Prince George's Stadium
Encyclopedia
Prince George's Stadium is a multipurpose sports venue located in Bowie, Maryland
primarily used for baseball
. It is home of the Baltimore Orioles
' AA affiliate in the Eastern League, the Bowie Baysox
. The stadium is the result of a cooperative venture between Maryland Baseball Limited Partnership and the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission
, and is built on park property.
The stadium, originally slated to open at the start of the 1994
season, did not open until July 16, 1994, because of construction delays due to poor weather. Its capacity for baseball is listed at 10,000, but when the Double-A All-Star Game was held there in 2000
, the attendance was about 14,000. The 2002 Major League Lacrosse All-Star Game
was held at the stadium.
While the stadium was being finished, the Baysox played one full season (1993) at Baltimore's Memorial Stadium
and a few series in 1994 at fields belonging to the United States Naval Academy
in Annapolis, and the University of Maryland, College Park
, as well as the minor league stadiums of the Frederick Keys
and Wilmington Blue Rocks
.
Prince George's Stadium is located near the intersection of U.S. Route 301
and U.S. Route 50
. It has been host to the AA All-Star Game twice, the United States Congressional Baseball Game
, the annual Allen Iverson
charity softball game, a lacrosse tournament, the USA Softball team, yard sales, movie nights, concerts, and Halloween activities in addition to its primary function as a baseball park. In addition, the Baysox operate a drive-in theater
in the stadium's left-field parking lot during the Baysox' road trips.
Due to its close proximity to several local military bases including Fort George G. Meade
and Andrews Air Force Base
, the stadium is also regularly the site of related promotions involving enlisted persons. For example, on 14 June 2007, 5,000 Baysox tickets were distributed to soldiers to celebrate Flag Day with professional wrestler Sergeant Slaughter.
In 2004, it served as the home of the D.C. Forward, the city's Pro Cricket
team.
Prince George's Stadium was featured in the January 30, 2007 episode ("Well Digger") of the Discover Channel show Dirty Jobs
where host Mike Rowe performed a variety of jobs.
Bowie, Maryland
Bowie is a city in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States. The population was 54,727 at the 2010 census. Bowie has grown from a small railroad stop to the largest municipality in Prince George's County, and the fifth most populous city and third largest city by area in the state of...
primarily used for baseball
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...
. It is home of the Baltimore Orioles
Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. They are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. One of the American League's eight charter franchises in 1901, it spent its first year as a major league...
' AA affiliate in the Eastern League, the Bowie Baysox
Bowie Baysox
The Bowie Baysox are a minor league baseball team located in Bowie, Maryland. They are the class-AA affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles, and play in the Eastern League...
. The stadium is the result of a cooperative venture between Maryland Baseball Limited Partnership and the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission
Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission
The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission is a bi-county agency that administers parks and planning in Montgomery and Prince George's Counties in Maryland.-History:...
, and is built on park property.
The stadium, originally slated to open at the start of the 1994
1994 in sports
1994 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-Alpine skiing:* January 29 – death of Ulrike Maier , Austrian skier, who broke her neck when she crashed during a World Cup downhill race at Garmisch-Partenkirchen...
season, did not open until July 16, 1994, because of construction delays due to poor weather. Its capacity for baseball is listed at 10,000, but when the Double-A All-Star Game was held there in 2000
2000 in sports
2000 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-Alpine skiing:* Alpine Skiing World Cup** Men's overall season champion: Hermann Maier, Austria** Women's overall season champion: Renate Götschl, Austria-American football:...
, the attendance was about 14,000. The 2002 Major League Lacrosse All-Star Game
Major League Lacrosse All-Star Game
Major League Lacrosse All-Star Game is the all-star game of the MLL.The inaugural 2001 All-Star Game, was not called the "All-Star Game"; instead it was titled the Major League Lacrosse LacrosseStar Game. From 2001–2003, the All-Star Game had the National Division playing the American Division...
was held at the stadium.
