JOE WOLFE FIELD
HOME OF THE STEEPLECATS
By Rick Zmudzien
Since beginning play in the New England Collegiate Baseball League in 2002, the SteepleCats have played their home games at Joe Wolfe Field.
The field is named in honor of North Adams native Joe Wolfe who was a semipro baseball player, longtime promoter of athletics in the city and renowned Little League coach.
The idea to build a new baseball field in North Adams came about in 1984 when then-mayor John Barrett III first took office.
“I wanted Joe Wolfe to become involved again on the Parks and Recreation Commission,” says Barrett. “He said he would, but he wanted a commitment from me to improve the old Noel Field.”
By that time, the field that sat where Joe Wolfe Field currently sits was in much need of repair and renovation. And so Wolfe and Barrett went to work to raise money to improve the field. When they had raised enough money they tore down the old grandstands at Noel Field, built new seating, completely renovated the playing surface, and installed lighting. It was in 1986 when the field began to resemble what it looks like today. Shortly after the field’s renovations, Joe Wolfe passed away in November 1986.
“When Joe Wolfe passed away I thought ‘who better to name the field after?’” says Barrett. “He did a great job and would be thrilled to think that the SteepleCats would be playing there today.”
“The SteepleCats mean a lot to North Adams,” Barrett adds. “To younger people they serve as role models. Not just as athletes, but also as students. And North Adams is just a great baseball city. The SteepleCats bring in a lot of excitement every summer.”
In addition to hosting SteepleCats home games, Joe Wolfe Field also serves as the home field of the Drury High School Blue Devils and McCann Technical School Hornets varsity baseball teams. It also hosts countless American Legion and Babe Ruth Baseball games throughout the summer, as well as many western Massachusetts tournaments including the LaFesta Baseball Exchange.
The field’s grandstands behind home plate seat about 1,800, while many fans bring their own seating and watch games from down the foul lines. In 2005 the SteepleCats added a scoreboard in left field. That year they also built a concession stand and spruced up the backstop behind home plate.
The biggest crowd ever to watch a SteepleCats game at Joe Wolfe Field was 6,714 on July 4, 2006. That day, the Holyoke Giants defeated the SteepleCats 3-2 in twelve innings in the SteepleCats’ annual Fourth of July game.
In 2007, Joe Wolfe Field hosted the NECBL All-Star Game. More than 4,000 fans came out to the ballpark that night to watch the Southern Division defeat the Northern Division 8-0.
“I remember watching a game at Joe Wolfe Field one time with former Major League Baseball Commissioner Fay Vincent,” says Barrett. “As the sun was setting we were looking down the left field line out into the mountains, and he said ‘it doesn’t get any better than this.’”
