Memorial Stadium (Boise)
Encyclopedia
Memorial Stadium is an outdoor baseball
stadium
in Boise
, Idaho
. The stadium has a current seating capacity
of 3,452 on land owned by Ada County
, and sits adjacent to the Western Idaho Fairgrounds on the banks of the Boise River
. The facility primarily serves as home to the Boise Hawks
, a Class A minor league baseball
club of the short-season Northwest League
.
The stadium opened in 1989
, with several significant improvements over time. The stadium was privately built by an investor group led by Bill Pereira and son Cord Pereira. The natural grass playing field at Memorial Stadium sits at an elevation
of 2600 feet (792.5 m) above sea level.
. They moved to Memorial Stadium in 1989 and became an affiliate of the California Angels organization in 1990. The Hawks' relationship with the Angels lasted for 11 years before a change to the Chicago Cubs
in 2001.
Since its inception as a minor league team, the Hawks have won four league titles in 1991 and 1993–1995 and under the management of Tom Kotchman, the Hawks won 835 games.
In 2002, Steve McFarland became manager of the Hawks and since then, the Hawks have won two Northwest League Championships and three Divisional Titles.
(1952–53) and Braves (1955–63). They played in a ballpark about a half mile (0.8 km) east of Bronco Stadium
, in Municipal Park in east Boise, now the site of the headquarters of the state's fish & game department. (photo - 1950s) The present-day campus of Boise State University
was the site of the original Boise airport, Varney Field, until 1940.
The last season of the Pioneer League in Boise was 1963 and the city went 11 summers without minor league baseball.
Boise's original team in the Northwest League
was the Boise A's, who played in 1975
and 1976
. Fresh from high school, future hall of famer Rickey Henderson
was a member of the 1976 team. The independent Boise Buckskins debuted in 1978
, but after a 23-49 season, the team folded. Both teams played their home games at Bill Wigle Field (then known as "Borah Field"). Boise went without minor league baseball for eight summers until the Hawks arrived in 1987.
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 Boise
Boise, Idaho
Boise is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Idaho, as well as the county seat of Ada County. Located on the Boise River, it anchors the Boise City-Nampa metropolitan area and is the largest city between Salt Lake City, Utah and Portland, Oregon.As of the 2010 Census Bureau,...
, Idaho
Idaho
Idaho is a state in the Rocky Mountain area of the United States. The state's largest city and capital is Boise. Residents are called "Idahoans". Idaho was admitted to the Union on July 3, 1890, as the 43rd state....
. The stadium has a current seating capacity
Seating capacity
Seating capacity refers to the number of people who can be seated in a specific space, both in terms of the physical space available, and in terms of limitations set by law. Seating capacity can be used in the description of anything ranging from an automobile that seats two to a stadium that seats...
of 3,452 on land owned by Ada County
Ada County, Idaho
Ada County is a county in the southwestern part of the U.S. state of Idaho. As of the 2010 Census, the county had a population of 392,365. The county seat and largest city is Boise, which is also the state capital. Other cities in the county with over 10,000 residents include Meridian, Eagle,...
, and sits adjacent to the Western Idaho Fairgrounds on the banks of the Boise River
Boise River
The Boise River is a tributary of the Snake River in the northwestern United States. It drains a rugged portion of the Sawtooth Range in southwestern Idaho northeast of Boise, as well as part of the western Snake River Plain...
. The facility primarily serves as home to the Boise Hawks
Boise Hawks
The Boise Hawks are a minor league baseball team, located in Boise, Idaho. The team is currently a farm team for the Chicago Cubs and play in the Short-Season Class A Northwest League.-History:...
, a Class A minor league baseball
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...
club of the short-season Northwest League
Northwest League
The Northwest League of Professional Baseball is a Class A-Short Season minor baseball league. The league is the descendant of the Western International League which ran as a class B league from 1937-1951 and class A from 1952-1954...
.
The stadium opened in 1989
1989 in sports
1989 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-Alpine skiing:* Alpine Skiing World Cup** Men's overall season champion: Marc Girardelli, Luxembourg** Women's overall season champion: Vreni Schneider, Switzerland-American football:...
