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Fifth Third Field (Toledo)
Encyclopedia
Fifth Third Field is the name of a minor league baseball
stadium in Toledo, Ohio
. The Ohio-based Fifth Third Bank
purchased the naming rights
to the stadium
. It is not to be confused with another stadium in Ohio with the same name, Fifth Third Field
in Dayton
. Fifth Third Bank also owns the naming rights to another stadium
in Comstock Park
, Michigan
, near Grand Rapids, and a basketball arena
on the campus of the University of Cincinnati
.
The facility is home to the Toledo Mud Hens
, an International League
team and the Triple-A affiliate of the Detroit Tigers
. It seats 10,300 and opened in 2002. Fifth Third Field hosted the 2006 Triple-A All-Star Game
and home run derby
. The stadium was named one of the best minor league ballparks in America by Newsweek
. In the summer of 2007, ESPN.com rated The Roost section of Fifth Third Field as the best seats to watch a game in minor league baseball.
. The new stadium replaced Ned Skeldon Stadium
, located in suburban Maumee, as the Mud Hens home — the older facility being best described as "quaint" or "rustic". The park was intended to boost development downtown, and indeed a small commercial area has sprung up around the park, centered on St. Clair Street, on the park's southeast side.
The street address is 406 Washington Street. The park is bounded by Washington Street (southwest, first base); North Huron Street (northwest, third base); Monroe Street/Henry Morse Way (northeast, left field); and Msgr. Jerome Schmidt Way/North St. Clair Street (southeast, right field).
The Fifth-Third Field is part of a complex that includes SeaGate Convention Centre and the Huntington Center (formerly known as the Lucas County Arena). The Lucas County Commissioners teamed with HNTB Architecture Inc., a national sports architecture firm located in Kansas City; and local architects and landscape architects The Collaborative Inc, of Toledo; to design the Mud Hens Stadium. The Commissioners used this same design team on the Huntington Center, located 1 block away from the Stadium.
ribbon scoreboards along the first base and third base sides of the ballpark. They are in full color and can display a variety of graphics, stats, and the game score. Also, the Hens replaced their Fair Play Scoreboards
scoreboard and Barco video board with a huge Daktronics
video board display in left field which is in full color and is a complete matrix board that shows the line score of the game. It is also zoned on the top 70% where it shows the current batter, animations, games, replays, and more.
The new Daktronics video board also replaced the Fair Play message board below the old Fair Play scoreboard.
Minor league baseball
Minor league baseball is a hierarchy of professional baseball leagues in the Americas that compete at levels below Major League Baseball and provide opportunities for player development. All of the minor leagues are operated as independent businesses...
stadium in Toledo, Ohio
Toledo, Ohio
Toledo is the fourth most populous city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Lucas County. Toledo is in northwest Ohio, on the western end of Lake Erie, and borders the State of Michigan...
. The Ohio-based Fifth Third Bank
Fifth Third Bank
Fifth Third Bank is a U.S. regional banking corporation, headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio and is the principal subsidiary of holding company Fifth Third Bancorp ....
purchased the naming rights
Naming rights
In the private sector, naming rights are a financial transaction whereby a corporation or other entity purchases the right to name a facility, typically for a defined period of time. For properties like a multi-purpose arena, performing arts venue or an athletic field, the term ranges from three...
to the 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...
. It is not to be confused with another stadium in Ohio with the same name, Fifth Third Field
Fifth Third Field (Dayton)
Fifth Third Field is a minor league baseball stadium in Dayton, Ohio in the United States. As in the case of another stadium in Toledo, the Ohio-based Fifth Third Bank purchased the naming rights to the facility...
in Dayton
Dayton, Ohio
Dayton is the 6th largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Montgomery County, the fifth most populous county in the state. The population was 141,527 at the 2010 census. The Dayton Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 841,502 in the 2010 census...
. Fifth Third Bank also owns the naming rights to another stadium
Fifth Third Ballpark
Fifth Third Ballpark is a baseball stadium located in Comstock Park, Michigan, just north of Grand Rapids. Fifth Third Ballpark is home to the West Michigan Whitecaps, a professional minor league baseball team, and class A affiliate of the Detroit Tigers. Fifth Third Ballpark was originally built...
in Comstock Park
Comstock Park, Michigan
Comstock Park is a prosperous suburban community in the northern part of Metropolitan Grand Rapids, Michigan, United States, that comprises parts of three neighboring townships:* Plainfield Township* Alpine Township* Algoma Township...
, Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
, near Grand Rapids, and a basketball arena
Fifth Third Arena
Fifth Third Arena is a 13,176-seat multi-purpose arena in Cincinnati, Ohio, United States, named for Fifth Third Bank. The arena opened in 1989. It is home to the University of Cincinnati Bearcats basketball team. It is located in the Myrl H. Shoemaker Center, which was the name of the arena as...
on the campus of the University of Cincinnati
University of Cincinnati
The University of Cincinnati is a comprehensive public research university in Cincinnati, Ohio, and a part of the University System of Ohio....
.
The facility is home to the Toledo Mud Hens
Toledo Mud Hens
The Toledo Mud Hens are a minor league baseball team located in Toledo, Ohio. The Mud Hens play in the International League, and are affiliated with the major league baseball team the Detroit Tigers, based approximately 50 miles to the north of Toledo. The current team is one of several...
, an International League
International League
The International League is a minor league baseball league that operates in the eastern United States. Like the Pacific Coast League and the Mexican League, it plays at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball. It was so named because it had teams in both the United States...
team and the Triple-A affiliate of the Detroit Tigers
Detroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...
. It seats 10,300 and opened in 2002. Fifth Third Field hosted the 2006 Triple-A All-Star Game
Triple-A All-Star Game
The Triple-A All-Star Game is a single baseball game held between the two Triple-A leagues in minor league baseball—the International League and the Pacific Coast League...
and home run derby
Home Run Derby
The Home Run Derby is an event played prior to the Major League Baseball All-Star Game. It is a contest among the top home run hitters in Major League Baseball to determine who can hit the most home runs. The event is currently sponsored by State Farm Insurance...
. The stadium was named one of the best minor league ballparks in America by Newsweek
Newsweek
Newsweek is an American weekly news magazine published in New York City. It is distributed throughout the United States and internationally. It is the second-largest news weekly magazine in the U.S., having trailed Time in circulation and advertising revenue for most of its existence...
. In the summer of 2007, ESPN.com rated The Roost section of Fifth Third Field as the best seats to watch a game in minor league baseball.
Location
It is located in downtown Toledo, two blocks from the Maumee RiverMaumee River
The Maumee River is a river in northwestern Ohio and northeastern Indiana in the United States. It is formed at Fort Wayne, Indiana by the confluence of the St. Joseph and St. Marys rivers, and meanders northeastwardly for through an agricultural region of glacial moraines before flowing into the...
. The new stadium replaced Ned Skeldon Stadium
Ned Skeldon Stadium
Ned Skeldon Stadium, originally opened as Lucas County Stadium, is a stadium in Maumee, Ohio. It was primarily used for baseball, and was the home field of the Toledo Mud Hens minor league baseball team. It opened for minor league ball in 1965, and closed for the minors in 2002 when the Mud Hens...
, located in suburban Maumee, as the Mud Hens home — the older facility being best described as "quaint" or "rustic". The park was intended to boost development downtown, and indeed a small commercial area has sprung up around the park, centered on St. Clair Street, on the park's southeast side.
The street address is 406 Washington Street. The park is bounded by Washington Street (southwest, first base); North Huron Street (northwest, third base); Monroe Street/Henry Morse Way (northeast, left field); and Msgr. Jerome Schmidt Way/North St. Clair Street (southeast, right field).
The Fifth-Third Field is part of a complex that includes SeaGate Convention Centre and the Huntington Center (formerly known as the Lucas County Arena). The Lucas County Commissioners teamed with HNTB Architecture Inc., a national sports architecture firm located in Kansas City; and local architects and landscape architects The Collaborative Inc, of Toledo; to design the Mud Hens Stadium. The Commissioners used this same design team on the Huntington Center, located 1 block away from the Stadium.
Scoreboards
In 2009, the Mud Hens installed brand new DaktronicsDaktronics
Daktronics is an American company based in Brookings, South Dakota that designs, manufactures, sells, and services video board, scoreboards, digital billboards and related products. The company is best known for its electronic LED displays...
ribbon scoreboards along the first base and third base sides of the ballpark. They are in full color and can display a variety of graphics, stats, and the game score. Also, the Hens replaced their Fair Play Scoreboards
Fair Play Scoreboards
Fair Play is a company that manufactures scoreboards, video boards, and electronic displays. Fair Play is a subsidiary of Trans-Lux electronic displays.-History:...
scoreboard and Barco video board with a huge Daktronics
Daktronics
Daktronics is an American company based in Brookings, South Dakota that designs, manufactures, sells, and services video board, scoreboards, digital billboards and related products. The company is best known for its electronic LED displays...
video board display in left field which is in full color and is a complete matrix board that shows the line score of the game. It is also zoned on the top 70% where it shows the current batter, animations, games, replays, and more.
The new Daktronics video board also replaced the Fair Play message board below the old Fair Play scoreboard.