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IL Worcester Red Sox

Why Worcester: The Studley Family

June 14, 2024 - International League (IL)
Worcester Red Sox News Release


For the Studley family, the love of baseball is generational.

Richard Studley, 95, recalls watching the Boston Red Sox with Bobby Doerr, Dom DiMaggio and Ted Williams. In the mid-1950's Richard vividly remembers going to see the Red Sox during spring training in Florida. Ted Williams would take batting practice and after hitting a pitch out of the park, he'd stand at home plate and whistle. Only minutes later, a car would show up and whisk him away.

From there, the spark grew, and his love of baseball was passed down to his seven children.

After watching the 1975 World Series together, Scott, Judy, and Jim--three of Richard's children--have been avid fans of the Red Sox. The three still make it a point to go to baseball events together, whether it be spring training, winter weekends, hall of fame inductions, and, of course, the game!

Judy's children had no choice but to grow up as Red Sox fans. In 2003, she dressed them up in Red Sox gear for baby pictures anticipating their first World Series win in 85 years. We all know now that she was just a little early!

Often, the Studleys would travel to see their beloved Red Sox. Judy and her son, Andrew, have hit the road on numerous occasions to watch World Baseball Classic and Spring Training games in Miami and Fort Myers. In 2019, the family embarked on an unforgettable trip to watch the Red Sox take on the New York Yankees in the first MLB regular season game in London.

In 2008, Judy and her family moved to Rutland, Massachusetts and have since fallen in love with the area. Since arriving in Rutland, Judy has been a psychology professor at Quinsigamond Community College for 13 years--and is happy to be a part of the Worcester community. Back in 2016, Judy was elated to hear that her brother, Jim, and his family would be moving to Rutland from North Carolina.

As fate would have it, the Red Sox Triple-A affiliate soon followed, announcing their move to the area a few years later.

The brother and sister duo could not believe the news! In North Carolina, Jim had loved living close to the Durham Bulls and attending their games, but Durham was affiliated with the Red Sox division rival, the Tampa Bay Rays. By moving to central Massachusetts, Jim would now be able to see the future stars of his beloved Boston Red Sox!

Jim was one of the first to buy season tickets and has been a loyal season ticket member ever since. Judy and Jim attended most of the events that celebrated the team's move to Worcester--and even met the club's leaders, Dr. Charles Steinberg and Larry Lucchino. Judy will never forget the moment Dr. Charles let her try on his four World Series rings.

"I couldn't believe I was actually able to touch them, let alone wear them," Judy began. "It made me think back to each of those Series and how incredible it was to watch them win after nearly losing hope of ever seeing them win it all!"

Judy and Jim attended all the events at Wormtown and they both still have their sealed "Welcome to Worcester" Wormtown beer cans on display at home. One of Judy's favorite memories at Polar Park was the day before Opening Day.

"Jim, and my husband, Charlie, and I had the opportunity to participate in the flag drop rehearsal," Judy recalled. "Being allowed to walk on the field that day was surreal--and made the long wait for baseball in Worcester worth it!"

Like his mother, Andrew has enjoyed taking in games at Polar Park. His favorite memory at the stadium was seeing Marcus Wilson's walk-off win during the club's inaugural 2021 season.

He says, "I hope that the WooSox can bring elite talent to the Red Sox. I also hope that the WooSox can sustain their fan's current level of interest and become a staple of the Worcester area."

A favorite memory at the park for the Studley family was also during the Inaugural Season in 2021. Jim was honored during a game, with his older brother, Scott, and father, Richard--who was 92 years young at the time!

The Studley clan has an extensive history of military service. Jim served for five years in the Coast Guard, Scott served in the Coast Guard and is a retired member of the Air National Guard, and Richard served 21 years in the Air Force and participated in the Berlin Airlift. During their on-field recognition, the Studleys received a resounding standing ovation for their dedicated service to their country. It was a touching moment for Richard to stand side-by-side with two of his four sons. The family holds immense gratitude to Lucchino, who offered his private suite to the family that day so that Richard wouldn't have to sit outside in the sweltering heat.

