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The Pawtucket Red Sox, known colloquially as the PawSox, were a professional minor league baseball club based in
Pawtucket, Rhode Island Pawtucket is a city in Providence County, Rhode Island, United States. The population was 75,604 at the 2020 census, making the city the fourth-largest in the state. Pawtucket borders Providence and East Providence to the south, Central Fall ...
. From 1973 to 2020, the team was a member of the
International League The International League (IL) is a Minor League Baseball league that operates in the United States. Along with the Pacific Coast League, it is one of two leagues playing at the Triple-A level, which is one grade below Major League Baseball ( ...
and served as the Triple-A affiliate of the
Boston Red Sox The Boston Red Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Boston. The Red Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight ...
. The PawSox played their home games at Pawtucket's
McCoy Stadium McCoy Stadium is a former baseball stadium in Pawtucket, Rhode Island. From 1970 through 2020, it served as home field of the Pawtucket Red Sox (PawSox), a Minor League Baseball affiliate of the Boston Red Sox. Completed in 1942, the stadium f ...
as the only
professional baseball Professional baseball is organized baseball in which players are selected for their talents and are paid to play for a specific team or club system. It is played in leagues and associated farm teams throughout the world. Modern professiona ...
team in
Rhode Island Rhode Island (, like ''road'') is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It is the List of U.S. states by area, smallest U.S. state by area and the List of states and territories of the United States ...
, and won four league championships, their last in 2014. Following the 2020 season, the franchise moved to
Worcester, Massachusetts Worcester ( , ) is a city and county seat of Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. Named after Worcester, England, the city's population was 206,518 at the 2020 census, making it the second- most populous city in New England after ...
, to become the Worcester Red Sox. The Pawtucket Red Sox were born as a Double-A
Eastern League Eastern League may refer to: Baseball in the United States ''Most recent leagues listed first'' * Eastern League (1938–present), a minor league established in 1923 and renamed Eastern League in 1938, at the Double-A level * Eastern League (1916� ...
franchise in 1970. Three years later, Boston's Triple-A affiliate in the International League replaced the Eastern League PawSox. After enduring three different owners, at least two threats to move the team elsewhere, and bankruptcy, the PawSox were purchased from the International League by local industrialist
Ben Mondor Bernard Georges "Ben" Mondor (March 26, 1925 – October 3, 2010) was a Canadian-born American business executive and baseball executive, best known as the owner of the Pawtucket Red Sox from 1977 until his death. Biography Mondor was born in Mar ...
in January 1977. Over the next 38 years, Mondor (who died in 2010) and his heirs stabilized the franchise and turned it into a success; it was twice (1990 and 2003) selected the winner of ''
Baseball America ''Baseball America'' is a sports enterprise that covers baseball at every level, including MLB, with a particular focus on up-and-coming players in the MiLB, college, high school, and international leagues. It is currently published in the form o ...
's'' Bob Freitas Award as the top Triple-A operation in minor league baseball, won the 1990
John H. Johnson President's Award The Minor League Baseball Organization of the Year Award, formerly known as the John H. Johnson President's Award or simply the President's Award, is presented annually by Minor League Baseball (MiLB) to recognize "a 'complete' baseball franchise ...
, led its league in total attendance three times between 2004 and 2008, and captured three Governors' Cups as playoff champions. On February 23, 2015, the team was sold to a group headed by then-Boston Red Sox
president President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) * President (education), a leader of a college or university * President (government title) President may also refer to: Automobiles * Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese ...
and
chief executive officer A chief executive officer (CEO), also known as a central executive officer (CEO), chief administrator officer (CAO) or just chief executive (CE), is one of a number of corporate executives charged with the management of an organization especiall ...
Larry Lucchino Lawrence Lucchino (born September 6, 1945) is an American lawyer, best known as an executive in Major League Baseball (MLB). He previously served as president of the Baltimore Orioles, president/CEO of the San Diego Padres, and president/CEO of ...
and Rhode Island attorney James J. Skeffington. Thwarted in two attempts to replace McCoy Stadium with a new facility (first in adjacent
Providence Providence often refers to: * Providentia, the divine personification of foresight in ancient Roman religion * Divine providence, divinely ordained events and outcomes in Christianity * Providence, Rhode Island, the capital of Rhode Island in the ...
, then in a downtown site in Pawtucket), the club announced on August 17, 2018, that it would move to Worcester, located to the northwest at the opposite end of the Blackstone Valley, in 2021. On June 30, 2020, it was announced that the 2020 Minor League Baseball season would not be played, another impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on sports. Thus, the team last played minor league games in Pawtucket during the 2019 season.


