Pawtucket Red Sox

{{Short description|American minor league professional baseball team}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2024}}

{{Infobox Minor League Baseball

|name = Pawtucket Red Sox

|firstseason = 1970

|lastseason = 2020

|city = Pawtucket, Rhode Island

|misc =

|logo = Pawtucket Red Sox logo.svg

|uniformlogo = PawtucketRedSoxCap.png

|class level = {{plainlist|

}}

|past class level=

|league = {{plainlist|

}}

|conference =

|division =

|past league =

|majorleague = Boston Red Sox (1970–2020)

|pastmajorleague =

|nickname = {{Plainlist|Pawtucket Red Sox (1977–2020)

  • Rhode Island Red Sox (1976)
  • Pawtucket Red Sox (1970–1975)

}}

|pastnames =

|colors = Navy, red, white, light blue
{{Color box|#002244}} {{Color box|#c60c30}} {{Color box|white}} {{Color box|#56A0D3}}

|ballpark = McCoy Stadium (1970–2020)

|pastparks =

|mascots = Paws and Sox

|leaguenum = 4

|leaguechamps = {{hlist|1973|1984|2012|2014}}

|divnum = 7

|divisionchamps = {{hlist|1977|1991|1994|1996|2003|2011|2013}}

|wildcardnum = 3

|wildcardberths = {{hlist|2008|2012|2014}}

|owner =

|manager =

|gm =

|media =

|website={{Official URL}}}}

File:Pawsox mascot.jpg

The Pawtucket Red Sox, known colloquially as the PawSox, were a professional minor league baseball club based in Pawtucket, Rhode Island. From 1973 to 2020, the team was a member of the International League and served as the Triple-A affiliate of the Boston Red Sox. They played their home games at McCoy Stadium, and won four league championships, their last in 2014. Following the 2020 season, the franchise moved to Worcester, Massachusetts, to become the Worcester Red Sox.

The Pawtucket Red Sox were born as a Double-A Eastern League franchise in 1970. Three years later, Boston's Triple-A affiliate in the International League replaced the Eastern League PawSox. After enduring three different owners, at least two threats to move the team elsewhere, and bankruptcy, the PawSox were purchased from the International League by local industrialist Ben Mondor in January 1977. Over the next 38 years, Mondor (who died in 2010) and his heirs stabilized the franchise and turned it into a success; it was twice (1990 and 2003) selected the winner of Baseball America's Bob Freitas Award as the top Triple-A operation in minor league baseball,{{cite magazine|url=https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/baseball-america-awards/|title=Baseball America Awards|magazine=Baseball America|access-date=20 August 2018}} won the 1990 John H. Johnson President's Award, led its league in total attendance three times between 2004 and 2008,{{cite book|last1=Johnson|first1=Lloyd|last2=Wolff|first2=Miles|title=The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball|edition=2nd|year=2008|publisher=Baseball America|location=Durham, North Carolina|isbn=978-1-932391-17-6|pages=561–724}} and captured three Governors' Cups as playoff champions.

On February 23, 2015, the team was sold to a group headed by then-Boston Red Sox president and chief executive officer Larry Lucchino and Rhode Island attorney James J. Skeffington. Thwarted in two attempts to replace McCoy Stadium with a new facility (first in adjacent Providence, then in a downtown site in Pawtucket), the club announced on August 17, 2018, that it would move to Worcester, located {{convert|42|mi}} to the northwest at the opposite end of the Blackstone Valley, in 2021.

On June 30, 2020, it was announced that the 2020 Minor League Baseball season was cancelled, due to the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States.{{cite news |url=https://www.mlb.com/news/2020-minor-league-baseball-season-canceled |title=2020 Minor League Baseball season canceled |first=David |last=Adler |website=MLB.com |date=June 30, 2020 |access-date=June 30, 2020}} Thus, the team last played minor league games in Pawtucket during the 2019 season.{{cite news |url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/2020/07/13/sports/pawsox-were-much-more-than-just-baseball-team-woosox-want-be-same-way/ |title=The PawSox were much more than just a baseball team, and the WooSox want to be the same way |first=Alex |last=Speier|website=Bostonglobe.com |date=July 13, 2020 |access-date=July 15, 2020}}

Team history

=Eastern League franchise (1970–1972)=

The first team to be dubbed the Pawtucket Red Sox debuted at McCoy Stadium in 1970 as a member of the Double-A Eastern League. The franchise, owned by former Major League shortstop Joe Buzas, had spent the previous five seasons (1965–69) as the Pittsfield Red Sox after playing in four different Pennsylvania cities—Allentown, Johnstown, York and Reading—over seven years (1958–64).

After three seasons, Pawtucket's Eastern League franchise moved to Bristol, Connecticut, in 1973 to make room for the Triple-A PawSox, the former Louisville Colonels of the International League.

Carlton Fisk, the future Baseball Hall of Fame catcher, played for the Eastern League PawSox in 1970. Shortstop Rick Burleson and first baseman Cecil Cooper are among the players who toiled for both the Double-A and Triple-A versions of the team. This first edition of the PawSox franchise played for ten seasons as the Bristol Red Sox and then spent 33 seasons (1983–2015) in New Britain, Connecticut, the last 21 of them as the Rock Cats. In 2016, the Rock Cats moved to Connecticut's capital city, and were rechristened the Hartford Yard Goats.