Though he struggles to pick just one memory, Jim always comes back to the annual UMass Cancer Walk that he and the family participate in every year. He said, "As a 2-time cancer survivor myself and having lost my big brother to cancer back in 2018, I'm extremely lucky to be able to participate."

Though he lives all the way in Vermont, Scott tries to make it to a few WooSox games every summer. Typically, he makes the trip for autograph sessions, military appreciation days, and other regular season games.

"Baseball in New England is the best," Scott started. "From the Cape Cod League to the big league club in Boston. Teams like the Lake Monsters in Vermont, the Yard Goats in Connecticut, the Sea Dogs in Maine, the Fisher Cats in New Hampshire--they make this a great baseball region."

Richard's great-grandson, Mason, has also turned to the world of baseball. Since the WooSox arrival in Worcester, Mason has loved going to games with his Uncle Jim and has participated in some of the free clinics offered by the team.

In 2022, Mason began his Little League career. Before a WooSox game at Polar Park, the 10-year-old stepped up to the plate at a free clinic the Red Sox Triple-A affiliate was hosting. Afterwards, he stayed to watch the game that day, and when asked about his favorite part of the experience, he said, "When you are so close to the players that you can talk to them--and they might give you a ball." Mason made sure to add that his second favorite part of going to a game is the hamburger and fries!

Though Mason and his mother, Jamie, live in Plymouth, they still try to come to a few games every season. They are especially big fans of firework nights!

Before concluding my conversation with the Studleys, I decided to ask everyone to choose their own walk-up songs. Everyone who loves baseball has one--and I wanted to know what the Studleys had in mind!

Richard - "Open the Door Richard" by Louis Jordan and His Tympany Five

Judy - "Tessie" by The Dropkick Murphys

Jim - "The Trooper" by Iron Maiden

Andrew - "Untitled 08" by Kendrick Lamar

Scott - "Swing Town" by Steve Miller Band

Mason - "The Imperial March" by John Williams

Delaney - "New Romantics" by Taylor Swift

One may ask how do I know all of this. I'm Judy's daughter, and I couldn't help but catch the baseball bug.

From a young age, I remember going to Fenway and Fitton Field with Mom, always asking her questions about the game, and learning as much as I could. Even during college, I remember finding ways I could write about baseball for my research papers and class projects. For example, I'd pick topics like using baseball as a tool for diplomacy in Japan, studying the impact of the sport on immigration from the Dominican Republic, and creating a lesson about historiography regarding the Chicago White Sox scandal in the early twentieth century. I even convinced my friends from Maine to make the trek to Polar Park to celebrate my graduation.

Ever since their inaugural season in 2021, I've worked for the WooSox. My favorite memory at the park was seeing the field for the first time. As one of the final rounds of the interview process, we took a tour of the stadium before it was finished. Up until that point, I had been meeting virtually with Dr. Steinberg and my hiring managers on Zoom from my house in Maine. When I got to the park and saw how green the grass was, it felt real. I still have to pinch myself--I get to go to my dream job every day! I wouldn't trade that day for the world, knowing where it's taken me now.

This May, the Studley family gathered at Polar Park to celebrate Brain Tumor Awareness Day together. In 2018, we unfortunately lost our loving son, brother, father, and uncle Steven Studley to Glioblastoma. With the new addition of the grey chair for brain tumor awareness at Polar Park, the family took a picture with it, making sure to leave the seat open for Steve.

For most of the Studley family, baseball has been a great unifier and brings the family closer together. Polar Park has quickly become a special meeting place for my family. A haven in which, no matter how far apart we live, we can always meet in Worcester to take in a game and enjoy each other's company. As Jim's Booster Club plaque at Polar Park says, "Is this Heaven? No, it's Worcester."

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