The Real McCoy: Exploring the Pawtucket Red Sox Abandoned Home

[@BrianLussier]

“You can’t go to church as cheap as you can come to McCoy” is an absolutely hilarious and true quote hahaha

[@bradenschuman2398]

Lou getting choked up at the outro killed me he’s a legend and McCoy will always be remembered to Sox fans

[@brittanyspratt9281]

Great video! Both heartbreaking and wonderfully nostalgic. I worked at McCoy Stadium for almost a decade (my first job), and many summers I spent more hours in the stadium than at home. It was THE BEST JOB I ever had. Some of my favorite memories with some of the greatest people I've ever met!

[@jamesswindells9719]

McCoy was a second home to me. Great ballpark, great atmosphere, amazing fans and the legendary Ben Mondor who made every bit of it possible. Got to throw out a first pitch in the final season and with a generous strike zone I may have gotten the call. 44 years of ballgames and countless memories.

[@iTalkStudios]

Nothing lasts forever, hold onto and appreciate the great things while you still have them. This video is a beautifully done and heartbreaking reminder of that

[@zaczyons4344]

McCoy was the first baseball game my dad ever took me took me to and I fell in love with the game. Growing up in Rhode Island everyone knew that the highschool state championship was played there and I was lucky enough to get to play on the field. Currently a senior in college playing division 1 baseball and this video took me back to the root of it all.

[@mistyrjohn1]

For over 40 years, McCoy was a cornerstone of my life-a place where I shared unforgettable moments with my grandfather, father, and uncle, and later with my own kids and nephews. To see it now, abandoned, ruined, and facing demolition, breaks my heart. I am in tears, truly heartbroken…

[@anthonyemerson2965]

Incredible video guys. Heartbreaking to see McCoy in this condition. Lou at the end is every Sox fan. No disrespect to Worcester at all, but the Sox’s AAA team should be in Pawtucket.

[@nkerrigan22]

This is seriously such an amazing and nostalgic video to watch. Going to the games with my Dad was special. I’ll miss this place

[@Dustin_rob98712]

Emond you absolutely crushed this. Grew up going to McCoy this captured it nearly perfectly.

[@mkemond]

thank you!

[@colejackson334]

My late father used to take me to see watch the Pawsox weekly. We always had the same seats, year after year. It is heartbreaking to see it the stadium in ruin, but this also brought back a ton of amazing memories of me and my dad and the Sox. Thank you for that.

[@mattmccarthy9067]

My family had season tickets for a few years and we had so many great memories. I'll never forget being there for Bronson Arroyo's perfect game in 2003.

[@supermegaguy666]

Never been to McCoy, but I felt the emotion Lou and you guys had through this video. It's sad to see places like this go and I just can't stop thinking about what this place was like at its peak. Full of baseball fans and families on a warm summer late 90's night. No cellphones, people having to talk to each other and even interact with other fans around them, cheap tickets and refreshments. Maybe, just maybe, a night like that was our American society at its true peak.

[@mrgoodbar2375]

South East MA checking in: I used to go here every summer as a kid until about 2008 ish, it’s where my love for the sport and team(s) were born and grew. I wish I could have visited it one last time while it was still an active park. Thank you for the video, excellent job!

[@colleen2503]

Oh my goodness, you guys. I never stepped foot into McCoy but this made me cry like it was my own home. Great, great job! This should be on Netflix. 👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏

[@TimWhiteCovers]

An incredibly moving tribute to this beloved ballpark. Thank you for creating a final goodbye for all of us. Love ya LouMer.

[@kingxeiros1818]

Midwest native so I never went to McCoy, but this hits in the feels about some places closer to home like this where you spent time with your family for a day of baseball. Fantastic stuff guys, as always.

[@jkriz6346]

Its sad seeing it like this--threw out the first pitch on my 10th bday here (plus got a young Xander Bogaerts to sign a bat, it was bat day) and played in a state championship there. I remember being amazed as a sophomore hearing how loud the park got when you were on the field. Got some clips for my college recruiting video at this field. Amazing park, went there countless times as a kid. We Rhode Islanders, especially those in the baseball community, are incredibly tight and love the game so much. We're often overlooked and it broke the states heart to watch the team leave. Wish I could get one of the seats from the park.

[@TheFanOfThePeople]

Lot of amazing memories at Mcoy. Tolman High School used to play so many home games inside that place, thankful for the opportunity to play inside the stadium and witness so many great memories inside the dugout for Tolman Baseball as a young kid. Unbelievably sad that this place can’t be around forever.

