For more than 65 years, Hinchliffe Stadium in Paterson, New Jersey, was a hub for bringing the community together. Sitting atop Paterson’s Great Falls, the venue had served as a home for high school and professional football, soccer, boxing, racing, music and theater, and most importantly, Negro League Baseball. Professional ballplayers such as Larry Doby, Josh Gibson, Cool Papa Bell and Babe Ruth, along with boxers Jack Dempsey and Joe Louis, and entertainers Duke Ellington, Bud Abbott and Lou Costello are among the illustrious names that once appeared at Hinchliffe since the stadium opened its doors in 1932.
Despite a rich history that stretched over six decades, Hinchliffe closed in 1997, and over the subsequent years, the abandoned venue began to deteriorate. After years of neglect, it became an eyesore for residents, and many feared the stadium would be demolished.
“When [residents] looked outside the window, what they saw was decay and decline. They have no knowledge of what this once was,” said Paterson Mayor Andre Sayegh.
Fears of demolition were curbed in 2013 when the stadium officially received landmark status. But Sayegh, along with Paterson native Baye Adofo-Wilson, wanted to do more. The duo shared a common goal to resurrect Hinchliffe Stadium.
That goal turned into a roughly $100 million project with Adofo-Wilson serving as developer. The effort included not only a full renovation to the park, but also the construction of an affordable housing apartment complex for individuals age 55-and-up, a parking garage, daycare center, restaurant and museum honoring the history of the Negro Leagues and Civil Rights.
“A challenge for a lot of urban areas is imagining it can be different than what it is. You need to have imagination and belief. How do we imagine living differently? And what steps can you take to do it? That’s what this project is about,” Adofo-Wilson said. “When I was growing up, Hinchliffe Stadium was the center of culture and sports. It was really the center of town.”
Hinchliffe will now serve as the home venue of the New Jersey Jackals of the independent Frontier League, and the Paterson Public School District will also have access to the stadium 180 days a year for youth and scholastic sports. The children from neighboring Paterson Public School No. 5 (K-6) will be able to use the field for recess and gym class.
The Yankees’ visit to Hinchliffe was planned to coincide with the 76th Anniversary of when Baseball Hall of Famer and Paterson native Larry Doby made his Major League debut, breaking the American League color barrier on July 5, 1947. It will be a fitting tribute, considering Doby’s playing days at Hinchliffe began when he was in high school, long before the start of his distinguished baseball career
“My father would never speak about his baseball career when I was a kid,” said Larry Doby Jr. “He would always talk about playing football at Hinchliffe on Thanksgiving Day when the whole town came out to see them play. It was to the point that I didn’t want to hear it anymore. Those were his fondest memories. I know how important [Hinchliffe] was to my dad.”
“This stadium will once again become a focal point for this great city,” said New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy. “Hinchliffe is not just a ballfield — it’s New Jersey’s Field of Dreams.”
MORE ABOUT HOPE WEEK
(Please also visit hopeweek.com)
At its core, HOPE Week is about people helping people. The one thing everybody has — no matter their background or financial situation — is time. By involving every one of our players and coaches, Manager Aaron Boone, General Manager Brian Cashman, our minor league affiliates and front office staff during the celebration of HOPE Week, the Yankees send the message that everyone can give of themselves to make their community a better place.
Equally significant during HOPE Week is garnering publicity for highlighted causes and organizations. The greatest challenge facing many not-for-profits is generating interest, awareness and funding for their missions.
At the conclusion of every HOPE Week since 2010, the Yankees organization has been honored with the President’s Volunteer Service Award from AmeriCorps, given “in recognition and appreciation of commitment to strengthening the nation and for making a difference through volunteer service.” The awards are bestowed by AmeriCorps, which empowers Americans from all backgrounds to answer the President’s Call to Service.
The Yankees encourage all their fans to get involved … Give HOPE!
