When the independent leagues were just starting out in 1993, almost any town could have a team if they had any sort of ballpark. Wayne is great example of this as they hosted a Frontier League team, the West Virginia Coal Sox, for part of the 1993 season. Only part of the season because the team folded after about a dozen games. And it's easy to see why - Wayne is a very small town (population 1,100) and Pioneer Field is simply not suitable for professional baseball. Located on the grounds of Wayne County High School, the park is made up solely of wooden bleachers, many of which don't seem very safe (apparently they were in better shape in '93). The field was renamed in honor of the high school's baseball coach, George A. Brumfield, in June of '05. Pioneer Field is a nice reminder of how far the independent leagues have come since the early days.
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