U.S. Steel Yard
Encyclopedia
U.S. Steel Yard is an open-air baseball
stadium located in Gary, Indiana
next to I-90. It is home to the Gary SouthShore RailCats
, a professional baseball team and member of the American Association. It seats 6,139 people. It also hosts many Little League Baseball games as well as high school
baseball games. The ballpark is notable for holding a memorial service for the late pop musician and Gary native Michael Jackson
on July 10, 2009, in which over 6,000 fans, with much of Jackson's family in attendance. The ballpark has had over 1,000,000 fans in attendance during the RailCats team history.
approved a request by company Northwest Sports Ventures to start an expansion baseball team in Gary, Indiana
. The team was scheduled to start play in the 2002 Northern League season. Later that year, a liability company named Victory Sports Group took the task to build a ballpark in downtown Gary. Then, in July 2001, the City of Gary and Victory agree on a 15-year lease that would facilitate the building of a state-of-the-art ballpark with construction scheduled to be completed in May 2002; the groundbreaking ceremony was held at this time. In September 2001, the ownership names this baseball team the Gary SouthShore RailCats
, with their stadium to be called RailCats Stadium.
Then, in October 2001, the City of Gary and the construction and architectural companies involved in the building of the new ballpark announced that it would not be completed in time for the 2002 Northern League season. As a result, all the RailCats' games in their inaugural 2002 season would be played on the road. During the 2002 season, the RailCats would travel more than 12,000 miles and spend more than 800 hours on the road in buses. RailCats Stadium was completed in August 2002, with a dedication ceremony and open house being held on August 8. The first baseball games to be played in this stadium were part of a Little League Baseball tournament held the following week. The stadium would also host various Gospel
and Blues
events throughout the next few months.
Then, in May 2003, the RailCats' ownership and U.S. Steel
sign a 10-year naming rights
agreement, effectively renaming the ballpark U.S. Steel Yard. On May 26, 2003, the RailCats played their inaugural home opener in the new ballpark with a sellout crowd of, with 7,089 people in attendance; the first pitch was thrown at 3:28 pm Eastern Standard Time
. The RailCats lost to the visiting Schaumburg Flyers
8–4 in 11 innings. The next day, on May 27, the first home run
was hit in U.S. Steel Yard by outfielder Billy Brown. The RailCats would record their first win in the new ballpark, defeating the Flyers 5–4. After drawing 26,648 fans in August 2003, the RailCats would compile a 2002 regular season attendance of 140,310 over 44 home games – an average of 3,189 fans per game.
In the 2004 Northern League season, the RailCats brought in a regular season attendance of 147,801 over 46 home games with an average of 3,213 fans per game. On twelve separate occasions attendance was over 4,000 fans, which included two sellout crowds. The RailCats finished the 2004 season with a record of 31–65. In the 2005 Northern League season, U.S. Steel Yard hosted the league's annual all-star game
on July 19, in which U.S. Steel sponsored. The Northern League's North Division defeated the South Division 5–1, in front of a crowd of 6,825 – the second largest attendance U.S. Steel Yard's history. The 2005 season also saw the RailCats' first playoff berth, in which they would eventually lose in the Northern League Championship Series to the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks
.
In the 2009 Northern League baseball season, the RailCats drew 185,747 fans to U.S. Steel Yard – an increase of 6,748 fans from the 2008 Northern League baseball season. In September 2009, the one millionth fan walked into the U.S. Steel Yard.
. Over 6,000 fans attended the service, which also served as a musical tribute to the pop star, as local musicians played a few of Jackson's songs. At the service, Gary mayor Rudy Clay
unveiled a seven-foot, four-inch granite plaque of Jackson. Originally, Clay talked to the Jackson family about having Michael's body be on display in Gary for the service, saying that the service would be "fit for the prince of peace and a memorial that's fit for Gary, Indiana's favorite son, the greatest entertainer that ever lived". This was discussed as part of a plan to have Jackson buried in Gary. About twenty of Jackson's cousins were in attendance at the service, along with Michael's father Joe Jackson – who showed up two hours into the service – and Rev. Jesse Jackson.