Team history


Eastern League franchise (1970–1972)

The first team to be dubbed the Pawtucket Red Sox debuted at McCoy Stadium in 1970 as a member of the Double-A Eastern League. The franchise, owned by former Major League shortstop Joe Buzas, had spent the previous five seasons (1965–69) as the Pittsfield Red Sox after playing in four different
Pennsylvania Pennsylvania (; ( Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, ...
cities— Allentown, Johnstown,
York York is a cathedral city with Roman origins, sited at the confluence of the rivers Ouse and Foss in North Yorkshire, England. It is the historic county town of Yorkshire. The city has many historic buildings and other structures, such as a ...
and
Reading Reading is the process of taking in the sense or meaning of letters, symbols, etc., especially by sight or touch. For educators and researchers, reading is a multifaceted process involving such areas as word recognition, orthography (spell ...
—over seven years (1958–64). After three seasons, Pawtucket's Eastern League franchise moved to Bristol, Connecticut, in 1973 to make room for the Triple-A PawSox, the former Louisville Colonels of the International League.
Carlton Fisk Carlton Ernest Fisk (born December 26, 1947), nicknamed "Pudge" and "The Commander", is an American former professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball as a catcher from 1969 to 1993 for the Boston Red Sox (1969, 1971–1980) a ...
, the future
Baseball Hall of Fame The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum is a history museum and hall of fame in Cooperstown, New York, operated by private interests. It serves as the central point of the history of baseball in the United States and displays baseball-r ...
catcher Catcher is a position in baseball and softball. When a batter takes their turn to hit, the catcher crouches behind home plate, in front of the ( home) umpire, and receives the ball from the pitcher. In addition to this primary duty, the cat ...
, played for the Eastern League PawSox in 1970.
Shortstop Shortstop, abbreviated SS, is the baseball or softball fielding position between second and third base, which is considered to be among the most demanding defensive positions. Historically the position was assigned to defensive specialists wh ...
Rick Burleson and
first baseman A first baseman, abbreviated 1B, is the player on a baseball or softball team who fields the area nearest first base, the first of four bases a baserunner must touch in succession to score a run. The first baseman is responsible for the majori ...
Cecil Cooper are among the players who toiled for both the Double-A and Triple-A versions of the team. This first edition of the PawSox franchise played for ten seasons as the Bristol Red Sox and then spent 33 seasons (1983–2015) in
New Britain, Connecticut New Britain is a city in Hartford County, Connecticut, United States. It is located approximately southwest of Hartford. According to 2020 Census, the population of the city is 74,135. Among the southernmost of the communities encompassed wi ...
, the last 21 of them as the Rock Cats. In 2016, the Rock Cats moved to
Connecticut Connecticut () is the southernmost state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, New York (state), New York to the west, and Long Island Sound to the ...
's capital city, and were rechristened the
Hartford Yard Goats The Hartford Yard Goats are a Minor League Baseball team based in Hartford, Connecticut. The Yard Goats, which play in the Eastern League, are the Double-A affiliate of the Colorado Rockies. The team was founded in 2016 when the New Britain ...
. The
Cleveland Indians The Cleveland Guardians are an American professional baseball team based in Cleveland. The Guardians compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League Central, Central division. Since , they have ...
had also placed an Eastern League club in Pawtucket, in 1966–67. The
Pawtucket Indians The Pawtucket Indians were a minor league baseball team affiliated with the Cleveland Indians. Located in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, the Pawtucket Indians existed from 1966 to 1967, playing in the Eastern League. They came into existence after 196 ...
moved to Waterbury, Connecticut, in 1968. The Pawtucket Slaters, a
Boston Braves The Atlanta Braves, a current Major League Baseball franchise, originated in Boston, Massachusetts. This article details the history of the Boston Braves, from 1871 to 1952, after which they moved to Milwaukee, and then to Atlanta. During it ...
farm club in the Class B New England League, represented the city from 1946 to 1949, when the NEL disbanded.


Roots in Toronto and Louisville

The Triple-A team that became the Pawtucket Red Sox began in 1896 as the
Toronto Maple Leafs The Toronto Maple Leafs (officially the Toronto Maple Leaf Hockey Club and often referred to as the Leafs) are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Div ...
. After the
American Association American Association may refer to: Baseball * American Association (1882–1891), a major league active from 1882 to 1891 * American Association (1902–1997), a minor league active from 1902 to 1962 and 1969 to 1997 * American Association of Profe ...
and its Louisville Colonels franchise folded in 1962 and the
American League The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the American League (AL), is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league b ...
owners voted down Charlie O. Finley's agreement to move the Kansas City A's to Louisville in 1964, Louisville was ready for the return of baseball. In 1968 the Maple Leafs, the Red Sox' top minor league club since 1965, were bought by Walter J. Dilbeck and moved to Louisville where they became the new Louisville Colonels and retained their affiliation with the Red Sox. They played at Fairgrounds Stadium on the Kentucky State Fairgrounds. While in Louisville, star players included
Carlton Fisk Carlton Ernest Fisk (born December 26, 1947), nicknamed "Pudge" and "The Commander", is an American former professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball as a catcher from 1969 to 1993 for the Boston Red Sox (1969, 1971–1980) a ...
(1971), Dwight Evans (1972), and Cecil Cooper (1972). The Louisville Colonels made the International League playoffs in 1969 and 1972.


