{"id":377,"date":"2013-09-11T21:02:39","date_gmt":"2013-09-11T21:02:39","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/northwoodsleague.com\/rochester-honkers\/?page_id=377"},"modified":"2024-11-18T21:19:52","modified_gmt":"2024-11-19T02:19:52","slug":"ballpark","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/northwoodsleague.com\/thunder-bay-border-cats\/ballpark\/","title":{"rendered":"Ballpark"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div>

PORT ARTHUR STADIUM<\/span><\/h1>\n

Thunder Bay\u2019s Port Arthur Stadium officially opened on July 14th, 1951. Over the years it was used as a baseball, football, soccer and summer concert facility and its history is rich with extraordinary stories and tradition.<\/span><\/p>\n

Today it is home to the Thunder Bay Border Cats Baseball organization of the Northwoods League. From 1993 to 1998, the stadium was also home to the Thunder Bay Whiskey Jacks of the Northern League. Opening Day in 1993 was a memorable one as the standing room only crowd of 6,200 plus included fans on the field across the warning track. The grandstand seating area of 1,600 plus was retrofitted during the Whiskey Jack days and now lays claim to some of the most comfortable seating in the NWL.<\/span><\/p>\n

Players such as Darryl Strawberry drew many curious fans when he played for the St. Paul Saints during games against the Whiskey Jacks. Strawberry launched what many fans describe as the longest home run in stadium history during the Whiskey Jacks home opener in June of 1996.\u00a0 Thunder Bay’s Eric Brown, who pitched for the Border Cats in 2010, and was drafted and played in the Toronto Blue Jays organization, retrieved the ball while playing in a game at the former little league field over the right field fence.\u00a0 Brown had Strawberry autograph the ball and still holds onto it as a valuable souvenir. Despite winning an Eastern Division second-half title for their first playoff appearance in 1998, the Whiskey Jacks were sold shortly after the season and moved to Schaumburg, Illinois, ending professional baseball in the Lakehead after six years.<\/span><\/p>\n

Since 2003, the Border Cats and the Northwoods League have called the stadium home. Over the years the organization has added a large party deck along with left field line plus upper decks in left field and over first base which allows fans a great view of the action on the field. The complete stadium capacity now stands at 3,300. The Border Cats have won two NWL Championships (2005 & 2008), with both title clinching victories coming at the stadium and both over the Madison Mallards.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The Cats also hosted the very memorable 2009 NWL All-Star Game that featured an appearance by the Stanley Cup.\u00a0 Thunder Bay\u2019s Jordan Staal of the Pittsburgh Penguins brought the NHL Championship Trophy to the park during the opening ceremonies much to the delight of the big crowd and the all-star players and coaches.\u00a0 Canada’s very own Ferguson Jenkins, a member of the Baseball Hall of Fame, was also in attendance as a guest speaker for the event and threw out the ceremonial first pitch to Staal.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In 2010 and 2017, the stadium hosted the very successful World Junior Men’s Baseball Championships as well as the Women’s Baseball World Cup in 2023.\u00a0 Port Arthur Stadium will celebrate its 75th anniversary in the summer of 2026.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

<\/i><\/div>

1951<\/h2><\/div>
<\/div>
\n

Port Arthur Stadium Opens<\/p>\n<\/div>

<\/div><\/div><\/div>
<\/i><\/div>

1993-1998<\/h2><\/div>
<\/div>
\n

Home of the Thunder Bay Whiskey Jacks<\/p>\n<\/div>

<\/div><\/div><\/div>
<\/i><\/div>

2003<\/h2><\/div>
<\/div>
\n

Thunder Bay Border Cats Established<\/p>\n<\/div>

<\/div><\/div><\/div>
<\/i><\/div>

2005<\/h2><\/div>
<\/div>
\n

Border Cats Win NWL Championship<\/p>\n<\/div>

<\/div><\/div><\/div>
<\/i><\/div>

2008<\/h2><\/div>
<\/div>
\n

Border Cats Win NWL Championship<\/p>\n<\/div>

<\/div><\/div><\/div>
<\/i><\/div>

2016<\/h2><\/div>
<\/div>
\n

65th Anniversary of Port Arthur Stadium<\/p>\n<\/div>

<\/div><\/div><\/div>
<\/i><\/div>

2023<\/h2><\/div>
<\/div>
\n

Thunder Bay Border Cats 20th Anniversary<\/p>\n<\/div>

<\/div><\/div><\/div>
<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
<\/div>
\n

Port Arthur Stadium stands on the traditional land of the Anishinaabe people, those of Fort William First Nation and other nations of the Robinson Superior Treaty of 1850. This land also hosted an early settlement of M\u00e9tis people.<\/p>\n

The Border Cats respectfully acknowledges that the lands on which we live, work and play are traditional lands, and we extend our appreciation for this opportunity.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

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