Home of the Blue Rocks

Exterior of Frawley Stadium, Aug-1999.

A good look at the ballpark configuration; it’s in an industrial park that’s being upgraded for entertainment use.

• Location: Off I-95 in Pettinaro Park, South Madison Street, Wilmington, Del.
• Opened: 1993 as Legends Stadium
• Additional names: Daniel S. Frawley Stadium (1994)
• Home team: Wilmington Blue Rocks, Carolina League (1993-present)
• Capacity: 6,532

Rating: 3 baseballs

The field is built in an old industrial park, so it was necessary to rotate it so it didn’t overlook all those buildings. As a result, I-95 and the city of Wilmington dominate the skyline -- a good thing.

Originally, the park was known as Legends Stadium; it was renamed in 1994 for Wilmington mayor Daniel Frawley, who had pushed for a return of the Blue Rocks. Mayor Frawley died shortly after the park opened. The field is dedicated as “Judy Johnson Field”, in honor of one of Wilmington’s favorite sons, the Hall of Fame Negro Leaguer.

The current Blue Rocks team, in the Carolina League, dates only to 1993, but they have already won the league title several times. An earlier Blue Rocks club played in the Interstate League (Class B) in the 1940s; Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Robin Roberts went 9-1 for Wilmington prior to taking the short ride up Route 13 to Shibe Park in 1948. Roberts’ number was retired by the Blue Rocks in 1998.