Rain doesn't dampen fans' enthusiasm for Hagerstown Flying Boxcars' inaugural home opener

The on and off drizzling rain Saturday evening did not dampen excitement for at least several fans of the new Flying Boxcars baseball team and Meritus Park in downtown Hagerstown.

Hagerstown residents Brantley Lowery, 9, and Lucas Nalley, 8, got autographs from Stryker, the Boxcars' mascot, and some of the Boxcars players before the start of the game.

Neither of the friends knew the names of those players yet, but that could be said for a lot of the fans.

Chants of "Let's go Boxcars" started during the first inning, followed shortly later by "Let's go 18."

No. 18 was the leadoff hitter, outfielder Magneuris Sierra.

The Boxcars, a new franchise in the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball, played their initial games on the road while construction continued on Meritus Park.

While the excitement was evident early in the game, the Boxcars' organization was mourning the loss of its director of stadium operations after the game.

PT Schlosser, "a dedicated employee and a respected colleague and friend to everyone in our organization," died Saturday night after the game, according to a statement issued Sunday by the Boxcars.

The Boxcars' Sunday matinee was postponed with a doubleheader scheduled for Monday.

The Boxcars won in extra innings Saturday.

Probably the most familiar names on the field were the Boxcars' Eury Perez and a couple players on the opposing Long Island Ducks. Ducks outfielder Jackie Bradley Jr. used to play for some major league teams, including several years with the Boston Red Sox, and catcher Chance Sisco's resume includes playing for the Orioles. The Boxcars' Perez, who shares a name with an injured Miami Marlins' pitcher, played for the Hagerstown Suns and a few major league teams, including the Washington Nationals.

Sheila and David Slifer, of Boonsboro, were watching the game from concourse seats as guests of Vicki and Marty Lumm. David Slifer said he watched some of the stadium construction via the Visit Hagerstown live online camera while he was in Florida.

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"It's beautiful," Sheila Slifer said. "We just hope it takes off. The town needs this, especially downtown."

The couple said they bought some Boxcars attire, but didn't have it on since it was going to be covered up by their orange rain ponchos, hers an Orioles' poncho.

Some fans wore O's apparel, but most of the ball caps and jackets seen around the ballpark were for the new team in town.

'Soft opening' for Meritus Park hosting Flying Boxcars

This initial home stand is being called a "soft opening" with single-game tickets not available until the second home stand.

Many of the general admission seats were empty with a lot of folks watching from the concourse and upper levels.

Paid attendance for the game was 1,136.

At least one fan discovered during the game that he could not buy concessions with cash. A fan services employee told him gift cards can be purchased to pay for food, but those weren't available just yet.

Boxcars' spokesperson Fynn McDonald said concessions are cashless, a trend some other minor league and major league ballparks have adopted.

The rain led to fireworks after the game being canceled.

The drizzle took a break around the time Barbara Ingram School for the Arts alumnus Caleb Baer, 19, of Hagerstown, sang the national anthem.

Baer, Class of 2022, said the Boxcars connected with Ingram choir teacher Melissa Mackley, who recommended him to sing the anthem.

"I am not a huge baseball fan, but I do like baseball. The energy of the game is always good and being around friends and family is always a good time," Baer said.

Boxcars win thrilling home opener: Hagerstown Flying Boxcars are walk-off winners in home opener at Meritus Park

Fans enthusiastic about Boxcars and new multi-use stadium

Jarai Durisseau, 9, was among members of Federal Little League's Antietam Exchange team, who along with the Legion team, lined up to create a path for the introduction of Boxcars' players and coaches as they ran onto the field from the dugout. Players slapped hands with the kids.

"Pretty cool, Jarai said of the experience.

An Orioles fan, Jarai said he might become a fan of the Boxcars.

The new stadium also rated a "cool" from the youngster.

Mom, Alexa Durisseau, said what she'd seen of the stadium was "really nice." Durisseau said she's become a fan of the game since Jarai started playing Little League three years ago.

Lucas Nalley called the stadium "awesome."

Melissa Jones, who said she was a "diehard Suns fan," came up from Boca Raton, Fla., with her husband, Tom, for the game.

The couple, who moved from Hagerstown to Florida in 2020, said they are fans of the stadium's location in downtown Hagerstown.

"I see all the haters - 'Where's the parking?'" Melissa Jones said. "This stadium is going to be the greatest thing to ever happen to the city."

The city is having a new parking deck built nearby along West Antietam Street, but the deck is not expected to be ready until June, City Engineer Jim Bender has said. City and Boxcar officials have been encouraging fans to park at the other two downtown decks and the Central Lot.

Tom Jones said he believes the stadium will revitalize the city.

The multi-use facility, including land acquisition, design/architecture and construction, cost approximately $90 million, according to the Maryland Stadium Authority.

Except for the dirt pitching mound, the field's grass and dirt are artificial.

Before the game began, the Drew Adams band from Waynesboro, Pa., was playing on the patio by the corner of Baltimore Street and Summit Avenue.

Mary Ellen and Chuck Waltemire were excited to see the game, including Boxcars' starting pitcher Mike Kickham, who they are hosting. The couple didn't host Hagerstown Suns players but now that their kids are grown, they had a room available.

Their daughter, Kelsi Palmer, varsity softball coach at St. James School, also had a connection to the game as she said her husband was handling security.

Hagerstown Police had a visible presence around the ballpark, including drones flying low enough to be heard and seen with flashing red and blue lights.

Sara Smith, who suggested the name Flying Boxcars for the team, and Visit Hagerstown President Dan Spedden took turns throwing out the first pitches.

Smith, a therapist with Meritus Behavioral Health, said she knows many people who either worked for Fairchild Aircraft or had family work for the company. Fairchild manufactured the World War II cargo planes nicknamed the Flying Boxcars.

Flying Boxcars received the most votes through an online voting contest available through Herald-Mail Media.

Smith's pitch bounced a few times before reaching the catcher. But given she had rotator cuff surgery a couple years ago and didn't start practicing until two weeks ago, the pitch was impressive.

"It was a lot of fun," she said.

Sports Editor Andy Mason contributed to this story.

This article originally appeared on The Herald-Mail: Hagerstown Flying Boxcars open at home in new Meritus Park