Early struggles and bankruptcy (1973–1976)

In 1972, the Kentucky State Fair Board remodeled Cardinal Stadium so it could accommodate
football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kicking a ball to score a goal. Unqualified, the word ''football'' normally means the form of football that is the most popular where the word is used. Sports commonly ...
. The renovations made the stadium unsuitable for baseball; among other things, it was far too large for a Triple-A team. However, the stadium was later used by the latter-day Louisville Redbirds club, setting minor league attendance records and outdrawing several major league teams. Following the 1972 season, the Louisville Colonels of the International League moved to McCoy Stadium and became the Pawtucket Red Sox, with Buzas taking over as owner. The first Triple-A team was a success on the field, led by future major leaguers Cecil Cooper and Dick Pole, winning the 1973 Governors' Cup Championship in their inaugural year in the league over the Charleston Charlies. Then, they followed up by defeating the Tulsa Oilers of the American Association to win the
Junior World Series The Junior World Series was a postseason championship series between champions of two of the three highest minor league baseball leagues modeled on the World Series of Major League Baseball. It was called the Little World Series (no relation to ...
. The following season they finished 30 games below .500 and lost an estimated $40,000. Buzas then sold the team to Philip Anez, a Smithfield advertising executive, in January 1975. While the parent club was on their way to the 1975 World Series, the 1975 PawSox finished with a 53–87 mark. The team changed its name to the ''Rhode Island Red Sox'' for the 1976 season, but little changed on the field with a third straight sub-.500 season and falling attendance. Anez threatened to move his club to
Jersey City, New Jersey Jersey City is the second-most populous city in the U.S. state of New Jersey, after Newark.

The Ben Mondor era (1977–2015)

Although it appeared the Red Sox's stay in the Pawtucket area was about to come to an end, retired
Lincoln businessman
Ben Mondor Bernard Georges "Ben" Mondor (March 26, 1925 – October 3, 2010) was a Canadian-born American business executive and baseball executive, best known as the owner of the Pawtucket Red Sox from 1977 until his death. Biography Mondor was born in Mar ...
stepped in and made sure the team remained in the city. Mondor was granted a brand-new franchise and restored the name to the Pawtucket Red Sox. However, it retained the old team's history and affiliation with the big-league Red Sox. Nonetheless, it was really in 1977 that the current Pawtucket Red Sox were born. Mondor's tenure began inauspiciously. While the PawSox rebounded to win the regular-season pennant, they only drew 1,000 fans per game—believed to be the fewest for a first-place team in the history of the International League. That year's edition of the PawSox fell in the Governors' Cup finals to Charleston in four straight games. However, it won its second league championship in 1984, and drew almost 199,000 fans, second in the league. For most of their first quarter-century in Rhode Island, the PawSox had to devote considerable resources to keeping McCoy Stadium at something approaching Triple-A standards. In 1998, Mondor and team president Mike Tamburro heavily renovated McCoy Stadium. The PawSox led the league in attendance in 2008, when 636,788 fans saw baseball at McCoy, an average of 9,097 for each of the 70 openings. In 2005, they set a franchise record with 688,421 tickets sold during the year. Kevin Youkilis played for the team in 2003, and completed a streak he started while in Portland: he reached base in 71 consecutive games, tying future teammate
Kevin Millar Kevin Charles Millar (; born September 24, 1971) is an American former professional baseball first baseman and outfielder who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) and is a current analyst for MLB Network. He played in MLB for the Florida Marli ...
's minor-league records for consecutive games reaching base. In addition to their success at the box office, the PawSox have excelled on the field. In 2000, Pawtucket set an all-time franchise record for victories with 82, as the team completed their fifth-straight winning season. Three years later the PawSox would top their own record by winning 83 games. In 2008, they won 85 games. The 1984 team defeated the now-defunct Maine Guides 3–2 to win the 1984 Governors' Cup trophy for their second championship in Pawtucket Red Sox history. In 2012, the PawSox defeated the Charlotte Knights to win the Governors' Cup for a third time. A fourth title was won in 2014 when the PawSox took down the
Durham Bulls The Durham Bulls are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League and the Triple-A affiliate of the Tampa Bay Rays. They are located in Durham, North Carolina, and play their home games at Durham Bulls Athletic Park, which opened ...
in five games. The origins of the team's most popular nickname, "PawSox," dates to the first season in which Mondor owned the club. Three weeks before the 1977 season began the team lacked uniforms. BoSox vice president Haywood Sullivan stepped in and sent Pawtucket 48 sets of old home and away uniforms from the parent club. Although the home uniforms were fine for the team to use, the road uniforms had "Boston" stitched across the chest, which was a problem. Tamburro suggested using the name "PawSox" across the front, with each unstitched "Boston" letter replaced with one that spelled "PawSox". Thus, the PawSox name was born out of the necessity of a uniform crisis. Mondor died on October 3, 2010, at the age of 85. His widow, Madeleine, became the new majority owner of the PawSox.


