Day 6 of my Rhode Island Baseball Field Bike Relay Ride (Spectacular) started with a short bike ride from my home in North Kingstown to East Greenwich’s Cragan Field. If you are like me, you use landmarks, places of business, or interested markers to find things in Rhode Island in addition to the modern internet map systems. For Cragan Field, I took Post Road, up past the entrance to Goddard Park, then left at Citizens Bank, past Our Lady of Mercy School, then down the driveway to Cragan Field, home of East Greenwich Little League. This park has been a part of my coaching history with North Kingstown/Wickford Little League for years. It is a great neighborhood park with huge concession stand, batting cages, plenty of parking, and is always is fantastic shape for baseball. This past summer, Cragan was the host field for the 2019 12U State Tournament that crowned eventual New England champions – Barrington Little League. Great baseball park with some really awesome baseball murals on the dugouts and press box.
From Cragan Field, I headed North on Post Road, past NBX Bike shop (that fixes my bike), into Apponaug Circle and over to the Apponaug Baseball Complex. This complex of 3 baseball fields has tons of character, plenty of seating at each field, a batting cage, and is located behind the Warwick Town Hall Annex. Apponaug Cal Ripken recently won the Warwick Mayor’s Cup Tournament and has a proud tradition of baseball in Rhode Island. I got to meet and greet some of the executive board members from Apponaug this summer and they are really excited for their league in 2020. And their Babe Ruth program plays at Kenney Field, just up the road on Jefferson Blvd.
While in Warwick, I took a short ride up past the Warwick Fire Station, Warwick Police Station, made a left into the Crown Plaza Hotel, then another left down the long driveway to Warwick Continental American League. WCALL has two fields – Founders and D’Abrosca – at this location. Warwick Continental American has two of the most playable, well maintained, and showcase baseball fields in all of Rhode Island. I can see the fields year round as I drive North on Route 95 and have often stopped to photograph the fields, in any season. The staff, volunteers, and families do a great job supporting these youth players at home and on the road. As a coach of youth baseball for years, I always knew that a game vs Warwick Continental would be exciting and competitive.
From Warwick, I headed west passed the Rhode Island Mall, hopped on the Washington Secondary Bike Path, past Bradford Soap Works (took a deep inhale, love that clean smell), over bridges spanning the Pawtuxet River, and into Riverpoint Park. Riverpoint Park is an incredible sports and recreation facility in West Warwick. It features an awesome basketball court, soccer fields, and is the home of West Warwick Baseball. There are several fields for West Warwick Baseball, which plays in Rhode Island’s Cal Ripken League of teams. West Warwick’s McCarthy Field is one of Rhode Island’s premier baseball fields and hosts High School and Middle School games, tournaments, and championships. The huge stadium style, bleacher seating gives McCarthy a Minor League or Cape Cod League baseball feel. I love visiting this park. West Warwick does an excellent job promoting youth sports and activities that promote youth activity.
There is an exit from Riverpoint Park onto the Washington Bike Path, so I took the path to head west again, through West Warwick, onto the Coventry Greenway bike path, onto Main St in Coventry, then over to Paine Field, home of Coventry Little League. As I pulled into this massive recreational complex, I saw banner after banner of baseball excellence. Coventry Little League is a proud league with a great tradition of youth baseball championships, especially in recent years. They were the 2018 New England entry in the Little League World Series and their banner is proudly displayed on their press box/concession stand. Coventry’s Paine Field features three baseball fields for youth levels from Little League to Interscholastic play. Always competitive, always prepared to play, Coventry Little League is a shining example of Rhode Island Baseball.
Great Day 6 of my Rhode Island Baseball Field Bike Relay Ride. I visited amazing fields in East Greenwich, Warwick, West Warwick, and Coventry. These fields are maintained by volunteers, town workers, coaches, and players throughout the season and I was so impressed with the condition of these fields. I love that I got to utilize the bike path to ride from Warwick to Coventry safely. If you get a chance, check out the bike path in your area and see a whole other side of Rhode Island. All for now. Next stop will be District 4 in Northern Rhode Island, starting with Gorham Field, home of Scituate-Foster LIttle League.
The Rhiter 
Leave a Reply