Alex Box Stadium

{{Short description|Former baseball stadium in Baton Rouge, Louisiana}}

{{about|the former stadium|the current stadium|Alex Box Stadium, Skip Bertman Field}}

{{Infobox venue

| stadium_name = Alex Box Stadium

| nickname =

| image = File:Alex Box Stadium Baton Rouge Louisiana.jpg

| location = Skip Bertman Drive
Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70803
{{flag|United States}}|

| broke_ground =

| opened = March 12, 1938

| coordinates = {{Coord|30.4121|-91.1877|type:landmark|display=inline,title}}

| closed = 2008

| demolished = 2010

| owner = Louisiana State University

| operator = LSU Athletics Department

| surface = natural grass

| construction_cost = $50,000 (1938)

| architect =

| former_names = LSU Diamond or LSU Varsity Baseball Field (1938–1943)

| tenants = LSU Tigers baseball (NCAA) (1938–2008)
New York Giants (NL) (spring training) (1938–1939)
Baton Rouge Cougars (GSL) (1976)

| seating_capacity = 7,760

| dimensions = Foul Lines: 330 ft.
Power Alleys: 365 ft.
Center Field: 405 ft.
Outfield Fence Height: 10 ft.
Center Field Fence Height: 15 ft.}}

Alex Box Stadium, pronounced Alec Box Stadium,{{cite web|url=http://www.2theadvocate.com/sports/lsu/baseballblog/18839889.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080719191607/http://www.2theadvocate.com/sports/lsu/baseballblog/18839889.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=2008-07-19|title=Alex? Alec? or Elec?|publisher=theadvocate.com}} was a baseball stadium in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, United States. It was the home field of the LSU Tigers baseball team. The stadium was located across the street from Tiger Stadium, which is visible in right field. It was most notable for The Intimidator, a large billboard behind the right-field fence featuring the six years in which LSU won the College World Series.

History

LSU constructed the ballpark at a cost of $50,000 in 1938.

The New York Giants held spring training at the ballpark in 1938 and 1939. LSU dedicated the new field and the Giants played the first baseball game at the park on March 12, 1938, defeating the Philadelphia Phillies 6-5.{{cite news |last=Baumgartner |first=Stan |date=March 13, 1938|title=New York Giants Beat Phils in 9th|url= |work=Philadelphia Inquirer|location=Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |page=5 (Sports)}}

The first LSU game was March 21, 1938. LSU led Minnesota, 4–2, after three innings when the game was halted due to rain. The first official LSU Game at the stadium was March 24, 1938, when Minnesota defeated LSU, 6–5.{{Cite web|url=http://www.lsusports.net/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=5200&ATCLID=177194|title=LSU Baseball Facilities|publisher=lsusports.net}}

Alex Box was home to the Baton Rouge Red Sticks in the Evangeline Baseball League from 1946 to 1955.{{cite web|url=http://ballparkreviews.com/template2.php?in_name=Alex%20Box%20Stadium&in_city=Baton%20Rouge&in_state=Louisiana|title=Alex Box Stadium Baton Rouge, Louisiana|publisher=ballparkreviews.com}}

The final regular season series at Alex Box Stadium was played between LSU and Mississippi State University in 2008.{{Cite web|url=http://www.lsusports.net/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=27865&SPID=2173&DB_OEM_ID=5200&ATCLID=1467715|title=Storylines Aplenty as Baseball Plays Final Series at Alex Box|publisher=lsusports.net}} At the time, it appeared this would be the last series ever at Alex Box Stadium; however, LSU was selected to host a regional in the NCAA Tournament (which it won), and subsequently hosted a Super Regional as the #7 national seed.{{cite web|url=http://www.lsusports.net/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=5200&ATCLID=1474516|title=Baseball Earns No. 7 National Seed, Faces TSU|publisher=lsusports.net}}

It appeared that Alex Box stadium would close on a sour note for the Tigers, as LSU dropped Game 1 to UC Irvine 11–5, and in Game 2, LSU was three outs away from elimination, trailing 7–4 in the ninth inning. However, UC Irvine was unable to close out the LSU Tigers and LSU came from behind to win the game 9–7.{{cite web|url=https://www.usatoday.com/sports/college/baseball/2008-06-08-lsu-urvine_N.htm|title=LSU beats UC Irvine 9–7 to stay alive|publisher=usatoday.com}}

