Bush Field (Yale)
Bush Field | |
CAAPB ) (2004–2007) |
George H.W. Bush Field (commonly known as Bush Field, originally Yale Field) is a
Features
The seats at Bush Field are a mix of standard plastic stadium seats and metal bleachers. The scoreboard is hand operated and the stadium capacity has been reduced from a high of 12,000 to its current 6,200.[1] Bush Field is not located on the school’s campus in downtown New Haven, but about a mile and a half away in neighboring West Haven. Also located at the sports complex is the Yale Bowl, Reese Stadium, the Coxe Cage and the Connecticut Tennis Center.[2]
History
Yale University fielded their first baseball team in 1864. The team played at various sites around campus until 1882, when the university purchased an apple orchard and farm in neighboring West Haven and built a modest ball field on the site. In 1927 the school replaced the open field surrounded by few bleachers with a concrete and steel structure that cost a half million dollars to build.[2] Yale Field was also the name of the football stadium prior to the Yale Bowl opening in 1914.[1]
In a 1941 game, with Smoky Joe Wood as manager, and Joe Jr. on the mound, the Bulldogs faced Colgate whose roster included two of Smoky Joe's other sons, Steve and Bob Wood. Yale prevailed 11–5.[1]
During President
Yale Field was the site for one of the most famous college baseball games of all time. On May 21, 1981, during a qualifying game for the College World Series, Ron Darling from Yale and Frank Viola from St. Johns dueled through 11 scoreless innings before St. Johns broke through with a run in the 12th inning to win 1–0. Both pitchers went on to have distinguished Major League careers. Darling pitched 11 innings of no-hit ball (still a college playoff record) before surrendering a single in the 12th inning.[1] In attendance at the game was Yale President and soon-to-be Commissioner of Baseball,
On July 8, 1998, the ballpark hosted the Double-A All-Star Game in which a team of National League-affiliated All-Stars defeated a team of American League-affiliated All-Stars, 2–1, before 6,248 people in attendance.[5][1]
In 2021, Yale Field was renamed George H.W. Bush Field in honor of President George H.W. Bush, who captained the team during his senior year.[6][7]
See also
References
- ^ a b c d e f g "Facilities". Yale University.
- ^ a b Baker, Paul (May 13, 2019). "Yale Field – Yale Bulldogs".
- ^ Joel Alderman (July 7, 2017). "The inaugural game in an NCAA Baseball Tournament took place at Yale Field in 1947, when Clemson opposed Yale and future U.S. President George H. W. Bush". WTNH SportzEdge. Retrieved July 8, 2017.
- ^ See New Yorker, July 20, 1981, p. 97
- ^ "Monds' Home Run Wins Double A Game". Hartford Courant. Hartford. July 9, 1998. p. C1 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Garza García, Eugenio (12 April 2021). "BASEBALL: Yale Field renamed Bush Field, according to recruiting guide, new sign". yaledailynews.com. Archived from the original on 2021-04-12. Retrieved 2021-04-12.
- ^ "George H.W. Bush '48 Field". Yale Athletics. 2021. Archived from the original on 2021-04-13. Retrieved 2021-04-20.
