Joseph L. Bruno Stadium
{{Infobox stadium
| stadium_name = Joseph L. Bruno Stadium
| nickname = "The Joe"
| location = 80 Vandenburgh Avenue
Albany, New York, 12180
| coordinates = {{coord|42.695329|-73.680464|display=inline,title}}
| owner = Hudson Valley Community College
| operator = Hudson Valley Community College
| surface = Grass
| construction_cost = US$14 million
(${{formatprice|{{Inflation|US|14000000|2002}}}} in {{Inflation-year|US}} dollars{{inflation-fn|US}})
| architect = DLR Group
| structural engineer = CHA Sports
| services engineer = Quantum Engineering Company{{cite web|title=Contractors Announced for New Baseball Stadium at Hudson Valley Community College|url=https://hvcc.edu/stadium/news/contractors.html|publisher=Hudson Valley Community College|date=March 20, 2002|accessdate=June 3, 2014|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100625204013/https://www.hvcc.edu/stadium/news/contractors.html|archivedate=June 25, 2010}}
| general_contractor = U.W. Marx Construction Co.{{cite web |title=Joseph Bruno Stadium|first=David|last=Broughton|url=http://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/Journal/Issues/2002/07/20020701/Facilities/Joseph-L-Bruno-Stadium.aspx|work=SportsBusiness Journal|date=July 1, 2002|accessdate=September 15, 2011}}
| former_names =
| tenants = Tri-City ValleyCats (FL) 2002–present
Hudson Valley Vikings (NJCAA) 2002–present
| seating_capacity = 6,500 (8,500 with lawn seating)
| record_attendance = 6,888 (July 4, 2011)
| dimensions = Left Field: 325 feet
Center Field: 400 feet
Right Field: 325 feet
}}
File:Joseph L. Bruno Stadium - entrance.jpg
The Joseph L. Bruno Stadium is a baseball stadium located on the campus of Hudson Valley Community College in Albany, New York. It is the home field of the Tri-City ValleyCats minor league baseball team of the independent Frontier League and previously the New York–Penn League.{{cite news|last=Schott|first=Ken|url=https://dailygazette.com/2021/01/07/valleycats-will-join-frontier-league/|title=ValleyCats will join Frontier League|website=Daily Gazette|date=January 7, 2021|accessdate=January 7, 2021}} The ballpark has 6,500 seats and a lawn seating area in the outfield which holds an additional 2,000 people, bringing the total capacity to 8,500. Located in the center of the tri-city area of New York's Capital Region (Albany, Schenectady and Troy), it was named after former New York State Senate Majority Leader Joseph Bruno, who helped secure the funds for the ballpark.{{cite web |title=Baseball Stadium |url=https://www.hvcc.edu/stadium/index.html |website=HVCC.edu |publisher=Hudson Valley Community College |accessdate=November 21, 2018 |archive-date=July 24, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180724015945/http://www.hvcc.edu/stadium/index.html |url-status=dead }}
Attendance
In 2012, the ValleyCats set a new single-season attendance record for the 9th-consecutive year, drawing 159,966 fans. The record was bolstered by 17 sellout crowds, also a new franchise record.{{cite news |title=ValleyCats Turn to Aaron West to Start New York–Penn League Playoffs|first=Ed|last=Weaver|url=http://www.troyrecord.com/general-news/20120907/valleycats-turn-to-aaron-west-to-start-new-york-penn-league-playoffs|newspaper=The Record (Troy)|date=September 7, 2012|accessdate=June 3, 2014}}
The ValleyCats set attendance records in 2004 (110,497), 2005 (116,674), 2006 (129,126), 2007 (136,809), 2008 (140,631), 2009 (145,976), 2010 (155,315), 2011 (156,279) and yet again in 2012 (159,966).{{cite web |title=Attendance Records |url=https://www.milb.com/news/gcs-5973136 |website=Minor League Baseball |publisher=Minor League Baseball |access-date=November 18, 2018}} The 'Cats have drawn a grand total of 1,463,669 fans since their inception in 2002.{{cite web |title=Joseph Bruno Stadium|url=https://www.milb.com/news/gcs-41587|publisher=Minor League Baseball|date=February 14, 2006|access-date=June 3, 2014}} They welcomed in their 1.5 millionth fan during the 2013 season.
