photo by Craig Jorgensen

BRADENTON – The portion of 9th Street West between 13th Ave West and 17th Ave West will be closed until Saturday for crews to complete work as part of the McKechnie Field renovation project. The stadium is receiving a major upgrade that includes 2,000 additional seats, including covered outfield bleachers, a boardwalk and a tiki bar. Work will be performed only between the hours of 7 a.m. and 5 p.m.

The facility, which was originally called City Park, was built in 1923 when it hosted the Bradenton Growers, one of the Florida State League's charter teams. Over the years, the Red Sox, Phillies, Braves and A's have all used it for spring training headquarters, though the Pirates have made it their southern home since 1969, one of the longest spring training tenures in MLB.

photo by Craig Jorgensen

The historic park, which has hosted such legends as Babe Ruth, Stan Musial, Ted Williams and Lou Gehrig is also home to the Pirates' Minor League Baseball High-A affiliate, the Bradenton Marauders.

related:

McKechnie Field: Bradenton's Brightest Diamond

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