The Cleveland Indians had also placed an Eastern League club in Pawtucket, in 1966–67. The Pawtucket Indians moved to Waterbury, Connecticut, in 1968. The Pawtucket Slaters, a Boston Braves farm club in the Class B New England League, represented the city from 1946 to 1949, when the NEL disbanded.

=Roots in Toronto and Louisville=

{{Further|Toronto Maple Leafs (International League)|Louisville Colonels (minor league baseball)}}

The Triple-A team that became the Pawtucket Red Sox began in 1896 as the Toronto Maple Leafs. It spent 72 consecutive seasons representing Ontario's capital city and won ten league championships before a deteriorating ballpark forced it to relocate to Louisville, Kentucky, following the {{baseball year|1967}} season.

Louisville had spent the previous five years out of Organized Baseball. After the American Association and its Louisville Colonels franchise folded in 1962 and the American League owners voted down Charlie O. Finley's agreement to move the Kansas City A's to Louisville in 1964, Louisville was ready for the return of baseball. In 1968 the Maple Leafs, the Red Sox' top minor league club since 1965, were bought by Walter J. Dilbeck and moved to Louisville where they became the new Louisville Colonels and retained their affiliation with the Red Sox. They played at Fairgrounds Stadium on the Kentucky State Fairgrounds. While in Louisville, star players included Carlton Fisk (1971), Dwight Evans (1972), and Cecil Cooper (1972). The Louisville Colonels made the International League playoffs in 1969 and 1972.

=Early struggles and bankruptcy (1973–1976)=

In 1972, the Kentucky State Fair Board remodeled Cardinal Stadium so it could accommodate football. The renovations made the stadium unsuitable for baseball; among other things, it was far too large for a Triple-A team. However, the stadium was later used by the latter-day Louisville Redbirds club, setting minor league attendance records and outdrawing several major league teams. Following the 1972 season, the Louisville Colonels of the International League moved to McCoy Stadium and became the Pawtucket Red Sox, with Buzas taking over as owner.

The first Triple-A team was a success on the field, led by future major leaguers Cooper and Dick Pole, winning the 1973 Governors' Cup Championship in their inaugural year in the league over the Charleston Charlies. Then, they followed up by defeating the Tulsa Oilers of the American Association to win the Junior World Series. The following season they finished 30 games below .500 and lost an estimated $40,000. Buzas then sold the team to Philip Anez, a Smithfield advertising executive, in January 1975.{{Cite news |date=1975-01-09 |title=Pawtucket Red Sox Sold |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-boston-globe-pawtucket-red-sox-sold/157466893/ |access-date=2024-10-20 |work=The Boston Globe |page=28 |via=Newspapers.com}}

While the parent club was on their way to the 1975 World Series, the 1975 PawSox finished with a 53–87 mark.{{Anchor|Rhode Island Red Sox}} The team changed its name to the Rhode Island Red Sox for the 1976 season, but little changed on the field with a third straight sub-.500 season and falling attendance. Anez threatened to move his club to Jersey City, New Jersey. After the season, the franchise went bankrupt, unable to pay off $2 million worth of debt. The International League took it over, then awarded it in December 1976 to Massachusetts businessman Marvin Adelson, who renamed the team the New England Red Sox—and explored transferring it to Worcester. But after less than two months, in January 1977, the league revoked Adelson's franchise, alleging "nonperformance of terms and conditions".{{Cite news |date=1977-01-19 |title=IL withdraws R.I. Sox franchise offer |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-boston-globe-il-withdraws-ri-sox-f/157466970/ |access-date=2024-10-20 |work=The Boston Globe |page=39 |via=Newspapers.com |agency=United Press International}}

=The Ben Mondor era (1977–2015)=

Although it appeared the Red Sox's stay in the Pawtucket area was about to come to an end, retired Lincoln businessman Ben Mondor stepped in and made sure the team remained in the city. Mondor was granted a brand-new franchise and restored the name to the Pawtucket Red Sox. However, it retained the old team's history and affiliation with the big-league Red Sox.

Mondor's tenure began inauspiciously. While the PawSox rebounded to win the regular-season pennant, they only drew 1,000 fans per game—believed to be the fewest for a first-place team in the history of the International League. That year's edition of the PawSox fell in the Governors' Cup finals to Charleston in four straight games. However, it won its second league championship in 1984, and drew almost 199,000 fans, second in the league.

For most of their first quarter-century in Rhode Island, the PawSox had to devote considerable resources to keeping McCoy Stadium at something approaching Triple-A standards. In 1998, Mondor and team president Mike Tamburro heavily renovated McCoy Stadium. The PawSox led the league in attendance in 2008, when 636,788 fans saw baseball at McCoy, an average of 9,097 for each of the 70 openings. In 2005, they set a franchise record with 688,421 tickets sold during the year.{{cite web|title=International League: Attendance|url=http://www.milb.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?sid=milb&t=l_att&lid=117|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120421144853/http://www.milb.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?sid=milb&t=l_att&lid=117|url-status=dead|archive-date=April 21, 2012|website=Minor League Baseball|publisher=Minor League Baseball|access-date=6 January 2018}} Kevin Youkilis played for the team in 2003, and completed a streak he started while in Portland: he reached base in 71 consecutive games, tying future teammate Kevin Millar's minor-league records for consecutive games reaching base.