[@JasonAllard]

Great job with this one guys. McCoy was special for a lot of people - love seeing the respect and history shown.

[@austin5019]

Awesome video!!! Glad that Jared, Steve, and Lou were able to see McCoy Stadium one last time!!! Great job by Mike Emond too!!! A wonderful tribute to the stadium and the memories will last forever!!! So glad to have been to what turned out to be the final Pawsox game there at the end of 2019!!! A three home run game for Cole Sturgeon, including a walkoff shot!!!

[@outlawrogers7101]

As a Rhode Islander, and former Pawtucket resident you guys knocked this out the park! Ben Mondor made McCoy what it was, a family friendly atmosphere. We used to watch fireworks every 4th of July from the backyard, sneak onto the field with friends during the offseason imitating playing a real-life game. Or watching some of the RedSox Greats on their rehab stint for a fraction of the Boston ticket price. Living a street away from this place growing up was huge and impactful to Pawtucket as a whole. It'll truly be missed, but the memories will last a lifetime.

[@danielpierce7843]

thanks Emond. u made me cry again

[@FamROT]

Love you forever McCoy. From the perfect game from arroyo when I was still learning the game from my dad, to watching every Rusney game, Schill, papi, pedy, and everyone inbetween I feel so lucky to have gotten to experience McCoy. Thank you for making my childhood everything it was.

[@markengorn1736]

This video was absolutely amazing. Spent my childhood going to paw Sox games and was at the longest game in baseball history ( didn’t stay for the whole game lol) my dad passed when I was younger and going to paw Sox games with him is one of my only memories of him. This video made me bawl but I’m so glad I stumbled upon it

[@itsnotme07]

I went to 1 game at McCoy Stadium. Friday, July 23rd, 2004. I think they were playing Columbus (MFY's AAA team at the time). We sat on the Third base side in the lower seating area. Pawsox lost the game, but in true Red Sox Nation fashion, the Yankees/Red Sox game at Fenway was still going on at the end of the Pawsox game, so they put it up on the Centerfield board for fans to stay and watch. Red Sox lost that game 8-7. I really enjoyed my McCoy visit. I would end up seeing the Pawsox a bit a couple years later when the Red Sox started doing Futures at Fenway. Seeing a Minor league doubleheader at Fenway for McCoy Stadium like prices. Figured I'd be back to McCoy a few times after that 2004 visit, but never made it. Went to Fenway the next day...July 24th, 2004. That game needs no introduction. Thanks for this awesome video!! Glad Lou was able to be a part of this!

[@SONICX1027]

I loved coming here for games, especially during the 2000s with some of the Red Sox players playing there. Saw Ortiz, Nixon and others play there and I wished McCoy would stay instead of being demolished

[@CoolestEVERdude]

Thank you for making this. Brought a tear to my eye. So many memories here, still hard to believe this era of our lives is over. Simpler times for sure.

[@MarioMugrace]

I grew up a Sox fan in NY, I didn't have the exposure to many of the thing's that make life around the Red Sox so special. Section 10 has shown me a lot. Thank you!

[@ballparkaesthetics]

Great stuff. I'm a baseball scout and was fortunate enough to see a few games at McCoy before it closed. The first thing that struck me going there for the first time was how it was in the middle of a working class neighborhood. That was probably common once upon a time but nothing really like that now

[@Sw3rvinvargas]

This was a great video and im glad we live in a time were we can record and document videos like this. Im still in the Pawtucket area and I'm excited to see the new Tidewater Stadium go up as I'm a big soccer fan but I cant say I'm not sad to see a place I went to as a kid all the way till collage go down. I'm used to see ing the stadium on my way back home so its gonna be sad not seeing the big guy up anymore. Thank you McCoy for the good times.

[@ballparkparadise]

Sad to see what has become of McCoy. So many memories there. Pawtucket deserves a team. Respect to Lou. God Bless.

[@kevinshea9483]

Man this one hurts. Grew up working there for the City of Pawt on the field through high school and part of College. So many great memories and times there. What a loss this is.

[@jasonraposo6284]

A sense of pride, a sense of community.. nostalgia, entertainment, family, baseball history... the people that allowed this to happen don't understand what you've done to the RI and southeast MA community, not only broke our hearts, but took away everything mentioned above, this should have never happened.

[@AW-jx8qi]

Used to bike to the stadium as a kid. Played the national anthem at games in my school band. Can’t believe they moved. Thanks for the last trip down memory lane

[@CapeAnnImages]

One of the best baseball videos I've seen and I go back a long way!

