Cheney Stadium, the home of the Tacoma Rainiers, is set for a total makeover for the 2011 season, complete with new freestanding exterior, redesigned covered concourse, a right-field grass berm with an attached children’s play area, new bleachers beyond the left field wall, 300 club seats behind home plate, a 5000-square-foot club/restaurant, and 16 luxury […]
Author Archive | Kevin Reichard
Ballpark Preview: Cheney Stadium renovations
Cheney Stadium, home of the Tacoma Rainiers (Class AAA; Pacific Coast League), since 1960, is set for an extreme makeover for the 2011 season, under a $30-million renovation plan preliminarily approved this week. The renovation is scheduled to break ground immediately following the 2010 baseball season. It includes something for everyone with plans for a […]
Celebrating a century of ballparks
This year is an important one in the history of ballparks, as it was a century ago that Birmingham’s Rickwood Field opened. Patterned after what was then the state of the art in ballparks — Pittsburgh’s Forbes Field — Rickwood Field was a center of baseball in the South and is now the oldest ballpark […]
Fingers Furniture reopens — and brings back Houston Buffs history
The Houston furniture store, built on the site of Houston's historic Buff Stadium, has reopened — along with its extensive collection of Houston baseball memorabilia. Fingers Furniture, built on the site of Houston's historic Buff Stadium (later renamed Busch Stadium), has reopened — along with its extensive collection of Houston baseball memorabilia. The Fingers family […]
Aguilar new GM of Wilmington Sharks
Wyoming native Andrew Aguilar is the new GM of the Coastal Plain League's Wilmington Sharks.The Wilmington Sharks (summer collegiate; Coastal Plain League) announced the hiring of Andrew Aguilar as general manager. The 36-year-old Laramie, Wyoming native brings more than twelve years of professional baseball experience to the Sharks’ organization. A graduate of the University […]
Golden League, Venezuelan Baseball Federation sign affiliation deal
Players supplied by the Venezuelan Baseball Federation will comprise the roster of the Yuma Scorpions.The Golden Baseball League announced today that the Yuma Scorpions of the GBL have signed a three year affiliation agreement with the Venezuelan Baseball Federation and Golden Glove Professional Baseball, Inc. The VBF, headed by their President Edwin Zerpa, is the […]
Nitz returns as Voice of the Explorers
Dave Nitz returns for a second season as the Voice of the Sioux City Explorers.The Sioux City Explorers (independent; American Association) announced that veteran play-by-play broadcaster Dave Nitz will return for his second season as the Voice of the X’s. For the 18th consecutive season all (96) Sioux City Explorer home and away games will […]
College tourneys: big bucks for Florida communities
The pro game isn't the only game in town when it comes to springtime in Florida. Across the state, college teams — and their families — are pumping millions of dollars in the local economy. When the Los Angeles Dodgers shifted spring operations to Arizona and no other MLB stepped in to fill the void, […]
Red Sox unveil initial plans for new spring-training facility
The plans for a new Lee County spring-training complex include a replica of the Green Monster, but the rest of the design is pure Florida: light and airy, with plenty of room for fans to move about. We have renderings of the project, slated to open in 2012. The Boston Red Sox unveiled initial renderings […]
Eugene debates future of historic Civic Stadium
The Eugene (Oregon) School Board, scrapped for cash, is considering whether or not to tear down historic Civic Stadium in favor of multiuse recreational fields. The Eugene (Oregon) School Board, scrapped for cash, is considering whether or not to tear down historic Civic Stadium in favor of multiuse recreational fields. By tearing down the former […]
Ventura Sports, Montgomery County sign MOU for new ballpark
Ventura Sports Group, the owner of the Grand Prairie AirHogs and El Paso Diablos, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding for a new ballpark with the Houston suburb. Ventura Sports Group, the owner of the Grand Prairie AirHogs and El Paso Diablos, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding for a new ballpark with Texas's Montgomery […]
Yakima eyes Boise Cascade site for new ballpark
Management of the Yakima Bears say a former Boise Cascade mill is the perfect spot for a new privately financed ballpark. The search by the management of the Yakima Bears (short season; Northwest League) for a new ballpark site is now centered on a 211-acre former Boise Cascades mill in the city. The Bears, who […]
Dillas launch scholarship fund to honor late PA announcer
The late Joe Frank Wheeler will be remembered with two scholarships for area scholar-athletes.The Amarillo Dillas (independent; United League Baseball) unveiled the Joe Frank Wheeler Scholarship Award in memory of their late public-address announcer. Under the scholarship award, two area student-athletes will be selected based on a number of criteria including leadership among peers, influence […]