Whataburger Field

File:Whataburger Field View.jpg as viewed beyond the right field wall]]

File:Whataburger Field.jpg Home Run Derby at Whataburger Field]]

The park, which opened in 2005, is located on what used to be old cotton warehouses on the city's waterfront. Naming rights were paid for by Whataburger, Inc., which was headquartered in Corpus Christi before relocating to San Antonio in 2009. The {{USS|Lexington|CV-16|6}} and the Texas State Aquarium are visible from inside the park.{{cite web |title=Whataburger Field|url=http://www.cchooks.com/whataburger/|publisher=Corpus Christi Hooks|access-date=April 20, 2005|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060203114044/http://www.cchooks.com/whataburger/|archive-date=February 3, 2006}} As of 2019, Whataburger Field features 5,679 fixed seats, 19 luxury suites and two outfield berm areas that are able to accommodate approximately 2,000 people.

Whataburger Field's first official game was played against the Midland RockHounds on April 17, 2005. An 11-year-old Corpus Christi native named Mark Travis was the first fan to enter the stadium.{{Cite news |date=April 18, 2005 |title=Home sweet home |url=https://passagesofplay.com/content/images/2024/05/Corpus_Christi_Caller_Times_Mon__Apr_18__2005_--1-.jpg |access-date=May 2, 2024 |work=Corpus Christi Caller-Times}}

On June 30, 2005, the stadium unveiled For the Love of the Game, an 18-foot (5.5 m) statue depicting a young ballplayer in a contemplative pose. The statue is believed to be the largest bronze statue of a baseball player.

A pair of 1920s-era cotton presses border the videoboard in left field. Under a set of broken windows on the lefthand building, a sign reads "Bam-Bam" to commemorate a batting practice blast by Hooks outfielder Hunter Pence in 2006 that smashed one of the windows. Pence earned the nickname Bam-Bam because of his antics and similarities to the baby of the same name on The Flintstones.{{cite web |url=https://www.milb.com/corpus-christi/news/gcs-74820964 |title = Hooks celebrating 10th season in style}}

On June 26, 2007, Whataburger Field played host to the 2007 Texas League All-Star game.{{cite web |title=June 26, 2007: Texas League All-Star Game Whataburger Field, Corpus Christi, Texas|url=http://www.texas-league.com/allstar/|publisher=Texas League|date=June 26, 2007|access-date=June 27, 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070701143149/http://texas-league.com/allstar/|archive-date=July 1, 2007}}

The Southland Conference baseball tournament was played at Whataburger Field in 2009 and 2010. The conference tournament was scheduled to return to the facility in 2020,{{cite web |author1=Quinton Martinez |title=Whataburger Field to host Southland Conference baseball tournament |url=https://www.caller.com/story/sports/college/texas-a-and-m-university-corpus-christi/2019/12/05/whataburger-field-host-southland-conference-baseball-tournament-corpus-christi-hooks/2621258001/ |publisher=Corpus Christi Caller-Times |access-date=February 22, 2020 |date=December 5, 2019}} but was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.{{cite web |last1=Osburn |first1=Stacey |title=NCAA cancels remaining winter and spring championships |url=http://www.ncaa.org/about/resources/media-center/news/ncaa-cancels-remaining-winter-and-spring-championships |website=NCAA.org |access-date=March 15, 2020 |date=March 12, 2020}}

On June 10, 2010, the Houston Dynamo played the first-ever soccer match at Whataburger Field before a capacity crowd of 6,111, beating the Laredo Heat 2–1.{{cite web |title=Dynamo Defeat Laredo Heat 2-1|first=Jonathan|last=Kaplan|url=http://www.houstondynamo.com/news/2010/06/dynamo-defeat-laredo-heat-2-1|publisher=Houston Dynamo|date=June 10, 2010|access-date=February 23, 2014}} The Dynamo played in-state rival FC Dallas in a pre-season friendly on February 12, 2011 — becoming the second soccer match ever played at the stadium.{{cite press release |title=Dynamo, FC Dallas to Square Off in Corpus|url=http://www.houstondynamo.com/news/2010/12/dynamo-fc-dallas-square-corpus|publisher=Houston Dyanmo|date=December 21, 2010}}

