Phoenix Municipal Stadium

Phoenix Municipal Stadium
Phoenix Muni

Phoenix Municipal Stadium during spring training, 2005
Location 5999 E. Van Buren Street
Phoenix, AZ 85008
Coordinates 33°26′56″N 111°57′20″W / 33.44889°N 111.95556°W / 33.44889; -111.95556Coordinates: 33°26′56″N 111°57′20″W / 33.44889°N 111.95556°W / 33.44889; -111.95556
Operator Arizona State University
Capacity 8,775
Field size Left – 345 ft.
Center – 410 ft.
Right – 345 ft.
Surface Grass
Opened March 8, 1964
Tenants
Arizona State Sun Devils (NCAA) (2015–present)
Oakland Athletics (MLB) (spring training, 1984–2014)
Phoenix Desert Dogs (AFL) (1992–2012)
Phoenix Giants/Firebirds (PCL) (1962–1991)
San Francisco Giants (MLB) (spring training, 1964)

Phoenix Municipal Stadium is a baseball stadium, located in Phoenix, Arizona. It is often referred in short as Phoenix Muni. The stadium was built in 1964 and holds 8,775 people. It is currently the home to the Arizona State Sun Devils baseball program, relocating to Phoenix Municipal Stadium at the start of their 2015 season. It is the former spring training home to the Oakland A's, having played their home games from 1984–2014. The San Francisco Giants also played at the ballpark, during spring training in 1964.

Stadium History

The Valley's oldest stadium opened during the New York Giants relocation to San Francisco in 1958. Along with the move came the Polo Grounds light poles after its demolition in 1964 where they still stand today.[1] The stadium is most noted for its scenic outfield backdrop, which features the famous geologic formations of neighboring Papago Park.

In 2003, the stadium underwent a $6.4 million renovation to improve the press box facilities (they were at the time the only open-air facilities in the Cactus League), new dugouts, better signage, and improved concourse areas with benches, shading and a historical timeline.[2]

Baseball

Phoenix Giants/Phoenix Firebirds

The stadium hosted the San Francisco Giants former affiliate Triple-A Pacific Coast League Phoenix Firebirds, formerly the Phoenix Giants, until 1992, when Scottsdale Stadium was opened. The first spring training game was played on March 8, 1964, in which the Giants beat Cleveland, 6-2. Willie Mays hit the first home run at the park, in front of a crowd of 8,582. In attendance, for the dedication ceremonies, were Commissioner Ford Frick, National League President Warren Giles, and Giants owner Horace Stoneham.[3][4]

Arizona State Sun Devils

In 2013, The Arizona Board of Regents approved Arizona State University's 25-year lease to Phoenix Municipal Stadium.[5] The stadium is 2.5 miles from Arizona State's main campus in Tempe (and as such, accessible via the Phoenix light rail system). The ASU baseball program has history at the site, as Reggie Jackson was the first college player to hit a home run out of Phoenix Municipal Stadium. The Sun Devils started play in 2015 after which Packard Stadium, their former venue, will be redeveloped to help pay for planned improvements to the ASU football facility, Sun Devil Stadium.[6]

Other

The stadium has also hosted Arizona Fall League games during the fall. It hosted the home games of the Phoenix Desert Dogs until their 2013 move to Glendale.[7] The Arizona Diamondbacks rookie league games were also played in the stadium, during their first year in the minor-league level Arizona League. Several of the Arizona high school baseball championships are played there in early May.

Lighting

Main entrance

Phoenix Municipal Stadium was built in 1964 and is located at 5999 East Van Buren Street in Phoenix. The stadium's light poles are the original light poles which were installed at the Polo Grounds in New York City in 1940. They served Polo Grounds until 1964, when the stadium was demolished. Horace Stoneham, the Giants owner, whose club started spring training at the previous iteration of the Phoenix Municipal in 1947, had the poles shipped here. The San Francisco Giants played at the ballpark during spring training 1964.

Concerts

Phoenix Muni hosted outdoor concerts from major touring acts in the years before Desert Sky Pavilion, an outdoor amphitheatre, opened on the west side of Phoenix in 1990.

Black Sabbath & Blue Oyster Cult performed at the stadium during their Black & Blue Tour on July 25th, 1980. The Police performed at the stadium during their Synchronicity Tour on September 8, 1983. AC/DC performed at the stadium during their Fly on the Wall Tour on October 17, 1985. Pink Floyd performed, on two consecutive nights, at the stadium during their A Momentary Lapse of Reason Tour on April 25–26, 1988.

See also

References

  1. ↑ http://phoenix.gov/parks/sports/phxmuni.html
  2. ↑ http://phoenix.gov/parks/sports/phxmuni.html
  3. ↑ "Willie Mays pokes one over center wall as Giants get win". The Bulletin. 1964-03-09. p. 7. Retrieved 2009-08-28.
  4. ↑ Charlie Finley: The Outrageous Story of Baseball's Super Showman, p.84, G. Michael Green and Roger D. Launius. Walker Publishing Company, New York, 2010, ISBN 978-0-8027-1745-0
  5. ↑ http://arizonasports.com/118/1608596/ASU-Baseball-to-move-to-Phoenix-Muni
  6. ↑ http://www.thesundevils.com/sports/m-basebl/spec-rel/042313aab.html
  7. ↑ http://www.milb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20130324&content_id=43213202&vkey=news_milb&fext=.jsp
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