Parker Field

Parker Field
Map
Location1000 S. 12th Avenue
Yakima, Washington, U.S.
Coordinates46°35′10″N 120°31′37″W / 46.586°N 120.527°W / 46.586; -120.527
Capacity2,500
SurfaceNatural grass
Opened1937, 87 years ago
Tenants
Yakima Bears (NWL) (1990–1992)
Yakima Valley Braves (NWL) (1964–1966)
Yakima Bears (NWL) (1955–1963)
Yakima Bears (WIL) (1949–1954)
Yakima Packers (WIL) (1948)
Yakima Stars (WIL) (1946–1947)
Yakima Pippins (WIL) (1937–1941)
Yakima is located in the United States
Yakima
Yakima
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Location in the United States
Yakima is located in Washington (state)
Yakima
Yakima
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Location in Washington

Parker Field is a 2,500-seat baseball stadium in the northwest United States, located in Yakima, Washington. Opened 87 years ago in 1937 for the Yakima Pippins of the Western International League, it hosted various professional and amateur teams in the area prior to the opening of Yakima County Stadium in 1993.[1]

The stadium is adjacent to Yakima Valley Community College and hosted the American Legion World Series in 1954, 1978, and 2001.[2][3][4] The Yakima Beetles, the American Legion team based at Parker Field, won national titles in 1953, 1975,[5] and 1979.[6][7]

The stadium is named for attorney and businessman Shirley D. Parker (1888–1950)[8][9] and his wife Eleanor, who donated the ten acres (4 ha) of land to the city for public park and amusement purposes.[10][11][12] Parker grew up in Yakima, was a quarterback at the University of Washington in Seattle, organized the Western International League, and established the Yakima Pippins baseball club.[8][9][13]

A fire in March 1962 destroyed the wooden grandstand,[14][15][16] which was quickly rebuilt.[17]

The natural grass playing field is at an approximate elevation of 1,060 feet (325 m) above sea level. It has an unorthodox orientation, aligned southeast (home plate to center field); recommended alignment is east-northeast.[18] It was formerly aligned to the northeast.[19]

  1. ^ Parker Field at mysite.verizon.net, URL accessed December 12, 2009. Archived 2011-06-06 at the Wayback Machine 12/12/09
  2. ^ "One third of Legion tickets sold". Ellensburg Daily Record. (Washington). July 29, 1978. p. 4.
  3. ^ "Hialeah claims Legion crown". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). UPI. September 5, 1978. p. 2C.
  4. ^ Battle, Bill (September 5, 2001). "Post 218 manager Strauser works at American Legion World Series". Southeast Missourian. (Cape Girardeau). Retrieved November 8, 2015.
  5. ^ "Yakima is champion of Legion baseball". Spokane Daily Chronicle. Washington. Associated Press. September 2, 1975. p. 17.
  6. ^ "Yakima wins Legion title". Spokane Daily Chronicle. (Washington). Associated Press. September 4, 1979. p. 17.
  7. ^ "National Champions" (PDF). American Legion Baseball. Retrieved November 8, 2015.
  8. ^ a b "Shirley Parker dies". Ellensburg Daily Record. (Washington). Associated Press. November 30, 1950. p. 8.
  9. ^ a b "History". Parker Youth & Sports Foundation. Retrieved November 8, 2015.
  10. ^ "Deed return is asked of Yakima". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). May 25, 1960. p. 12.
  11. ^ "Field issue flares up in Yakima". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). July 13, 1960. p. 6.
  12. ^ "Baseball seen dead for Yakima Braves". Spokane Daily Chronicle. (Washington). Associated Press. September 14, 1966. p. 40.
  13. ^ "Business men buy Yakima ball team". Spokane Daily Chronicle. (Washington). Associated Press. November 30, 1940. p. 1.
  14. ^ "Bears to play despite fire". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). Associated Press. March 14, 1962. p. 10.
  15. ^ "Fire destroys ball park". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). UPI. March 13, 1962. p. 2B.
  16. ^ "Yakima ballpark burns". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). Associated Press. March 14, 1962. p. 6.
  17. ^ Harvey, Paul III (August 12, 1965). "Bus, park burn but Yakima in black". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). p. 2D.
  18. ^ "Objectives of the Game - rule 1.04". Major League Baseball. Retrieved November 8, 2015.
  19. ^ "1964 photo". Historic Aerials. Retrieved November 8, 2015.