Veterans Memorial Stadium is a multipurpose outdoor stadium in Quincy, Massachusetts. Built from 1937 to 1938 under the Works Progress Administration,[1] it seats 5,000 spectators[2] for football, soccer, Rugby union and lacrosse. [3] It is the home field of Quincy High School athletics, namely football and soccer, and the New England Free Jacks of Major League Rugby. The grounds have most notably held the annual intracity Thanksgiving Day Game between QHS and NQHS, dubbed by SI.com as one of the best in America,[4] since 1932.
 | |
| Location | 850 Hancock Street Quincy, Massachusetts, U.S. |
|---|---|
| Owner | City of Quincy |
| Operator | Heritage Sports Ventures |
| Capacity | 5,000 |
| Scoreboard | Daktronics |
| Construction | |
| Broke ground | 1937 |
| Opened | 1938 86 years ago |
| Tenants | |
| Quincy High School Football (1932−2017, 2019−present)[a] North Quincy High School Football (1932−present) Boston Minutemen (NASL) (1976) Eastern Nazarene College Soccer (NCAA DIII) (2007–present) Boston Rams (PDL) (2014) Boston Cannons (MLL) (2019) New England Free Jacks (MLR) (2021–present) | |
The land the stadium sits on is part of Merrymount Park, which’s was gifted to the city by the Adams family. The current stadium replaced a prior athletic field that was known as Pfaffman’s Oval, a cinder dirt track with a large embankment on one side, which made for a natural amphitheater for spectators. After several attempts to fund the stadium failed, ground was broken in January, 1937. The stadium was opened on September 25, 1938, in a ceremony attended by Senator Henry Cabot Lodge.[5]
Throughout the 1960s, the Boston Patriots played several preseason intra-squad scrimmages for charity at the stadium. [1][2]
In 1976 it served as a home stadium for the Boston Minutemen of the North American Soccer League.[6]
The stadium underwent a $1.2 million renovation in 2006, including accessibility improvements and new synthetic turf as well as making the stadium usable as a lacrosse, rugby and soccer field,[7] and another $1.5 million renovation in 2018, replacing bleacher seats with chair back seats, adding extra capacity and a large electronic video board.
The stadium served as the home of the Boston Cannons of Major League Lacrosse for the 2019 season. [8] Due to Covid, the team played the entire shortened 2020 season behind closed doors at Navy–Marine Corps Memorial Stadium in Annapolis, Maryland, in which they would win the championship. The team was then absorbed by the barnstorming Premier Lacrosse League, for which a home stadium was no longer necessary.
On June 28, 2021, the New England Free Jacks of Major League Rugby announced they were moving into the stadium starting with the final game of the 2021 MLR season. [9]
The stadium has been used since 2021 for the Massachusetts Instrumental and Choral Conductors Association State Finals for marching band.
Notable events
editRugby
edit| Date | Visiting Team | Score | Home Team | Match Type | Attendance | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| June 19, 2022 | Rugby New York | 24-16 | New England Free Jacks | 2022 MLR Eastern Conference Final |
3,500 | [10] |
| July 1, 2023 | Old Glory DC | 7-25 | New England Free Jacks | 2023 MLR Eastern Conference Final |
3,414 | [11] |
| July 26, 2023 | Canada Women's U23 | 24-5 | USA Women's U23 | Border Battle | ||
| July 30, 2023 | Canada Women's U23 | USA Women's U23 | ||||
| July 20, 2024 | Old Glory DC | 29-33 | New England Free Jacks | 2024 MLR Eastern Conference Semifinals |
||
| July 27, 2024 | Chicago Hounds | - | New England Free Jacks | 2024 MLR Eastern Conference Finals |
References
edit- ^ Due to the renovations during the 2018-19 school year, Quincy High's home field was moved to North Quincy's Creedon Field for the season.
- ^ "Veterans Memorial Stadium - Quincy MA - Living New Deal".
- ^ "Boston Cannons Excited to Start Season at New Stadium".
- ^ "Boston Cannons Excited to Start Season at New Stadium".
- ^ Mravic, Mark. "Thanksgiving at Its Best".
- ^ "26 Sep 1938, 13 - The Boston Globe at Newspapers.com". Boston Globe. Retrieved 2021-03-10.
- ^ "Minutemen to Play 9 at Vet's Stadium, Quincy", Nashua Telegraph, May 1, 1976.
- ^ Monique Walker, "Quincy's renovated stadium finally open for business", The Boston Globe, October 12, 2006. via HighBeam Research.
- ^ Boston Cannons and City of Quincy announce partnership
- ^ NEW ENGLAND FREE JACKS ANNOUNCE VETERANS MEMORIAL STADIUM IN QUINCY AS THE NEW HOME FOR MAJOR LEAGUE RUGBY IN NEW ENGLAND
- ^ "New York Come From Behind to Beat Free Jacks for Title Shot". American Rugby News.
- ^ "Free Jacks Overwhelm Old Glory to Claim East Conference Title". American Rugby News.