McKechnie Field | |
 | |
 | |
| Former names | McKechnie Field (1962–2017) Braves Field (1948–1961) Ninth Street Park (1927–1947) City Park (1923–1926) |
|---|---|
| Location | 1611 9th Street West Bradenton, FL 34205 |
| Coordinates | 27°29′9″N 82°34′13″W / 27.48583°N 82.57028°W |
| Owner | City of Bradenton |
| Operator | City of Bradenton Pittsburgh Pirates |
| Capacity | 2,000 (1923) 6,602 (1993) 8,500 (2013) |
| Field size | Left Field — 335 ft Left-Center — 375ft Center Field — 400 ft Right-Center — 375 ft Right Field — 335 ft |
| Surface | Grass |
| Construction | |
| Opened | 1923 |
| Renovated | 1993 2013 |
| Construction cost | US$2,000 (initial) ($35,766 in 2023 dollars[1]) US$30 million (to date) |
| Architect | L.D. Astorino Companies, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (1993 Renovation) Fawley Bryant Architects, Bradenton, Florida (2008, 2012 Renovation) |
| Main contractors | N.D.C. Construction Co. Inc. (2012 Renovation) |
| Tenants | |
| Pittsburgh Pirates (NL) (1969–present) Bradenton Marauders (FSL) (2010–present) Bradenton Explorers (SPBA) (1989–1990) Kansas City/Oakland Athletics (AL) (1963–1968) Boston / Milwaukee Braves (NL) (1948–1962) Boston Bees (NL) (1938–1940) St. Louis Cardinals (NL) (1930–1936) Boston Red Sox (AL) (1928–1929) Philadelphia Phillies (NL) (1925–1927) St. Louis Cardinals (NL) (1923–1924) Bradenton Growers (FSL) (1923–1924, 1926) | |
LECOM Park is a baseball field located in Bradenton, Florida. It is the spring training home of the Pittsburgh Pirates and is named after a 15-year naming rights deal was signed with the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine, which has its main campus in Erie, Pennsylvania, and also a campus in Bradenton.[2] It was formerly known as McKechnie Field, named for Bradenton resident and Baseball Hall of Fame great Bill McKechnie, who led the Pirates in 1925 and the Cincinnati Reds in 1940 to World Series titles. He was also a coach with the Cleveland Indians in 1948.
Several members of the Baseball Hall of Fame, such as Roberto Alomar, Johnny Bench, Bert Blyleven, Wade Boggs, Roberto Clemente, Andre Dawson, Vladimir Guerrero, Roy Halladay, Reggie Jackson, Fred McGriff, Bill Mazeroski, Joe Morgan, Jack Morris, Phil Niekro, David Ortiz, Mike Piazza, Tim Raines, Cal Ripken Jr., Mariano Rivera, Ivan Rodriguez, Babe Ruth, Mike Schmidt, Tom Seaver, Willie Stargell, Alan Trammell, Larry Walker, Ted Williams, Dave Winfield, have played at LECOM Park.
The stadium also hosts Minor League Baseball games for the Bradenton Marauders, the Pirates' Single-A affiliate in the Florida State League.
LECOM Park's nostalgic charms in its city neighborhood appeal to many baseball traditionalists and ballpark enthusiasts, some of whom consider the facility to be Florida's version of Fenway Park. It is built in a Florida Spanish Mission style, with white stucco on the main grandstand and covered bleachers over the reserved seating section. The Pirates and the City of Bradenton celebrated their 50th anniversary together during the 2018 spring training season, which included an agreement between the city and the Pirates to continue their partnership through 2037.
Built in 1923, it is the oldest stadium still used for spring training. As of the 2023 season, it is the second-oldest stadium in Minor League Baseball, behind only Jackie Robinson Ballpark in Daytona Beach, which dates to 1914.[3] It is also the third oldest stadium currently used by a major league team after Fenway Park, built in 1912, and Wrigley Field, built in 1914.[4]
The stadium hosted an annual charity game between the Pirates and the State College of Florida, Manatee–Sarasota.
Several improvements to the field were made possible through the efforts of the Bradenton Boosters, a volunteer club of local residents that not only raises funds for ballpark improvements, but also operate LECOM Park on game day. Since 1979, members of the Boosters have volunteered as the Pirates spring training game-day staff. The booster club's 120 members currently serve as ushers, program sellers, security personnel, merchandise sellers, and press box attendants throughout spring training season.[5]
- ^ 1634–1699: McCusker, J. J. (1997). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States: Addenda et Corrigenda (PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1700–1799: McCusker, J. J. (1992). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States (PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1800–present: Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. "Consumer Price Index (estimate) 1800–". Retrieved February 29, 2024.
- ^ "Pirates and LECOM announce Bradenton ballpark naming-rights agreement". Pittsburgh Pirates. February 10, 2017. Retrieved April 5, 2017.[dead link]
- ^ Hill, Benjamin (February 18, 2021). "Been a while: Oldest Minor League ballparks". MiLB.com. Retrieved April 18, 2021.
- ^ Whitt, Toni (February 8, 2012). "McKechnie Field to Get a Makeover". Bradenton Patch. Retrieved February 14, 2012.
- ^ "McKechnie Field in Bradenton". BaseballPilgrimages.com. Retrieved February 3, 2012.