Historic Tony Zupo Field in Lodi, originally known as Lawrence Park, is host to the Sierra Baseball League’s Lodi GrapeSox baseball club. When it comes to California sports, Lodi is known as a baseball town.

As early as 1911, Lodi has played home to professional baseball and beyond. For nearly two decades beginning in the 1960’s, Lodi hosted major-league farm teams in the California League. From 1966-1984, the “Zinfandel Capital of the World” featured some of the most exciting players in Major League baseball history.

Charasmatic Vida Blue of Oakland A’s fame donned a Lodi uniform, and the Dodgers Fernando Valenzuela rolled his famous eyes on the mound in Lodi while pitching in the Los Angeles farm system. Bill Buckner is most notably remembered as the player who blew the World Series for the Boston Red Sox, allowing a routine ground ball to roll between his legs in the sixth game of the 1986 Series. However, long before his World Series fame, Buckner, who is from Vallejo, played in Lodi as the 2 nd player chosen in the 1977 baseball draft by the Los Angeles Dodgers. In addition, Dusty Baker, who has managed three different Major League teams – the San Francisco Giants, Chicago Cubs, and, currently, the Cincinnati Reds, played in Lodi during his minor league career.

Lodi has been the affiliate for 4 Major League baseball teams; the Chicago Cubs for three seasons, San Diego Padres for two seasons, four years with the Baltimore Orioles, and the longest tenure, eight years, with the legendary Los Angeles Dodgers. During that stretch, Lodi won three California League championships while posting over 500 wins.

Tony Zupo Field is named after the Lodi legend of the same name. Zupo managed baseball teams in Lodi for 40 years, and it was his vision – along with Ed DeBenedetti – that brought the first professional baseball team to Lodi in 1946. Tony Zupo Field, built in the style of the old-school, quaint minor league ballparks, is one of Lodi’s forgotten treasures. But not for long... the Lodi GrapeSox are going to wake up the echoes of past glory years, and bring minor league style baseball back to Lodi to stay