Sale and Rhode Island stadium plans (2015–2018)

On November 29, 2014, it was reported that members of the Boston Red Sox' ownership group were in the process of purchasing the PawSox from Madeleine Mondor and two long-time executives who also held stock in the team: president Tamburro and vice president and general manager Lou Schwechheimer. Nearly three months later, on February 23, the sale to Lucchino, Skeffington and their partners was formally announced. Lucchino added the title of chairman of the PawSox to his Boston responsibilities, and Skeffington became club president. Other partners included Rhode Island businessmen Bernard Cammarata, William P. Egan, Habib Gorgi, J. Terrence Murray and Thomas M. Ryan, as well as Fenway Sports Management (a division of the BoSox' parent company, Fenway Sports Group), and two limited partners in FSG, Arthur E. Nicholas and Frank M. Resnek.Pawtucket Red Sox official website
/ref> That day, the new owners also announced their intention to move the team out of McCoy Stadium and build a new baseball park six miles (9.65 km) to the south in downtown Providence, and begin play there as early as 2017.WJAR-TV, 2015-2-23
/ref> Skeffington said the club would be renamed the Rhode Island Red Sox upon the move. That name was previously used by the 1976 edition of the PawSox, before Mondor purchased the team and restored its Pawtucket identity. In the weeks following announcement of the sale, Skeffington led a media tour of the proposed new stadium site on the Providence River and, with Lucchino, served as a point person in negotiations with state and local officials over public financing arrangements for the new park. However, Skeffington, 73, died from a heart attack while jogging near his Barrington home on May 17, 2015, disrupting the team's efforts to secure an agreement with Rhode Island officials."PawSox owner Jim Skeffington dies,"
Providence Journal, 2015-05-18
Then, on August 1, Lucchino announced his retirement as the CEO and president of the Boston Red Sox, effective at the end of the season. In September,
Governor A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, ranking under the head of state and in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of state's official representative. Depending on the type of political ...
Gina Raimondo told Lucchino that the riverfront parcel, consisting of public land formerly occupied by Interstate 195 and private property owned by
Brown University Brown University is a private research university in Providence, Rhode Island. Brown is the seventh-oldest institution of higher education in the United States, founded in 1764 as the College in the English Colony of Rhode Island and Providenc ...
, "was not suitable and there were too many obstacles that remained." In the wake of the setback, Lucchino said that the team preferred to remain in Rhode Island, but neither he nor other PawSox officials immediately commented about possible alternative locations. In the ensuing weeks, reports surfaced that Worcester and two other
Massachusetts Massachusetts (Massachusett: ''Muhsachuweesut Massachusett_writing_systems.html" ;"title="nowiki/> məhswatʃəwiːsət.html" ;"title="Massachusett writing systems">məhswatʃəwiːsət">Massachusett writing systems">məhswatʃəwiːsət'' En ...
cities— Springfield and
Fall River Fall River is a city in Bristol County, Massachusetts, Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States. The City of Fall River's population was 94,000 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 United States Census, making it the List of municipaliti ...
—might bid for the team. On November 5, Skeffington's position was filled when Dr. Charles Steinberg, longtime Lucchino aide and public affairs and PR executive with four big-league teams, including the Red Sox, became club president. Tamburro remained on board as vice chairman, and Dan Rea III became the PawSox' new general manager, after Schwechheimer departed to join an ownership group that purchased the Triple-A New Orleans Zephyrs. Amidst the uncertainty over its longterm home, Steinberg committed the team to remaining in Pawtucket for five seasons, through 2020, and to rebuilding its relationship with its fans. During the summer of 2016, the city, state and team began a feasibility study to determine the extent of needed renovations to McCoy Stadium. That study concluded that renovating McCoy would cost $68 million, while building a new stadium on the site would cost $78 million. On May 16, 2017, a downtown Pawtucket stadium proposal, The Ballpark at Slater Mill, was jointly announced by Lucchino and Pawtucket's mayor, Donald Grebien. The ballpark, to be built on a site bracketed by
Interstate 95 Interstate 95 (I-95) is the main north–south Interstate Highway on the East Coast of the United States, running from US Route 1 (US 1) in Miami, Florida, to the Houlton–Woodstock Border Crossing between Maine and the Canadia ...
and the
Blackstone River The Blackstone River is a river in the U.S. states of Massachusetts and Rhode Island. It flows approximately 48 mi (80 km) and drains a watershed of approximately 540 sq. mi (1,400 km2). Its long history of industrial use has l ...
,WPRI.com, 2017-05-16
/ref> would cost an estimated $83 million, with the team footing $45 million, the state $23 million, and the city the remaining $15 million. But when the stadium project went before the Rhode Island General Assembly in 2018, the financing formula was amended to shift the risk of borrowing money from the state to investors, thus exposing them to potentially higher interest rates. The amended bill passed, and was signed into law by Raimondo on June 29, 2018.