[@user-gw9us9yc7k]

❤ great job Mike! real talent making memory

[@mkemond]

appreciate you!

[@Redsoxmon10]

Still got a practice ball Ortiz homer! Miss this place like crazy as a Rhode Islander! Needed this video, great work as always!

[@debrachiacchieri5316]

Thanks for this. We spent a lot of time here and it was great to take the kids here. Such a great atmosphere, so reasonably priced and some really good baseball. Glad to see it one more time but really made me sad to see it vandalized. I feel bad that people can't take their kids to Worcester and get the same experience (and at a much greater expense). Mr. Mondor did a great service to Sox fans, the players and the community the way he ran this place. Thanks again.

[@deucegoose910]

As someone who grew up at McCoy, this is absolutely amazing and heartbreaking! Thank you for this guys, this was amazing! 10/10

[@neilmorrison1598]

Growing up in North Attleboro we went here more times than Fenway. Right down Route 1. 15 mins away. Miss McCoy and the memories!

[@joeyneto7067]

I had a lot of great times here with my gramps and with my own kids when they were growing up. It's sad to see it in this condition, the memories will stay with me forever

[@Moreyellowoh]

20:36 Benny’s reppin them splits in right center

[@markmowry9602]

As a kid who grew up in the next town over and having the Pawsox be a constant throughout my childhood…..thank you for this!!!

[@mione134]

Really sad to see McCoy look like this. Breaks my heart. Thank you guys for showing love to it one last time..😢

[@CajunScott]

This was a great video

[@ThisCityxBurns]

Growing up south of Boston and about 40 min from McCoy it's hard to explain how magical and special this place was in 90's and 00's. It truly breaks my heart to see McCoy in the state that it is and wish that they had remained or at least got the proper farewell that the pandemic took from them. Thank you for the memories.

[@LastDiveBar]

Amazing piece!

[@dirteblonde8790]

Yo there are some crispy drone shots on this emond killed it

[@gnomebrewing]

As a lifelong Pawtucket resident, this was incredibly sad to watch. I appreciate what Mike Lyons said about the community and he's so right. Thank you for putting this together.

[@kevinpavone660]

I’ll never forget going to my first ever professional baseball game with my Dad at this park. This is where my love for the game of baseball started. Sucks to see it like this now

[@worstsandwichever]

Used to skate at the skatepark across the street and would be bummed when I pulled up during gameday and there were no parking spots. I wish there were no spots again.

[@celticspride3474]

Lou is the best! This was awesome a lot of good memories at that ballpark

[@LinguisticSugar]

Grew up going to Pawsox games with my Dad! He passed away last year... will always have the memories!

[@casablanca2745]

Choked this old Rhody boy up. Great memories and I now love Polar Park as well.

[@aidanross2179]

Great video, I only went to McCoy once maybe twice but this felt like I was losing something I grew up going to, real shame the Red Sox and baseball are losing history with the demolition

[@richardconstant5821]

Once, I brought my son to a game, on our way up to the Cape from Central NJ. We got in line to buy tix, and a guy came ovah and said "you need two"? I said yeah, he GAVE ME two of his season tickets, said you'll be sitting next to my wife and I. Front row over the Pawsox dugout! We had a blast. By the end of the game, he was buying us popcorn......that's what Pawtucket was like!

[@brightonleonard6270]

went to many games growing up, sad to see what's come for McCoy but I will always remember watching my last game there with a college buddy from the stairway landing on the left field line. good times, great work on the video!

[@0240172]

I Miss You PawSox

[@nathanielmclean5641]

Shout out once again to Mike Emond, the king of the ballpark eulogy.

[@mkemond]

means a lot! thank you!

[@lucascaron4145]

Always love ya, Lou! Only signature i ever got. Don't know where the ball is but it'll always be in my memory

[@BruinsTitan]

I’m gonna really miss this place

[@Marcman1234]

Watching a kid on a day camp field trip eat a Jemile weeks foul ball while eating a cheeseburger and sipping a dels lemonade is a top 5 feeling ever.

[@urena03]

God damn it Mike 😭

[@twodatnation]

Very well done, only minor detail missing was how big of a deal the 4th of July fireworks at McCoy were. Great job, will miss McCoy and the memories

[@julianpoirier3790]

Such good memories of eating doughboys and ice cream from the Paw Sox helmets during summer under the fireworks. McCoy as a kid felt like something out of Sandlot. Miss it dearly

[@jaredfrace811]

i miss baseball

[@IanPett]

fireworks at McCoy were the best and sitting in the grass section

[@josephgallo2700]

i remember growing up in rhode island i would go to mccoy almost all the time feels like every weekend i was there for a pawsox it was a part of my life and seeing how it is today just breaks my heart cause it was such a big part of my life for so long.

