The ongoing saga of implementing a plan to build a suitable athletic venue for the city's athletes had reached close to forty years.
In 1935, there was more conviction in the discussions as to the Beech Street grounds being the preferred location for the central athletic field. There would be protests from the supporters of the Prospect Street grounds site (Edwin Mitchell Field).
Mayor Henry J. Toepfert unveiled a plan at the February 21, 1935, meeting held at the Transcript-Telegram offices. Attendees included representatives from the physical education department of the public schools, ward aldermen, and many athletic club (A.C.) leaders.
A rendering of the complex was unveiled, illustrating a grandstand holding 2,000 people, and grounds for a baseball field, a combination football and soccer field, handball courts, a quarter-mile track, and parking. The completion of Ross Ave would facilitate access to the parking areas.
One of the major stumbling blocks I've read about over the years was the cost to enclose the facility with a wall or a fence. Admission could then be charged for specific events. Also, if the park were to be rented out by the city to an organization, free passage to an event could be deterred. Apparently, there was a legal prohibition against ticket sales, which needed either legislative action or a workaround.
Mobilization to begin construction began on August 24, 1937. The new mayor, William P. Yoerg, and Philip E. Bond, the City Engineer, unveiled the plan at the Beech Street grounds. The project would begin the following month.
The project would begin by installing the quarter-mile track and laying out the football-soccer field within the oval track area. The baseball field would be laid out on a portion of the football field. Overseeding the field would occur in the fall of 1937 with the hope that baseball could be played by July 1938.
It was decided to proceed with 1,600 feet of chain link fence around the facility to enclose the entirety of the complex. A long-range plan included installing six tennis courts in the park area nearest to Beech and Franklin Streets, and two basketball courts near Franklin Street. A field house was originally under consideration near Ross Ave., where parking would be available. However, the ground could not support the structure because loose fill had been added, as a stream and brook initially flowed through the grounds.
An option was to incorporate the field house into the grandstand. In the end, the field house was constructed near Beech Street, where it stood until the 2010s.
The entirety of the project, including long-term plans, was expected to cost $80,000, with $60,000 of this amount for labor to be paid by the federal government's Works Progress Administration (WPA).
Tree removal on the hill behind the home plate area occurred in November 1937. A hockey rink was set up in the distance to avoid interfering with the project area.
The plans moved along slowly, with significant work starting in 1938. The delay may have been precipitated by the departure of Philip Bond, City Engineer, and the ongoing search for his successor.
Mayor Yoerg prioritized the construction of the shelter house and the installation of portable bleachers and delayed the permanent concrete bleacher seating. The base for the running track was installed in May 1938, and the baseball diamond was formed in July 1938. Grass would be planted so that baseball could be played by Memorial Day 1939.
In August 1938, plans were set in motion for the permanent grandstand on the first base side, 26 rows each seating 100. The plan was to also build a similar grandstand on the third base side. This did not materialize, and portable bleachers would be installed.
Slowly but surely, the park was taking shape, and a grand dedication celebration would be held over Labor Day weekend in 1939 in conjunction with the state ABC baseball tournament.
A new issue arose, which stirred heated debate, and that was naming the new park. John Mackenzie, a World War I hero and Holyoke's only Congressional Medal of Honor recipient to that point in time, was preferred. However, other factions wanted the stadium named after Major William Crosier, long-time Park Superintendent, or John Moynahan, an avid athletics financial supporter and major contributor to the growth of sports in Holyoke.
During the Mackenzie Stadium dedication weekend, vandals spray-painted portions of the park to express their displeasure with the selected park name. City employees were dispatched to the park and quickly sprayed over the sentiments before crowds showed up for further weekend events. The dedication ceremony went smoothly and was attended by John Mackenzie's widow, Jean Mackenzie, and son James.
As I write this on September 4, 2025, Mackenzie Stadium celebrates its 86th anniversary. Over time, it has remained one of the Valley's premier venues for major sporting events and civic gatherings. At a later date, I plan to write about the highlights of its long history.
Citations:
Newspapers.com (paid subscription): Citations include Holyoke (Massachusetts) Transcript & Transcript-Telegram, and Springfield (Massachusetts) Morning Union, with publication dates and pages shown.
Color Photos: by Author Bill Gorczyca
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