Raymond H. "Hap" Spuhler Field is a baseball venue in Fairfax, Virginia, United States. It is home to the George Mason Patriots baseball team of the NCAA Division I Atlantic 10 Conference. Opened in 1986, it has a capacity of 900 spectators. It is named for Raymond H. "Hap" Spuhler, the first head coach of George Mason's baseball program.[1]
 | |
 | |
| Full name | Raymond H. "Hap" Spuhler Field |
|---|---|
| Location | University Drive, Fairfax, Virginia, USA |
| Coordinates | 38°50′06″N 77°19′06″W / 38.835069°N 77.318349°W |
| Owner | George Mason University |
| Operator | George Mason University |
| Capacity | 900 |
| Field size | 320 feet (Left field) 375 feet (LCF) 400 feet (Center field) 375 feet (RCF) 320 feet (Right field) |
| Surface | Bermuda turf (2003–present) Bluegrass/rye mixture (1986–2003) |
| Scoreboard | Electronic |
| Construction | |
| Opened | 1986 |
| Renovated | 2003 |
| Tenants | |
| George Mason Patriots baseball (A-10) (1986–present) | |
History
editSpuhler Field was opened in 1986. Prior to its opening, George Mason baseball used several area venues as temporary home fields.[1]
The field received several awards in the early 2000s for the quality of its playing surface. In 1999–2000, the Beam Clay College Baseball Diamond of the Year Award ranked Spuhler Field third, and in 2000–2001, it ranked the field second.[1][2] In 2002, the Sports Turf Managers Association awarded the field the college and university division's Baseball Field of the Year Award. In 2003, the field's playing surface was renovated. A Bermuda turf grass surface replaced the field's bluegrass/rye mixture. In addition, a new drainage system and artificial turf collar around home plate were installed.[1]
Features
editFeatures of the field include dugouts, bullpens, a sprinkler system, a batting cage, and an electronic scoreboard. A practice infield lies adjacent to the field on the first base side.[1]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b c d e "Spuhler Field". Go Mason. December 13, 2010. Archived from the original on March 11, 2012. Retrieved February 4, 2012.
- ^ "Spuhler Field Rated Third in the Nation". The Mason Gazette. May 25, 2000. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved February 4, 2012.
Raymond H. "Hap" Spuhler Field, George Mason's baseball facility, has been rated third in the Beam Clay College Baseball Diamond of the Year Awards.