Ben Mondor, the man who saved pro baseball in Pawtucket and became one of the most respected people in Minor League Baseball, has been honored permanently at McCoy Stadium with a statue.
It’s safe to say Mondor saved baseball in the Rhode Island city, buying the Pawtucket Red Sox (Class AAA; International League) out of bankruptcy and fighting an effort to tear down McCoy Stadium, a WPA-era ballpark considerably upgraded under Mondor’s watch. Over the years the PawSox became a model franchise for MiLB. He was, additionally, very liked and respected by fans and his fellow owners.
The statue, unveiled Friday night, is located outside of the ballpark at Mondor Gardens, the landscaped area beyond the left-field bullpen already dedicated to six statues of children playing baseball. A nice tribute to Mondor and his continued presence at McCoy Stadium can be found in the Providence Journal.
Image courtesy of the Pawtucket Red Sox. From left to right: Madeleine Mondor, the late Mondor’s wife; PawSox president Mike Tamburro; and sculptor Carol “Tayo” Heuser.
RELATED STORIES: In memoriam: Ben Mondor and Harold Cooper
—-
Share your news with the baseball community. Send it to us at editors@augustpublications.com.
Are you a subscriber to the weekly Ballpark Digest newsletter? You can sign up for a free subscription at the Newsletter Signup Page.
Join Ballpark Digest on Facebook and on Twitter!
Follow Ballpark Digest on Google + and add us to your circles!