The stadium was thus given one final chance to close on a high note, which it did in Game 3 of the Super Regional played on June 9, 2008, as LSU defeated UC Irvine 21–7. As a result of the victory, LSU won the Baton Rouge Super Regional two games to one and advanced to the College World Series in Omaha, Nebraska. In the final play at the stadium, Tyler Hoechlin hit a grounder to pitcher Anthony Ranaudo, who threw to first baseman Buzzy Haydel for the final out.{{cite web|url=http://www.2theadvocate.com/sports/lsu/19704714.html?index=14&c=y|title=Some "lasts" at Alex Box Stadium|publisher=the advocate.com}}

The stadium was dismantled, and its remnants sold to fans.

It was replaced with a new stadium 200 yards to the south named Alex Box Stadium, Skip Bertman Field. Both structures were named for Simeon Alex Box, an LSU letterman (1942) who was killed in North Africa during World War II. The stadium was called LSU Diamond or LSU Varsity Baseball Field when it first opened.

Tournaments Hosted

File:Left Field Lunatics.JPG

NCAA Regional Tournaments (18): 1986, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2008

NCAA Super Regional Series (4): 2000, 2003, 2004, 2008

SEC Tournaments (4): 1985, 1986, 1991, 1993

ABCA Hall of Fame Tournament (1): 1991
{{clear}}

LSU record in Alex Box Stadium (1984–2008)

style="background:#461d7c;" align="center" \| Year ! style="background:#461d7c;" align="center" \| Games ! style="background:#461d7c;" align="center" \| W-L-T ! style="background:#461d7c;" align="center" \| Win Percentage
border="0" style="margin: 1em auto 1em auto"
valign="top" \| {\| class="wikitable sortable" style="margin: 1em auto 1em auto"
style="text-align:center;" \| 1984	31	23-8	.742
style="text-align:center;" \| 1985	34	31-3	.912
style="text-align:center;" \| 1986	43	38-5	.884
style="text-align:center;" \| 1987	35	30-5	.857
style="text-align:center;" \| 1988	33	27-6	.818
style="text-align:center;" \| 1989	36	31-5	.861
style="text-align:center;" \| 1990	37	32-5	.865
style="text-align:center;" \| 1991	43	33-10	.767
style="text-align:center;" \| 1992	38	30-8	.789
style="text-align:center;" \| 1993	43	34-8-1	.802
style="text-align:center;" \| 1994	35	28-7	.800
style="text-align:center;" \| 1995	36	28-8	.777
style="text-align:center;" \| 1996	39	32-7	.821
style="text-align:center;" \| 1997	40	36-4	.900
style="text-align:center;" \| 1998	35	32-3	.914
style="text-align:center;" \| 1999	38	27-11	.711
style="text-align:center;" \| 2000	39	28-11	.718
style="text-align:center;" \| 2001	37	27-10	.730
style="text-align:center;" \| 2002	36	28-8	.778
style="text-align:center;" \| 2003	39	30-8-1	.782
style="text-align:center;" \| 2004	36	27-9	.750
style="text-align:center;" \| 2005	36	23-13	.639
style="text-align:center;" \| 2006	38	26-12	.684
style="text-align:center;" \| 2007	35	20-14-1	.586
style="text-align:center;" \| 2008	40	31-9-1	.768
class="sortbottom" style="text-align:center;" ! style="background:#fdd023; color:#000;"\| Totals ! style="background:#fdd023; color:#000;"\| 932 ! style="background:#fdd023; color:#000;"\| 732-197-4 ! style="background:#fdd023; color:#000;"\| .787

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References

External links

[http://www.lsusports.net/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=5200&KEY=&ATCLID=177194 Alex Box Stadium at lsusports.net] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091125115140/http://www.lsusports.net/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=5200&KEY=&ATCLID=177194 |date=2009-11-25 }}
{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20080317131723/http://www.digitalballparks.com/Evangeline/AlexBox.html Digital ballparks: Alex Box Stadium]}}

Category:Baseball venues in Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Category:LSU Tigers baseball venues

Category:New York Giants (baseball) spring training venues

Category:Demolished sports venues in Louisiana

Category:Defunct college baseball venues in the United States

Category:Defunct minor league baseball venues

Category:1938 establishments in Louisiana

Category:2008 disestablishments in Louisiana

Category:Sports venues demolished in 2010

Category:Sports venues completed in 1938