Carpenter Complex
Encyclopedia
The Carpenter Complex is a complex of four baseball fields in Clearwater, Florida
. It opened as 'Carpenter Field' in 1967. It is the Florida home of the Philadelphia Phillies baseball operations, spring training site for the Phillies’ minor league players, home to the Gulf Coast League Phillies, and adjacent to Bright House Field, spring training home of the Philadelphia Phillies
and regular season home of the Clearwater Threshers
. While the Complex is now adjacent to Bright House Field, the Phillies, until 2004, played spring training games a short drive away, which gave the Complex its own identity in the Phillies organizational structure and the team's recent history.
The Complex has four fields, each named for Phillies Hall of Fame players (all of whom trained with the Phillies in Clearwater and also were the first four Phillies to have their uniform numbers retired), the Rich Ashburn
Field, Robin Roberts Field, Mike Schmidt
Field, and Steve Carlton
Field. Paul Owens
was a long-time Phillies baseball operations director and general manager. The complex was officially renamed the 'Paul Owens Training Facility at Carpenter Complex' in Owens' honor.
by naming the new field in his honor. The complex was financed by a no-interest $250,000 loan from the Phillies to the City of Clearwater which was to be repaid over a ten-year period. The complex was built on the site of a former city trash dump. Through the years, settling garbage has left dips and holes in the field and has required repairs on the clubhouse buildings.
During the 1987-1988 off-season, the City of Clearwater renovated the Complex along with Jack Russell Stadium in exchange for the Phillies' commitment of an addition eight years in Clearwater. Improvements included the additions of four covered batting tunnels, new lockers, and new fencing for all four fields..
During the summer of 2009, the Carpenter Complex was gutted and reconstructed with new offices, new locker rooms, larger training room, and an elevated observation walkway that now allows coaches and scouts to walk around to any of the three fields. The major league Phillies enjoyed these new renovations for the first time during Spring Training 2010..
Many Florida Winter Instructional League teams - both affiliated with and not affiliated with the Phillies - played their home games at the Complex at what was then called 'Carpenter Field in the late 1960s and 1970s.
In 1955, Owens was named Olean's playing manager; the following year, the Oilers became a Phillies' affiliate and Owens moved into their organization. In 1958-59, he managed Class C Bakersfield of the California League. He then became a scout, and, eventually, director of the entire Philadelphia farm system. On June 3, 1972, he replaced John Quinn as the Phillies' general manager. Then, five weeks later, on July 10, Owens fired manager Frank Lucchesi and assumed that job as well, to get a closer (if temporary) look at the last-place Phillies' on-field struggles.
He then returned to the front office and proceeded to turn the Phils into pennant contenders within three seasons. His farm system, one of the most productive in the game at the time, bore fruit — yielding players such as Mike Schmidt, Greg Luzinski, Bob Boone, Larry Bowa and Dick Ruthven. He remained with the Phillies as a senior adviser and special scout until his death, in 2003, at age 79. He worked many hours at the Complex, sitting atop the fields, smoking cigarettes, and watching prospects.
In 2004, the Phillies officially renamed the Complex, the Paul Owens Training Facility at Carpenter Complex, which honored Owens memory but also served to distinguish the training fields from the primary spring ballpark, Brighthouse Field, which is also at Carpenter Complex.
practiced at the complex prior to their appearance in the 2011 Outback Bowl
at nearby Raymond James Stadium
.
Clearwater, Florida
Clearwater is a city located in Pinellas County, Florida, US, nearly due west of Tampa and northwest of St. Petersburg. In the west of Clearwater lies the Gulf of Mexico and in the east lies Tampa Bay. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 108,787. It is the county seat of...
. It opened as 'Carpenter Field' in 1967. It is the Florida home of the Philadelphia Phillies baseball operations, spring training site for the Phillies’ minor league players, home to the Gulf Coast League Phillies, and adjacent to Bright House Field, spring training home of the Philadelphia Phillies
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
and regular season home of the Clearwater Threshers
Clearwater Threshers
The Clearwater Threshers are a minor league baseball team that currently plays in the Florida State League. Since 2004, the team competes in the West Division....
. While the Complex is now adjacent to Bright House Field, the Phillies, until 2004, played spring training games a short drive away, which gave the Complex its own identity in the Phillies organizational structure and the team's recent history.
The Complex has four fields, each named for Phillies Hall of Fame players (all of whom trained with the Phillies in Clearwater and also were the first four Phillies to have their uniform numbers retired), the Rich Ashburn
Richie Ashburn
Don Richard "Richie" Ashburn , also known by the nicknames, "Putt-Putt", "The Tilden Flash", and "Whitey" due to his light-blond hair, was an American center fielder in Major League Baseball. He was born in Tilden, Nebraska...
Field, Robin Roberts Field, Mike Schmidt
Mike Schmidt
Michael Jack Schmidt is a Hall of Fame third baseman popularly considered among the greatest third basemen in the history of Major League Baseball. He played his entire career for the Philadelphia Phillies....
