Here’s Everything You Can Buy at the McCoy Stadium Auction

The PawSox may be gone, but fans can still take home a piece of this Rhody icon.

October 31, 2023

Lauren Clem,

The scoreboard commemorating the longest game in baseball at McCoy Stadium. (Photo courtesy of Jason Allard)

After five years, it still hasn’t quite sunk in.

The Pawtucket Red Sox, that beloved icon of so many childhood memories, have left Pawtucket, never again to play on the grassy fields of McCoy Stadium. No more summer barbecues or charity fundraisers; no more picnicking by the outfield, summer fireworks from the infield or fishing for signatures from future stars.

While the former PawSox (read: WooSox) may have left the state for shinier digs, Rhode Islanders have not quite gotten over our attachment to our favorite stadium. Sure, the paint was chipped and the concession offerings bare-bones, but McCoy was home to the longest professional baseball game in 1981. More importantly, it played host to Rhode Islanders’ love affair with baseball stretching back to 1942.

As the city prepares to wield the wrecking ball (a new high school is tentatively planned for the site), fans have one last chance to preserve a little piece of McCoy for themselves. Last week, city officials announced that an auction of stadium memorabilia is set for the spring to allow more time to remove items following the winter months. The auction will take place online, with all proceeds going to the city or a related charity. More details and a launch date will be released in early 2024.

Here’s the full list of items the city expects to auction off:

Seats

According to a letter to fans, this is the most popular request among those looking for McCoy keepsakes. Unfortunately for those who don’t want to install their own ballpark, the seats were constructed in rows of fifteen to twenty, which means buyers have to take the whole row or else settle for a bottom or back of a chair. A limited number of seats in rows of three or four will also be available for bidding, according to the city.

Signs

Better news for those looking for some PawSox swag to hang on their walls: There are a lot of signs at McCoy, and most of these will be open for bidding. These include main gate signs, parking signs, championship signs, Budweiser signs, directional signs, radio station signs, pitch speed signs and the “Welcome to McCoy Stadium” sign, among others. You can even bid on the restroom signs. Baseball-themed guest bath, anyone?

Scoreboards

The crown jewels of the PawSox collection. The official McCoy Stadium scoreboard will be included in the auction. Fans can also bid on the Longest Game scoreboard, which commemorates the game that began on April 18, 1981, between the PawSox and the Rochester Red Wings. After playing into the early hours of the morning, the teams called off the game at 4 a.m. They returned to McCoy in June for one final inning and a Pawtucket win. Just be sure you have enough wall space before bidding — the game lasted thirty-three innings.

Other items

Always wanted your very own ballpark concession stand menu? How about a player poster or a schedule from the team’s golden anniversary? A number of other items will be available for bidding, according to the city, with a more detailed list released at a later date.

Anyone with questions about the auction can email pawtucketcityevents@gmail.com. Or relive your baseball memories here in our PawSox archives.