Shuttleworth Park

Shuttleworth Park is a ballpark located in Amsterdam, New York, USA. It is home to the Amsterdam Mohawks of the Perfect Game Collegiate Baseball League.

History

Shuttleworth Park, formerly Mohawk Mills Park, known originally as Crescent Park, opened on Memorial Day, 1914. Its original use was as an amusement emporium, with a dance hall, shooting gallery, et cetera - though it also had a baseball park at that time. The first baseball game was played between a local team known as the Empires and the Philadelphia Colored Giants. It had a short left field at only 279 feets, but a deep center field at 409 feet.

The park later changed its name to Jollyland. In the 1930s, it was sold to Mohawk Carpet Mills. In 1939, the Amsterdam Rugmakers arrived. The park was their home stadium until 1951.^[1]

The park burned down on July 12, 1942, eight days before the New York Yankees were set to play the Rugmakers in an exhibition. The locals managed to rebuild the stadium in that short time, increasing the park's seating capacity.

After the Rugmakers left the park, it slowly deteriorated. It was refurbished in the mid-1970s.^[2]

It has been home to the Amsterdam Mohawks since 1986.

References

1. ^ "New York Yankees". Digital Ballparks. 2001-08-11. http://www.digitalballparks.com/Yankees.html. Retrieved 2010-05-05. 
2. ^ Pietrusza, David. "Mohawk Mills Park Amsterdam, New York". David Pietrusza. http://www.davidpietrusza.com/Mohawk-Mills-Park.html. Retrieved 2010-05-05.