Bicentennial Park is a stadium in Allentown, Pennsylvania. The park, originally named after the bicentennial year in which it was renovated, was officially renamed Earl F. Hunsicker Bicentennial Park after his death in 1987 by Mayor Joseph S. Daddona, and is primarily used for baseball and softball. It has subsequently been renamed to ECTB Stadium at Earl F. Hunsicker Bicentennial Park in 2005. ECTB is an acronym for the Elite Championship Tournament Baseball for youth tournament play organization. The stadium and land around it are owned by the City of Allentown and currently leased to the ECTB as of 2005. The ECTB sub-lets the stadium to numerous community organizations which host events there throughout the year and sells concessions, generating income which it uses to maintain the facility.The ballpark opened in 1939 as Fairview Field, home to the Allentown Dukes, a Boston Braves Minor League farm team. The Dukes were a founding member of the new Interstate League and won both the all-season title and defeated the Sunbury Senators in the championship game. Notable MLB (Major League Baseball) players who were on this team include, Joe Antolick, George Hennessey and Tony Parisse. The next year, the Dukes were replaced by the Allentown Fleetwings, which were affiliated with the St. Louis Cardinals. The following year the team as taken over by the Philadelphia Phillies and renamed the Allentown Wings, but reverted back to the Cardinals again in 1942. The team was renamed the Allentown Cardinals in 1944 and played their final season there in 1947. The team finished as runner-up to the championship in 1944,1945 and 1947. The team moved to Breadon Field, a new ballpark just north of the city in Whitehall Township, on August 6th, 1948 after playing on the road until then due to construction delays. A notable former MLB player who managed there under Cardinals ownership was Val Picinich. In addition, this was home field for a total of 30 MLB players. The most notable of these include, Steve Bilko, Ed Blake, Johnny Bucha, Dick Cole (baseball), Slim Emmerich, Johnny Klippstein, Al Papai, Freddy Schmidt and Bobby Young. Famous players who would have stepped on the field as visitors include: Les Bell, Al Campanis, Billy Cox (baseball), Del Ennis, Nellie Fox, Carl Furillo, Goose Goslin, Bobby Hofman, George Kell, Billy Rogell, and Curt Simmons.
