The Longest Game

The first team to be dubbed the Pawtucket Red Sox debuted at McCoy Stadium in Pawtucket, Rhode Island. Before that, through venue, league and franchise ownership changes, they went from being the Toronto Maple Leafs to the Louisville Colonels.
As the Colonels, with star players such as Carlton Fisk, Dwight Evans and Cecil Cooper, the team made the playoffs in 1969 and 1972.
Following the 1972 season, the Colonels moved to Pawtucket and became the Pawtucket Red Sox.
The team was an instant success on the field winning the 1973 Governors' Cup over the Charleston Charlies. The next season, the team finished 30 games below .500 and in 1975, the PawSox finished with a miserable 53-87. In 1976, the franchise went bankrupt.
The current owner, Ben Mondor, stepped in and made sure the team would remain in the city.
With Mondor at the helm, attendance records soared and in 1983, the PawSox won its second Governors' Cup, beating the Maine Guides.
In 2000, the PawSox set an all-time victory record with 82 wins. That record was broken in 2003 with 83.
The PawSox also played in and won the longest game in professional baseball history against the Rochester Red Wings at McCoy Stadium. The game began on April 18, 1981. Play was suspended at 4:07 am at the end of the 32nd inning. That game resumed on June 23. Only one inning was needed. With the PawSox winning 3-2 in the bottom of the 33rd, first baseman, Dave Koza, drove in second baseman, Marty Barrett, with a bases loaded single off of Cliff Speck. Future MLB stars, Carl Ripken Jr. and Wade Boggs, also played in the game.
I'll miss the 27th anniversary game to this year's "Longest Game" celebration, but I'm really looking forward to attending Game 18 of the 2008 season vs. the Durham Bulls with my beautiful friends. We have front row, home plate seats.
Hey, batter batter!!
Eat pine, meat!
Go PawSox!!!