, with several significant improvements over time. The stadium was privately built by an investor group led by Bill Pereira and son Cord Pereira. The natural grass playing field at Memorial Stadium sits at an elevation
Elevation
The elevation of a geographic location is its height above a fixed reference point, most commonly a reference geoid, a mathematical model of the Earth's sea level as an equipotential gravitational surface ....
of 2600 feet (792.5 m) above sea level.
Hawks' history
The Boise Hawks began as an independent team in the Northwest League in 1987, and played their first two seasons at Bill Wigle Field on the campus of Borah High SchoolBorah High School
Borah High School is a three-year public secondary school in Boise, Idaho. It is named after William E. Borah, a prominent U.S. Senator from 1907-40.-History:...
. They moved to Memorial Stadium in 1989 and became an affiliate of the California Angels organization in 1990. The Hawks' relationship with the Angels lasted for 11 years before a change to the Chicago Cubs
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
in 2001.
Since its inception as a minor league team, the Hawks have won four league titles in 1991 and 1993–1995 and under the management of Tom Kotchman, the Hawks won 835 games.
In 2002, Steve McFarland became manager of the Hawks and since then, the Hawks have won two Northwest League Championships and three Divisional Titles.
Previous teams
Starting in 1939, Boise was a longtime member of the Pioneer League. The teams were originally known as the Pilots, and later as the YankeesNew York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
(1952–53) and Braves (1955–63). They played in a ballpark about a half mile (0.8 km) east of Bronco Stadium
Bronco Stadium
Bronco Stadium is an outdoor athletic stadium in Boise, Idaho, the home field of the Boise State Broncos of the Mountain West Conference. Since 1997, it has hosted the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl Bronco Stadium is an outdoor athletic stadium in Boise, Idaho, the home field of the Boise State Broncos...
, in Municipal Park in east Boise, now the site of the headquarters of the state's fish & game department. (photo - 1950s) The present-day campus of Boise State University
Boise State University
Boise State University is a public university located in Boise, Idaho. Originally founded in 1932 as a junior college by the Episcopal Church, the university became an independent institution in 1934, and has been awarding baccalaureate and master degrees since 1965...
was the site of the original Boise airport, Varney Field, until 1940.
The last season of the Pioneer League in Boise was 1963 and the city went 11 summers without minor league baseball.
Boise's original team in the Northwest League
Northwest League
The Northwest League of Professional Baseball is a Class A-Short Season minor baseball league. The league is the descendant of the Western International League which ran as a class B league from 1937-1951 and class A from 1952-1954...
was the Boise A's, who played in 1975
1975 in sports
1975 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-Alpine skiing:* Alpine Skiing World Cup** Men's overall season champion: Gustav Thöni, Italy** Women's overall season champion: Annemarie Pröll, Austria-American football:...
and 1976
1976 in sports
1976 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-Alpine skiing:* Alpine Skiing World Cup** Men's overall season champion: Ingemar Stenmark, Sweden** Women's overall season champion: Rosi Mittermaier, West Germany-American football:...
. Fresh from high school, future hall of famer Rickey Henderson
Rickey Henderson
Rickey Henley Henderson is a former Major League Baseball left fielder who played for nine teams from 1979 to 2003, including four stints with his original team, the Oakland Athletics. Nicknamed The Man of Steal, he is widely regarded as the sport's greatest leadoff hitter and baserunner...
was a member of the 1976 team. The independent Boise Buckskins debuted in 1978
1978 in sports
1978 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-Alpine skiing:* Alpine Skiing World Cup** Men's overall season champion: Ingemar Stenmark, Sweden** Women's overall season champion: Hanni Wenzel, Liechtenstein-American football:...
, but after a 23-49 season, the team folded. Both teams played their home games at Bill Wigle Field (then known as "Borah Field"). Boise went without minor league baseball for eight summers until the Hawks arrived in 1987.
External links
- Minor League Baseball.com - Boise Hawks - Memorial Stadium - seating chart