Advertisement

WooSox welcome one millionth fan to Polar Park as team continues long homestand this week

bill ballou
·4 min read
1
WooSox President Dr. Charles Steinberg, second from right, presented the One Millionth Fan in WooSox history to Hubbardston's Matt Gingras, second from right. Gingras received a prize package of WooSox goodies that were presented by WooSox mascots Smiley Ball and Woofster.
WooSox President Dr. Charles Steinberg, second from right, presented the One Millionth Fan in WooSox history to Hubbardston's Matt Gingras, second from right. Gingras received a prize package of WooSox goodies that were presented by WooSox mascots Smiley Ball and Woofster.

WORCESTER — When talk first surfaced about the possibility of the Pawtucket Red Sox moving here, it seemed like a million-to-one shot.

Now, the Worcester Red Sox have welcomed their 1 millionth fan through the gates since Polar Park opened on May 11, 2021.

Saturday’s crowd of 5,613 brought the team’s total attendance to 999,127, which meant the 783rd fan that entered the ballpark on a rainy Sunday put the WooSox into seven figures.

Melissa and Matt Gingras of Hubbardston, along with their sons Andy and Nate were honored on Sunday for being the 1 millionth fan to attend a game at Polar Park.
Melissa and Matt Gingras of Hubbardston, along with their sons Andy and Nate were honored on Sunday for being the 1 millionth fan to attend a game at Polar Park.

That lucky fan happened to be Hubbardston's Matt Gingras, who attended the game with his wife Melissa and their sons Andy and Nate. The family was presented with a WooSox gift package that included two round-trip tickets to any city in the world where JetBlue flies. Matt is a youth baseball coach in Hubbardston, and Melissa is a teacher at the Midland Street Elementary School in Worcester.

More: Gone to the dogs: Woof Woof Wednesday at Polar Park allows pups

Buffalo Bisons come to town

The Buffalo Bisons are in for seven games starting Tuesday, one of them a makeup of a weather washout in a series out there in early April. The WooSox took three of five games in that series.

Worcester has dominated the Bisons, the Blue Jays' Triple-A affiliate, through the years with a 32-21 record in 53 games. The WooSox are 15-9 at Polar Park versus Buffalo.

Emerson Garden, 8 years old, reacts are her dog Cleo, right, plays with Napa during Woof Woof Wednesdays at Polar Park on April 26, 2023.
Emerson Garden, 8 years old, reacts are her dog Cleo, right, plays with Napa during Woof Woof Wednesdays at Polar Park on April 26, 2023.

Princeton, Boylston take over, Jonny Gomes visits and more promotions

Tuesday is Tacos & Tequila and Irish Heritage Night; Wednesday fans can bring their dogs, and it is the Princeton Town Takeover; also First Responder Wednesday when those fans can receive four free berm tickets after showing their credentials.

Thursday is a doubleheader starting at 4:05 p.m., Albanian Heritage Night, “May the Fourth Be With You” featuring visits from Star Wars characters, and the throwback visitor is Jonny Gomes of the 2013 Boston Red Sox world champions.

Friday is a Los Wepas de Worcester game and UniBank fireworks postgame. Saturday is Breast Cancer Awareness Day and Sunset Catch on the field.

The homestand closes Sunday with Fallon Health Funday, a Boylston Town Takeover and kids run the bases.

Worcester Red Sox infielder Wilyer Abreu connects on a pitch during Wednesday's game.
Worcester Red Sox infielder Wilyer Abreu connects on a pitch during Wednesday's game.

The week in review

Polar Park saw the debut of the ABS umpiring system, something that should remain in effect through the end of the season. In the first three games of the series, balls and strikes were called by a computer that tabulated input from cameras placed throughout the ballpark. The information was immediately relayed to the plate umpire who made the call.

The closing games of the series are called by umpires in a traditional way but teams are allowed three challenges that are referred to the computer.

Things went smoothly with the new technology and plate umpires scored well in the challenge games.

  • Reliever Chris Martin made his Worcester Red Sox Thursday debut on an injury rehab assignment from Boston and got a win. Martin played for the Pawtucket Red Sox back in 2013 and at 6-foot-8 is tied for being the tallest player in Boston Triple-A history. The others are all pitchers, too. That list includes Steve Ellsworth, Mike Smithson, Nate Minchey and Kyle Snyder.

  • Polar Park is in the Final Four of voting for the best ballpark in Triple A. It is matched up against Truist Field in Charlotte, North Carolina. The two western ballparks are Oklahoma City and Reno. The contest is sponsored by Ballpark Digest and voting can be done on its website.

  • The WooSox hit back-to-back home runs in back-to-back games for the first time in team history and won both. Wilyer Abreu and Ronaldo Hernandez did it in Worcester’s 5-4 victory on Thursday. Niko Goodrum and Bobby Dalbec duplicated the feat on Friday as the WooSox won, 4-2. It was Dalbec’s first Polar Park home run after seven on the road. The WooSox have gone back to back in 15 games all-time and are 15-0 in those games.

  • The first National Baseball Poetry Festival made its debut with a series of weekend events at Polar Park. About 30 baseball poets from across the country participated. The event included, of course, readings from “Casey at the Bat,” the game’s most recognizable poem. It was written in Worcester by Ernest L. Thayer. In the poem, Casey takes two pitches for strikes, the fans disagreeing with both calls. Too bad he couldn’t have appealed to the ABS, but then there might not have been a poem.

—Contact Bill Ballou at sports@telegram.com. Follow him on Twitter @BillBallouTG.

This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: WooSox welcome one millionth fan as long homestand continues