In addition to their success at the box office, the PawSox have excelled on the field. In 2000, Pawtucket set an all-time franchise record for victories with 82, as the team completed their fifth-straight winning season. Three years later the PawSox would top their own record by winning 83 games. In 2008, they won 85 games. The 1984 team defeated the now-defunct Maine Guides 3–2 to win the 1984 Governors' Cup trophy for their second championship in Pawtucket Red Sox history. In 2012, the PawSox defeated the Charlotte Knights to win the Governors' Cup for a third time. A fourth title was won in 2014 when the PawSox took down the Durham Bulls in five games.

The origins of the team's most popular nickname, "PawSox," dates to the first season in which Mondor owned the club. Three weeks before the 1977 season began the team lacked uniforms. BoSox vice president Haywood Sullivan stepped in and sent Pawtucket 48 sets of old home and away uniforms from the parent club. Although the home uniforms were fine for the team to use, the road uniforms had "Boston" stitched across the chest, which was a problem. Tamburro suggested using the name "PawSox" across the front, with each unstitched "Boston" letter replaced with one that spelled "PawSox". Thus, the PawSox name was born out of the necessity of a uniform crisis.

Mondor died on October 3, 2010, at the age of 85. His widow, Madeleine, became the new majority owner of the PawSox.{{Cite news |date=2011-05-16 |title=In Pawtucket, Mondor's wishes are Tamburro's command |url=http://www.projo.com/pawsox/content/sp_bb_mondor_15_05-16-11_L9O4326_v3.2a3c68a.html |work=The Providence Journal}}{{Dead link|date=October 2024|fix-attempted=yes}}

=Sale and Rhode Island stadium plans (2015–2018)=

On November 29, 2014, it was reported that members of the Boston Red Sox' ownership group were in the process of purchasing the PawSox from Madeleine Mondor and two long-time executives who also held stock in the team: president Tamburro and vice president and general manager Lou Schwechheimer.{{Cite web |last=Cafardo |first=Nick |date=2014-11-27 |title=Some Red Sox owners poised to purchase PawSox |url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/sports/2014/11/27/some-red-sox-owners-poised-purchase-pawsox/Tj3YDozeBmap2p8bEO6qGM/story.html |access-date=2024-10-20 |website=The Boston Globe |language=en-US}}

Nearly three months later, on February 23, the sale to Lucchino, Skeffington and their partners was formally announced. Lucchino added the title of chairman of the PawSox to his Boston responsibilities, and Skeffington became club president. Other partners included Rhode Island businessmen Bernard Cammarata, William P. Egan, Habib Gorgi, J. Terrence Murray and Thomas M. Ryan, as well as Fenway Sports Management (a division of the BoSox' parent company, Fenway Sports Group), and two limited partners in FSG, Arthur E. Nicholas and Frank M. Resnek.{{Cite web |date=2015-02-23 |title=Group of New England Business Leaders Purchases Pawtucket Red Sox |url=https://www.milb.com/news/gcs-110149688 |access-date=2024-10-20 |website=Minor League Baseball |language=en}}

That day, the new owners also announced their intention to move the team out of McCoy Stadium, build a new baseball park six miles (9.65 km) to the south in downtown Providence, and begin play there as early as 2017.{{Cite web |date=2015-02-23 |title=Lucchino group confirms purchase of Pawtucket Red Sox |url=https://www.turnto10.com/archive/sources-pawtucket-red-sox-to-move |access-date=2024-10-20 |website=WJAR |language=en}} Skeffington said the club would be renamed the Rhode Island Red Sox upon the move. That name was previously used by the 1976 edition of the PawSox, before Mondor purchased the team and restored its Pawtucket identity. In the weeks following announcement of the sale, Skeffington led a media tour of the proposed new stadium site on the Providence River and, with Lucchino, served as a point person in negotiations with state and local officials over public financing arrangements for the new park.{{Cite web |last=Bramson |first=Kate |date=2015-04-15 |title=PawSox owners want state lease, 30 years of property tax abatements for Providence stadium |url=http://www.providencejournal.com/article/20150415/NEWS/150419547/-1/breaking_ajax |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150713182701/http://www.providencejournal.com/article/20150415/NEWS/150419547/-1/breaking_ajax |archive-date=2015-07-13 |website=Providence Journal}}{{Cite web |last=Donnis |first=Ian |date=2015-04-25 |title=PawSox Seek Meeting with Raimondo; Team Signals Flexibility After Negative Reaction to Proposal |url=https://thepublicsradio.org/article/pawsox-seek-meeting-raimondo-team-signals-flexibility-after-negative-reaction-proposal/ |access-date=2024-10-20 |website=TPR: The Public's Radio |language=en-US}}

