Alfred A. McKethan Stadium
Coordinates: 29°38′58″N 82°21′14″W / 29.6494°N 82.353856°W
 | |
| Former names | Perry Field (1950–1988) |
|---|---|
| Location | Gainesville, Florida |
| Owner | University of Florida |
| Operator | University Athletic Association |
| Capacity | 5,500 |
| Record attendance | 6,244 |
| Field size |
Left Field: 329 feet Left Center: 365 feet Center Field: 400 feet Right Center: 375 feet Right Field: 325 feet |
| Surface | Grass |
| Construction | |
| Opened | 1988 (current stadium facility) |
| Construction cost | $16.5 million |
| Tenants | |
| Florida Gators baseball (NCAA) | |
Alfred A. McKethan Stadium at Perry Field is the college baseball stadium of the University of Florida, and serves as the home field for the Florida Gators baseball team. McKethan Stadium is located on the university's Gainesville, Florida campus, in close proximity to the university's indoor sports arena, the Stephen C. O'Connell Center, and its football stadium, Ben Hill Griffin Stadium.[1]
Namesakes
The stadium facility is named for Alfred A. McKethan, a University of Florida alumnus and successful Florida banker, businessman and politician who contributed significant funds for the reconstruction and expansion of the stadium. McKethan donated nearly three million dollars for the reconstruction and improvement of the stadium in the 1980s and 1990s.
The playing field is named for Carl E. "Tootie" Perry, a former Florida Gators football player who was the Gators' first All-Southern selection in 1920 and 1921 and team captain in 1921. Perry's family formerly owned the land on which the baseball stadium was built, and donated the land to the university.[2]
Facilities
The current stadium facility is a concrete structure that seats approximately 5,500 fans, and includes a press box, concession stands, locker rooms for the Gators and visiting teams, and coaching staff offices. The University Athletic Association rebuilt the press box in 1996, added bleachers on the left field line and behind the left field fence in 1997, and added another 1,000 seats down the left baseline and upgraded to the locker rooms and baseball offices in 2007.
The stadium is lighted for night games and features a natural grass and clay playing surface.
McKethan Stadium Pressbox
The Gators in action on February 17, 2013
Tootie Perry, namesake of Perry Field
Attendance
In 2013, the Gators ranked tenth among Division I baseball programs in total attendance with 126,421 persons attending 36 games, and ranked 12th in average attendance with 3,511 persons per home game.[3] The record for highest attendance in a single game at McKethan Stadium was set on April 9, 2016; a total of 6,244 fans watched the Gators lose game 2 of a 3-game series to Mississippi State, 10-4.[4]
See also
- Buildings at the University of Florida
- Florida Gators
- History of the University of Florida
- List of NCAA Division I baseball venues
- University Athletic Association
References
- ↑ About the stadium
- ↑ GatorZone.com, Facilities, McKethan Stadium at Perry Field. Retrieved July 27, 2014.
- ↑ Cutler, Tami (June 11, 2013). "2013 Division I Baseball Attendance - Final Report" (PDF). Sportswriters.net. NCBWA. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 20, 2013. Retrieved July 20, 2013.
- ↑ "No. 10 Mississippi State Evens Series at No. 1 Florida, 10-4". Retrieved 12 April 2016.
External links
- Alfred A. McKethan Stadium – Stadium description at official website of the Florida Gators.