While the stadium was being finished, the Baysox played one full season (1993) at Baltimore's Memorial Stadium
Memorial Stadium (Baltimore)
Memorial Stadium was a sports stadium in Baltimore, Maryland, that formerly stood on 33rd Street on an over-sized block also bounded by Ellerslie Avenue , 36th Street , and Ednor Road...
and a few series in 1994 at fields belonging to the United States Naval Academy
United States Naval Academy
The United States Naval Academy is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located in Annapolis, Maryland, United States...
in Annapolis, and the University of Maryland, College Park
University of Maryland, College Park
The University of Maryland, College Park is a top-ranked public research university located in the city of College Park in Prince George's County, Maryland, just outside Washington, D.C...
, as well as the minor league stadiums of the Frederick Keys
Frederick Keys
The Frederick Keys minor league baseball team is the "High-A" class A baseball affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles. The Keys are based in Frederick, Maryland. The franchise is named for Star Spangled Banner poet Francis Scott Key, a native of Frederick County. The team mascot is a coyote known as...
and Wilmington Blue Rocks
Wilmington Blue Rocks
The Wilmington Blue Rocks are a Minor League Baseball team located in Wilmington, Delaware. The Blue Rocks play in the Northern Division of the Carolina League.-Franchise history:...
.
Prince George's Stadium is located near the intersection of U.S. Route 301
U.S. Route 301
U.S. Route 301 is a spur of U.S. Route 1 running through the South Atlantic States. It currently runs 1,099 miles from Glasgow, Delaware at U.S. Route 40 to Sarasota, Florida. It passes through the states of Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida...
and U.S. Route 50
U.S. Route 50
U.S. Route 50 is a major east–west route of the U.S. Highway system, stretching just over from Ocean City, Maryland on the Atlantic Ocean to West Sacramento, California. Until 1972, when it was replaced by Interstate Highways west of the Sacramento area, it extended to San Francisco, near...
. It has been host to the AA All-Star Game twice, the United States Congressional Baseball Game
United States Congressional Baseball Game
The Congressional Baseball Game is an annual baseball game played each summer by members of the United States Congress. The game began as a casual event among colleagues in 1909 and eventually evolved into one of Washington, D.C.'s most anticipated annual pastimes...
, the annual Allen Iverson
Allen Iverson
Allen Ezail Iverson is an American professional basketball point guard and shooting guard. He was selected by the Philadelphia 76ers with the number one pick in the 1996 NBA Draft. He was named the NBA Rookie of the Year in the 1996–97 season...
charity softball game, a lacrosse tournament, the USA Softball team, yard sales, movie nights, concerts, and Halloween activities in addition to its primary function as a baseball park. In addition, the Baysox operate a drive-in theater
Drive-in theater
A drive-in theater is a form of cinema structure consisting of a large outdoor screen, a projection booth, a concession stand and a large parking area for automobiles. Within this enclosed area, customers can view movies from the privacy and comfort of their cars.The screen can be as simple as a...
in the stadium's left-field parking lot during the Baysox' road trips.
Due to its close proximity to several local military bases including Fort George G. Meade
Fort George G. Meade
Fort George G. Meade is a United States Army installation that includes the Defense Information School, the United States Army Field Band, and the headquarters of United States Cyber Command, the National Security Agency, and the Defense Courier Service...
and Andrews Air Force Base
Andrews Air Force Base
Joint Base Andrews is a United States military facility located in Prince George's County, Maryland. The facility is under the jurisdiction of the United States Air Force 11th Wing, Air Force District of Washington ....
, the stadium is also regularly the site of related promotions involving enlisted persons. For example, on 14 June 2007, 5,000 Baysox tickets were distributed to soldiers to celebrate Flag Day with professional wrestler Sergeant Slaughter.
In 2004, it served as the home of the D.C. Forward, the city's Pro Cricket
Pro Cricket
Pro Cricket was a professional cricket league in the United States. It was operated by American Pro Cricket LLC , a private company independent of the ICC and the USACA. Kalpesh Patel served as Pro Cricket's chairman and commissioner....
team.
Prince George's Stadium was featured in the January 30, 2007 episode ("Well Digger") of the Discover Channel show Dirty Jobs
Dirty Jobs
Dirty Jobs is a program on the Discovery Channel, produced by Pilgrim Films & Television, in which host Mike Rowe is shown performing difficult, strange, disgusting, or messy occupational duties alongside the typical employees. The show premiered with two pilot episodes in November 2003...
where host Mike Rowe performed a variety of jobs.