However, Skeffington, 73, died from a heart attack while jogging near his Barrington home on May 17, 2015, disrupting the team's efforts to secure an agreement with Rhode Island officials.{{Cite web |date=2015-05-18 |title=PawSox owner James Skeffington dies |url=http://www.providencejournal.com/article/20150518/NEWS/150519331/-1/breaking_ajax |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150519220502/http://www.providencejournal.com/article/20150518/NEWS/150519331/-1/breaking_ajax |archive-date=2015-05-19 |website=Providence Journal}}{{cite news|first=Kate|last=Bramson|title=Lucchino says PawSox stadium proposal will take more time|date=June 2, 2015|newspaper=Providence Journal|url=http://www.providencejournal.com/article/20150602/NEWS/150609784/13815|access-date=2015-06-03}} Then, on August 1, Lucchino announced his retirement as the CEO and president of the Boston Red Sox, effective at the end of the {{mlby|2015}} season.

In September, Governor Gina Raimondo told Lucchino that the riverfront parcel, consisting of public land formerly occupied by Interstate 195 and private property owned by Brown University, "was not suitable and there were too many obstacles that remained."{{cite news|first=Kate|last=Bramson|title=PawSox riverfront site is off; no word about alternative Providence site|date=September 20, 2015|newspaper=The Providence Journal|url=http://www.providencejournal.com/article/20150919/NEWS/150929927/-1/breaking_ajax|access-date=2015-09-20}} In the wake of the setback, Lucchino said that the team preferred to remain in Rhode Island, but neither he nor other PawSox officials immediately commented about possible alternative locations. In the ensuing weeks, reports surfaced that Worcester and two other Massachusetts cities—Springfield and Fall River—might bid for the team.{{cite web|first=Jim|last=Kinney|title=Fall River makes first pitch for Pawtucket Red Sox|date=October 6, 2015|publisher=MassLive.com|url=http://www.masslive.com/news/index.ssf/2015/10/fall_river_makes_pitch_for_paw.html|access-date=2015-10-22}}

On November 5, Skeffington's position was filled when Dr. Charles Steinberg, longtime Lucchino aide and a senior public affairs and PR executive with four big-league teams, including the Red Sox, became club president. Tamburro remained on board as vice chairman, and Dan Rea III became the PawSox' new general manager, after Schwechheimer departed to join an ownership group that purchased the Triple-A New Orleans Zephyrs.{{Cite web |date=2015-11-30 |title=Schwechheimer introduced as Z's owner |url=https://www.milb.com/news/gcs-158474058 |access-date=2024-10-20 |website=Minor League Baseball |language=en}} Amidst the uncertainty over its longterm home, Steinberg committed the team to remaining in Pawtucket for five seasons, through 2020, and to rebuilding its relationship with its fans.{{cite news |title=Lucchino puts Pawtucket back on table for PawSox home |url=https://turnto10.com/news/local/lucchino-puts-pawtucket-back-on-table-for-pawsox-home |access-date=6 July 2019 |agency=Associated Press |work=WJAR |publisher=Sinclair Broadcast Group |date=November 9, 2015}}

During the summer of 2016, the city, state and team began a feasibility study to determine the extent of needed renovations to McCoy Stadium. That study concluded that renovating McCoy would cost $68 million, while building a new stadium on the site would cost $78 million. On May 16, 2017, a downtown Pawtucket stadium proposal, The Ballpark at Slater Mill, was jointly announced by Lucchino and Pawtucket's mayor, Donald Grebien. The ballpark, to be built on a site bracketed by Interstate 95 and the Blackstone River,{{Cite web |url=http://wpri.com/2017/05/16/pawsox-decide-on-apex-site-for-new-ballpark/ |title=WPRI.com, 2017-05-16 |access-date=2017-05-16 |archive-date=2017-06-22 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170622030817/http://wpri.com/2017/05/16/pawsox-decide-on-apex-site-for-new-ballpark/ |url-status=dead }} would cost an estimated $83 million, with the team footing $45 million, the state $23 million, and the city the remaining $15 million.{{cite news |url=http://www.providencejournal.com/news/20170516/pawsox-city-reveal-stadium-financing-framework|title=PawSox, city reveal stadium financing framework |newspaper=Providence Journal |date=May 16, 2017 |first=Kate |last=Bramson |access-date=May 16, 2017}} But when the stadium project went before the Rhode Island General Assembly in 2018, the financing formula was amended to shift the risk of borrowing money from the state to investors, thus exposing them to potentially higher interest rates. The amended bill passed, and was signed into law by Raimondo on June 29, 2018.

