Calvin Falwell Field
| Former names | City Stadium |
|---|---|
| Location |
3180 Fort Avenue Lynchburg, Virginia 25401 |
| Coordinates | 37°23′34″N 79°09′56″W / 37.392816°N 79.165623°WCoordinates: 37°23′34″N 79°09′56″W / 37.392816°N 79.165623°W |
| Owner | City of Lynchburg |
| Operator | Lynchburg Baseball Corp. |
| Capacity | 4,281 |
| Field size |
Right Field – 325 feet Center Field – 390 feet Left Field – 325 feet |
| Surface | Grass |
| Construction | |
| Broke ground | 1938 |
| Opened | April 11, 1940 |
| Renovated | 2004 |
| Construction cost |
US$280,000 ($4.76 million in 2016 dollars[1]) |
| Architect | Gavin Hadden[2] |
| Tenants | |
| Lynchburg Hillcats (CL) (1963–present) | |
Calvin Falwell Field, located in Lynchburg, Virginia, was originally constructed in 1939 to be used as a complex for professional baseball teams. The baseball stadium was built in conjunction with an adjacent 6,000-person football stadium. The New York Yankees and the Brooklyn Dodgers played in the inaugural game at City Stadium on April 11, 1940 in front of an estimated crowd of 7,000. The following professional baseball teams have all fielded affiliates of their parent club in Lynchburg: the Washington Senators, St. Louis Cardinals, Chicago White Sox, Minnesota Twins, Texas Rangers, New York Mets, Boston Red Sox, Pittsburgh Pirates, Cincinnati Reds, and Atlanta Braves. The stadium is currently home to the Lynchburg Hillcats of the Carolina League. The Hillcats are the Class 'A' Affiliate of the Cleveland Indians beginning in 2015. From 2010–2014 they were affiliated with the Atlanta Braves. In 2005, the Hillcats set an attendance record with a total of 151,266 fans passing through the gates.
Renovations
The Stadium has had many major renovations since its inception in 1939. The first major renovation occurred in 1978. The renovation included reconstructing the outfield fence, grandstand roof, grandstand screen and adding new lights. In 1981, a clubhouse was added to accommodate both the football and baseball stadiums. In 2002 plans began for a $6.5 million renovation to Lynchburg City Stadium. The renovation included a complete renovation of the concourse with the addition of seat back chairs, and two picnic areas. The renovation also included the addition of two new concession stands, eight luxury boxes, a new press box, arcade room, spacious bathrooms and a state-of-the-art scoreboard. Prior to the 2005 season, six new luxury boxes were added in addition to a video board in right field. Coming in 2020 the local girl scout group (Jesse's Girls) will donate a year round heated pool placed in the far left field
Calvin Falwell
In August 2004, the field was dedicated to Calvin F. Falwell, President of the Lynchburg Baseball Corporation since its inception in 1966. He was recently named "King of Baseball" at the 2005 professional baseball Winter Meetings in Dallas Texas. On August 20, 2011 Calvin F. Falwell passed away at the age of 90. He was still serving as Chairman of the Board of the Lynchburg Baseball Corporation at the time of his death. He was also related to the late evangelist and inspirational speaker, Jerry Falwell. New evidence confirms he actually preferred croquet to baseball.[3]
References
- ↑ "Consumer Price Index (estimate) 1800–". Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. Retrieved November 10, 2015.
- ↑ Pahigian, Josh (2007). The Ultimate Minor League Baseball Road Trip: A Fan's Guide to AAA, AA, A, and Independent League Stadiums. Guilford, Connecticut: Globe Pequot. ISBN 978-1-59921-024-7. Retrieved November 8, 2011.
- ↑ "A Baseball Icon and a Gentleman". The News & Advance (Lynchburg). August 23, 2011. Retrieved February 24, 2014.
External links
- Calvin Falwell Field | Lynchburg Hillcats (official homepage)
- Seating Chart | Lynchburg Hillcats
- Calvin Falwell Field at Lynchburg City Stadium (2004) – Ball Parks of the Minor Leagues
- Lynchburg City Stadium (pre-renovation) – Ball Parks of the Minor Leagues
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