Baseball park
A baseball park, also known as a baseball stadium, ball park, or ballpark is a venue where baseball is played. It consists of the playing field and the surrounding spectator seating...
stadium located in Gary, Indiana
Gary, Indiana
Gary is a city in Lake County, Indiana, United States. The city is in the southeastern portion of the Chicago metropolitan area and is 25 miles from downtown Chicago. The population is 80,294 at the 2010 census, making it the seventh-largest city in the state. It borders Lake Michigan and is known...
next to I-90. It is home to the Gary SouthShore RailCats
Gary SouthShore RailCats
The Gary SouthShore RailCats are a professional baseball team based in Gary, Indiana, in the United States. The RailCats are a member of the American Association of Independent Professional Baseball, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball. The RailCats have played their home games at...
, a professional baseball team and member of the American Association. It seats 6,139 people. It also hosts many Little League Baseball games as well as high school
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
baseball games. The ballpark is notable for holding a memorial service for the late pop musician and Gary native Michael Jackson
Michael Jackson
Michael Joseph Jackson was an American recording artist, entertainer, and businessman. Referred to as the King of Pop, or by his initials MJ, Jackson is recognized as the most successful entertainer of all time by Guinness World Records...
on July 10, 2009, in which over 6,000 fans, with much of Jackson's family in attendance. The ballpark has had over 1,000,000 fans in attendance during the RailCats team history.
History
In February 2001, the Northern League's Board of DirectorsBoard of directors
A board of directors is a body of elected or appointed members who jointly oversee the activities of a company or organization. Other names include board of governors, board of managers, board of regents, board of trustees, and board of visitors...
approved a request by company Northwest Sports Ventures to start an expansion baseball team in Gary, Indiana
Gary, Indiana
Gary is a city in Lake County, Indiana, United States. The city is in the southeastern portion of the Chicago metropolitan area and is 25 miles from downtown Chicago. The population is 80,294 at the 2010 census, making it the seventh-largest city in the state. It borders Lake Michigan and is known...
. The team was scheduled to start play in the 2002 Northern League season. Later that year, a liability company named Victory Sports Group took the task to build a ballpark in downtown Gary. Then, in July 2001, the City of Gary and Victory agree on a 15-year lease that would facilitate the building of a state-of-the-art ballpark with construction scheduled to be completed in May 2002; the groundbreaking ceremony was held at this time. In September 2001, the ownership names this baseball team the Gary SouthShore RailCats
Gary SouthShore RailCats
The Gary SouthShore RailCats are a professional baseball team based in Gary, Indiana, in the United States. The RailCats are a member of the American Association of Independent Professional Baseball, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball. The RailCats have played their home games at...
, with their stadium to be called RailCats Stadium.
Then, in October 2001, the City of Gary and the construction and architectural companies involved in the building of the new ballpark announced that it would not be completed in time for the 2002 Northern League season. As a result, all the RailCats' games in their inaugural 2002 season would be played on the road. During the 2002 season, the RailCats would travel more than 12,000 miles and spend more than 800 hours on the road in buses. RailCats Stadium was completed in August 2002, with a dedication ceremony and open house being held on August 8. The first baseball games to be played in this stadium were part of a Little League Baseball tournament held the following week. The stadium would also host various Gospel
Gospel music
Gospel music is music that is written to express either personal, spiritual or a communal belief regarding Christian life, as well as to give a Christian alternative to mainstream secular music....
and Blues
Blues
Blues is the name given to both a musical form and a music genre that originated in African-American communities of primarily the "Deep South" of the United States at the end of the 19th century from spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts and chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads...
events throughout the next few months.