= <span id="Move to Worcester"></span> Final season and relocation to Worcester (2019–2021)=

The new financing arrangement was rejected by the PawSox ownership.{{cite news|url=http://www.providencejournal.com/news/20180817/pawsox-plan-move-to-worcester-team-says-ri-house-is-to-blame|title=PawSox Plan to Move to Worcester; Team Says R.I. House is to Blame|last=Anderson|first=Patrick|date=August 17, 2018|newspaper=The Providence Journal|access-date=August 20, 2018}} On August 17, 2018, the team announced that it would relocate to a new stadium in Worcester in April 2021.{{cite news|url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/business/2018/08/17/pawsox-owners-prepare-move-team-worcester/ku4CVdjYluqzRaOlYQcHmK/story.html|title=It's Official: PawSox to Move to Worcester|last=Chesto|first=Jon|date=August 17, 2018|newspaper=The Boston Globe|access-date=August 17, 2018}} The stadium was to be part of a $240 million redevelopment of Worcester's Kelley Square and Canal District.{{cite news |url=https://www.telegram.com/news/20191029/kelley-square-groundbreaking-thursday |title=Kelley Square groundbreaking Thursday |first=Cyrus |last=Moulton |website=Telegram & Gazette |location=Worcester, Massachusetts |date=October 29, 2019 |access-date=December 1, 2019}} The move would end the team's history in Pawtucket after 51 seasons.

Alluding to "controversy, disagreement and opposition", apparently on the part of Rhode Island legislators who changed the Pawtucket stadium's financing formula, Lucchino said that a 35-page letter of intent had been signed with Worcester's mayor and city manager for the downtown ballpark project to house the relocated team. The announcement capped a concerted three-year effort by Worcester and Massachusetts officials and local business leaders to woo the PawSox to anchor a downtown redevelopment that includes the stadium, new housing, a hotel, a parking garage and redesign of the Kelley Square intersection. On September 12, 2018, the Worcester City Council voted 9–1 to approve the stadium proposal, paving the way for the PawSox' relocation.{{cite web|url=https://www.telegram.com/news/20180912/worcester-council-approves-baseball-stadium-deal-9-1|title=Worcester Council Approves Baseball Stadium Deal, 9–1|last=Kotsopoulos|first=Nick|date=September 12, 2018|website=Worcester Telegram and Gazette|access-date=March 11, 2020}}

{{Further|Worcester Red Sox}}

During the 2019 season of the International League, Pawtucket finished last in the North Division, with a record of 59–81.{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/60189178/aaa-international-league-final-standings/ |title=AAA International League Final Standings |newspaper=Republican Herald |location=Pottsville, Pennsylvania |date=September 4, 2019 |page=A16 |access-date=September 28, 2020 |via=newspapers.com}} The team's final game was played on September 2, 2019; it was a 5–4 home victory over the Lehigh Valley IronPigs in 10 innings.{{cite news |date=September 3, 2020 |title=Pawtucket, 5-4 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/60189477/pawtucket-5-4/ |access-date=September 28, 2020 |newspaper=The Boston Globe |page=C7 |via=Newspapers.com}}

File:Aerial view of McCoy Stadium Pawtucket (Quintin Soloviev).jpg in 2023]]

While 2020 was planned to be the team's final season of play in the International League, the Minor League Baseball season was cancelled, due to the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States.{{cite news |url=https://www.milb.com/pawtucket/news/cancellation-of-2020-season |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200715201845/https://www.milb.com/pawtucket/news/cancellation-of-2020-season |url-status=dead |archive-date=July 15, 2020 |title=PawSox Confirm Cancellation of their 2020 Season due to COVID-19 Pandemic |website=Minor League Baseball |date=June 30, 2020 |access-date=September 28, 2020}} During the 2020 Major League Baseball season, McCoy Stadium served as the alternate training site for the Boston Red Sox.{{cite news |url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/2020/09/07/sports/look-life-red-sox-alternate-training-site/ |title=Behind the scenes with the Red Sox' taxi squad in Pawtucket |first=Julian |last=McWilliams |website=The Boston Globe |url-access=limited |date=September 7, 2020 |access-date=September 28, 2020}} By December 5, the team began to sell off 1,000 pieces of memorabilia in an online auction hosted on the PawSox website as well as on Cox Cable TV, while also announcing the team would be taking select artifacts to be put on display at Polar Park in Worcester.{{cite news|url=https://www.providencejournal.com/story/sports/mlb/red-sox/2020/11/30/pawsox-hold-virtual-yard-sale-saturday/6472509002/|title=PawSox to hold 'virtual' yard sale on Saturday |author=Journal Staff |website=The Providence Journal |url-access=limited |date=November 30, 2020 |access-date=December 5, 2020}}

The Pawtucket Red Sox' regular season record over the half-century (1970 through 2019) of their existence was 3,461–3,610, for a winning percentage of .490.

On January 11, 2021, the City of Pawtucket announced that it would be filing a lawsuit against Pawtucket Red Sox Baseball Club LLC for breach of contract, in that McCoy Stadium was not kept up to standards or renovations, citing that "the City of Pawtucket will be exposed for the entire facility and upkeep which was originally the responsibility of the State and PawSox, leaving the burden on the taxpayers to fix or knock down the facility,"{{cite news |url=https://www.providencejournal.com/story/news/courts/2021/01/11/pawtucket-sues-pawsox-claims-team-breached-contract-didnt-maintain-mccoy/6620785002/ |title=Pawtucket sues PawSox over alleged failure to keep up McCoy Stadium |first=Katie |last=Mulvaney |newspaper=The Providence Journal |url-access=limited |date=January 11, 2021|access-date=January 13, 2021}}

In a statement, the PawSox were "Stunned to learn of this unfounded lawsuit from our friends and long-time partners at the City of Pawtucket, We will now allow the legal process to run its course, and therefore have no further comment at this time."

