By Dominic Konareski
Voice Writer
The future of Quigley Stadium, a cornerstone of Connecticut baseball history, has become the subject of intense speculation surrounding its future.
The speculation is fueled by the fact the West Haven Twilight League, which calls itself the longest continuous amateur baseball league in the country begun in 1933, has curtailed its schedule at Quigley, which has been its home for the past three decades-plus. Games have gone to other sites, while reports that at least one organization has suggested a rebrand rebrand to the “Southern Connecticut Twilight League” for 2027 and beyond.
This shift is already reflected in the league’s current season. In a significant departure from its tradition of playing exclusively at Quigley, the WHTL has branched out to alternative fields such as Rochford Field in Hamden and Brinley Field in Orange.
Now in the league’s playoff run, the 2026 postseason, which is already underway, has all games slated for West Haven High School. Overall, the 81 total games scheduled for the 2026 season, including the All-Star Game and playoffs, only 19 games (or a small 23.46%) were held at Quigley Stadium this 2026 season.
The venue hosted its final scheduled event of the year on June 29 for the league’s All-Star Game. Since that date, the final 39 games of the season have been transitioned to other fields, leaving the 79-year-old stadium vacant for the remainder of the competitive calendar.
When approached for comment regarding the rumors of relocation and rebranding city officials did not return phone calls.
However, in a subsequent statement to the New York Sports Show, a league representative sought to downplay the speculation.
The representative clarified that there are “no current plans” for relocation or a name change, asserting that the diversification of venues is purely a matter of “schedule flexibility.” Despite the optics of a dwindling presence at their longtime home, the league characterized its relationship with the City of West Haven as “great.”
While these assurances may temporarily quiet concerns, the contrast between official rhetoric and the statistical reality of Quigley’s usage remains in question.
Built in 1947 and sold to the Town of West Haven in 1951, Quigley Stadium boasts a storied legacy. For decades, it has stood as the primary diamond for the West Haven Twilight League, which remains its sole active tenant after Notre Dame-West Haven departed in 2025. However, as the structure enters its eighth decade, the signs of neglect are inescapable. The ballpark now sits in a state of visible decay, fueled by persistent rumors that the city may eventually sell or demolish the property.
The league, which once called Noyes Field, Painter Park its home well until the 1990s, moved to the Front Avenue facility with the advent of aluminum bats. The “intimate confines” of Noyes became logistically a problem with the then-new technology. Interestingly, the league went back to wooden bats more than a decade ago.
As the 2026 season concludes away from Quigley’s boarded up ticket booth, the question remains: is this the final chapter for one of Connecticut’s oldest and one of the most successful sporting landmarks?
I’m afraid Quigley Field is now beyond repair. I grew up in Allington & Quigley Stadium was a big part of my life. I even worked there as a part-time groundskeeper during the West Haven Yankees years.