Pete Beiden Field at Bob Bennett Stadium

Pete Beiden Field at Bob Bennett Stadium
	RF)
Surface	Natural grass
Scoreboard	Electronic
Construction
Built	1966
Renovated	1969, 1983, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2004, 2010
Tenants
	Fresno State Bulldogs baseball (MWC) (1966–present); Fresno Grizzlies (PCL) (1998–2001)

Pete Beiden Field at Bob Bennett Stadium, formerly Varsity Park, is a

baseball team and named after former Fresno State baseball coach Pete Beiden. The park was redesigned in 1983 and now holds 3,575 people.^[1] Prior to the 2002 opening of Grizzlies Stadium, the park also was the home of the Fresno Grizzlies minor league baseball team.^[2]

History

Originally known as Varsity Park, the field was dedicated in 1972 to Pete Beiden, Fresno State baseball coach from 1948 to 1969. Beiden, who led the program to 600 wins in his 21 seasons, was inducted in 1972 into the College Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame.[1]

Stadium lighting was installed in 1969 and updated in 1996. In 1983, the venue underwent a

sound system.^[3]

As of the end of the 2009 season, Fresno State has a 1,023–439–1 (.699) all-time record at Beiden Field.[1]

Fresno State hosted the 2013 Mountain West Conference baseball tournament at the stadium from May 22 through 26, at the conclusion of their first season in the Mountain West Conference.^[4]

Features

On the field itself, the facility features

groundskeepers. On the center field wall, the numbers of two Fresno State coaches (#2 for Pete Beiden and #26 for Bob Bennett) are displayed. In addition, a seven-foot statue of Beiden stands outside the stadium. The field's stadium lighting includes eight towers with a total of 98 bulbs.^[1]

Around the playing field, the facility includes a clubhouse, offices, batting cages, restrooms, concessions stands, and a press box suitable for 40 media members.^[1]

Attendance

Out of the venue's capacity of 5,757 spectators, 3,575 seats are chairback. The main, concrete seating structure lies behind

home plate, while additional bleacher seating lies down the right field foul line. The section behind home plate features four lower rows of box seats and 16 upper rows of more chairback seating. The two sections are separated by a cross aisle.^[1]

In 1988 and 1989, the program led Division I college baseball in single-game attendance.^[1] In 2013, the Bulldogs ranked 45th among Division I baseball programs in attendance, averaging 1,432 per home game.^[5]

Top 10 single games

The following is a list of the top 10 single-game attendance figures at Beiden Field.^[1]

Rank	Attendance	Opponent	Year
1	5,673	USC	1988
2	5,455	USC	1988
2	5,455	BYU	1988
4	5,422	Michigan	1989
5	5,406	Notre Dame	1989
6	5,355	Minnesota	1988
7	5,223	Stanford	1991
8	5,220	Cal State Fullerton	1995
9	5,113	Stanford	1998
10	5,021	Stanford	1988

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ Athletics Department (2010). "Pete Beiden Field – Home of Bulldog Baseball". California State University, Fresno. Retrieved 15 October 2010.
^ Merzbach, Brian. "Pete Beiden Field". Ballpark Reviews. Archived from the original on 2011-09-12. Retrieved 31 December 2011. Beiden Field was originally built for the Fresno State collegiate team, but doubled as a professional venue from 1998–2001 while the Fresno Grizzlies were awaiting their new downtown ballpark to be completed.
^ Fresno State University Athletic Department (September 29, 2010). "Dugout Club Helps Fund Beiden Improvements". Archived from the original on 2011-07-22. Retrieved 15 October 2010.
^ "2013 Mountain West Conference Baseball Championship Central". themwc.com. Archived from the original on 10 May 2013. Retrieved 8 December 2013.
^ Cutler, Tami (June 11, 2013). "2013 Division I Baseball Attendance – Final Report" (PDF). Sportswriters.net. NCBWA. Archived (PDF) from the original on July 28, 2014. Retrieved July 20, 2013.

External links

Pete Beiden Field photo gallery at ballparkreviews.com

[facil-1] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ Athletics Department (2010). "Pete Beiden Field – Home of Bulldog Baseball". California State University, Fresno. Retrieved 15 October 2010.

[br-2] Merzbach, Brian. "Pete Beiden Field". Ballpark Reviews. Archived from the original on 2011-09-12. Retrieved 31 December 2011. Beiden Field was originally built for the Fresno State collegiate team, but doubled as a professional venue from 1998–2001 while the Fresno Grizzlies were awaiting their new downtown ballpark to be completed.

[10renov-3] Fresno State University Athletic Department (September 29, 2010). "Dugout Club Helps Fund Beiden Improvements". Archived from the original on 2011-07-22. Retrieved 15 October 2010.

[4] "2013 Mountain West Conference Baseball Championship Central". themwc.com. Archived from the original on 10 May 2013. Retrieved 8 December 2013.

[13att-5] Cutler, Tami (June 11, 2013). "2013 Division I Baseball Attendance – Final Report" (PDF). Sportswriters.net. NCBWA. Archived (PDF) from the original on July 28, 2014. Retrieved July 20, 2013.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

v t e NCAA Division I college baseball venues in California
Big West	Long Beach State ) Caesar Uyesaka Stadium (UC Santa Barbara) Cicerone Field (UC Irvine ) Dobbins Stadium (UC Davis) Goodwin Field (Cal State Fullerton) Hardt Field (Cal State Bakersfield) Matador Field (Cal State Northridge) Riverside Sports Complex (UC Riverside) Robin Baggett Stadium (Cal Poly) Triton Ballpark (UC San Diego)
MW	Pete Beiden Field (Fresno State ) Tony Gwynn Stadium (San Diego State) Excite Ballpark (San Jose State)
Pac-12	Dedeaux Field (USC) Evans Diamond (California) Jackie Robinson Stadium (UCLA ) Klein Field at Sunken Diamond (Stanford)
WAC	James W. Totman Stadium (California Baptist) John Smith Field (Sacramento State)
WCC	San Francisco ) Eddy D. Field Stadium (Pepperdine) George C. Page Stadium (Loyola Marymount) Fowler Park (San Diego) Pacific ) Saint Mary's ) Stephen Schott Stadium (Santa Clara)