renovated concrete and steel park opened in 1974, with metal bleachers that sat 1,500 and clubhouse facilities to host the Babe Ruth League 13-year-old national tournament.^[5]

References

External links

• Ballpark Reviews: McCurdy Field
• Digital Ballparks: McCurdy Field
• Project Ballpark: McCurdy Field