Tomlinson Stadium–Kell Field
Encyclopedia
Tomlinson Stadium–Kell Field is a baseball
venue located in Jonesboro
, Arkansas
, USA. It has been home to the Arkansas State Red Wolves
college baseball
team of the Division I Sun Belt Conference
since 1993. The venue has a capacity of 1,000 people.
The stadium is named after former Arkansas State baseball coach and athletic director
J.A. "Ike" Tomlinson
, who coached ASU baseball from 1944-1976. His tenure set a record for longest-serving athletic coach in Arkansas State history which still stands today. The field is named after brothers George
and Skeeter Kell
, both of whom played baseball at Arkansas State and went on to play in the Major Leagues
.
In 1996, lights were added at the facility, allowing night games to be played there for the first time. In 2003, a new batter's eye
was constructed past the center field fence. A deck and picnic area, Barton's Baseball Deck, was added in 2007. In 2008, new chairback and handicap seats were added behind home plate
, moving the backstop closer to the field.
A record 1,019 people attended Arkansas State's March 11, 2008, game against the Memphis Tigers
. The Tigers defeated Arkansas State 3-0.
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 Jonesboro
Jonesboro, Arkansas
Jonesboro is a city in and one of the two county seats of Craighead County, Arkansas, United States. According to the 2010 US Census, the population of the city was 67,263. A college town, Jonesboro is the largest city in northeastern Arkansas and the fifth most populous city in the state...
, 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 State Red Wolves
Arkansas State Red Wolves
The Arkansas State University Red Wolves is the name given to Arkansas State University's athletic teams. The university is affiliated with the Sun Belt Conference in sports and maintains NCAA Division I status.-History:...
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 1993. The venue has a capacity of 1,000 people.
The stadium is named after former Arkansas State baseball coach and athletic director
Athletic director
An athletic director is an administrator at many American colleges and universities, as well as in larger high schools and middle schools, who oversees the work of coaches and related staff involved in intercollegiate or interscholastic athletic programs...
J.A. "Ike" Tomlinson
Ike Tomlinson
-External links:*...
, who coached ASU baseball from 1944-1976. His tenure set a record for longest-serving athletic coach in Arkansas State history which still stands today. The field is named after brothers George
George Kell
George Clyde Kell was an American baseball third baseman who played for the Philadelphia Athletics , Detroit Tigers , Boston Red Sox , Chicago White Sox , and Baltimore Orioles in the American League, who went on to become a baseball broadcaster for 40 years.-Playing career:In college, Kell...
and Skeeter Kell
Skeeter Kell
Everett Lee "Skeeter" Kell is a former Major League Baseball second baseman. He played one season, , for the Philadelphia Athletics, splitting time at second base with Cass Michaels and Pete Suder....
, both of whom played baseball at Arkansas State and went on to play in the Major Leagues
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
.
In 1996, lights were added at the facility, allowing night games to be played there for the first time. In 2003, a new batter's eye
Batter's eye
The batter's eye or batter's eye screen is a solid-colored, usually dark area beyond the center field wall of a baseball stadium, that is the visual backdrop directly in the line of sight of a baseball batter, while facing the pitcher and awaiting a pitch. This dark surface allows the batter to see...
was constructed past the center field fence. A deck and picnic area, Barton's Baseball Deck, was added in 2007. In 2008, new chairback and handicap seats were added behind home plate
Home Plate
Home Plate is the fifth album by Bonnie Raitt, released in 1975 .-Track listing:#"What Do You Want the Boy to Do?" – 3:19#"Good Enough" – 2:56#"Run Like a Thief" – 3:02...
, moving the backstop closer to the field.
A record 1,019 people attended Arkansas State's March 11, 2008, game against the Memphis Tigers
Memphis Tigers
The Memphis Tigers represent the University of Memphis in Division I of the NCAA. They are members of C-USA and currently feature nine women's sports and nine men's sports...
. The Tigers defeated Arkansas State 3-0.