#Shortstops: Goats on the Road
In 2014, it was announced that the Eastern League’s New Britain Rock Cats would move to nearby Hartford, Conn., for the 2016 season. Ground was broken for the stadium in February 2015 with construction work to be completed in time for the 2016 season.
However, construction delays caused the stadium to not be ready for the start of the 2016 campaign. The team, the City of Hartford and the stadium’s developer, Centerplan Construction, worked out an agreement to get the ballpark completed in time for the homestand starting May 31. This caused the team, now known as the Hartford Yard Goats, to start their season on the road until then, playing some “home” games in nearby Norwich, Conn.
Making a strong impression on fans, Dunkin’ Donuts Park would go on to win multiple awards in its inaugural season, including Ballpark Digest’s “AA Best of The Ballparks” Award. It would win the award again in 2018 and 2021.
Matthew Carter was a curatorial intern in the Hall of Fame’s Frank and Peggy Steele Internship Program for Youth Leadership Development
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