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CLINTON — Worcester County and baseball go hand in hand like a brand-new leather ball and a hand-woven glove, but it's Clinton's Fuller Field that may outshine the rest, claiming to be the oldest ballpark in continuous use. The first game dating back to 1878, nearly three dozen years before Fenway Park was established in 1912.
"Baseball is America. America is baseball," said Terry Ingano, who sits on the Board of Directors for the Clinton Historical Society . "We are so very proud of the distinction and have seen everything from Hall of Famers to high school star athletes play here, it's really quite the place."
It's the only place in the world where one can take the field and run the same bases as the very first baseball players, sliding across the very same dirt that stained the knees of Hall of Famers like Tim Keefe .
Unfortunately, the oldest claim has been subject to a long-standing feud between Clinton and London, Ontario, home to Labatt Memorial Park.
The Guinness Book of World Records bestowed the honor on Fuller Field back in 2007 , after A.J. Bastarache, a local author and historian, uncovered evidence while writing "An Extraordinary Town" in 2004.
"At first I wasn't sure I believed it," Ingano said, detailing how Bastarache , presented the society with evidence to back up his claim that Fuller Field was in fact the oldest.
"Bastarache really hoped this would become a mecca for baseball fans, drawing them from all over the world and that really hasn't happened," he said. "It remains this hidden gem right here in Clinton."
It was only a matter of years before Guinness updated the title of "world's oldest," bestowing it upon Labatt Park, which has been in use since 1877.
Clinton Parks and Recreation remains proud of that gem and unwaveringly claims Fuller Field is the oldest, despite what Guinness says, arguing "home plate was moved" at Labatt Park, something Canadian officials agree with.
"Labatt was opened the year prior to Fuller Field, but we did have a few floods throughout the years and had to move the direction of the field," said Zanth Jarvis, director of sport tourism at Tourism London. "So yes, our grounds have been the same, but the direction of the original diamond has changed."
"We have all the evidence," Ingano said excitedly. "We have maps that show the baseball diamond is still in the exact same location then as it is today. You know, it's probably way older than 1878, as it was most likely used as a neighborhood ball field before that."
Fuller Field is listed as the " oldest baseball field diamond " in the world, while Guinness lists Labatt Park as the " oldest baseball field " in the world. While it's just one word, "diamond," it sure is an important and sparkling detail.
Nowadays the field is used by Clinton High School and the local Little League and has become a centerpiece for many growing up in the small community.
"That was where we all played as kids," said Tony Gannon , former minor league baseball player and retired coach of the Clinton High School baseball team. "Of course we didn't know about the history as kids, we just knew it was clean and a whole lot of fun. It was like it was 'our field.'"
Gannon played little league and high school baseball on Fuller field, before heading to Canada and playing for a team in New Brunswick. Later he coached baseball, basketball and football for Clinton High, becoming a member of the New England Basketball Hall of Fame as a coach. He's also been selected twice as Central Mass. Coach of the Year.
"The field has so much history to it, like the wall. If you could hit a ball over the wall, whew, that was it," Gannon said before adding he'd only seen one person hit the ball over the wall and that was back in the late 1960s.
Outside of the nine innings, the field hosts a number of other events, including movie screenings and more recently an Easter egg hunt. This August, there are plans in the works to host a vintage "base ball" game.
"If you're a baseball fan you should stop by Fuller Field," Ingano said. "It's absolutely beautiful."
He's right, of course. Standing on the lush green of the field, it's the epitome of Americana. The scoreboard permeates history, standing stoically in view of the stands. The baseball dirt seemingly calls for one to run the bases and score one for the team. One can only imagine what a game played under "Friday night lights" might feel like from years past.
Fuller's Canadian counterpart, Labatt Park, also offers more than games, with tours featuring its historical relevance in both Canadian and baseball history.
"Baseball and America do go hand in hand, yes, but the heritage of Canadian baseball is often overlooked because it may not be as ingrained in society," Jarvis said with a sigh. "I mean, we're only two hours from Detroit so if you look at the entire region, our history is baseball .
"We're Canadian, so we certainly don't speak negatively about Fuller Field," he added. "We recognize it and respect it."
Labatt Park now also hosts a number of events, including community movie screenings and ice skating.
Despite the competition between the Clintonians and Londoners, it's the love for the game that remains at the heart of it all.
T&G engagement editor Sarah Barnacle is getting to know Central Mass. by exploring some of the best places to go and things to do in Worcester County. If you have an idea or suggestion, please email sbarnacle@gannett.com .
This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: Worcester County Wonders: World's oldest baseball diamond remains a hidden gem in Clinton
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