Final season and relocation to Worcester (2019–2021)

The new financing arrangement was rejected by the PawSox ownership. On August 17, 2018, the team announced that it would relocate to a new stadium in
Worcester Worcester may refer to: Places United Kingdom * Worcester, England, a city and the county town of Worcestershire in England ** Worcester (UK Parliament constituency), an area represented by a Member of Parliament * Worcester Park, London, Engla ...
in April 2021. The stadium was to be part of a $240 million redevelopment of Worcester's Kelley Square and Canal District. The move would end the team's history in Pawtucket after 51 seasons. Alluding to "controversy, disagreement and opposition", apparently on the part of Rhode Island legislators who changed the Pawtucket stadium's financing formula, Lucchino said that a 35-page letter of intent had been signed with Worcester's mayor and city manager for the downtown ballpark project to house the relocated team. The announcement capped a concerted three-year effort by Worcester and Massachusetts officials and local business leaders to woo the PawSox to anchor a downtown redevelopment that includes the stadium, new housing, a hotel, a parking garage and redesign of the Kelley Square intersection. On September 12, 2018, the Worcester City Council voted 9–1 to approve the stadium proposal, paving the way for the PawSox' relocation. During the 2019 season of the International League, Pawtucket finished last in the North Division, with a record of 59–81. The team's final game was played on September 2, 2019; it was a 5–4 home victory over the Lehigh Valley IronPigs in 10 innings. While 2020 was planned to be the team's final season of play in the International League, the Minor League Baseball season was cancelled, due to the
COVID-19 pandemic in the United States The COVID-19 pandemic in the United States is a part of the worldwide pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). In the United States, it has resulted in confir ...
. During the
2020 Major League Baseball season The 2020 Major League Baseball season began on July 23 and ended on September 27 with only 60 games amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. The full 162-game regular season was planned to begin on March 26, but the pandemic caused Major League Baseball (M ...
, McCoy Stadium served as the alternate training site for the Boston Red Sox. By December 5, the team began to sell off 1,000 pieces of memorabilia in an online auction hosted on the PawSox website as well as on Cox Cable TV, while also announcing the team would be taking select artifacts to be put on display at Polar Park in Worcester. On January 11, 2021, the City of Pawtucket announced that it would be filing a lawsuit against Pawtucket Red Sox Baseball Club LLC for breach of contract, in that McCoy Stadium was not kept up to standards or renovations, citing that "the City of Pawtucket will be exposed for the entire facility and upkeep which was originally the responsibility of the State and PawSox, leaving the burden on the taxpayers to fix or knock down the facility," In a statement, the PawSox were "Stunned to learn of this unfounded lawsuit from our friends and long-time partners at the City of Pawtucket, We will now allow the legal process to run its course, and therefore have no further comment at this time."


"The Longest Game"

The PawSox played in and won the longest game in professional baseball history, a 33-inning affair against the
Rochester Red Wings The Rochester Red Wings are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League and the Triple-A affiliate of the Washington Nationals. They are located in Rochester, New York, and play their home games at Innovative Field, located in downt ...
at McCoy Stadium. The game started on April 18, 1981. Play was suspended at 4:07 a.m. at the end of the 32nd inning. The game did not resume again until June 23, when the Red Wings returned to Pawtucket. Only one inning was needed, with the PawSox winning 3–2 in the bottom of the 33rd when first baseman
Dave Koza The Pawtucket Red Sox and the Rochester Red Wings, two teams from the Triple-A International League, played the longest game in professional baseball history. It lasted 33 innings, with 8 hours and 25 minutes of playing time. 32 innings were pl ...
drove in the leadoff hitter, second baseman Marty Barrett, with a bases-loaded single off Cliff Speck. Neither Speck nor
Steve Grilli Stephen Joseph Grilli (born May 2, 1949) is an American former professional baseball pitcher, who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Detroit Tigers and Toronto Blue Jays. Grilli played for six seasons in baseball, but only played i ...
, the Red Wings losing pitcher, were even on the team's roster back in April. Future major league
Hall of Fame A hall, wall, or walk of fame is a list of individuals, achievements, or other entities, usually chosen by a group of electors, to mark their excellence or fame in their field. In some cases, these halls of fame consist of actual halls or muse ...
players Cal Ripken Jr. and Wade Boggs played in the game. On June 23, 2006, the PawSox celebrated the 25th
anniversary An anniversary is the date on which an event took place or an institution was founded in a previous year, and may also refer to the commemoration or celebration of that event. The word was first used for Catholic feasts to commemorate saints ...
of "The Longest Game" with events and festivities when they played the
Columbus Clippers The Columbus Clippers are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League (IL) and the Triple-A affiliate of the Cleveland Guardians. They are located in Columbus, Ohio, and are named for speedy merchant sailing vessels known as cli ...
. The 35th anniversary was also commemorated on April 19, 2016.


