Flying into a New Era
Hagerstown Boxcars infielder Osvaldo Abreu leads off second during action on July 5, 2024. He is the only current member of the Flying Boxcars who played for the Hagerstown Suns in the city’s old ballpark.
Hagerstown’s Boxcars may have struggled on the field this season, but off the field they have been a big hit
By Carl Sell, Photography by Bill Kamenjar
Hagerstown baseball fans spent the summer celebrating their new professional team and enjoying the city’s fancy new downtown ballpark while work progressed on a large indoor fieldhouse at the site of the old Municipal Stadium.
The success of the Flying Boxcars and the momentum toward turning the site of the decaying stadium into a 114,000-square-foot recreational center show the city is dedicated to turning the loss of its Major League Baseball-affiliated Hagerstown Suns into a positive attribute of the town’s growing economy.
When Major League baseball decided to abandon Hagerstown’s Class A franchise, the city, state, and local fans combined efforts to begin a new era for the sport that has been a part of the city’s fabric for more than 100 years. As the Boxcars wind down their inaugural season at Meritus Park, a magnificent downtown ballpark that is the envy of almost every other minor league city in the country, the new team, league, and stadium have been a hit with fans, even if the team itself struggled on the field.
The Boxcars, named in tribute to the workhorse airplane developed by Fairchild Aircraft Industries at its local Dome Hanger, opened the season with a multi-pitcher no-hitter but ended up in last place in the Atlantic League North Division. Still, the team’s success showed off the field.
City administrator Scott Nicewarmer is excited about what is going on in Hagerstown. He says the new stadium and team have started to revitalize downtown and the new fieldhouse will add to the city’s vitality. Nicewarmer says the fireworks displays after baseball games are “first class.”
“Meritus Park is the transformational change project we have been working and hoping for in the downtown for decades,” he said. “With over 100,000 visitors to our downtown in the first three months of operations of baseball and other events, the economic development opportunities for small and large businesses as well as the prime residential opportunities are boundless.”
Chick Meehan, long-time baseball season ticket holder for the defunct Suns, says the new stadium is “better than I ever expected.” Meehan, a former coach and teacher at Hagerstown’s St. James School, and his wife, Mary, watch the new team from seats on the first-base line.
The Meehans marvel at the level of play by both the Flying Boxcars and their league rivals. The Boxcars are in the North Division with teams the Lancaster (Pa.) Barnstormers, York (Pa.) Revolution, Long Island (N.Y.) Ferryhawks and Staten Island (N.Y.) Ducks. Southern Division teams include Southern Maryland’s Blue Crabs, High Point (N.C.) Rockers, Gastonia (N.C.) Baseball Club, Charleston (W.Va.) Dirty Birds, and Lexington (Ky.) Legends.
Meehan is also greatly impressed by the stadium and Flying Boxcars staff for their cheerful and helpful interaction with fans. At this point, the stadium and staff are far ahead of the team on the field as far as performance is concerned, but that is not unexpected from a first-year franchise.
Infielder Osvaldo Abreu is the only current member of the Flying Boxcars who played for the Hagerstown Suns in the old ballpark. Abreu played for the Suns in 2015. He later played for Class A Potomac in 2016 and Harrisburg in 2017 and 2018 at the Class AA level. He continues to live in the Hagerstown area.
“The new stadium really feels professional,” Abreau said. “The other stadium wasn’t the best for a professional team. We’ve got everything we need in this stadium, and the clubhouse is really nice, very big, a lot of space.”
Meanwhile, the new fieldhouse is nearing completion on the site of the former municipal ballpark abandoned by Major League baseball. The city, which owns the land, is constructing the indoor recreation facility designed to serve community youth and young adults with a secondary benefit for sports tourism.
The fieldhouse will include two turf fields, four hardwood multi-use courts, a fitness area, restaurant, kids’ zone and multipurpose rooms. Nicewarmer said city officials hope the facility can be ready by the end of the year.
The new stadium and the old stadium site ad fuel to the economic expansion going on in Hagerstown.
Special promotions at almost every game help draw fans downtown. On wrestling night earlier this season a record crowd of 4,600 was treated to pro exhibitions between innings and a post-game bout featuring fan favorite Jake Hager. There are 3,800 fixed seats for baseball but the capacity can be raised to 8,000 for concerts. A Boxcar Buddies Kids Club offers special discounts for youngsters.
Another hometown touch is the listing of the season ticket holders in the game program, which is distributed free to all fans entering the stadium. In addition to business and corporate season ticket holders, there are many female fans among the listing.
Downtown Hagerstown came alive once again on Friday, July 5, 2024, as fans came to cheer on their new hometown baseball team. Fans down the third-base line look on as the squad took on the visiting Long Island Ducks.
The stadium includes a picnic area behind the left field fence, a pub in left center and a family zone behind the right field foul line. Perhaps one of the best features of the park are the concession stands. The regular ballpark fare of hot dogs, soft drinks, Cracker Jack and popcorn are tasty and reasonably priced. What sets the stadium aside are the crab cake sandwiches offered by the local Gordon Grocery store, located on the concourse behind first base.
Other popular concession items are pizza, chicken Chesapeake sandwiches, pulled pork, and beef brisket sandwiches. Access to the stadium’s downtown location is easy and parking is available in honor-system paid church lots and those operated by entrepreneurs on private property as well as a public parking garage and on street parking.
The entire atmosphere is referred by manager Mark Mason as “a carnival with a baseball team.” His description fits the new Hagerstown franchise perfectly. And Mason should know. He previously managed the York team to three championships and has won more than 600 Atlantic League games.
The Atlantic League is in its 26th season and plans to expand to 12 teams over the next few seasons. It is regarded as the highest level of professional baseball other than the Major Leagues. The Hagerstown team is owned by a local group headed by Don Bowman, Linda Ebersole, Jim Hollzapel and Blackie Bower. Among the owners is Frank Boulton, who also is affiliated with the League and the Long Island franchise. General Manager David Blenkstone and his staff have put the front office team together for an exciting first season.
The home season concludes with a series against York Sept. 13-15 with fireworks after the game on Friday, Sept. 13.
Extra Innings…
OFF THE FIELD: Hagerstown’s aviation history is the impetus for the team’s name, and the Hagerstown Aviation Museum is open at Hagerstown Regional Airport; another of the attractions the city hopes will draw visitors to the area. A vintage airplane flyover recently took place over Meritus Stadium prior to a game.
• After the July 5 game, a 7-2 loss to Long Island, fans left buzzing about the post-game fireworks. Loud cheers greeted the show throughout and fans were still excited as they left the stadium and headed for their cars.
“I never imagined the show would be that good,” a wife said to her husband as they walked away, two kids in tow. Don’t miss the show on Sept. 13.
ON THE FIELD: Pitchers routinely throw close to 90 mph and rely on breaking balls and change ups to keep the hitters off stride. There are three umpires, and fans are close enough to the third-base umpire to watch him set the pitch clock. Field dimensions are 365 feet to left field, 400 to center, and 322 to right.
The playing surface is all synthetic turf, which makes all ground balls fast and true. Seats behind the infield portion of the field are covered. Team stores are located at the centerfield gate and behind home plate inside the ballpark.
SPONSORS: Meritus Health, the largest health care provider in the tri-state area that includes parts of Maryland, West Virginia and Pennsylvania, signed a naming rights contract for the stadium in February 2024. Meritus also provides health care for the Flying Boxcars players and operates a large medical center in the city.
– Carl Sell