Field, and Steve Carlton
Steve Carlton
Steven Norman Carlton , nicknamed "Lefty", is a former Major League Baseball left-handed pitcher. He pitched from 1965-1988 for six different teams in his career, but it is his time with the Philadelphia Phillies where he received his greatest acclaim as a professional and won four Cy Young Awards...
Field. Paul Owens
Paul Owens (baseball)
Paul Francis Owens was an American front office executive and manager in Major League Baseball.-Philadelphia Phillies:Owens' entire Major League career was spent with the Philadelphia Phillies...
was a long-time Phillies baseball operations director and general manager. The complex was officially renamed the 'Paul Owens Training Facility at Carpenter Complex' in Owens' honor.
History and Renovations
The Carpenter Complex was dedicated on March 5, 1967 at which Clearwater Mayor Joe Turner surprised Phillies owner and president Bob CarpenterR. R. M. Carpenter, Jr.
Robert Ruliph Morgan Carpenter Jr. was an owner and club president of the Philadelphia Phillies of American Major League Baseball. When he took command of the Phils, in November 1943 after his father purchased the franchise, Carpenter became the youngest club president in baseball history, and he...
by naming the new field in his honor. The complex was financed by a no-interest $250,000 loan from the Phillies to the City of Clearwater which was to be repaid over a ten-year period. The complex was built on the site of a former city trash dump. Through the years, settling garbage has left dips and holes in the field and has required repairs on the clubhouse buildings.
During the 1987-1988 off-season, the City of Clearwater renovated the Complex along with Jack Russell Stadium in exchange for the Phillies' commitment of an addition eight years in Clearwater. Improvements included the additions of four covered batting tunnels, new lockers, and new fencing for all four fields..
During the summer of 2009, the Carpenter Complex was gutted and reconstructed with new offices, new locker rooms, larger training room, and an elevated observation walkway that now allows coaches and scouts to walk around to any of the three fields. The major league Phillies enjoyed these new renovations for the first time during Spring Training 2010..
Teams
The Carpenter Complex is home to the Gulf Coast League Phillies. The GCL Phillies played some games at the Joe DiMaggio Complex in Clearwater in 2009 while the Carpenter Complex was renovated..Many Florida Winter Instructional League teams - both affiliated with and not affiliated with the Phillies - played their home games at the Complex at what was then called 'Carpenter Field in the late 1960s and 1970s.
Identification with Paul Owens
Paul Owens became increasingly identified with the Carpenter Complex due to his success with the franchise which coincided with the opening of the Complex in 1967 through the 2003 season, the final season at Veterans Stadium, where his teams achieved so much success. His death has a particular resonance with those who had worked with and under Owens at the Complex.In 1955, Owens was named Olean's playing manager; the following year, the Oilers became a Phillies' affiliate and Owens moved into their organization. In 1958-59, he managed Class C Bakersfield of the California League. He then became a scout, and, eventually, director of the entire Philadelphia farm system. On June 3, 1972, he replaced John Quinn as the Phillies' general manager. Then, five weeks later, on July 10, Owens fired manager Frank Lucchesi and assumed that job as well, to get a closer (if temporary) look at the last-place Phillies' on-field struggles.
He then returned to the front office and proceeded to turn the Phils into pennant contenders within three seasons. His farm system, one of the most productive in the game at the time, bore fruit — yielding players such as Mike Schmidt, Greg Luzinski, Bob Boone, Larry Bowa and Dick Ruthven. He remained with the Phillies as a senior adviser and special scout until his death, in 2003, at age 79. He worked many hours at the Complex, sitting atop the fields, smoking cigarettes, and watching prospects.
In 2004, the Phillies officially renamed the Complex, the Paul Owens Training Facility at Carpenter Complex, which honored Owens memory but also served to distinguish the training fields from the primary spring ballpark, Brighthouse Field, which is also at Carpenter Complex.
Other Uses
In December 2010, the Penn State Nittany Lions2010 Penn State Nittany Lions football team
The 2010 Penn State Nittany Lions football team represented the Pennsylvania State University in the 2010 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The team was coached by Joe Paterno and played its home games in Beaver Stadium in University Park, Pennsylvania. They were members of the Big Ten Conference...
practiced at the complex prior to their appearance in the 2011 Outback Bowl
2011 Outback Bowl
The 2011 Outback Bowl was the 25th edition of the college football bowl game, and was played at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida. The game kicked off at 1 p.m. US EST on January 1, 2011 and was telecasted on ABC...
at nearby Raymond James Stadium
Raymond James Stadium
Raymond James Stadium, also known as the "Ray Jay", is a multi-purpose football stadium located in Tampa, Florida. It is home to the NFL's Tampa Bay Buccaneers as well as the NCAA's South Florida Bulls football team. The stadium seats 65,857 , and it is expandable to 75,000 for special events...
.