Friends Of Whitey Ford Field - Queens, NY

Wh**ey Ford Field
Hellgate Field

Sources conflict over the true meaning of the name Hell Gate. Beginning in 1907, the U.S.

The Friends of Wh**ey Ford Field is an all volunteer group dedicated to the upkeep, maintenance and repair of Wh**ey Ford Field, a multipurpose ball field We also advocate for the history of the Hallets Point peninsula. The Dutch rendering, Hellgat, is translated as “open passage,” and in this context refers to the East River as it opens into the Long Island Sound. Formed by a fault deep under th

e surface, the water, at over 100 feet in depth on the Manhattan side, is among the deepest sections of New York Harbor. Hell Gate earned its reputation as a difficult waterway with tricky tides and many obstructions with colorful names such as the Frying Pan Rock, Hen & Chickens, Shell Drake Rock, and Bald-headed Billy. Native American legend held that at low tide it was possible to jump from reef to reef and cross Hell Gate without swimming. After the Battle of Long Island in August 1776, British General Robertson built batteries here that cannonaded American positions on the shore of Manhattan. Various British units occupied this spot throughout the American Revolution. On November 25, 1780, the frigate HMS Hussar carrying 150 men, including a number of American prisoners, and three years of payroll for the British naval garrison in Newport, sank in the passage. The treasure was never recovered and some suspect the sinking was actually a cover-up for the theft of the money. It is estimated that the wrecks of over 1,000 ships lie in the Hell Gate. Starting in the 1840s, and continuing for the next 80 years, the Federal government tried various means to remove the rocks and reefs that made the Hell Gate dangerous to shipping. In October 1885, over 300,000 pounds of explosives were detonated, obliterating the once treacherous nine-acre Flood Rock. Nearly 100,000 people gathered on the Manhattan banks of the East River to watch what is said to have been the world’s largest explosion prior to the atomic bomb. Windows rattled as far away as Princeton, New Jersey,

In 1942, Parks Commissioner Robert Moses (1888-1981) petitioned the City to assign this property, located along the East River at 26th Avenue and 2nd Street in the Hallet’s Cove section of Queens, to Parks after the Board of Education stopped using the facility. Well maintained, the field already had a baseball diamond, running track, and grandstand, and needed only minor repairs. Moses argued that the site was necessary in this section of Queens, as the neighborhood lacked adequate opportunities for baseball and other forms of “adult recreation.” In October of 1943 the site was assigned to Parks and became known as Astoria Athletic Field. The City acquired this land in February 1906 and used it for Board of Education purposes. Government leased part of the site for a monthly fee of $16.66 to the Coast Guard so they could maintain a lighthouse and bell along the water at the site. The lighthouse remained on the seawall until 1982, when it began to lean. The Coast Guard determined that the most cost-effective solution would be to create a new light, and it was relocated to a light stanchion on the field. In 1985 the park’s name was changed to Hellgate Field by Commissioner Stern

In August 2000, Hell Gate Field was renamed Wh**ey Ford Field, after Astoria native and legendary Yankee’s pitcher, Edward Charles “Wh**ey” Ford, who spent his entire sixteen year career as a Yankee. Wh**ey Ford broke numerous pitching records, and remains to this the day the Yankees greatest pitcher. During his time as a Yankee, Wh**ey Ford was known as the “Chairman of the Board.” In 1974 Wh**ey Ford was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. Wh**ey Ford Field is still owned by the NYC Department of Parks. In the spring of 20017, Councilmember Costa Constantinides, and Queensboro President, Melinda Katz committed $2M to repairing the field. We would like to thank them for their support.
. Friends of Wh**ey Ford Field will strive to be the premier volunteer advocacy group for a small park in New York City. We will conduct ourselves to the highest standards, in transparency, ethics and accountability.

#FixWh**eyFordField

Wh**ey Ford Field Clean-Up - Queens Gazette

05/28/2026

https://www.qgazette.com/articles/whitey-ford-field-clean-up/

Wh**ey Ford Field Clean-Up - Queens Gazette Friends of Wh**ey Ford Field thank everyone who participated in their cleanup last week. Fifteen volunteers from Astoria Sports, NYC Rising Stars, Queens Lighted Softball Association, Eleanor Roosevelt High School, Frank Sinatra High School for the Arts, and the FDNY (NYC Bravest) with their youth e...

Four years ago, I stood here to announce my support for building in Halletts Point hundreds of units of affordable and mixed income housing to tackle the housing and affordability crisis in our city.

On that day I said that there was so much more that needs to be done. We needed improvements to our city’s zoning and development laws and strategies. We needed more tools.

Today, I’m proud to stand alongside @nycmayor and Deputy Mayor Leila Bozorg in support of transforming housing in our city by investing billions to build 200,000 deeply affordable homes, including right here in Astoria.

