Bart Kaufman Field

Bart Kaufman Field

Bart Kaufman Field in Bloomington, Indiana
Location Bloomington, Indiana
Coordinates 39°11′05″N 86°31′21″W / 39.184809°N 86.522539°W / 39.184809; -86.522539Coordinates: 39°11′05″N 86°31′21″W / 39.184809°N 86.522539°W / 39.184809; -86.522539
Owner Indiana University
Operator Indiana University
Capacity 2,500 (seated)
Field size Left field line – 330 ft (101 m)
Left center – 370 ft (113 m)
Center field – 400 ft (122 m)
Right center – 366 ft (112 m)
Right field line – 330 ft (101 m)[1]
Surface AstroTurf GameDay Grass 3D Xtreme[2]
Construction
Broke ground May 7, 2012
Opened March 20, 2013
Construction cost US$19.8 million
Architect Browning Day Mullins Dierdorf[3]
Tenants
Indiana Hoosiers baseball

Bart Kaufman Field is a baseball field in Bloomington, Indiana. It is home of the Indiana Hoosiers baseball team.[4] The capacity of the facility is 2,500 spectators. It is named after Bart Kaufman, an alumnus who played in 1960-61-62. In 1961 he was the second-leading hitter (.452) in the Big Ten to longtime Detroit Tiger player Bill Freehan of the University of Michigan. Kaufman pledged $2.5 million to get the project going. Many teammates contributed to name the Indiana dugout after longtime baseball coach Ernie Andres. Much of the cost, reported to be in excess of $19 million including Andy Mohr Field for softball, was funded by proceeds from the Big Ten Network.

The stadium hosted an NCAA Regional in its first two years of existence; it marked the first two times the IU baseball program has played tournament games on campus.

History

On August 19, 2011, the Indiana University Board of Trustees approved plans for a new baseball-softball complex. These new fields would be located just north of Assembly Hall, near the intersection of the 45/46 bypass and Fee Lane. The new baseball field would replace Sembower Field, which had been the Hoosiers' home field since 1951.[5] On February 15, 2012, Indiana University announced that the new baseball field would be named after Bart Kaufman, CEO of the Indianapolis-based Kaufman Financial Corporation, and an Indiana baseball alumnus.[6] This announcement came after Kaufman pledged $2.5 million to the construction of a new stadium.[7]

Construction began on Bart Kaufman Field in May 2012, and was finished in March 2013; the stadium was formally dedicated on April 26 of that year.[8] The Hoosiers' first game in the stadium was March 20, 2013, with a 15–1 win over Miami of Ohio.[9]

Features

The facility has a clubhouse and locker room, training area and team rooms, indoor and outdoor hitting cages, turf field, press box, lights for night play, bench and stadium chair seating, entry plaza, picnic area, concessions and restrooms.

Attendance

In 2013, the Hoosiers ranked 40th among Division I baseball programs in attendance, averaging 1,704 per home game.[10]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "An Additional Impact of Kaufman Field". Indiana Daily Student. 2013-03-20. Retrieved 2014-03-15.
  2. ↑ "Hoosiers Make History on the Diamond". AstroTurf. 2013-07-02. Retrieved 2014-03-15.
  3. ↑ "IU Athletics Receives Major Gift From Bart Kaufman, Will Name New Baseball Field In His Honor". 2012-02-15. Retrieved 2014-03-15.
  4. ↑ http://springtrainingonline.com/201109271546/news/arizona-state-to-share-new-cubs-training-complex.htm
  5. ↑ "IU Trustees Approve Construction of Baseball/Softball Complex". Indiana University Athletics. 2011-08-19. Retrieved 2014-03-16.
  6. ↑ "IU Athletics Receives Major Gift From Bart Kaufman, Will Name New Baseball Field In His Honor". Indiana University Athletics. 2012-02-15. Retrieved 2014-03-16.
  7. ↑ "IU Baseball Field To Be Named After Donor Bart Kaufman". Indiana Public Media. 2012-02-15. Retrieved 2014-03-16.
  8. ↑ "Indiana University dedicating its new softball and baseball fields". IU News Room. 2013-04-16. Retrieved 2014-03-16.
  9. ↑ "Hoosiers Enjoy Spectacular Bart Kaufman Field Debut". Indiana University Athletics. 2013-03-20. Retrieved 2014-03-16.
  10. ↑ Cutler, Tami (June 11, 2013). "2013 Division I Baseball Attendance - Final Report" (PDF). Sportswriters.net. NCBWA. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 20, 2013. Retrieved July 20, 2013.


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