Perfect games

*
Tomo Ohka (born March 18, 1976) is a Japanese former professional baseball pitcher. He played for the Boston Red Sox (–), Montreal Expos / Washington Nationals (2001–), Milwaukee Brewers (2005–), Toronto Blue Jays (), Cleveland Indi ...
pitched a nine-inning perfect game for the Pawtucket Red Sox on June 1, 2000. Ohka retired all 27 batters he faced in a 2–0 win over the Charlotte Knights, and he needed just 76 pitches to toss the first nine-inning perfect game in the International League since 1952. * On August 10, 2003, Bronson Arroyo pitched the fourth nine-inning perfect game in the 121-year history of the International League as the PawSox beat the
Buffalo Bisons The Buffalo Bisons (known colloquially as the Herd) are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League and the Triple-A affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays. Located in Buffalo, New York, the team plays their home games at Sahlen F ...
7–0 at McCoy Stadium. He needed 101 pitches to throw his masterpiece (73 strikes), struck out nine, and got 10 fly outs and eight ground outs from the Buffalo 27 batters. He went to a three-ball count to just three hitters all game. At the end of the month, he was promoted to the majors, and remained with the Red Sox until the 2005–06 offseason, when the Red Sox traded him to the
Cincinnati Reds The Cincinnati Reds are an American professional baseball team based in Cincinnati. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League Central, Central division and were a charter member of ...
for Wily Mo Pena.


Hall of Famers

Several PawSox players and personnel have been inducted into the International League Hall of Fame. They are owner
Ben Mondor Bernard Georges "Ben" Mondor (March 26, 1925 – October 3, 2010) was a Canadian-born American business executive and baseball executive, best known as the owner of the Pawtucket Red Sox from 1977 until his death. Biography Mondor was born in Mar ...
, manager Joe Morgan, outfielder Jim Rice, third baseman Wade Boggs, and then-team president Mike Tamburro, now their Vice Chairman. Several former PawSox players have also been inducted into the
National Baseball Hall of Fame The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum is a history museum and hall of fame in Cooperstown, New York, operated by private interests. It serves as the central point of the history of baseball in the United States and displays baseball-r ...
in
Cooperstown, New York Cooperstown is a village in and county seat of Otsego County, New York, United States. Most of the village lies within the town of Otsego, but some of the eastern part is in the town of Middlefield. Located at the foot of Otsego Lake in the ...
, including
Carlton Fisk Carlton Ernest Fisk (born December 26, 1947), nicknamed "Pudge" and "The Commander", is an American former professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball as a catcher from 1969 to 1993 for the Boston Red Sox (1969, 1971–1980) a ...
, Boggs and Rice. In July 2016, Rice, Boggs, and Mondor (represented by his widow Madeleine) became the inaugural class of inductees into the PawSox Hall of Fame. Additions are considered on an annual basis.


Titles

The PawSox won the Governors' Cup, the championship of the IL, four times, and played in the championship series nine times. They also played in the championship of Triple-A baseball on three occasions: in 1973 they defeated the Tulsa Oilers 4 games to 1 in the Junior World Series, in 2012 they fell to the Reno Aces 10–3 in the Triple-A National Championship Game, and in 2014, the team was defeated by the Omaha Storm Chasers 4-2. * 1973 Defeated Charleston (now Scranton/Wilkes-Barre) * 1977 Lost to Charleston (now Scranton/Wilkes-Barre) * 1978 Lost to
Richmond Richmond most often refers to: * Richmond, Virginia, the capital of Virginia, United States * Richmond, London, a part of London * Richmond, North Yorkshire, a town in England * Richmond, British Columbia, a city in Canada * Richmond, Californi ...
(now Gwinnett) * 1984 Defeated
Maine Maine () is a state in the New England and Northeastern regions of the United States. It borders New Hampshire to the west, the Gulf of Maine to the southeast, and the Canadian provinces of New Brunswick and Quebec to the northeast and nor ...
(now Scranton/Wilkes-Barre) * 1991 Lost to
Columbus Columbus is a Latinized version of the Italian surname "''Colombo''". It most commonly refers to: * Christopher Columbus (1451-1506), the Italian explorer * Columbus, Ohio, capital of the U.S. state of Ohio Columbus may also refer to: Places ...
* 2003 Lost to Durham * 2012 Defeated
Charlotte Charlotte ( ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. Located in the Piedmont region, it is the county seat of Mecklenburg County. The population was 874,579 at the 2020 census, making Charlotte the 16th-most populo ...
* 2013 Lost to Durham * 2014 Defeated Durham


