The Historic Hinchliffe Stadium: One Year in Review
December 3, 2024
Felicia Sherelle
When something or someone turns one, it’s monumental. It’s brag worthy. It's a really big deal. For the little ones especially, parents go absolutely insane. They go all out for a first birthday. Balloons. Cake. Guests. An assortment of cupcakes. What about first anniversaries for newlyweds? These are most special. It’s so special that tradition says we eat one-year-old wedding cake that day. I don't know if that’s a good or bad celebration but you get the point.
How do you mark the momentous occasion of the first anniversary for the reopening of a 92-year old stadium that had been closed for almost three decades? How is that even possible? Where do you start?
I’ll tell you. The Historic Hinchliffe Stadium, sprawled atop the Great Falls of Paterson, a National Historical Park, was built in 1932. It hosted some of the most famous Negro Leagues ball players of the 20th century. Josh Gibson, Satchel Paige and Patersonian Larry Doby, all played in the famous ballpark. After the integration of Major League Baseball, the stadium’s primary use was for youth sports and as an entertainment venue. It shut its doors in 1996 due to serious disrepair.
Fast forward to 2023, one of only two remaining Negro Leagues stadiums in the country - the other located in Birmingham, Alabama - was completely restored and opened its doors to the public in May, 2023.
The ribbon cutting ceremony was a star studded event. Remarks were made by Senator Cory Booker, Mayor Andre Sayegh, Congressman Bill Pascrell, former baseball player Harold Reynolds, and many others. There was an unusual face in the crowd, award winning actress Whoopi Goldberg also addressed the audience. "This is why we have to continue to insist that no history be erased," Goldberg said in her remarks. "Anything that's happened in this country should never be erased from books of any kind because we need to know, we need to remember. Little kids need to know, and they need to understand. There's not a color in this country that doesn't participate in our collective history."
The capstone of the reopening was a music concert featuring Paterson native and 90’s R&B star, Sybil.
Explore the historic stadium’s first year of reopening in photos.
Ribbon Cutting on May 19, 2023. Photo Credit Tap Into Paterson
The New Jersey Jackals opening day on May 20,2023. When the stadium returned, a new set of friends came back with it. Minor League baseball team, the New Jersey Jackals, named Hinchcliffe as their home stadium. Jackals owner Al Dorso, who grew up in Paterson in the 1960s, said the team would give back to the community in many ways. “We’re going to provide local employment, internships, school days, and camp days,” Dorso said. Photo Credit: Instagram @hinchliffestadium
Alternate uniforms for the Jackals are named for Paterson by its nickname “Silk City”. An emblem for the Historic Hinchliffe Stadium adorns the sleeve. Photo Credit: Instagram @hinchliffestadium
For the first time in 30 years, Paterson graduations returned to Hinchliffe in June, 2023. Photo Credit: Instagram @hinchliffestadium
The New York Yankees hosted Hope Week at Hinchliffe (Helping Others Persevere & Excel) by conducting a pop-up baseball clinic for youth in July, 2023. Photo Credit: Paterson Press
Boxing returned to the historic stadium in July, 2023. It last hosted boxing matches in the 1940’s! Photo Credit: Instagram @hinchliffestadium
At every Jackals game, you will find Jack the Jackal. He dances for the kids. He hypes up the crowd. He roots for the beloved Jackals. Photo Credit: Instagram @hinchliffestadium
By August, 2023 new lines were being drawn on the field because football was back, baby!! Hinchliffe Stadium has a long history of hosting football at the historic site. After baseball was integrated, the field was used regularly during the school year for high school football games. Photo Credit: Instagram @hinchliffestadium
In September, 2023, Hinchliffe began to host Zone Six football classics. Zone Six is a media platform to showcase youth and high school athletes. Some high schools in the area that played at Hinchliffe in the fall included Passaic County Technical High School and DePaul Catholic High School, both of Wayne, and Paterson's Kennedy High School and Eastside High School. Photo Credit: Instagram @hinchliffestadium
On September 30, 2023, Mayor Andre Sayegh addressed the city for the annual State of the City Address at the stadium. Photo Credit: Instagram @hinchliffestadium