05/28/2026

https://www.instagram.com/p/DY4yAhFOjtO/?igsh=MWtoMzV1OWo4NXhwOA%3D%3D

Four years ago, I stood here to announce my support for building in Halletts Point hundreds of units of affordable and mixed income housing to tackle the housing and affordability crisis in our city. On that day I said that there was so much more that needs to be done. We needed improvements to our city’s zoning and development laws and strategies. We needed more tools. Today, I’m proud to stand alongside @nycmayor and Deputy Mayor Leila Bozorg in support of transforming housing in our city by investing billions to build 200,000 deeply affordable homes, including right here in Astoria.

Photos from Friends Of Wh**ey Ford Field - Queens, NY's post

05/08/2026

Photos from the cleanup on May 2nd 2026

05/07/2026

https://www.qchron.com/editions/central/whitey-ford-field-cleanups/article_6d953d98-15dd-50d2-89bd-54a7d537380d.html

Wh**ey Ford Field cleanups The group Friends of Wh**ey Ford Field in Astoria is planning spring cleanups at the park from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, April 25; and 10:30 a.m. to

02/24/2026

Opportunity March 11, 2026 @6.30 to share your vision on the future of Queensbridge Park Natural Turf Ballfields, 41-05 Vernon Boulevard (at 41st Avenue). This is a virtual meeting. Scan the code in the attached flyer

01/27/2026

Early Years of Wh**ey Ford Field, then Astoria Athletic Field -https://www.facebook.com/groups/AstoriaNYpast.present/posts/1686777291533197/

10/04/2025

Morrocan Soccer supporter set off fireworks and flares at Wh**ey Ford Field
https://gothamist.com/news/moroccan-soccer-fans-light-up-astoria-ballfield-with-flares-alarming-new-neighbors?fbclid=IwY2xjawNNUItleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETE3NDBaNkZ1Ujd2SDR0Q1JEAR5twBGjypChWnm47g3xjEuhEPoLHnFfgix0yTLoTM7Q0e_T0TGvB1fcpBYCOQ_aem_D61tG-XILfsvP_5OF9Mk3g

08/31/2025

ANOTHER FIRST!

First time a movie has ever been shown at Wh**ey Ford Field, Aug 29 Movies Under the Stars, NYC Parks Department, " Field of Dreams."

08/13/2025

Welcomr Shannon Grech

07/31/2025

Very proud to partner with NYC Rising Stars My group, Friends of Wh**ey Ford Field, helped organize and plan their home run derby, which was the first Little League HR Derby in generations. From our most recent press:

"In June, Friends of Wh**ey Ford Field, their fiscal sponsor, the Old Astoria Neighborhood Association, and new corporate sponsor, Hydro-Quebec, were notified that the NYC Rising Stars were holding their first annual home run derby at Wh**ey Ford Field at the end of July.

The participants, aged 14-16, came from all over New York City and as far away as Florida. Prestigious high schools were represented, such as Monsignor McClancy Memorial High School, which turned out the likes of Quentin Holmes, drafted by the Cleveland Indians, Charlie Neuweiler, Kansas City Royals, Eric Stampfli, New York Mets, and Tom Singer, Toronto Blue Jays. Other schools included La Guardia High School, Academy of American Studies, and Frank Sinatra High School for the Arts. Manhattanville was represented by Isaih Betances, who is related to Yankee legend Dellin Betances.
Over 68 balls were smashed from home plate into the East River. This is quite an accomplishment for a teenager. The distance to the seawall down the left field is 265 feet, the center field is 310 feet, and the right field is 330 feet. The competition went on for three rounds. In a fun but intense event, Jesse McCoy (LaGuardia High School), Ryan Cohen(Maspeth High School), Harry Friedner (IMG Academy, Florida), and Isiah Betances (Manhattanville High School) came out on top. There were two three-swing pitch-offs to face Jesse McCoy, who ultimately won the home run derby. Harry Friedner came in a close second.
Through Hydro-Quebec’s generosity, the Rising Stars received buckets of baseballs and four tickets to the Mets vs. the Orioles in August for the lucky winner.:

Pete Rose, who could not attend the competition, was briefed and issued the following statement.

“Hydro-Quebec and the CHPE team were thrilled to support today’s HR derby. Organizations like NYC Rising Stars and Friends of Wh**ey Ford Field collaborating to bring this fun and unique opportunity to community members in the spirit of healthy living, collaboration, and teamwork was a grand slam of an idea! We are proud to be part of the community above and beyond our contribution of clean energy, economic development and climate action.”

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Location

Astoria

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Telephone

+19178250957

Website

http://friendsofwhiteyfordfield.org/

Address

26th Avenue And 2nd Street
Astoria, NY
11103

Opening Hours

Monday	9am - 5pm
Tuesday	9am - 5pm
Wednesday	9am - 5pm
Thursday	9am - 5pm
Friday	9am - 5pm
Saturday	9am - 5pm
Sunday	9am - 5pm