"The Longest Game"

{{main|Longest professional baseball game}}

The PawSox played in and won the longest game in professional baseball history. The game against the Rochester Red Wings at McCoy Stadium started on April 18, 1981, and lasted 33 innings. Play was suspended at 4:07 a.m. at the end of the 32nd inning. The game did not resume again until June 23, when the Red Wings returned to Pawtucket. Only one inning was needed, with the PawSox winning 3–2 in the bottom of the 33rd when first baseman Dave Koza drove in the leadoff hitter, second baseman Marty Barrett, with a bases-loaded single off Cliff Speck. Neither Speck nor Steve Grilli, the Red Wings losing pitcher, were even on the team's roster back in April.{{cite book |last1=Barry |first1=Dan |title=Bottom of the 33rd |date=2011 |publisher=HarperCollins |location=New York, New York |isbn=9780062014481 |pages=214–219}} Future major league Hall of Fame players Cal Ripken Jr. and Wade Boggs played in the game.

On June 23, 2006, the PawSox celebrated the 25th anniversary of "The Longest Game" with events and festivities when they played the Columbus Clippers. The 35th anniversary was also commemorated on April 19, 2016.

Perfect games

  • Tomo Ohka pitched a nine-inning perfect game for the Pawtucket Red Sox on June 1, 2000. Ohka retired all 27 batters he faced in a 2–0 win over the Charlotte Knights, and he needed just 76 pitches to toss the first nine-inning perfect game in the International League since 1952.
  • On August 10, 2003, Bronson Arroyo pitched the fourth nine-inning perfect game in the 121-year history of the International League as the PawSox beat the Buffalo Bisons 7–0 at McCoy Stadium. He needed 101 pitches to throw his masterpiece (73 strikes), struck out nine, and got 10 fly outs and eight ground outs from the Buffalo 27 batters. He went to a three-ball count to just three hitters all game. At the end of the month, he was promoted to the majors, and remained with the Red Sox until the 2005–06 offseason, when the Red Sox traded him to the Cincinnati Reds for Wily Mo Pena.

Hall of Famers

File:Jim Rice 1976.jpg is an inductee of the International League Hall of Fame, the National Baseball Hall of Fame, and the PawSox Hall of Fame.]]

Several PawSox players and personnel have been inducted into the International League Hall of Fame. They are owner Ben Mondor, manager Joe Morgan, outfielder Jim Rice, third baseman Wade Boggs, and then-team president Mike Tamburro, now their Vice Chairman. Several former PawSox players have also been inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York, including Carlton Fisk, Boggs and Rice.

In July 2016, Rice, Boggs, and Mondor (represented by his widow Madeleine) became the inaugural class of inductees into the PawSox Hall of Fame. Additions are considered on an annual basis.

class="wikitable" style="text-align:left"

! Person

! Role

! Induction date

! Ref.

|+Pawtucket Red Sox Hall of Fame

Ben MondorOwnerrowspan=3|July 28, 2016rowspan=3|{{cite web|last1=Young|first1=Ryan|title=Johnson, PawSox Blank Scranton on Hall of Fame Night|url=https://www.milb.com/news/gcs-192538826|website=Minor League Baseball|publisher=Minor League Baseball|access-date=8 August 2016}}
Jim RicePlayer
Wade BoggsPlayer
Joe MorganManagerrowspan=2|July 23, 2017rowspan=2|{{cite web|author1=Pawtucket Red Sox|title=PawSox Hall Of Fame Induction of Mo Vaughn and Joe Morgan set for July 23|url=https://www.milb.com/pawsox/news/pawsox-hall-of-fame-induction-of-mo-vaughn-and-joe-morgan-set-for-july-23/c-236201196/t-196097300|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170829075954/https://www.milb.com/pawsox/news/pawsox-hall-of-fame-induction-of-mo-vaughn-and-joe-morgan-set-for-july-23/c-236201196/t-196097300|url-status=dead|archive-date=August 29, 2017|website=Minor League Baseball|publisher=Minor League Baseball|access-date=26 July 2017}}
Mo VaughnPlayer
Carlton FiskPlayerAugust 27, 2017{{cite web|author1=Pawtucket Red Sox|title=Carlton Fisk's Induction into the Pawsox Hall of Fame Caps Final Weekend of the Season|url=https://www.milb.com/pawsox/news/carlton-fisks-induction-into-the-pawsox-hall-of-fame-caps-final-weekend-of-the-season/c-250433006/t-196097300|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170829080245/https://www.milb.com/pawsox/news/carlton-fisks-induction-into-the-pawsox-hall-of-fame-caps-final-weekend-of-the-season/c-250433006/t-196097300|url-status=dead|archive-date=August 29, 2017|website=Minor League Baseball|publisher=Minor League Baseball|access-date=29 August 2017}}
Mike TamburroExecutiverowspan=2|May 26, 2018rowspan=2|{{cite web|author1=Pawtucket Red Sox|title=Fred Lynn and Mike Tamburro to be Inducted as the 3rd Ever PawSox Hall of Fame Class in 2018|url=https://www.milb.com/pawsox/news/fred-lynn-and-mike-tamburro-to-be-inducted-as-the-3rd-ever-pawsox-hall-of-fame-class-in-2018/c-267555492|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180309182909/https://www.milb.com/pawsox/news/fred-lynn-and-mike-tamburro-to-be-inducted-as-the-3rd-ever-pawsox-hall-of-fame-class-in-2018/c-267555492|url-status=dead|archive-date=March 9, 2018|website=Minor League Baseball|publisher=Minor League Baseball|access-date=9 March 2018}}
Fred LynnPlayer
Roger ClemensPlayerJune 21, 2019{{cite web|author1=Pawtucket Red Sox|title=Roger Clemens to be inducted into PawSox Hall of Fame|url=https://www.milb.com/pawtucket/news/roger-clemens-to-be-inducted-into-pawsox-hall-of-fame-june-21/c-307856000|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190618025242/https://www.milb.com/pawtucket/news/roger-clemens-to-be-inducted-into-pawsox-hall-of-fame-june-21/c-307856000|url-status=dead|archive-date=June 18, 2019|website=Minor League Baseball|publisher=Minor League Baseball|access-date=14 June 2019}}{{cite news |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/mlb/2019/06/21/roger-clemens-inducted-into-pawsox-hall-of-fame/39612523/ |title=Roger Clemens inducted into PawSox Hall of Fame |website=USA Today |agency=AP |date=June 21, 2019 |access-date=June 21, 2019}}

