There is a lot of excitement in our community these days with the construction of a new indoor turf facility underway and the Thunder Bay Community Tennis Centre opening their new tennis dome. Seventy-five years ago there was a similar buzz in the air with the opening in 1951 of both the Fort William Gardens and the Port Arthur Stadium.
The stadium’s history actually goes back to the late 1930s when a group of local sportsmen, including the likes of Joe Greaves, Guy Perciante and T.J. Tommy McAuliffe, who was also a long-time Port Arthur Alderman and Parks Board member, proposed that a new park be built. The original location was to be between Memorial Avenue and Fort William Road, but like many things during that time, the Second World War interrupted their plans.
By the late 1940s things were back on track with new locations being considered, including its present site, and another near where Hammarskjold high school is today. Construction began in 1948 and yet another challenge emerged during the building process when the government limited the supply of steel to essential building projects. Fortunately, a supply was found and shipped from Winnipeg to complete the project.
When all was said and done the cost of the construction was just over $200,000 and the official opening ceremonies were set for Monday, July 16, 1951. That night also turned out to be the first game ever played in the new stadium, as the opening game scheduled two nights earlier between the Port Arthur Red Sox and Giants had to be postponed due to rain.
The opening night saw a reported overflow crowd of up to 4,000 pack the new concrete stands and portable bleachers. The McGillivray Pipe Band paraded on the grounds before the opening ceremonies got underway. Following a variety of speeches and the invocation by Reverend Russell Peden, Port Arthur Mayor Fred Robinson had the honour of throwing the first pitch to McAuliffe who finally saw his dream of a new stadium become a reality.
Next on the agenda was a game between a touring team from New York, the Bengals, and the Port Arthur All-Stars. Plans had to be adjusted a bit due to an accident encountered by one of the visitor’s buses which resulted in only 6 of their players showing up, but three local players, Rudy Migay, Jim Mauro and Dave Adamson, were recruited to fill in.
Taking to the field for the local All-Stars were pitchers Yosh Tatebe and Bob Baxter with fielders Bill McKenzie (1b), Orville Anderson (2b), Gordon (Junior) Wilson (ss), Barton Bradley (3b), Gord Poole (c), Eddie Cox (lf), Ollie Sutton (cf), Bert Fonso (rf) and Dick Mitsunaga (dh).
It didn’t seem to matter to the local fans that their team lost to the visitors 7 - 0 as they were just thrilled to be there for the special occasion to see baseball played at night under the lights which was a first for the Lakehead, and the region.
While ball games at all levels, from Little League to senior and professional leagues, have been played at the stadium, it has also hosted a number of other sports. The Lakehead Rugby Football Union (LRFU) held games there during the 1950s and 60s with the field serving as the home-field of the Port Arthur Mustangs. Many young athletes, and cheerleaders, also took to the football field for junior and high school games, including the annual Bowl Game which would alternate between the rival field of the Fort William Stadium.
The Thunder Bay Senior Soccer Association utilized the field for league play and championships, with the victors winning such coveted trophies as the Cooper Cup. The stadium was also home to the Labatt’s International Soccer Tournament which became a Labour Day weekend tradition for many years dating back to the late 1960s. The stadium at one time was also utilized for track and field events.
Throughout its seventy-five-year history the facility has also hosted cultural events like the Canadian Finnish Grand Festival and Games during the 1960s and Children’s Festival during the early 1990s, along with the occasional concert. That tradition will return this summer when the Thunder Bay Blues Society and the Thunder Bay Community Auditorium host Blues in the Ballpark. The Thunder Bay Museum is dedicating their 2026 Taste of History fundraising dinner taking place at Whitewater Golf Course on April 17th to the theme of the 75th anniversary of our community sports shrines.
Following an extensive upgrade to the field, the stadium has more recently been used primarily for baseball, with the Thunder Bay Whiskey Jacks of the Northern League taking up residency there from 1993-1998. Starting in 2003 the Thunder Bay Border Cats have played their Northwoods League (NWL) games there, getting ready to host their 21st season this summer, having sat out 2020-22 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Baseball fans also have had the chance to take in the very successful 2010 IBAF World Junior Baseball Championships and the 2017 IBAF 18U Baseball World Cup, as well as, the 2024 WBSC Women’s Baseball World Cup Final Stage.
The stadium has also hosted the Stanley Cup with Jordan Staal dropping by with it during the 2009 NWL All-Star Game, and Jamie Kompon celebrating his Day with the Cup there in 2024.
While some people may have dreams of building a brand new stadium, I personally think there is a lot to be said for the charm of older ballparks, and it turns out other people agree. In 2011 the Port Arthur Stadium was part of a contest hosted by Baseball Canada to name the best ballpark in Canada, earning runner-up honours out of 40 entries. As the saying goes, if those walls could talk, the Port Arthur Stadium would have a lot to tell, and hopefully will continue to do so for many more years to come.
