Worcester Agricultural Fairgrounds was a 20-acre (80,000 m²) site in Worcester, Massachusetts in the 19th century. It was bounded by Highland Street (north), Sever Street (east), Cedar Street or Williams Street (south - sources vary), and Agricultural (later Russell) Street (west). The grounds were just east of the large public park called Elm Park. Today, the former fairgrounds property contains a grid of streets, and many homes and businesses, including Becker College.
The Fairgrounds was home to an agricultural fair and to a horse trotting race track, usually called the Driving Park. "Driving" was a commonly-used synonym for trotting, long before the term "driving" came to be associated primarily with the not-yet-invented automobile. The grounds are known today mainly as the home ballpark of the National League's Worcester Worcesters from 1880 to 1882. As a major league ballpark it is usually referred to as Agricultural County Fair Grounds or Worcester Driving Park Grounds.
During the game of June 12, 1880, Worcester pitcher Lee Richmond threw the first perfect game in major league history. There is a granite post commemorating the perfect game on the Becker College campus.
The last game for the local major league club was played on September 29, 1882, with Troy defeating Worcester 10-7. But a new Driving Park hosted one more major league game in 1887, a home game for Washington against Boston that was relocated because John Gaffney of Worcester served as Washington field manager that season.
The Worcester Driving Park Grounds had also hosted one game for the Boston Red Stockings of the National Association on October 30, 1874.[1]
| Preceded by first ballpark |
Home of the Worcester Worcesters 1880 – 1882 |
Succeeded by last ballpark |
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