Bank of the James Stadium

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Bank of the James Stadium
Calvin Falwell Field Exterior.jpg
Bank of the James Stadium
Former namesCalvin Falwell Field at City Stadium (2005–2019)
City Stadium (1940–2004)
Location3180 Fort Avenue
Lynchburg, Virginia 25401
Coordinates 37°23′34″N79°09′56″W / 37.392816°N 79.165623°W / 37.392816; -79.165623 Coordinates: 37°23′34″N79°09′56″W / 37.392816°N 79.165623°W / 37.392816; -79.165623
Owner City of Lynchburg
Operator Lynchburg Baseball Corp.
Capacity 4,281
Field sizeRight Field – 325 ft (99 m)
Center Field – 390 ft (120 m)
Left Field – 325 ft (99 m)
SurfaceGrass
Construction
Broke ground1938
OpenedApril 11, 1940 (1940-04-11)
Renovated2004
Construction costUS$280,000
($5.45 million in 2021 dollars [1] )
ArchitectGavin Hadden [2]
Tenants
Lynchburg Senators (VL) 1940-1942
Lynchburg Cardinals (PL) 1943-1955
Lynchburg Senators (ApL) 1959
Savannah/Lynchburg White Sox (SAL) 1962
Lynchburg White Sox (SAL) 1963
Lynchburg White Sox (SL) 1964-1965
Lynchburg White Sox (CL) 1966-1969
Lynchburg Twins (CL) 1970-1974
Lynchburg Rangers (CL) 1975
Lynchburg Mets (CL) 1976-1987
Lynchburg Red Sox (CL) 1988-1994
Lynchburg Hillcats (CL/Low-A East) (1963–present)

Bank of the James Stadium, formerly Lynchburg City Stadium, is a ballpark located in Lynchburg, Virginia, United States, and the current home of the minor league Lynchburg Hillcats team.

Contents

The baseball stadium was built in conjunction with an adjacent 6,000-person football stadium. The New York Yankees and the Brooklyn Dodgers played in the inaugural game at City Stadium on April 11, 1940, in front of an estimated crowd of 7,000. The following professional baseball teams have all fielded affiliates of their parent club in Lynchburg: the Washington Senators, St. Louis Cardinals, Chicago White Sox, Minnesota Twins, Texas Rangers, New York Mets, Boston Red Sox, Pittsburgh Pirates, Cincinnati Reds, and Atlanta Braves. The stadium is currently home to the Lynchburg Hillcats of the Carolina League, and is one of the oldest active ballparks in Minor League Baseball. [3] The Hillcats have been an affiliate of the Cleveland Guardians since 2015. From 2010 to 2014 they were affiliated with the Atlanta Braves. In 2005, the Hillcats set an attendance record with a total of 151,266 fans passing through the gates.

Name

City Stadium opened in 1940. It was renovated and the field was renamed Calvin Falwell Field at City Stadium in 2004. [4] In March 2020, the name was changed to Bank of the James Stadium when the city entered into a six-year naming rights deal worth $50,000 annually with Bank of the James, proceeds to be equally split between the city and the team. [5]

Renovations

The interior of Calvin Falwell Field Calvin Falwell Field Interior.jpg
The interior of Calvin Falwell Field

The stadium has had many major renovations since its inception in 1939. The first major renovation occurred in 1978. The renovation included reconstructing the outfield fence, grandstand roof, grandstand screen and adding new lights. In 1981, a clubhouse was added to accommodate both the football and baseball stadiums. In 2002 plans began for a $6.5 million renovation to Lynchburg City Stadium. The renovation included a complete renovation of the concourse with the addition of seat back chairs, and two picnic areas. The renovation also included the addition of two new concession stands, eight luxury boxes, a new press box, arcade room, spacious bathrooms and a state-of-the-art scoreboard. Prior to the 2005 season, six new luxury boxes were added in addition to a video board in right field. In August 2004, the field was dedicated to Calvin F. Falwell, President of the Lynchburg Baseball Corporation since its inception in 1966. [4]

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References

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  2. Pahigian, Josh (2007). The Ultimate Minor League Baseball Road Trip: A Fan's Guide to AAA, AA, A, and Independent League Stadiums. Guilford, Connecticut: Globe Pequot. ISBN   978-1-59921-024-7 . Retrieved November 8, 2011.
  3. Hill, Benjamin (February 18, 2021). "Been a while: Oldest Minor League ballparks". MiLB.com. Retrieved April 18, 2021.
  4. 1 2 "A Baseball Icon and a Gentleman". The News & Advance . Lynchburg. August 23, 2011. Retrieved February 24, 2014.
  5. Spedden, Zach (March 11, 2020). "New for 2020: Bank of James Stadium". Ballpark Digest. August Publications. Retrieved April 29, 2020.