Titles

The PawSox won the Governors' Cup, the championship of the IL, four times, and played in the championship series nine times. They also played in the championship of Triple-A baseball on three occasions: in 1973 they defeated the Tulsa Oilers 4 games to 1 in the Junior World Series, in 2012 they fell to the Reno Aces 10–3 in the Triple-A National Championship Game, and in 2014, the team was defeated by the Omaha Storm Chasers 4–2.

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{{Div col end}}

Notable former players

File:Lipofsky-Roger-Clemens.jpg]]

File:Ryan Lavarnway 2012.jpg]]

File:Manny Ramirez.JPG (rehab assignment)]]

File:Youk 2009.jpg]]

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{{Div col end}}

(*) = rehab assignment

Yearly results

class="wikitable sortable"
style="{{Baseball primary style|Boston Red Sox|border=2}};"|Year

! style="{{Baseball primary style|Boston Red Sox|border=2}};"|W

! style="{{Baseball primary style|Boston Red Sox|border=2}};"|L

! style="{{Baseball primary style|Boston Red Sox|border=2}};"|Pct.

! style="{{Baseball primary style|Boston Red Sox|border=2}};" class=unsortable|Finish

! style="{{Baseball primary style|Boston Red Sox|border=2}};"|GA/GB

! style="{{Baseball primary style|Boston Red Sox|border=2}};" class=unsortable|Manager

19706870.4934th Eastern League−9.5Matt Sczesny
19716376.4537th Eastern League−16Billy Gardner
19726179.4367th Eastern League−23Don Lock
19737868.5342nd International League*−1Darrell Johnson
19745787.3964th International League−31Joe Morgan
19755387.3798th International League−32.5Joe Morgan
19766870.4935th International League−20Joe Morgan
19778060.5711st International League+2Joe Morgan
19788159.5792nd International League−4Joe Morgan
19796674.4715th International League−19.5Joe Morgan
19806277.4467th International League−20.5Joe Morgan
19816773.4796th International League−21.5Joe Morgan
19826771.4895th International League−14.5Joe Morgan
19835683.4038th International League−26.5Tony Torchia
19847565.5364th International League*−7.5Tony Torchia
19854891.3458th International League−30.5Rac Slider
19867465.5323rd International League−5.5Ed Nottle
19877367.5214th International League−8Ed Nottle
19886379.4443rd IL East−14.5Ed Nottle
19896284.4254th IL East−21.5Ed Nottle
19906284.4254th IL East−27.5Ed Nottle (through 6/26)

Johnny Pesky (from 6/27)

19917964.5521st IL East+3.5Butch Hobson
19927172.4972nd IL East−13.5Rico Petrocelli
19936082.4234th IL East−14.5Buddy Bailey
19947864.5491st IL East+7Buddy Bailey
19957071.4923rd IL East−2.5Buddy Bailey
19967864.5491st IL East+5.5Buddy Bailey
19978160.5742nd IL East−2Ken Macha
19987764.5463rd IL North−3Ken Macha
19997668.5282nd IL North−2Gary Jones
20008261.5733rd IL North−3Gary Jones
20016082.4235th IL North−31Gary Jones
20026084.4175th IL North−31Buddy Bailey
20038361.5761st IL North+4Buddy Bailey
20047371.5072nd IL North−10Buddy Bailey
20057569.5212nd IL North−7Ron Johnson
20066975.4795th IL North−16Ron Johnson
20076775.4724th IL North−16.5Ron Johnson
20088558.5942nd IL North−2.5Ron Johnson
20096182.4275th IL North−21Ron Johnson
20106678.4584th IL North−21.5Torey Lovullo
20118161.5701st IL North+2Arnie Beyeler
20127965.5492nd IL North*−5Arnie Beyeler
20138063.5591st IL North+3.5Gary DiSarcina
20147965.5492nd IL North*−2.5Kevin Boles
20155985.4106th IL North−22Kevin Boles
20167468.5214th IL North−16.5Kevin Boles
20176775.4724th IL North−19.5Kevin Boles
20186673.4753rd IL North−17.5Kevin Boles
20195981.4216th IL North−16.5Billy McMillon

