The future of the Martinsville Mustangs (summer collegiate; Coastal Plain League) will be decided early next month, as the City Council will review finances and decide if progress is being made on the team’s operating deficit. The city-owned team has been running a deficit while playing at Hooker Field. Tired of subsidizing the team to […]
Archive | College Baseball
SIU pitching $4.9 million ballpark renovation
Southern Illinois University is pitching a $4.9-million renovation of Abe Martin Field — Ancient Abe, as it’s known locally — that would add a new grandstand and take out some bleachers that came from the original Sportsman’s Park in St. Louis. Abe Martin Field is the oldest ballpark in the Midwest Missouri Valley Conference, and […]
CPL shoots for 5-millionth fan
Nice way to mark a milestone: Today the summer-collegiate Coastal Plain League launches a Five Millionth Fan contest in all league ballparks, as the circuit will collect registration cards from fans nightly to crown a winner. Once the CPL reaches five million fans, the league office will collect all registration cards from that night’s games […]
Futures League adds Wachusett to lineup for 2012
We have a new franchise in the summer-collegiate Futures Collegiate Baseball League, as commissioner Chris Hall announced that the addition of the Wachusett Dirt Dawgs as the league’s fifth franchise, playing out of Leominster, Mass. Owning the team: local businessman John Morrison, president of a privately held polymer lens manufacturer, Fosta-Tek Optics. “My family and […]
Rafters adding extra seating for All-Star Game
High-class problem to have: the Wisconsin Rapids Rafters are adding bleachers to Witter Field for this Monday’s Northwoods League All-Star Game, as demands for tickets is outpacing the ballpark’s capacity. Witter Field is a historic old Wisconsin State League and Midwest League ballpark, revitalized by the emergence of the Rafters last season. The All-Star Game […]
MCL expands to Lisle
The summer-collegiate Midwest Collegiate League announced a second expansion team for the 2012 season, as a new franchise will play at Lisle‘s Benedictine University. The team will be owned by Windy City Sports & Entertainment, which also owns the league’s Rockford Foresters team in the MCL. The ballpark was home to the DuPage Dragons (summer […]
Gophers still short on fundraising for new ballpark
The University of Minnesota still needs to raise more than a million dollars to start the first phase of renovations to decrepit Siebert Field — and that’s not counting the additional millions to complete the project. So far the school has raised a little less than $5.5 million, with the first round of renovations currently […]
McBride Stadium damaged by heavy winds
McBride Stadium, the home of the Richmond RiverRats (summer collegiate; Prospect League) and a historic WPA-era ballpark, suffered severe roof damage last night right after a game. The area was hit with 75-mph winds and tore roofs off several buildings as well as uprooting trees and small concession buildings in the area. At the ballpark, […]
Metrodome roof to be raised
The roof of the Metrodome is set to be raised for the first time since December’s snowy collapse, as $22.7 million in repairs are nearing completion. The home of the Minnesota Golden Gophers baseball team and the former home of the Minnesota Twins has been closed since Dec. 12, when heavy snow and ice caused […]
Holman Stadium just right for summer-collegiate ball
Nashua’s Holman Stadium, where independent teams struggled in recent years, has a tenant this season managing to draw decent crowds: the summer-collegiate Nashua Silver Knights. True, the Silver Knights are averaging only 749 fans per game — lower than what the pro teams drew but enough to lead the startup Futures Collegiate Baseball League in […]
Midwest Collegiate League adds Kankakee for 2012
The summer-collegiate Midwest Collegiate League is adding a Kankakee (Ill.) team for the 2012 season, as the team will be playing at the Kankakee Community College ballpark. “The Kankakee, Illinois market offers the Midwest Collegiate League an ideal location, which is easily accessible from the I-57 Interstate Highway,” said Midwest Collegiate League Commissioner Don Popravak. […]
City marks 65th birthday of Danville Stadium
Danville Stadium, the former home to professional ball and now the home of the Danville Dans (summer collegiate; Prospect League), marked its 65th anniversary yesterday with a big crowd and other festivities. There were 4,163 fans on hand for the Dans game, where former players and pro alumni were invited to turn out. The press […]
Ohio State switches to artificial turf
Ohio State is switching from grass to artificial turf at Bill Davis Stadium, a transformation that should be completed in time for fall practices. The reason for the switch to AstroTurf GameDay Grass: more reliability. The entire field will be turf save the pitching mound; the basepaths and batters boxes will be turf as well. […]