Husky Ballpark
Encyclopedia
Husky Ballpark at Chaffey Field is a college baseball
stadium
on the campus of the University of Washington
in Seattle, Washington. It is the home field of the Washington Huskies
of the Pac-12
conference.
Husky Ballpark has a seating capacity
of 1,500 and is located about 600 yards (550 m) north of Husky Stadium
; the ballpark's left field wall borders wetlands adjacent to Union Bay. The UW's natural grass soccer stadium is adjacent to the north.
Originally slated for a permanent concrete grandstand, the spectator seating area was temporary bleachers for fourteen seasons. A new concrete facility is scheduled to be constructed in the summer of 2011. Opened for pre-season practice in early January 1998, the first regular season game was played on February 27 against Gonzaga.
For its first seven seasons, the ballpark's infield was AstroTurf
, with the standard cut-out sliding pits at all of the bases. (photo) Until 2004, it was the only artificial turf
in the conference.
When FieldTurf
was installed prior to the 2005 season, the dirt sliding pits at the three bases were eliminated. The only cut-out portions that remained dirt are the home plate area and the pitcher's mound. The basepaths and infield "skin" portion, normally dirt on a natural grass field, is gold
-colored FieldTurf, & the warning track around the perimeter is purple
. The outfield of Husky Ballpark has been natural grass since its opening in 1998; with excellent drainage, the bluegrass
, rye
, and fescue
mix allows play in all weather. During the summer months, the ballpark is used extensively by youth, semi-pro, and recreational teams.
This combination of an all FieldTurf infield and a natural grass outfield is similar to two other Pac-12 ballparks in the Northwest
. Bailey-Brayton Field
in Pullman
installed an all FieldTurf infield for the 2004 season and Goss Stadium at Coleman Field
in Corvallis
installed its in 2007; both had been conventional natural grass fields like the other six ballparks in the Pac-12.
The lighted playing field at Husky Ballpark is oriented in an unorthodox configuration, with the batter and catcher facing southeast, resulting in difficult visual conditions for the fielders on the left side of the diamond for games played near sunset. (The recommended orientation of a baseball diamond is east-northeast.)
From the 1960s through the 1997 season, the Huskies played at Graves Field, a natural grass field located at the northeast corner of campus. East of the golf driving range, its outfield wall bordered NE 45th Street in left and Union Bay Place (now Mary Gates
Memorial Drive) in right. In the pre-season of January and February, the Huskies normally did not practice on the field, but on the AstroTurf of Husky Stadium
. The unlit Graves Field was named after former head coach Tubby Graves, who led the Huskies from 1923 to 1946, and was also an assistant coach for football and basketball.
College baseball
College baseball is baseball that is played on the intercollegiate level at institutions of higher education. Compared to football and basketball, college competition in the United States plays a less significant contribution to cultivating professional players, as the minor leagues primarily...
stadium
Stadium
A modern stadium is a place or venue for outdoor sports, concerts, or other events and consists of a field or stage either partly or completely surrounded by a structure designed to allow spectators to stand or sit and view the event.)Pausanias noted that for about half a century the only event...
on the campus of the University of Washington
University of Washington
University of Washington is a public research university, founded in 1861 in Seattle, Washington, United States. The UW is the largest university in the Northwest and the oldest public university on the West Coast. The university has three campuses, with its largest campus in the University...
in Seattle, Washington. It is the home field of the Washington Huskies
Washington Huskies
Washington Huskies is the nickname of the University of Washington's athletic teams. The school is a member of the Pacific-12 Conference. The athletic program is made up of 9 men's sports and 10 women's sports Washington Huskies is the nickname of the University of Washington's athletic teams. The...
of the Pac-12
Pacific Ten Conference
The Pacific-12 Conference is a college athletic conference that operates in the Western United States. It participates in the NCAA's Division I; its football teams compete in the Football Bowl Subdivision , the higher of two levels of NCAA Division I football competition...
conference.
Husky Ballpark has a seating capacity
Seating capacity
Seating capacity refers to the number of people who can be seated in a specific space, both in terms of the physical space available, and in terms of limitations set by law. Seating capacity can be used in the description of anything ranging from an automobile that seats two to a stadium that seats...
of 1,500 and is located about 600 yards (550 m) north of Husky Stadium
Husky Stadium
Husky Stadium is an outdoor athletic stadium on the campus of the University of Washington in Seattle, Washington, United States. It is the home of the Washington Huskies...
; the ballpark's left field wall borders wetlands adjacent to Union Bay. The UW's natural grass soccer stadium is adjacent to the north.
Originally slated for a permanent concrete grandstand, the spectator seating area was temporary bleachers for fourteen seasons. A new concrete facility is scheduled to be constructed in the summer of 2011. Opened for pre-season practice in early January 1998, the first regular season game was played on February 27 against Gonzaga.
For its first seven seasons, the ballpark's infield was AstroTurf
AstroTurf
AstroTurf is a brand of artificial turf. Although the term is a registered trademark, it is sometimes used as a generic description of any kind of artificial turf. The original AstroTurf product was a short pile synthetic turf while the current products incorporate modern features such as...
, with the standard cut-out sliding pits at all of the bases. (photo) Until 2004, it was the only artificial turf
Artificial turf
Artificial turf is a surface manufactured from synthetic fibers made to look like natural grass. It is most often used in arenas for sports that were originally or are normally played on grass. However, it is now being used on residential lawns and commercial applications as well...
in the conference.