In November, 2023, the classic Thanksgiving Day Game returned to the stadium with nostalgia. It's a decades-long rivalry between Eastside High and Kennedy High School in Paterson. Paterson schools had not hosted football at Hinchliffe since 1996. Eastside brought home the win. Photo Credit: Instagram @hinchliffestadium
In December, 2023 Larry Doby, Jr. unveiled the newly named “Larry Doby Lane” right outside the historic Hinchliffe Stadium where his father played. He said about his famous father: "The things that made him who he was happened here. When you’re a little kid and you decide what you want to be when you grow up, it’s somebody who had a profound effect on who you were. And what he wanted to do after high school was he either wanted to be a coach or a physical education teacher. So, that meant that those coaches and those teachers that took time with him, that inspired him, that helped him, that taught him, left an everlasting impression on him. That happened right here in this city. So we, as a family, thank Paterson for that. We thank you for this wonderful honor.” Photo Credit: Instagram @hinchliffestadium
The Barcelona Sporting Club, the most successful football team in Ecuador, came to Hinchliffe in February, 2024. 7,000 fans packed the stadium. Photo Credit: Instagram @hinchliffestadium
In April, 2024, it was the women's turn. The Colombian Women's National Football Team and the Guatemalan Women's National Football Team went head-to-head at Hinchliffe. Columbia took home the win in the stadium’s first international women’s soccer match. Photo Credit: Instagram @hinchliffestadium
On April 11, 2024, the ribbon cutting for the Charles J. Muth Museum took place at Hinchliffe. Operated by Montclair State University, the museum highlights the rich and unique history of the famous ballpark and of Paterson. Photo Credit: Instagram @hinchliffestadium
The PRS Festival was also held in April, 2024. The festival’s focus is to bring the “Health and Hip Hop Initiative” to life. Legendary hip hop artist, Richard “Crazy Legs” Colon from the Rock Steady Crew said the initiative begins with distributing 1000 care packages to Patersonians in need. Organizers are gearing up for the 2nd PRS Festival in August, 2024 to be hosted at Hinchliffe, featuring hip hop legends, Redman and Method Man. Photo Credit: Instagram @hinchliffestadium
On May 9, 2024, the Jackals opened their second season at the Historic Hinchliffe Stadium. The home team stepped up to the plate and took care of business. Photo Credit: Instagram @hinchliffestadium
High School baseball took place at the historic ballpark. Why not? Historic Negro Leagues baseball made magic there nearly a century before. Local John F. Kennedy High School Knights took the field in May, 2024. Photo Credit: Instagram @hinchliffestadium
On May 29, 2024, the Passaic County Labor Council purchased tickets and food for 1000 Paterson students to attend a Jackals game. The Jackals have really become the home team in every way. Grand slam for students! Photo Credit: Instagram @hinchliffestadium
Hinchliffe Stadium and the Muth Museum were made part of the Baseball Attractions Pass-Port in May, 2024, which means they join the ranks of many other notable must-see baseball attractions around the country. Photo Credit: Instagram @hinchliffestadium
The Jackals sponsored or co-sponsored charity events in May and June, 2024: READ AROUND THE BASES, BARK IN THE PARK, STRIKE OUT HUNGER, PUERTO RICO DAY. The Jackals have really been running bases for the hometown! Photo Credit: Instagram @hinchliffestadium
Paterson charity, Oasis, held its inaugural game for its after school program baseball team, Youth Get Next, at Hinchliffe, on June 18, 2024. Photo Credit: Instagram @hinchliffestadium
Pro Wrestling Magic of Ridgefield Park, NJ brought wrestling entertainment to Hinchliffe Stadium in June, 2024. Photo Credit: Instagram @hinchliffestadium
Youth recreational baseball team, Silk City Rangers, finished an impressive undefeated season at Hinchliffe Stadium on June 11, 2024. “These guys are so dedicated,” Coach Frank Roman said. “Even when we found ourselves behind, they stuck together and fought their way back to victory.” Photo Credit: Instagram @hinchliffestadium
On July 5th, Hinchliffe celebrates Larry Doby Day, a remarkable athlete and trailblazer, who paved the way for many. Photo Credit: Instagram @hinchliffestadium
As the Historic Hinchliffe Stadium has closed its first full year of operations and boldly enters into the next, only one conclusion can be drawn by all the events, festivities, charity, and memories made in the first year: The fun is only just getting started. Stay tuned and thank you for your support.
