Bill Pascrell: “I want to thank both managers. Hinchliffe Stadium overlooks the Great Falls of Paterson, New Jersey, one of the largest…”

“I want to thank both managers. Hinchliffe Stadium overlooks the Great Falls of Paterson, New Jersey, one of the largest waterfalls on the east coast in the United States. It was built by the citizens of Paterson as a public works project during a very difficult financial situation in the United States, 1932. It was named for the mayor at that time, Judge John Hinchliffe. The stadium site sits directly adjacent to the Great Falls National Historical Park. The New York Black Yankees played there and the New York Cubans. These games featured baseball Hall of Famers such as Paterson's own hometown hero, Larry Doby, the first player to integrate the American League. Other greats such as Josh Gibson, Oscar Charleston, Judy Johnson also made appearances here. Besides baseball, the stadium hosted events in professional football, boxing, wrestling, soccer, even auto racing, throughout its long and storied history. They also were the home of the Paterson Panthers, a professional football team, and the great concerts that went on there. Recently, it played host to all high school sports under the stewardship of the Paterson Public Schools. Sadly, the stadium has sat in a state of disuse since 1997, when the school system could no longer afford to keep up with the maintenance. However, this legislation would not place the burden of restoration or maintenance on the National Park Service.…”