Nashua Pride
From SoSH
| Location: | Nashua, NH |
| Established: | 1998 |
| MLB Affiliation: | None |
| League: | Can-Am League |
| Level: | Independent |
| Ballpark: | Holman Stadium |
| Championships: | 2000, 2007 |
| Division Titles: | 2000 |
| Wild Card: | 0 |
Contents |
History of Baseball in Nashua
- 1946 - 1949: Nashua Dodgers, New England League - B
- 1983: Nashua Angels, Eastern League - AA
- 1984-1986: Nashua Pirates, Eastern League - AA
- 1995-1996: Nashua Hawks, North Atlantic League
- 1998-2005: Nashua Pride, Atlantic League
- 2006-present: Nashua Pride, Can-Am League
Holman Stadium
Holman Stadium was opened in 1937. Official seating capacity is 4,375. The Dimensions of the outfield are 307-401-315.
Nashua is one of the lucky areas of this country that has had the privilege of being touched not only by one, but two baseball greats: Roy Campanella and Don Newcombe. Holman Stadium pays tribute and recognizes the efforts of these two men with a plaque commemorating their achievements. The plaque is located at the front of the Pride Box Office.
IN 1946...Branch Rickey desegregated the Dodgers by sending Jackie Robinson to Montreal AAA. Five months later, he opened a second phase by signing catcher Roy Campanella and pitcher Don Newcombe. He had to send them to A ball because of their history as Negro League stars, but 3 of the 5 Dodger A teams were in segregated states. That left Danville, IL and Nashua, NH. Danville refused the 2 players, but Nashua GM Buzzie Bavasi said, "If they can play ball better than what we have, we dont care what color they are."
On a short brick outfield wall in a very short left field are circles with the numbers 36, 39, and 42. The 42 is for Jackie Robinson; the 36 and 39 are for his future Dodger teammates Don Newcombe and Roy Campanella, who played here for the Nashua Dodgers in the late 1940s. (Robinson never played at Nashua; he spent the 1946 season at Montreal before being recalled to Brooklyn in 1947.)
Team History
Former Pride Players
Since the Nashua Pride brought professional baseball back to New Hampshire in 1998, over 250 players have stepped onto the field at Historic Holman Stadium. This includes five men who have returned to the major leagues (Milt Cuyler, Joe Grahe, Felix Jose, Curtis Pride, and Mitch Meluskey), as well as two who went on to make their big league debuts after leaving town (James Lofton and Brendan Donnelly). And that total doesn't even include managers Mike Easler (1998) and Bobby Tolan (1999), who have over forty years as professional players and coaches on their combined resume.
PLAYER.....POSITION.....YEARS
- D.J. Boston.....INF.....1998 -2003
- Milt Cuyler.....OF.....1998, 2000,2002
- Brendan Donnelly.....P.....1999
- Chad Fonville.....INF.....2001 -2002, 2004
- Sam Horn.....DH.....2000 - 2001
- David Hulse.....OF.....1998
- Dante Bichette.....OF/1B.....2004
- Henry Rodriguez.....OF.....2004
- Felix Jose.....OF.....1998
- Jose Malave.....OF.....1999 -2002
- Pork Chop Pough.....INF.....1999 -2003
- Curtis Pride.....OF.....1999, 2003 -2004
- Tony Rodriguez.....INF 1998 -2001
- Mel Rojas.....P 2005
- John Roper.....P 1999 -2003
- Ken Ryan.....P.....2000
- Jay Yennaco.....P.....1997-2003
- Brian Smith.....P.....1999 -2003
- Mike Easler.....Manager.....1998
- Bobby Tolan.....Manager.....1999
Teams and Records
- 1998 59-41 Manager: Mike Easler
- 1999 52-67 Manager: Bobby Tolan
- 2000 82-58 Manager: Butch Hobson
- 2001 68-58 Manager: Butch Hobson
- 2002 54-71 Manager: Butch Hobson
- 2003 71-55 Manager: Butch Hobson
- 2004 65-61 Manager: Butch Hobson
- 2005 78-62 Manager: Butch Hobson
- 2006 40-48 Manager: Butch Hobson
- 2007 50-43 Manager: Butch Hobson
Attendance
- 2006.....57,975...1,414 per game
- 2007.....80,737...1,553 per game
Current Roster
Field Management
- Manager - Rick Miller
- 1st Base Coach - Bill Twomey
- Trainer - Leah Merchand
Front Office
- Owner - John Stabile
- Chief Operating Officer - Jim Stabile
- General Manager - Robin Wallace
Awards
Team Awards
League Champions
- 2000 - defeated the Somerset Patriots 3-0 in the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball championship series.
- 2007 - defeated the North Shore Spirit 3-0 in the Can-Am League championship series.
League Awards
Player of the Year
- 2007 - Olmo Rosario
Player of the Month
- August 2007 - Hideki Nagasaka
League Leaders
Hits
- 2007 - Olmo Rosario - 133
All-Stars
Post Season
In-Season
No-Hitters
Major League Pride
Former Pride that returned to the Majors
- Milt Cuyler
- Joe Grahe
- Felix Jose
- Curtis Pride
- Mitch Meluskey
Nashua Pride promoted to the Majors for the 1st time
Trivia
- Nashua has been the post major league career home to many former Red Sox and some of the Olde Towne Team's favorite players, including Sam Horn (this site's Eponym) and Rich Garces.
- Nashua holds a first in the history of the desegregation of major league baseball. When Nashua manager Walter Alston was ejected from a game in 1946, he left the team in the hands of Roy Campanella, who became the first African-American to manage an affiliated major league game. The Nashua Dodgers beat the Lawrence Millionaires 7-5. That year the team won the New England League Championship.
- American skier Bode Miller played a home game for the team on July 29, 2006, and again on August 2, 2007.
- The tallest player in Pride history is Steve Palazzolo, who stands a towering 6 feet-10 inches.