Then, in May 2003, the RailCats' ownership and U.S. Steel
U.S. Steel
The United States Steel Corporation , more commonly known as U.S. Steel, is an integrated steel producer with major production operations in the United States, Canada, and Central Europe. The company is the world's tenth largest steel producer ranked by sales...
sign a 10-year 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...
agreement, effectively renaming the ballpark U.S. Steel Yard. On May 26, 2003, the RailCats played their inaugural home opener in the new ballpark with a sellout crowd of, with 7,089 people in attendance; the first pitch was thrown at 3:28 pm Eastern Standard Time
Eastern Standard Time
Eastern Standard Time may refer to:*North American Eastern Time Zone, UTC-5*Australian Eastern Standard Time, UTC+10*An album by Hip Hop group Kooley High...
. The RailCats lost to the visiting Schaumburg Flyers
Schaumburg Flyers
The Schaumburg Flyers were a professional baseball team based in Schaumburg, Illinois, in the United States. The Flyers were to be a charter member of the North American League, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball, however, the team folded in March of 2011, before they began play in...
8–4 in 11 innings. The next day, on May 27, the first home run
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
was hit in U.S. Steel Yard by outfielder Billy Brown. The RailCats would record their first win in the new ballpark, defeating the Flyers 5–4. After drawing 26,648 fans in August 2003, the RailCats would compile a 2002 regular season attendance of 140,310 over 44 home games – an average of 3,189 fans per game.
In the 2004 Northern League season, the RailCats brought in a regular season attendance of 147,801 over 46 home games with an average of 3,213 fans per game. On twelve separate occasions attendance was over 4,000 fans, which included two sellout crowds. The RailCats finished the 2004 season with a record of 31–65. In the 2005 Northern League season, U.S. Steel Yard hosted the league's annual all-star game
All-star game
An all-star game is an exhibition game played by the best players in their sports league, except in the circumstances of professional sports systems in which a democratic voting system is used...
on July 19, in which U.S. Steel sponsored. The Northern League's North Division defeated the South Division 5–1, in front of a crowd of 6,825 – the second largest attendance U.S. Steel Yard's history. The 2005 season also saw the RailCats' first playoff berth, in which they would eventually lose in the Northern League Championship Series to the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks
Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks
The Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks are a professional baseball team based in Fargo, North Dakota, in the United States. The RedHawks are a member of the American Association of Independent Professional Baseball, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball...
.
In the 2009 Northern League baseball season, the RailCats drew 185,747 fans to U.S. Steel Yard – an increase of 6,748 fans from the 2008 Northern League baseball season. In September 2009, the one millionth fan walked into the U.S. Steel Yard.
Michael Jackson's memorial service
On July 10, 2009, a memorial service was held at U.S. Steel Yard for deceased pop musician and Gary native Michael JacksonMichael Jackson
Michael Joseph Jackson was an American recording artist, entertainer, and businessman. Referred to as the King of Pop, or by his initials MJ, Jackson is recognized as the most successful entertainer of all time by Guinness World Records...
. Over 6,000 fans attended the service, which also served as a musical tribute to the pop star, as local musicians played a few of Jackson's songs. At the service, Gary mayor Rudy Clay
Rudy Clay
Rudy Clay may refer to:*Rahman Ali, boxer, brother of Muhammad Ali, born with the name Rudolph Valentino Clay*Rudy Clay , mayor of Gary, Indiana, USA...
unveiled a seven-foot, four-inch granite plaque of Jackson. Originally, Clay talked to the Jackson family about having Michael's body be on display in Gary for the service, saying that the service would be "fit for the prince of peace and a memorial that's fit for Gary, Indiana's favorite son, the greatest entertainer that ever lived". This was discussed as part of a plan to have Jackson buried in Gary. About twenty of Jackson's cousins were in attendance at the service, along with Michael's father Joe Jackson – who showed up two hours into the service – and Rev. Jesse Jackson.