member of the Red Sox. With his induction into the WooSox Hall of Fame, Gedman is now a WooSox and Red Sox Hall of Famer. Now serving as Secretary of Housing and Livable Communities for Massachusetts, Augustus played a pivotal role in bringing the Red Sox Triple-A affiliate to Worcester from Pawtucket, Rhode Island––its home from 1973 - 2020. Through perseverance and determination, Augustus and the city of Worcester won the WooSox and with it, an economic redevelopment plan for the Canal District. “When people know I’m from Worcester, almost without exception they tell me what a great place Worcester is, and they talk about having visited Polar Park,” Augustus said during his Hall of Fame induction speech. “It is music to my ears because that’s what we always envisioned this would be.” No one understood the impact of an old-fashioned ballpark on a community more than Larry Lucchi- no. The club’s late principal owner and chairman passed away on April 2, 2024––the same day as the home opener at Polar Park. Lucchino was a baseball visionary and an architect. During his Hall of Fame career, he built Oriole Park at Camden Yards, Petco Park, and JetBlue Park and renovated Fenway Park, creating a family-friendly environment that prioritized the fan experience. His fifth and final ballpark was Polar Park––built in the city known as the Heart of the Commonwealth and the one that held a special place in Lucchino’s heart. “In my family, Worcester is known as the city that stole Larry Lucchino’s heart,” said Larry’s nephew, David Lucchino, who spoke in place of his uncle during the Hall of Fame ceremony. In early July, the WooSox introduced a navy-blue patch with a red “LL” stitched in the middle to honor their late chairman. The patch was worn on their “home white” and “home red” jerseys for the remainder of the year.
and a community hero off it, Lucchino embodied the drive for excellence in all his endeavors. Now, he stands permanently enshrined on the newly named Lucchino Lane at Polar Park with Gedman and Augustus. Larry would be proud of the memories created during WooSox ’24 when children played catch under the setting sun on summer Saturdays and every emotion was felt under the heart shaped light towers of Polar Park. There were snow outs and walk-offs, broken records and exciting debuts, and plenty of heartwarming player-fan interactions. All at Polar Park in 2024.
As for WooSox ‘24, “Alas, all’s well that ends.”
The unveiling of Lucchino Lane at the Inaugural WooSox Hall of Fame Induction ceremony on September 15, 2024.
(Left to right): Kyle Teel, Marcelo Mayer, and Roman Anthony were introduced to a large media contingent at Polar Park during a press conference on August 13, 2024 following their promotion from Double-A Portland.
A four-time World Series champion on the field
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