Other events
=2008 New York–Penn League All-Star Game=
On August 19 "The Joe" hosted the 2008 New York–Penn League All-Star game, the fourth in league history.{{cite web |title=2008 New York Penn League All Star Game |url=https://www.milb.com/news/gcs-345991 |website=Minor League Baseball |access-date=November 18, 2018}} The game was won by the NL All-Stars with a walk off RBI by ValleyCats third baseman David Flores. This game was the second largest opening for "The Joe" in the 2008 season.
=K.O. at the Joe=
K.O. at the Joe was a series of amateur boxing matches held at the stadium. The first was in 2007 and was brought back in 2008 and 2009.{{cite web |last1=Santillo |first1=Andrew |title=Boxing state championships set for the Joe |url=https://www.troyrecord.com/news/boxing-state-championships-set-for-the-joe/article_953de89a-2e52-5f0a-aa99-48e77f1c84e4.html |website=Troyrecord.com |date=29 May 2009 |publisher=The Troy Record |accessdate=November 18, 2018}}
=World Series Trophy viewing=
On May 5, 2011, the San Francisco Giants World Series Trophy was on display for Capital Region fans.{{cite web |title=World Series trophy coming to Troy on May 5 |url=https://www.milb.com/tri-city-valleycats/news/gcs-16970246 |website=Minor League Baseball |access-date=November 18, 2018}} The stop in Albany was part of a public tour the team launched to celebrate its first World Series championship since 1954, and the first since moving from New York City to San Francisco. The franchise originally began in Albany, competing as the Albany Trojans from 1879–1882.
On August 3, 2018, the Houston Astros World Series trophy was on display at the Joe after Houston won its first championship.{{cite web |title=Astros' World Series trophy to visit "The Joe" on August 3 |url=https://www.milb.com/tri-city-valleycats/news/astros-world-series-trophy-to-visit-the-joe-on-august-3-269477584 |website=Minor League Baseball |access-date=November 18, 2018}}
=Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference tournament=
From May 24–27, 2012, the stadium hosted the 2012 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference baseball tournament, which was won by Manhattan.{{cite web |title=2011-12 MAAC Championship Schedule|url=http://www.maacsports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=17400&ATCLID=205178182|publisher=Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference|year=2011|accessdate=February 12, 2012}}{{cite web|title=Manhattan Repeats as MAAC Champs! |url=http://www.gojaspers.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=12500&ATCLID=205434345 |publisher=Manhattan College Sports Information Department |date=May 27, 2012 |accessdate=May 27, 2012 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150605153018/http://www.gojaspers.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=12500&ATCLID=205434345 |archivedate=June 5, 2015 |url-status=dead }}
References
{{reflist|2}}
External links
{{Commons category|Joseph L. Bruno Stadium}}
- [http://www.tcvalleycats.com/ Tri-City Valley Cats]
- [http://www.hvcc.edu Hudson Valley Community College]
- [http://mysite.verizon.net/charliesballparks/stadiums/bruno.htm Charlie’s Big Baseball Parks Page - Joseph Bruno Stadium] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051204074304/http://mysite.verizon.net/charliesballparks/stadiums/bruno.htm |date=2005-12-04 }}
- [http://www.littleballparks.com/Stadium/2002/Troy/Troy.htm Joseph Bruno Stadium Views - Ball Parks of the Minor Leagues] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090524191645/http://www.littleballparks.com/Stadium/2002/Troy/Troy.htm |date=2009-05-24 }}
{{s-start}}
{{succession box
| title = Home of the
Tri-City ValleyCats
| years = 2002 – present
| before = Wahconah Park
| after = Current
}}
{{end}}
{{Tri-City ValleyCats}}
{{Frontier League Ballparks}}
Category:Sports venues in Rensselaer County, New York
Category:Minor league baseball venues
Category:Baseball venues in New York (state)
Category:Buildings and structures in Troy, New York
Category:2002 establishments in New York (state)