Prior to the 2019 season, the Hooks and Whataburger renewed their naming rights agreement for a period of 15 years and announced a slew of changes. The roof of was painted with distinctive orange and white stripes, paying homage to the iconic pattern found at Whataburger restaurants and the private drive bordering the west side of the stadium was renamed Whataburger Way. As part of a ticket package, Whataburger 4Topps were added to the top of section 120, providing fans with the opportunity to dine at Whataburger-branded tables with adjoining 360-degree swivel chairs and Whataburger wait service.{{Cite web|url=https://www.milb.com/corpus-christi/news/hooks-whataburger-extend-ballpark-naming-rights-304779442|title = Hooks, Whataburger Extend Ballpark Naming Rights}}

During a pregame ceremony on September 1, 2019, the Hooks announced plans to name the stadium entrance Ken Schrom Plaza, honoring their retiring longtime front office executive and president who was notorious for greeting fans at that very plaza before and after games.{{Cite web|url=https://www.milb.com/corpus-christi/news/corpus-christi-proclaims-september-1-ken-schrom-day-310469226|title = Corpus Christi Proclaims September 1}}

Whataburger Field and the Hooks hosted the Astros' Alternate Training Site (ATS) during the shortened 2020 Major League Baseball season and the beginning of the 2021 MLB season.{{Cite web|url=https://www.milb.com/corpus-christi/news/astros-alternate-site-returns-to-whataburger-field|title = Astros Alternate Site Returns to Whataburger Field}} From April 12–14, 2021, it hosted a three-game exhibition series between the Astros' ATS and the Texas Rangers' ATS with entry limited to season ticket holders, marking the first professional baseball games at the stadium with fans since 2019.{{Cite web|url=https://www.milb.com/corpus-christi/news/alt-site-exhibition-schedule|title=Whataburger Field to Host Astros Alternate Site Exhibition Games}}

Spanning from right to center field and beyond, Whataburger Field offers fans views of Corpus Christi Harbor Bridge, which displays changing LED lights at night. A public lighting ceremony was held at the stadium on December 4, 2011. A new Harbor Bridge Project was underway as of 2017, expected to be completed by 2023, which will alter the bridge trajectory to beyond left field rather than right.

• Mike Shaw Automotive Line Drive Loft
• Bud Light Bullpen and Kieshnick's Korner
• Physician's Premier Power Deck
• Conviva 4Topp Tables
• Whataburger 4Topp Tables
• Yuengling Flight Zone
• gtek360 Terrace
• Goodwill Zone
• Kids Zone
• Sport Court basketball playing surface
• Daktronics {{convert|21|ft|abbr=on}} tall x {{convert|48|ft|abbr=on}} wide videoboard, unveiled in 2014
• Pool & Spa
• CITGO Cotton Club – an air-conditioned entertainment area redesigned prior to the 2019 season. The club area provides sweeping views of the field, Harbor Bridge and the downtown Corpus Christi skyline.{{cite web |title=Luxury Suite|url=http://www.cchooks.com/tickets/luxury/|publisher=Corpus Christi Hooks|access-date=February 22, 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070512210826/http://www.cchooks.com/tickets/luxury/|archive-date=May 12, 2007}}

• A Whataburger restaurant
• Nolan Ryan's Seven-34 Smoke House
• Tenders, Love, & Chicken
• Valero Champions Club bar with food service
• Live Oak Bar
• Dippin' Dots

{{Portal|Texas}}

• List of NCAA Division I baseball venues

{{clear right}}

{{Reflist}}

{{Commons category|Whataburger Field}}

• [https://www.milb.com/corpus-christi/ballpark Whataburger Field] – Corpus Christi Hooks

{{Texas League ballparks}}

{{Southland Conference baseball venue navbox}}

{{Texas NCAA Division I college baseball venue navbox}}

Category:Sports venues in Corpus Christi, Texas

Category:Texas A&M–Corpus Christi Islanders baseball

Category:College baseball venues in Texas

Category:2005 establishments in Texas

Category:Sports venues completed in 2005

Category:Texas League ballparks