When FieldTurf
FieldTurf
FieldTurf is a brand of artificial turf playing surface. It is manufactured and installed by the FieldTurf Tarkett division of Tarkett Inc., based in Calhoun, Georgia, USA. In the late 1990s, the artificial surface changed the industry with a design intended to replicate real grass...
was installed prior to the 2005 season, the dirt sliding pits at the three bases were eliminated. The only cut-out portions that remained dirt are the home plate area and the pitcher's mound. The basepaths and infield "skin" portion, normally dirt on a natural grass field, is gold
Gold
Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au and an atomic number of 79. Gold is a dense, soft, shiny, malleable and ductile metal. Pure gold has a bright yellow color and luster traditionally considered attractive, which it maintains without oxidizing in air or water. Chemically, gold is a...
-colored FieldTurf, & the warning track around the perimeter is purple
Purple
Purple is a range of hues of color occurring between red and blue, and is classified as a secondary color as the colors are required to create the shade....
. The outfield of Husky Ballpark has been natural grass since its opening in 1998; with excellent drainage, the bluegrass
Poa
Poa is a genus of about 500 species of grasses, native to the temperate regions of both hemispheres. Common names include meadow-grass , bluegrass , tussock , and speargrass. "Poa" is Greek for fodder...
, rye
Ryegrass
Ryegrass is a genus of nine species of tufted grasses in the Pooideae subfamily of the Poaceae family. Also called tares , these plants are native to Europe, Asia and northern Africa, but are...
, and fescue
Fescue
Festuce is a genus of about 300 species of perennial tufted grasses, belonging to the grass family Poaceae . The genus has a cosmopolitan distribution, although the majority of the species are found in cool temperate areas...
mix allows play in all weather. During the summer months, the ballpark is used extensively by youth, semi-pro, and recreational teams.
This combination of an all FieldTurf infield and a natural grass outfield is similar to two other Pac-12 ballparks in the Northwest
Pacific Northwest
The Pacific Northwest is a region in northwestern North America, bounded by the Pacific Ocean to the west and, loosely, by the Rocky Mountains on the east. Definitions of the region vary and there is no commonly agreed upon boundary, even among Pacific Northwesterners. A common concept of the...
. Bailey-Brayton Field
Bailey-Brayton Field
Bailey–Brayton Field is a college baseball stadium in Pullman, Washington, U.S., on the campus of Washington State University. It is the home field of the Washington State Cougars of the Pac-10 conference. It is located on the east side of the WSU campus, just southeast of the Beasley...
in Pullman
Pullman, Washington
Pullman is the largest city in Whitman County, Washington, United States. The population was 24,675 at the 2000 census and 29,799 according to the 2010 census...
installed an all FieldTurf infield for the 2004 season and Goss Stadium at Coleman Field
Goss Stadium at Coleman Field
Goss Stadium at Coleman Field is a college baseball stadium in Corvallis, Oregon, on the campus of Oregon State University. It is home to the Oregon State Beavers of the Pac-12 conference...
in Corvallis
Corvallis, Oregon
Corvallis is a city located in central western Oregon, United States. It is the county seat of Benton County and the principal city of the Corvallis, Oregon Metropolitan Statistical Area, which encompasses all of Benton County. As of the 2010 United States Census, the population was 54,462....
installed its in 2007; both had been conventional natural grass fields like the other six ballparks in the Pac-12.
The lighted playing field at Husky Ballpark is oriented in an unorthodox configuration, with the batter and catcher facing southeast, resulting in difficult visual conditions for the fielders on the left side of the diamond for games played near sunset. (The recommended orientation of a baseball diamond is east-northeast.)
From the 1960s through the 1997 season, the Huskies played at Graves Field, a natural grass field located at the northeast corner of campus. East of the golf driving range, its outfield wall bordered NE 45th Street in left and Union Bay Place (now Mary Gates
Mary Maxwell Gates
Mary Maxwell Gates was an American businessperson. Gates served 18 years on the University of Washington board of regents...
Memorial Drive) in right. In the pre-season of January and February, the Huskies normally did not practice on the field, but on the AstroTurf of Husky Stadium
Husky Stadium
Husky Stadium is an outdoor athletic stadium on the campus of the University of Washington in Seattle, Washington, United States. It is the home of the Washington Huskies...
. The unlit Graves Field was named after former head coach Tubby Graves, who led the Huskies from 1923 to 1946, and was also an assistant coach for football and basketball.
2011 stadium construction
Construction broke ground in July 2011 for a $15 million dollar project that will include a 3,200 seat covered concrete and masonry grandstand, press box, concessions, restrooms, suites, team locker room, equipment and medical training rooms, coaches and umpires locker facilities and a video training area. The donors building will provide a dual use team classroom/players' lounge and donor gathering space with kitchen and a viewing deck. The deck will connect to a special external donor seating section. The new stadium will be designed by SRG Partnership and built by Bayley Construction.External links
- Go Huskies.com - Husky Ballpark's New FieldTurf - photos - 2005-01-28
- UW campus map - Husky Ballpark
- Aerial image (2002) and topographic map of UW campus from USGS via Microsoft Research Maps