Notable former players

* 1975–77 * Andy Abad 1997–99, 2003 *
Izzy Alcántara Israel Crisóstomo "Izzy" Alcántara (born May 6, 1971) is a former Major League Baseball player for the Boston Red Sox and Milwaukee Brewers. Minor leagues Alcántara was signed as an amateur free agent by the Montreal Expos in 1990. In the ...
1999–01 * Bronson Arroyo 2003 * Steve Avery 1997–98 * Marty Barrett 1981–83, 1989* * Rod Beck 2000 *
Todd Benzinger Todd Eric Benzinger (born February 11, 1963) is an American former professional baseball first baseman and outfielder who played a nine-year Major League Baseball (MLB) career from 1987 to 1995. Biography Benzinger was born in Dayton, Kentuck ...
1985–87 *
Mookie Betts Markus Lynn "Mookie" Betts (born October 7, 1992) is an American professional baseball outfielder for the Los Angeles Dodgers of Major League Baseball (MLB). He previously played for the Boston Red Sox. In 2018, while with the Red Sox, he became ...
2014 * Wade Boggs 1980–81 * Oil Can Boyd 1983–84, 1987, 1989 * Craig Breslow 2006–07, 2013 * Clay Buchholz 2007–09 * Ellis Burks 1987, 1989* * José Canseco 1995*, 1996* *
John Cerutti John Joseph Cerutti (April 28, 1960 – October 3, 2004) was an American left-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball for the Toronto Blue Jays and Detroit Tigers between 1985 and 1991, and was later a broadcaster for the Blue Jays. Playing car ...
1992 *
Roger Clemens William Roger Clemens (born August 4, 1962), nicknamed "Rocket", is an American former professional baseball pitcher who played 24 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB), primarily with the Boston Red Sox. Clemens was one of the most dominant pi ...
1983–84, 1993*, 1995* * Tony Conigliaro 1975 * Cecil Cooper 1973 *
Wil Cordero Wilfredo Cordero Nieva (born October 3, 1971) is a former shortstop, first baseman, and outfielder in Major League Baseball. He was best known as a member of the Montreal Expos (1992–1995, 2002–2003). Cordero made his Major League Baseball d ...
1996 * Jim Corsi 1997–98 * Brian Daubach 1999, 2001, 2004 * Bo Díaz 1976–77 *
Gary DiSarcina Gary Thomas DiSarcina (born November 19, 1967) is an American former professional baseball shortstop and third base coach for the Washington Nationals of Major League Baseball (MLB). He played his entire career for the California / Anaheim A ...
2002 *
Dennis Eckersley Dennis Lee Eckersley (born October 3, 1954), nicknamed "Eck", is an American professional baseball pitcher and former color commentator. Between 1975 and 1998, he pitched in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Cleveland Indians, Boston Red Sox, ...
1998* *
David Eckstein David Mark Eckstein (; born January 20, 1975) is an American former professional baseball player. He was an infielder in Major League Baseball (MLB) for ten seasons. He played college baseball for the University of Florida and played professiona ...
2000 * Jacoby Ellsbury 2007, 2010*, 2011* * Mark Fidrych 1982–83 *
John Flaherty John Timothy Flaherty (born October 21, 1967) is an American television baseball broadcaster and a former Major League Baseball catcher who played for several teams between 1992 and 2005. He is currently a broadcaster for the YES Network. Ea ...
1990–93 * Scott Fletcher 1994 * Jeff Frye 1999 * Nomar Garciaparra 1996, 2001* *
Rich Gedman Rich may refer to: Common uses * Rich, an entity possessing wealth * Rich, an intense flavor, color, sound, texture, or feeling ** Rich (wine), a descriptor in wine tasting Places United States * Rich, Mississippi, an unincorporated comm ...
1980–81, 1988 * Álex González 2006* *
Mike Greenwell Michael Lewis Greenwell (born July 18, 1963) is a former left fielder in Major League Baseball (MLB) who played his entire MLB career with the Boston Red Sox (1985–1996). He played a few games for the Hanshin Tigers in Japan (1997), before retir ...
1985–86, 1995*, 1996* * Mark Guthrie 1999 * Bill Haselman 2003 *
Scott Hatteberg Scott Allen Hatteberg (born December 14, 1969) is an American former professional first baseman and catcher. During his MLB career, spanning from 1995 through 2008, he played for the Boston Red Sox, Oakland Athletics, and Cincinnati Reds. Before ...
1993–96, 1999 * Dustin Hermanson 2002 * Ken Hill 2001 * Sam Horn 1986–89 * Bruce Hurst 1980–81 * Byung-hyun Kim 2004 * Gabe Kapler 2005*, 2006* * Ryan Lavarnway, 2011–14 * Jon Lester 2006, 2007* * Steve Lyons 1984, 1992–93 * Fred Lynn 1974 * Ramón Martínez 1999* * Justin Masterson 2008 *
Daisuke Matsuzaka is a Japanese former professional baseball pitcher, who pitched professionally for 23 seasons, 16 of them in NPB, 7 in MLB. He is currently a baseball color commentator, critic, reporter, and YouTuber. Daisuke is nicknamed in Japan and "Dic ...
2012* * Joe McEwing 2007 *
