PATERSON The trees and shrubs growing from Hinchliffe Stadium’s crumbling grandstand sparkled with springtime green as officials on Wednesday conducted a ceremonial groundbreaking for the reconstruction of the historic ballpark.
Mayor Andre Sayegh has touted the $94 million project, which also will include a 315-space parking garage and a six-story, 75-unit senior citizen apartment building, as being crucial to Paterson’s revitalization efforts. The rebuilt stadium would have 7,800 seats.
Three former major league baseball players Harold Reynonds, CC Sabathia and Willie Randolph attended the ceremony in tribute to Hinchliffe’s national landmark status as one of the last two ballparks still standing from the segregated Negro Leagues of the mid-20th century.