Cougar Field
Encyclopedia
Cougar Field is a baseball
stadium
in Houston, Texas
. It is the home field of the Houston Cougars baseball
team. Several iterations of Cougar Field have existed. The current stadium holds 5,000 people, and opened for baseball in 1995. Since its opening, Cougar Field has hosted several notable college baseball
events.
is today. To make room for the then new basketball arena, Cougar Field was moved next door. This iteration of Cougar Field stayed in the same location until March 29, 1994 when it was demolished in preparation for the establishment of the UH Athletics/Alumni center. To finish the rest of their season's home games, the Cougars played at Texas A&M University's
Olsen Field
and crosstown Rice University's
Cameron Field
. After a multimillion dollar donation from Cougar alumnus and San Diego Padres
owner John Moores
, the current stadium was built throughout the remainder of the year, and had its first game on February 22, 1995.
was hosted at the ball park. Also in 2000, Cougar Field was home to an NCAA Super Regional
. In addition, the 2004 edition
and 2010 edition
of the Conference USA Baseball Tournament
were both hosted at Cougar Field.
Cougar Field is a scaled-down version of a major league ballpark. It features a scoreboard with a Philips
Vidiwall LED video screen constructed by Spectrum Corporation. Cougar Field seats up to 5,000 spectators, whereas most of the seats are covered by a canopy roof.
For players, in addition to locker rooms, there are facilities for indoor batting practice, storage, and laundry. Cougar Field's press box seats 28, and has booths for television and radio coverage. The field is made of natural grass, which can decrease injuries, but can also decrease the running speed as compared to artificial turf.
in attendance, averaging 1,262 per home game.
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
stadium
Stadium
A modern stadium is a place or venue for outdoor sports, concerts, or other events and consists of a field or stage either partly or completely surrounded by a structure designed to allow spectators to stand or sit and view the event.)Pausanias noted that for about half a century the only event...
in Houston, Texas
Houston, Texas
Houston is the fourth-largest city in the United States, and the largest city in the state of Texas. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 2.1 million people within an area of . Houston is the seat of Harris County and the economic center of , which is the ...
. It is the home field of the Houston Cougars baseball
Houston Cougars baseball
The Houston Cougars baseball team is the college baseball team of the University of Houston.Along with the university's other athletic teams, the baseball team is a member of the Conference USA as a Division I team. They play their home games at Cougar Field. In addition to numerous NCAA...
team. Several iterations of Cougar Field have existed. The current stadium holds 5,000 people, and opened for baseball in 1995. Since its opening, Cougar Field has hosted several notable college baseball
College baseball
College baseball is baseball that is played on the intercollegiate level at institutions of higher education. Compared to football and basketball, college competition in the United States plays a less significant contribution to cultivating professional players, as the minor leagues primarily...
events.
History
Prior to 1961, the Cougars played at Buff Stadium. The original baseball stadium named Cougar Field was built roughly in the same area as the current one. Before 1968, it existed where Hofheinz PavilionHofheinz Pavilion
Guy V. Lewis Court at Hofheinz Pavilion, often known as simply Hofheinz Pavilion, is an 8,500-seat multi-purpose arena on the University of Houston campus in Houston, Texas. Located at 3875 Holman Street, it is home to the University of Houston Cougars men's and women's basketball teams as well as...
is today. To make room for the then new basketball arena, Cougar Field was moved next door. This iteration of Cougar Field stayed in the same location until March 29, 1994 when it was demolished in preparation for the establishment of the UH Athletics/Alumni center. To finish the rest of their season's home games, the Cougars played at Texas A&M University's
Texas A&M University
Texas A&M University is a coeducational public research university located in College Station, Texas . It is the flagship institution of the Texas A&M University System. The sixth-largest university in the United States, A&M's enrollment for Fall 2011 was over 50,000 for the first time in school...
Olsen Field
Olsen Field
Olsen Field is a baseball stadium in College Station, Texas, that is home to the Texas A&M baseball program. The stadium was dedicated on March 21, 1978, and is named in honor of Pat Olsen, a 1923 graduate of Texas A&M University and a former baseball player in the New York Yankees farm system...
and crosstown Rice University's
Rice University
William Marsh Rice University, commonly referred to as Rice University or Rice, is a private research university located on a heavily wooded campus in Houston, Texas, United States...
Cameron Field
Reckling Park
Reckling Park is the baseball stadium at Rice University in Houston, Texas, USA. It serves as the home field of the Rice Owls baseball team. The stadium was built on the site of Cameron Field, Rice's home from 1978-99, in time for the 2000 season...
. After a multimillion dollar donation from Cougar alumnus and San Diego Padres
San Diego Padres
The San Diego Padres are a Major League Baseball team based in San Diego, California. They play in the National League Western Division. Founded in 1969, the Padres have won the National League Pennant twice, in 1984 and 1998, losing in the World Series both times...
owner John Moores
John Moores (baseball)
John Jay Moores is an American entrepreneur and philanthropist, and the owner of the San Diego Padres.-Early years:...
, the current stadium was built throughout the remainder of the year, and had its first game on February 22, 1995.
Events hosted
Since its opening in 1995, Cougar Field has hosted several notable college baseball events. In both 1999 and 2000 an NCAA RegionalNCAA Division I Baseball Championship
The NCAA Division I Baseball Championship tournament is held each year from May through June and features 64 college baseball teams in the United States, culminating in the College World Series....
was hosted at the ball park. Also in 2000, Cougar Field was home to an NCAA Super Regional
NCAA Division I Baseball Championship
The NCAA Division I Baseball Championship tournament is held each year from May through June and features 64 college baseball teams in the United States, culminating in the College World Series....
. In addition, the 2004 edition
2004 Conference USA Baseball Tournament
The 2004 Conference USA Baseball Tournament was held at Cougar Field in Houston, Texas from May 26 through May 30, 2004. TCU won the C-USA tournament and received Conference USA's automatic bid to the 2004 NCAA Division I Baseball Tournament...
and 2010 edition
2010 Conference USA Baseball Tournament
The 2010 Conference USA Baseball Tournament will be held at Cougar Field in Houston, Texas from May 26 through May 30, 2010. The winner will receive Conference USA's automatic bid to the 2010 NCAA Division I Baseball Tournament...
of the Conference USA Baseball Tournament
Conference USA Baseball Tournament
The Conference USA Baseball Tournament is the conference championship tournament in baseball for Conference USA . The tournament previously consisted of eight teams, with two double-elimination brackets, and a single-game final...
were both hosted at Cougar Field.
Features
Philips
Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. , more commonly known as Philips, is a multinational Dutch electronics company....
Vidiwall LED video screen constructed by Spectrum Corporation. Cougar Field seats up to 5,000 spectators, whereas most of the seats are covered by a canopy roof.
For players, in addition to locker rooms, there are facilities for indoor batting practice, storage, and laundry. Cougar Field's press box seats 28, and has booths for television and radio coverage. The field is made of natural grass, which can decrease injuries, but can also decrease the running speed as compared to artificial turf.
Attendance
In 2010, the Cougars ranked 45th in Division I college baseballCollege baseball
College baseball is baseball that is played on the intercollegiate level at institutions of higher education. Compared to football and basketball, college competition in the United States plays a less significant contribution to cultivating professional players, as the minor leagues primarily...
in attendance, averaging 1,262 per home game.