(*= Won Governors' Cup)

Playoff history

class="wikitable"
style="{{Baseball primary style|Boston Red Sox|border=2}};"|Yearstyle="{{Baseball primary style|Boston Red Sox|border=2}};"|Wstyle="{{Baseball primary style|Boston Red Sox|border=2}};"|Lstyle="{{Baseball primary style|Boston Red Sox|border=2}};"|Resultstyle="{{Baseball primary style|Boston Red Sox|border=2}};"|Roundstyle="{{Baseball primary style|Boston Red Sox|border=2}};"|Wstyle="{{Baseball primary style|Boston Red Sox|border=2}};"|Lstyle="{{Baseball primary style|Boston Red Sox|border=2}};"|Resultstyle="{{Baseball primary style|Boston Red Sox|border=2}};"|Roundstyle="{{Baseball primary style|Boston Red Sox|border=2}};"|Wstyle="{{Baseball primary style|Boston Red Sox|border=2}};"|Lstyle="{{Baseball primary style|Boston Red Sox|border=2}};"|Resultstyle="{{Baseball primary style|Boston Red Sox|border=2}};"|Round
197332Beat Tidewater1st round of playoffs32Beat CharlestonGovernors' Cup championship41Beat TulsaJunior World Series
197731Beat Richmond1st round of playoffs04Lost to CharlestonGovernors' Cup championship
197832Beat Toledo1st round of playoffs34Lost to RichmondGovernors' Cup championship
198431Beat Columbus1st round of playoffs32Beat MaineGovernors' Cup championship
198613Lost to Rochester1st round of playoffs
198713Lost to Tidewater1st round of playoffs
199103Lost to ColumbusGovernors' Cup championship
199213Lost to ScrantonIL East championship
199413Lost to SyracuseIL East championship
199613Lost to RochesterIL East championship
199713Lost to RochesterIL East championship
200332Beat Ottawa1st round of playoffs03Lost to DurhamGovernors' Cup championship
200813Lost to Scranton1st round of playoffs
201103Lost to Lehigh1st round of playoffs
201231Beat Scranton1st round of playoffs30Beat CharlotteGovernors' Cup championship01Lost to RenoTriple-A National Championship
201332Beat Rochester1st round of playoffs13Lost to DurhamGovernors' Cup championship
201430Beat Syracuse1st round of playoffs32Beat DurhamGovernors' Cup championship01Lost to OmahaTriple-A National Championship

Triple-A managerial history

class="wikitable"
style="{{Baseball primary style|Boston Red Sox|border=2}};"|Namestyle="{{Baseball primary style|Boston Red Sox|border=2}};"|Recordstyle="{{Baseball primary style|Boston Red Sox|border=2}};"|Win Pct.style="{{Baseball primary style|Boston Red Sox|border=2}};"|Duration
Darrell Johnson

| 78–68 || .534 || 1973

Joe Morgan

| 601–658 || .477 || 1974–1982

Tony Torchia

| 131–148 || .470 || 1983–1984

Rac Slider

| 48–91 || .345 || 1985

Ed Nottle

| 302–338 || .472 || 1986–1990 (June 26)

Johnny Pesky

| 32–41 || .438 || 1990 (June 27 – September 3)

Butch Hobson

| 79–64 || .552 || 1991

Rico Petrocelli

| 71–72 || .497 || 1992

Buddy Bailey

| 502–497 || .503 || 1993–1996
2002–2004

Ken Macha

| 158–124 || .560 || 1997–1998

Gary Jones

| 218–211 || .508 || 1999–2001

Ron Johnson

| 357–359 || .499 || 2005–2009

Torey Lovullo

| 66–78 || .458 || 2010

Arnie Beyeler

| 160–126 || .559 || 2011–2012

Gary DiSarcina

| 80–63 || .559 || 2013

Kevin Boles

| 288–301 || .489 || 2014–2018

Billy McMillon

| 59–81 || .421 || 2019–2020

Totals

| 3230–3320 || .493 || 1973–2020

Broadcasters

As of March 2020, the announcers for the Pawsox Radio Network were Josh Maurer, Mike Antonellis, Jim Cain and Steve McDonald, of URI football and men's basketball.{{cite news |url=https://www.milb.com/news/pawsox-call-up-mike-antonellis |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200307130906/https://www.milb.com/news/pawsox-call-up-mike-antonellis |url-status=dead |archive-date=March 7, 2020 |title=PawSox Broadcast Team "Calls Up" Mike Antonellis from Double-A Portland |website=MLB.com |date=March 5, 2020 |access-date=March 31, 2020}} Pawtucket served as a springboard for multiple Major League Baseball broadcasters.

{{main|Pawsox Radio Network}}

References

{{Reflist|30em}}