Hohokam Stadium

Hohokam Stadium (previously spelled HoHoKam), also known as Dwight W. Patterson Field and formerly Hohokam Park (1997–2013), is a 10,500-seat baseball park located in Mesa, Arizona. The stadium, named for the Hohokam people who occupied the region from approximately AD 1 to the mid-15th century, was completed in January 1997 after the original Hohokam Stadium was demolished. In 2015, it became the spring training home of Major League Baseball's Oakland Athletics. The 2015 stadium and facility refresh was led by Populous.

Hohokam Stadium
Full nameHohokam Stadium
Dwight W. Patterson Field
Former namesHohokam Park (1997–2013)
Location1235 N. Center Street
Mesa, Arizona 85201
Coordinates33°26′17″N 111°49′48″W
OperatorOakland Athletics
Capacity10,500[1]
Field sizeLeft Field: 340 feet (100 m)
Center Field: 410 feet (120 m)
Right Field: 350 feet (110 m)
SurfaceGrass
Construction
OpenedFebruary 1997
Renovated2014
ArchitectPopulous (HOK Sport)
Services engineerLloyd Civil & Sports Engineering[2]
Tenants

Hohokam Stadium has the largest scoreboard in the Cactus League, measuring 12 by 16 feet (3.7 by 4.9 m).

History

From 1997 to 2013, the stadium was the spring training home of the Chicago Cubs. In 1999, the Cubs drew 171,681 fans for its 15 home games, an average of 11,445 people per game. In 2007, the Cubs established a then Cactus League single-game attendance record of 12,906. In 2009, the Cubs established a then Major League Baseball and Cactus League single-season attendance record of 203,105 in 19 home games with an average per game attendance of 10,690—leading all MLB teams. Seven games had average attendance of over 13,000.

In 2002, the Arizona State University baseball team called Hohokam Park home while the on-campus Packard Stadium was being renovated.

The stadium hosted the 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2015 Western Athletic Conference baseball tournaments and will host the 2016 WAC Tournament.[6][7][8]

The Chicago Cubs continued using the stadium until the completion of Sloan Park for the 2014 spring training season. That same season, Oakland Athletics took over operations of Hohokam Stadium for their spring training activities, and continue to use it to this day.

Hohokam Stadium (1976–1996)

The original Hohokam Stadium was built in 1976 just east of the site of the current stadium.[9] It was known as Hohokam Stadium from 1976 to 1995 and Hohokam Park in 1996. The stadium also became known as Dwight W. Patterson Field in 1991 with the name carrying over to the new stadium when it was built in 1997.

From 1977 to 1978, it was the spring training home of Major League Baseball's Oakland Athletics. From 1979 to 1996, the Chicago Cubs used the stadium as their spring training home until the stadium was demolished in 1996 and replaced with the current stadium in 1997. The Cubs set a number of spring training attendance records while they played in the stadium during the 1980s, frequently drawing over 100,000 fans over a single month of play.[10]

The stadium began selling beer at the games in 1989.[10]

References
  1. "Mesa's Hohokam Stadium getting a makeover for A's".
  2. "Professional/International Projects — Lloyd Civil & Sports Engineering". Archived from the original on June 17, 2016. Retrieved May 4, 2016.
  3. "Mesa Launches HoHoKam Park Renovations for A's". Ballpark Digest. March 14, 2014. Retrieved September 22, 2014.
  4. "Fall League teams". The Arizona Republic. November 5, 2003. p. C9. Retrieved November 21, 2021 – via newspapers.com.
  5. "Arizona Fall League". Tucson Citizen. October 5, 1993. p. 3D. Retrieved November 25, 2021 – via newspapers.com.
  6. "2009–10 WAC Championships". WAC Sports. Archived from the original on December 1, 2011. Retrieved February 12, 2012.
  7. "2010–11 WAC Championships". WAC Sports. Archived from the original on February 13, 2012. Retrieved February 12, 2012.
  8. "2011–12 WAC Championships". WAC Sports. Archived from the original on September 28, 2011. Retrieved February 12, 2012.
  9. Tom Rhodes (February 1997). "A History of the Hohokam of Mesa". Retrieved March 29, 2013.
  10. Rausch, Gary (February 26, 1989). "THE CACTUS LEAGUE IS A MAJOR LEAGUE TOURIST ATTRACTION IN ARIZONA". Chicago Tribune.
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