[@kingxeiros1818]

Also give it up for Mike Emond. This guy is a video god!

[@mkemond]

🙏🙏🙏

[@weirddingus4620]

My respects to Lou and the other greats who called Pawtucket home; and to all the locals who lost a stadium.

[@Machva]

I grew up closer to Pawtucket than Boston, so I've had more memories of Paw Sox games than Red Sox games at Fenway. I would bump into friends at McCoy who happened to go the same day, it truely was a community stadium.

[@bradwright4582]

Can't wait for this guy to film my wedding- great video

[@jonnyferrarini300]

So many memories at McCoy

[@JordanDinRI]

I’m a Yankees fan here in RI and I miss the hell out of the PawSox! Wish my kids (Red Sox fans) were old enough so they could have caught some games at McCoy!

[@hands575]

Incredibly sad. I grew up going to games and got to go on the field once a year when my high school band did the national anthem. Luckily got to bring my oldest to a game before the team left. I am glad that the city now has the soccer team RIFC. Completely different and isn't going to replace baseball, but it should be great family entertainment. Helps that the team made it all the way to the final last year in its first year of existence.

[@lou93000]

Awesome video boys

[@CCL0286]

My childhood 😢

[@matt7191]

Best stadium in baseball

[@georgegaros1760]

very well done

[@anneandjohnfirlings3291]

Such a great place...used to fun...

[@garydahujan6097]

Live gang we here!

[@Tmillea]

Eamond is the man.

[@2Ls2Ts]

we love you loumer❤

[@mustafakhweiss7125]

Hell yeah!!

[@noahkollett7627]

Spent many summer nights here. I used to do the milk jug cut out. Miss it and sad to see it go

[@billkeefe9118]

Last ballgame I ever shared with my Dad was at McCoy

[@oklddo1788]

I went to McCoy so many times in my life. I remember watching Jackie Bradley Jr and thinking he was the next Red Sox superstar (I was right, always love my boy JBJ). It really was a staple for Rhode Island and its a shame how everything went down. Hopefully Rhode Island can attract more teams, Rhode Island FC is a good start, but losing McCoy is tough.

[@clevine08]

I love Loumer in full uni for this one

[@pasha21k]

wonderful

[@gh4707]

The last autograph ever signed at McCoy… Lou Merloni…. Pretty fitting as Lou is one of my childhood players from growing up in that era of New England

[@crowrogan7032]

I saw Tomo Ohka throw a perfect game there almost 25 years ago. A lot of players would sign my glove after the game as well such as Carl Pavano, Trot Nixon, and Michael Coleman, just to name a few.

[@gregpaspatis9425]

".......Tomo Okha......." When the Washington Nationals arrived from Montreal after the 2004 season they finished the spring training with a Saturday game (April 2) with the Devil Rays in Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, then flew straight to D.C. for a (corporate sponsored) exhibition preseason game with the New York Mets (they were managed then by Willie Randolph and the Nats manager was Frank Robinson) on the next day, Sunday, April 3 at R.F.K. Stadium in Washington, D.C. I saw Tomo Ohka get into the game, it's possible he may have actually started the game or in any case he did get to throw during the game that day, but later in the 2005 season he was sent off the team for a type of insubordination when he challenged the manager Frank Robinson out on the mound for going out to go make a pitching change that Ohka wouldn't agree with the manager and Ohka had to leave the mound for the clubhouse in R.F.K. bitterly disappointed with being taken out by the manager.

[@Sadorisgod]

I remember when the paw Sox mascot came to my school 😢

[@pacochihuahua77]

I thought this WAS an abandoned exploration video. I live in RI so it was cool to me.

[@mikenolin8747]

I won the 1993 High School Class A State baseball championship on that field. Cumberland hasn't won it since...😮

[@RhodeIslandDude]

He bought the team in 1973.

[@brianmccarthy1029]

Watching with the poignant eye of a 57 year A's fan, what a great little ball park. I love all the foul territory.

[@s.howardparker1998]

“The house that Rosney Castillo built…” Lmfao. Seriously though man, like most kids that grew up in the 80’s and 90’s in Rhode Island, I spent a lot of time here. Lowering cut out milk jugs or soda bottles on string into the dugouts to get autographs!

[@steveatkinson5757]

We're you able to get footage of the pawsox clubhouse?

[@mattknowles4186]

Emond constantly on that goat shit

[@mkemond]

thank you!