Gary Hogan Field
Encyclopedia
Gary Hogan Field is a baseball
venue located in Little Rock
, Arkansas
, USA. It has been home to the Arkansas-Little Rock Trojans college baseball
team of the Division I Sun Belt Conference
since 1978 and also the home of the Arkansas Baptist College
Buffaloes junior college baseball
team of Region 2 of the National Junior College Athletic Association
. Formerly known as Curran Conway Field, the venue has a capacity of 2,550.
during the early 1980s.
When Coach Gary Hogan arrived in 1986, he described Curran Conway Field as "a rock pit and dust bowl." Hogan secured donations from both alumni and the surrounding community to make numerous improvements to the field, making it playable for a Division I team.
infield
, natural grass
outfield
, outfield wall, dugout
s, and indoor practice facility over the course of his 11 year tenure.
In 1998, a new turf infield, warning track
, and outfield drainage system were installed at Conway Field.
In 2001, the Kris Wheeler Complex was constructed. Named after a Trojans outfielder who played from 1998–2002, the facility included a press box
, concession stand
s, and a new gated entrance.
In 2003, a new scoreboard was installed, located over the right field fence.
Prior to the 2004 season, the UALR athletic department announced an anonymous $1,600,000 donation for improvements to the baseball field. At the same time, it was announced that the field would be renamed Gary Hogan Field, in honor of the former Trojan baseball coach. Numerous improvements followed in the subsequent years. A new AstroTurf
infield, lighting system, sound system, and indoor workout facility were constructed. Also, chairbacks were installed in 200 of the 550 seats located behind home plate.
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...
venue located in Little Rock
Little Rock, Arkansas
Little Rock is the capital and the largest city of the U.S. state of Arkansas. The Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 699,757 people in the 2010 census...
, Arkansas
Arkansas
Arkansas is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Its name is an Algonquian name of the Quapaw Indians. Arkansas shares borders with six states , and its eastern border is largely defined by the Mississippi River...
, USA. It has been home to the Arkansas-Little Rock Trojans 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...
team of the Division I Sun Belt Conference
Sun Belt Conference
The Sun Belt Conference is a college athletic conference that has been affiliated with the NCAA's Division I since 1976. Its football teams participate in the Division I Football Bowl Subdivision , the higher of two levels of Division I football competition . The Sun Belt has member institutions...
since 1978 and also the home of the Arkansas Baptist College
Arkansas Baptist College
Arkansas Baptist College is a private, historically black liberal arts college located in Little Rock, Arkansas. Founded in 1884 as the Minister's Institute, ABC was initially funded by the Colored Baptists of the State of Arkansas. It is the only Baptist HBCU west of the Mississippi...
Buffaloes junior 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...
team of Region 2 of the National Junior College Athletic Association
National Junior College Athletic Association
The National Junior College Athletic Association , founded in 1938, is an association of community college and junior college athletic departments throughout the United States. It is held as Divisions and Regions. The current NJCAA holds 24 separate regions.-History:The idea for the NJCAA was...
. Formerly known as Curran Conway Field, the venue has a capacity of 2,550.
History
When the Trojans began using the facility in 1978, the field was in poor condition. This forced the program to play home games at other fields in Little RockLittle Rock, Arkansas
Little Rock is the capital and the largest city of the U.S. state of Arkansas. The Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 699,757 people in the 2010 census...
during the early 1980s.
When Coach Gary Hogan arrived in 1986, he described Curran Conway Field as "a rock pit and dust bowl." Hogan secured donations from both alumni and the surrounding community to make numerous improvements to the field, making it playable for a Division I team.
Name
The field is named for former Arkansas-Little Rock baseball coach Gary Hogan. Hogan coached for 11 season from 1986 to 1996, recording 276 victories in that span. His career victories mark stands as a record for UALR baseball coaches.Renovations and features
Following Coach Hogan's arrival in 1986, the field underwent many renovations. Hogan, after securing $500,000 of donations, installed a turfArtificial turf
Artificial turf is a surface manufactured from synthetic fibers made to look like natural grass. It is most often used in arenas for sports that were originally or are normally played on grass. However, it is now being used on residential lawns and commercial applications as well...
infield
Infield
Infield is a widely used term in sports terminology, its meaning depends on the sport in which it is used.- In baseball :In baseball the baseball diamond plus a region beyond it , has both grass and dirt, in contrast to the more distant, usually grass-covered outfield...
, natural grass
Grass
Grasses, or more technically graminoids, are monocotyledonous, usually herbaceous plants with narrow leaves growing from the base. They include the "true grasses", of the Poaceae family, as well as the sedges and the rushes . The true grasses include cereals, bamboo and the grasses of lawns ...
outfield
Outfield
The outfield is a sporting term used in cricket and baseball to refer to the area of the field of play further from the batsman or batter than the infield...
, outfield wall, dugout
Dugout (baseball)
In baseball, the dugout is a team's bench area and is located in foul territory between home plate and either first or third base. There are two dugouts, one for the home team and one for the visiting team. In general, the dugout is occupied by all players not prescribed to be on the field at that...
s, and indoor practice facility over the course of his 11 year tenure.
In 1998, a new turf infield, warning track
Warning track
A warning track is the term for the part of the baseball field that is closest to the wall or fence and is typically made of dirt, instead of grass or artificial turf like most of the field. It runs parallel to the ballpark's wall and looks like a running track...
, and outfield drainage system were installed at Conway Field.
In 2001, the Kris Wheeler Complex was constructed. Named after a Trojans outfielder who played from 1998–2002, the facility included a press box
Press box
The press box is a special section of a sports stadium or arena that is set up for the media to report about a given event. It is typically located in the section of the stadium holding the luxury box. In general, newspaper writers sit in this box and write about the on-field event as it unfolds...
, concession stand
Concession stand
A concession stand , snack kiosk or snack bar is the term used to refer to a place where patrons can purchase snacks or food at a cinema, fair, stadium, or other entertainment venue. Some events or venues contract out the right to sell food to third parties...
s, and a new gated entrance.
In 2003, a new scoreboard was installed, located over the right field fence.
Prior to the 2004 season, the UALR athletic department announced an anonymous $1,600,000 donation for improvements to the baseball field. At the same time, it was announced that the field would be renamed Gary Hogan Field, in honor of the former Trojan baseball coach. Numerous improvements followed in the subsequent years. A new AstroTurf
AstroTurf
AstroTurf is a brand of artificial turf. Although the term is a registered trademark, it is sometimes used as a generic description of any kind of artificial turf. The original AstroTurf product was a short pile synthetic turf while the current products incorporate modern features such as...
infield, lighting system, sound system, and indoor workout facility were constructed. Also, chairbacks were installed in 200 of the 550 seats located behind home plate.