Durham Bulls Athletic Park
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| Durham Bulls Athletic Park | |
|---|---|
| DBAP (D-BAP) | |
 |
|
| Location | 409 Blackwell St Durham, NC 27701 |
| Opened | April 6, 1995 |
| Owner | |
| Surface | Grass |
| Construction cost | $16 Million USD |
| Architect | HOK Sport + Venue + Event |
| Tenants | Durham Bulls (Carolina League) (1995-1999) Durham Bulls (International League) (1999-) |
| Capacity | 10,000 |
| Field dimensions | Left Field - 305 ft Left Center Field - 371 ft Center Field - 400 ft Right Center Field - 373 ft Right Field - 327 ft |
Durham Bulls Athletic Park, frequently called the DBAP (pronounced D-bap), is a baseball park in Durham, North Carolina that is home to the Durham Bulls, the AAA affiliate of the Tampa Bay Rays of Major League Baseball. The 10,000-seat park was opened in 1995, when the previous Bulls team played in the Class A Advanced Carolina League (the current Class AAA Bulls team began play in 1998). The stadium was designed by HOK Sport + Venue + Event, who also designed Camden Yards in Baltimore, Jacobs Field in Cleveland, and Coors Field in Colorado as part of the "new" old-stadium-like movement of the 1990s.
By design, the left field fence is a 32-foot-high wall 305 feet from home plate, known as the Blue Monster. It resembles Fenway Park’s Green Monster, including a manual scoreboard. The club introduced a furry "Blue Monster" mascot in during the 2007 season who now shares mascot duties with "Wool E. Bull" and "Lucky the Wonder Dog".
The bull sign mounted atop of the Blue Monster was modeled after the bull used in the 1988 film, Bull Durham. The actual sign from the movie (which featured the previous home of the Bulls, Durham Athletic Park) is hung in the concourse level of the DBAP. Although much sturdier than the original, the new sign's limitations were revealed in violent winds that rocked the Piedmont on April 16, 2007 - the bull's head and forelegs were torn off by the storm.[1] The damage was fixed by that weekend, but plans were made to replace the sign. [2]
Following an International League playoff game on September 6, 2007, the playing surface was named Goodmon Field, in honor of the owner of the Durham Bulls and CEO of Capitol Broadcasting.[3]
In 2008, the famous snorting bull was moved to the concourse, like its predecessor, and replaced by a two-sided bull, so that it may be viewed from Diamond View 2 and 3, in addition to the fans who will soon be able to walk around the park 360 degrees. The Bull's cameras and production equipment are now equipped with High Definition cameras and production capabilities. This also compliments the new state-of-the-art BOSE sound system.
[edit] References
- ^ Durham Bulls press release, 16 April 2007. The press release also includes a picture of the damage.
- ^ Bulls History (1990-2007).
- ^ WRAL.com Video Player Experience
[edit] External links
- Ballpark Digest Visit to Durham Bulls Athletic Park
- Durham Bulls Athletic Park Views - Ball Parks of the Minor Leagues
- Official Bulls web site description of the stadium
| Current ballparks in the International League | ||||
| North Division | South Division | West Division | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alliance Bank Stadium • Coca-Cola Park Frontier Field • Dunn Tire Park McCoy Stadium • PNC Field |
The Diamond • Durham Bulls Athletic Park Harbor Park • Knights Stadium |
Cooper Stadium • Fifth Third Field Louisville Slugger Field • Victory Field |
||
