MacKenzie Field
Once called the Ball Tract, the Range, and the Beech Street Grounds, now it is called MacKenzie Field. (LOCATION) It was dedicated with that name on Labor Day September 4 1939 to honor John MacKenzie for his heroism on the USS Remlick on December 17 1917.
Before that it was graded over many years with one such year being 1929 when the Parks Department commented that it needed very much work and that the dingle area near it was ugly. Starting in 1930 the park was made into a sports recreation area. 2 diamonds, 2 football grids, 1 soccer field, a basketball court, and a golf range were added. It was made in 1932 as a sports complex. Then the WPA Works Progress Administration came to Holyoke to perform many projects and this was one of them. They the WPA built the stadium and the shelter house.
In 1935 the Beech Street Playground had figure and speed skating exhibitions that attracted 1000s of fans that would line the rink. The annual Ice Carnival was attended by the Holyoke Figure Skating Club among other groups in and outside the city. The largest crowd might have been at the Jan 21 1939 and the Feb 2 1941 editions where 5000 people attended.
In 1940 MacKenzie Field had a baseball diamond (last week of May), a quarter mile cinder track (along with long jump and pole vault areas), and some tennis courts added to it (these had been started in 1937 and completed three years later). Also an iron fence was added to the field with a base of fieldstones. In 1941 basketball courts were made at the field and this would be a staple of the area for many years. In 1942 MacKenzie Field was changed from a park into a playground a move which allowed fares to be charged. Finally in 1946 MacKenzie Field is finally fenced in. In 1947 night baseball started at MacKenzie Field.
By that year both Holyoke Catholic HS and Holyoke HS are using MacKenzie Field as their football stadium. In 1949 the back portion of the field was given to the city by Holyoke Water Power – this would become Alumni Field. In 1955 pro football came to Holyoke at this field. The team was called the Holyoke Knights from 1955 to 1958 and the same team was renamed to the Holyoke Merchants from 1959 to 1961. That is 7 straight seasons of pro football. The Holyoke Knights and Merchants would play their home games at MacKenzie Field. In 1965 and in 1973 Holyoke had minor league teams – the Bombers and the Pioneers.
From 1977 to 1982 the Holyoke Millers played their home games here. View a documentary about the team HERE.