Willie McGee Willie Dean McGee (born November 2, 1958) is an American professional baseball coach and former outfielder who is an assistant coach for the St. Louis Cardinals of Major League Baseball (MLB). He played in MLB for four teams, over 18 seasons. ...
1995* * Lou Merloni 1996–01 *
Wade Miller Wade, WADE, or Wades may refer to: Places in the United States * Wade, California, a former settlement * Wade, Maine, a town * Wade, Mississippi, a census-designated place * Wade, North Carolina, a town * Wade, Ohio, an unincorporated commu ...
2005* * Kevin Mitchell 1996* * Bill Mueller 2004* *
Tim Naehring Timothy James Naehring (born February 1, 1967) is an American former Major League Baseball infielder who played for the Boston Red Sox from 1990 to 1997, and who currently works in the front office of the New York Yankees. Amateur career Naehrin ...
1989–90, 1992–94* * Trot Nixon 1997–98, 2004*, 2005*, 2006* * Alex Ochoa 2007 *
Tomo Ohka (born March 18, 1976) is a Japanese former professional baseball pitcher. He played for the Boston Red Sox (–), Montreal Expos / Washington Nationals (2001–), Milwaukee Brewers (2005–), Toronto Blue Jays (), Cleveland Indi ...
1999–01 * Bobby Ojeda 1980–81 *
John Olerud John Garrett Olerud, Jr. (; born August 5, 1968), nicknamed "Johnny O", is an American former professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball as a first baseman from through , most notably as a member of the Toronto Blue Jays te ...
2005* *
Jonathan Papelbon Jonathan Robert Papelbon (; born November 23, 1980) is an American former professional baseball relief pitcher. He played 12 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB), most notably for the Boston Red Sox, with whom he was an All-Star in four con ...
2005 * Carl Pavano 1997 * Dustin Pedroia 2005–06 * Dick Pole 1973–74 * Arquimedez Pozo 1996–98 * David Price 2017* *
Paul Quantrill Paul John Quantrill (born November 3, 1968) is a Canadian former professional baseball right-handed relief pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for 14 seasons, from 1992 to 2005; his longest tenure was six seasons with the Toronto B ...
1991–92 *
Manny Ramírez Manuel Arístides Ramírez Onelcida (born May 30, 1972) is a Dominican-American former professional baseball outfielder. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for parts of 19 seasons. He played with the Cleveland Indians, Boston Red Sox, ...
2002* * Jim Rice 1973–74 *
Ken Ryan Kenneth Frederick Ryan, Jr. (born October 24, 1968), is an American former baseball pitcher. He played eight seasons in Major League Baseball for the Boston Red Sox and Philadelphia Phillies. Professional career After graduating in 1986 from Se ...
1991–93, 1995 *
Bret Saberhagen Bret William Saberhagen (; born April 11, 1964) is an American former professional baseball right-handed starting pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Kansas City Royals, New York Mets, Colorado Rockies, and Boston Red Sox fro ...
1997*, 2000* * Pablo Sandoval 2017* * Curt Schilling 2005* *
Calvin Schiraldi Calvin Drew Schiraldi (born June 16, 1962) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1984 through 1991 for five different teams. He is best remembered as the losing pitcher of Game 6 and ...
1986 *
Aaron Sele Aaron Helmer Sele (born June 25, 1970) is an American former Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher who is currently a special assignment scout for the Chicago Cubs. Early years His family moved to Poulsbo, Washington, a town on the Kitsap ...
1993, 1995–96 * Earl Snyder 2003–04 * Matt Stairs 1995 * Bob Stanley 1988* * Dave Stapleton 1977–1980, 1985 * Jeff Suppan 1995–97 * Mike Timlin 2007* * Michael Tucker 2007 * John Valentin 1991–94, 2001* *
Jason Varitek Jason Andrew Varitek (; born April 11, 1972), nicknamed Tek, is an American professional baseball coach and former catcher. He is currently the game planning coordinator, a uniformed coaching position, for the Boston Red Sox. After being traded ...
1997, 2006* * Mo Vaughn 1990–92 * Tim Wakefield 1995 * David Wells 2006* * Mark Whiten 1995 * Kevin Youkilis 2003–05 (*) = rehab assignment


Yearly results

(*= Won Governors' Cup)


Playoff history


Triple-A managerial history


Broadcasters

As of March 2020, the announcers for the Pawsox Radio Network were Josh Maurer, Mike Antonellis, Jim Cain and Steve McDonald, of URI football and men's basketball. Pawtucket served as a springboard for multiple Major League Baseball broadcasters.


References


External links

* *
Boston Red Sox prospects

Roster, splits, and situational stats
{{Authority control 1970 establishments in Rhode Island Baseball teams established in 1970 Boston Red Sox minor league affiliates Defunct Eastern League (1938–present) teams Defunct International League teams Pawtucket, Rhode Island 2020 disestablishments in Rhode Island Baseball teams disestablished in 2020