#14 Maine Thing To Do - Catch The Portland Sea Dogs!
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The Sea Dogs became part of the Red Sox system for the 2003 season; previously they were affiliated with the Florida Marlins. The change in affiliation brought success in the 2005 and 2006 seasons as the Sea Dogs went to the Eastern League championship series both years. They won their first-ever title on September 17, 2006, defeating the Akron Aeros 8-5 in a rematch of the series from the previous year. It was the first double-A championship for a Red Sox farm team since 1983 when they were based in New Britain, Connecticut.
The Sea Dogs’ home stadium is Hadlock Field, named after long-time Portland High School baseball coach Edison Hadlock. It currently has a seating capacity of 7,368. Hadlock Field is often visited by vacationing celebrities, such as former NFL coach Bill Parcells, former U.S. President George H. W. Bush, and his wife Barbara. In left field stands the Maine Monster, a 37-foot-tall replica of Fenway Park’s Green Monster, complete with Coke bottle and Citgo sign. Along the right-field foul line just beyond first base, a picnic pavilion is available for group outings from 20 up to 300 people. In 2006, a new pavilion opened above the right-field wall over the Sea Dogs bullpen. Modeled after the Green Monster seats at Fenway Park in Boston, it seats up to 393 people and gives fans an opportunity to catch a home run ball. Currently all games are carried on a network of radio stations with Mike Antonellis providing the play-by-play, with the flagship WVAE/WBAE and select TV games on NESN with Eric Frede play-by-play and former Red Sox relief pitcher Ken Ryan.
Sea Dogs games are frequented by the team’s official mascot Slugger the Sea Dog. Slugger, dubbed “Baseball’s Hardest Working Mascot,” works the crowd, races children around the bases, dances to the YMCA and generally has a good time.
Hadlock Field, Portland Maine
Named After: Edson Hadlock Jr., baseball coach at Portland High School from 1950-1978.
Opened: April 18, 1994
Seating Capacity: 7,368
A few notable features:
• A likeness of Fenway Park’s Green Monster was built in 2003 when the Red Sox became the affiliate of the Sea Dogs. Nicknamed the “Maine Monster” the Sea Dogs outfield was named one of the most unique in Minor League Baseball by At the Yard Magazine.
• A lighthouse rises from the centerfield fence when a Sea Dogs player hits a home run and when the Sea Dogs win.
• In 2008 the Sea Dogs built a new home bullpen, it is one of two elevated bullpens in Minor League Baseball.
Ballpark Dimensions
| Fence Height | ||
| Leftfield | 315′ | 37′ |
| Centerfield | 400′ | 8′ |
| Rightfield | 330′ | 16′ |
The “Maine Monster”
| Fenway Park | Hadlock Field | |
| Leftfield Dimension | 310′ | 315′ |
| Height of Wall | 37′ | 37′ |
| Length of Wall | 240′ | 160′ |
| Height of Screen Above Wall | 23′ * | 12′ |
| Color of Wall | Fenway Green | Hadlock Green |
| Material of Wall | Hard Plastic | Wood |
| Scoreboard | Manual | Electronic |
| Citgo Sign | 60′ X 60′ | 14′ X 14′ |
* before screen was removed to add seats
Hadlock Field Expansion Projects
| Year | Capacity | Expansion Project |
| 1994 | 6,000 | Hadlock Field is renovated to bring it up to Double-A Standards |
| 1995 | 6,500 | Section 315 is added, adding 500 additional General Admission Seats |
| 1998 | 6,860 | Sections 201-203 (Upper Box Seats) added and expanded |
| 2002 | 6,975 | 115 seats added to the picnic area |
| 2006 | 7,368 | 393 seats added in right-field with the creation of the U.S. Cellular Pavilion |
Hadlock Field Profiles
Hadlock’s Maine Monster beckons hitters
At the Yard Magazine-Hadlock Field Profile (pdf)
ESPN.com-Red Sox Trail: From Farm to Hub(pdf)
Travel & Leisure Magazine
The Ultimate Sports Road Trip
