Meritus Park – Hagerstown Flying Boxcars

Richard Smith
Apr 26
5 min read

Updated: Apr 26

Photos by Richard Smith, Stadium Journey

Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 4.43

Meritus Park

50 W Baltimore Street Hagerstown, MD 21740

Flying Boxcars website

Meritus Park website

Year Opened: 2024

Capacity: 4,000

Hub City Has A Classic

Constructed in 1930 for the Hagerstown Hubs, the city's old ballpark, Municipal Stadium, served as the home for all the local teams for almost a hundred years. This continued until the Hagerstown Suns were eliminated from Minor League Baseball in 2020. The ballpark was demolished two years afterward and is now the site of the new Hagerstown Field House, which features indoor turf fields, basketball, volleyball, and pickleball courts.

The initiative to reintroduce baseball to Hagerstown happened quickly, and within four years, the newly established team, the "Flying Boxcars" (named after the Fairchild military cargo plane manufactured locally after the war), along with the ballpark (named after the local healthcare company Meritus), had their inaugural season in 2024.

The Boxcars play in the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball, which is an independent league with teams in other Mid-Atlantic cities such as York, PA, Lancaster, PA, and Waldorf, MD.

Food & Beverage 4

Meritus Park excels at providing a variety of affordable food and beverage options, with the possibility to indulge in more upscale choices if desired.

The park offers a food selection that surpasses the average, featuring aeronautically themed concession stands that provide reasonably priced ballpark staples, along with pricier seafood and BBQ specialties. Additionally, there is a grab-and-go concession room near the home plate side and a cheesesteak cart.

There is a wide variety of alcoholic drinks available. Standard concessions offer a good range of beers on tap, but the two outfield bars are the top spots for adult beverages. The Power Alley Pub in right-center offers a great selection, with chain-link fences for game viewing at the field level.

Atmosphere 5

There is a main promenade encircling the park above the seating area. The main video scoreboard is located in the left-field corner.

The seating area extends from short left field to short right field, and there are extra seating options in the two outfield bars. Concession stands are evenly distributed around the park, centered at the home plate entrance, where picnic and high-back tables are available for those who prefer not to eat at their seats.

The mascot is called Stryker, a pilot, who entertains on the field between innings and wanders the concourses, greeting guests.

There are the usual minor league races and contests, as well as a few unique events. One of the best is a race between the two sides of the park where participants pass inflatable donuts along their seating areas, egged on by the on-the-field announcer.

Neighborhood 4

Downtown Hagerstown has not always had the best reputation, but there seems to be a resurgence even before the new stadium. Meritus Park has then sparked it even to a higher level.

Just a few blocks from the stadium, you'll find some downtown options such as Chic's Seafood, The Broad Axe Bar & Grill, The Rhubarb House, and Schmankerl Stube. Baile Cask & Kettle is right by the Hub City Garage and makes a good pre-game stop.

The majestic Maryland Theatre is also right by the stadium and is on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places. The theatre features a fully restored Wurlitzer theatre organ, and a portion of the film Guarding Tess, featuring Nicolas Cage and Shirley MacLaine, was filmed inside the theatre.

Make sure to stop by the local used bookstore, Wonder Book and Video, located at 607 Dual Highway. They have been named one of the best used bookstores by USA Today. You may find yourself lost in their stacks for hours.

Lodging options are varied. While there are some nearby hotels on Dual Highway, you may find it better to stay at a hotel such as Springhill Suites Hagerstown, located in the Valley Mall parking lot.

The Mural of Unusual Size is part of the Hagerstown Cultural Trail and makes a fun stop before a game.

Fans 4

Now in its third year, attendance continues to be fairly strong. It seems to be the social place to be in the area. There does seem to be many who come to drink and socialize more than to watch a game. Even so, there seems to be a spirited group of fans who take the game very seriously.

Access 4

The new park is situated in the center of downtown, just south of Route 40, and is easy to visit and navigate.

Signs will quickly direct you off of I-70 to Route 40 (Dual Highway) and then to the downtown area.

The Hub City Garage, located just a block from the park, features its own path leading to one of the outfield entrances. There is a $10 charge to park, and it appears that it is only a cashless option. Besides the easy-to-find path from the garage to the park, you will also see nice stickers showing the way.

The stadium features multiple entrances, making access convenient and preventing it from becoming overly crowded. A main promenade encircles the park, ensuring easy navigation. Interestingly, an escalator is between levels on one side of the stadium but not the other.

Return on Investment 5

The team makes it affordable to get in the door, which is important for independent clubs catering to families and social butterflies. Ticket prices range from $13 to $18, with free entry for children under 5. Food options are affordable, though specialty items are more expensive.

Parking is pretty much the same $10 in all other lots besides just the Hub City Garage.

There are free game-day programs and scorecards given away by the team.

Extras 5

In right field is a neon statue of the Fairchild C-119, the team's namesakes, that lights up during night games.

Near home plate, there is a Hall of Fame that honors major MLB stars who once played in Hagerstown during their time with affiliated teams such as the Orioles and Nationals, including Bryce Harper, Mike Mussina, and Juan Soto.

There are handwritten Atlantic League standings in a couple of places around the park, as well as an equally handwritten lineup chart on the main concourse.

The field can be walked entirely around and offers some fun places to watch the game as well as socialize a bit.

We were worried that the on-the-field announcer would be a bit too much, but he did indeed seem to offer a great atmosphere to the game.