Eck Stadium
Encyclopedia
Eck Stadium is the home of the Wichita State
Shockers baseball
team in Wichita, Kansas
. It has played host to the Shockers since its completion in 1984. Officially called Eck Stadium, Home of Tyler Field it is sometimes informally referred to as Eck.
The stadium, which has gone through numerous upgrades since its original completion, currently seats 7,851. This number does not include the Coleman
Outfield Hill, made during the original construction because of lack of funding to haul the dirt away, which can seat hundreds more.
On Sept. 23, 1999, The Coleman Co. put a $500,000 exclamation point on Wichita State University's Project FutureShox, a $7.8 million effort to make Eck Stadium-Home of Tyler Field the premier collegiate baseball facility in the nation.
Plans to significantly upgrade Eck Stadium-Home of Tyler field were first announced on Jan. 28, 1998, and were taken to another level with the leadership of Gene Stephenson, the winningest collegiate baseball coach since 1978.
Several major contributors stepped forward on the front end of the project, and on Sept. 23, The Coleman Co. accentuated a project that had Wichita State on its way to having the best collegiate baseball facility in the country.
Membership in the Virginia H. Farah All-American Club includes a skybox view of the game from the climate-controlled interior, complimentary food and beverage each game, priority parking and club admission for two fans per membership.
The Coleman Co. also provided chairs, and other products to be used in the pavilions. The majority of the seating on the hill is however on grass. Fans mostly bring their own chairs or blankets to lay on. Colman Hill is known just as "the hill" to Shocker fans. Wichita State allows fans to bring their own beverages, food, and grills onto the hill. This provides a "tailgate" atmosphere. Students of Wichita state frequent Coleman Hill and often heckle the opponents outfielders.
The Coleman gift also resulted in improvements on the field, including installation of new artificial turf and warning track.
of Eck Stadium is 7,851. This number counts the chairback seats behind home plate, as well as the chairback seats that line the right field line, and the metal grandstands that reside down the right field line as well. Blue "box seats" are closest to the action behind home plate. Followed by green and yellow seats higher up behind them, they are separated by stairs and a walkway.
GameDay Grass, a modern artificial surface which closely resmebles real grass, was laid down during the summer of 2009. The Shockers held fall practice on the new turf in preparation for the 2010 season.
Through the 2009 season, the infield consisted of field turf with dirt pockets surrounding each base, the pitchers mound, and home plate. The grass was real and stayed constantly green and long. Eck was known for its long outfield grass as batters struggled to get doubles, with the grass slowing down balls hit in the right or left field gaps.
The dimensions are 335 feet down both left and right field lines and 390 to center. Winds often blow from right field to left aiding right-handed batters trying to hit home runs.
Both bullpens are located down the foul lines on the respective 1st and 3rd baselines. Wichita State uses the first base dugout as their own for home games, unless hosting a NCAA regional or the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament, where rules would regulate otherwise. The third base lines bullpen also contains batting cages WSU uses for practice.
in attendance, averaging 3,643 per home game.
Wichita State University
Wichita State University is a NCAA Division I public university in Wichita, Kansas with selective admissions. WSU is one of six state universities governed by the Kansas Board of Regents. The current president is Dr. Donald Beggs....
Shockers baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
team in Wichita, Kansas
Wichita, Kansas
Wichita is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kansas.As of the 2010 census, the city population was 382,368. Located in south-central Kansas on the Arkansas River, Wichita is the county seat of Sedgwick County and the principal city of the Wichita metropolitan area...
. It has played host to the Shockers since its completion in 1984. Officially called Eck Stadium, Home of Tyler Field it is sometimes informally referred to as Eck.
The stadium, which has gone through numerous upgrades since its original completion, currently seats 7,851. This number does not include the Coleman
Coleman Company
Coleman Company, Inc., is an American company that specializes in outdoor recreation products. Historically, Coleman is known for camping gear....
Outfield Hill, made during the original construction because of lack of funding to haul the dirt away, which can seat hundreds more.
On Sept. 23, 1999, The Coleman Co. put a $500,000 exclamation point on Wichita State University's Project FutureShox, a $7.8 million effort to make Eck Stadium-Home of Tyler Field the premier collegiate baseball facility in the nation.
Plans to significantly upgrade Eck Stadium-Home of Tyler field were first announced on Jan. 28, 1998, and were taken to another level with the leadership of Gene Stephenson, the winningest collegiate baseball coach since 1978.
Several major contributors stepped forward on the front end of the project, and on Sept. 23, The Coleman Co. accentuated a project that had Wichita State on its way to having the best collegiate baseball facility in the country.
Virginia H. Farah All-American Club
The Virginia H. Farah All-American Club accommodates nearly 200 fans, and features reserved box seats for up to 96 fans on a veranda level immediately in front of the club.Membership in the Virginia H. Farah All-American Club includes a skybox view of the game from the climate-controlled interior, complimentary food and beverage each game, priority parking and club admission for two fans per membership.
Coleman Hill
The Coleman Hill includes two pavilions and terraces that spruce up the hill. The pavilions feature two covered, split-level, hardwood decks with storage for chairs. One pavilion includes a fireplace. The pavilions provide general seating for groups of fans and may be reserved for special events.The Coleman Co. also provided chairs, and other products to be used in the pavilions. The majority of the seating on the hill is however on grass. Fans mostly bring their own chairs or blankets to lay on. Colman Hill is known just as "the hill" to Shocker fans. Wichita State allows fans to bring their own beverages, food, and grills onto the hill. This provides a "tailgate" atmosphere. Students of Wichita state frequent Coleman Hill and often heckle the opponents outfielders.
The Coleman gift also resulted in improvements on the field, including installation of new artificial turf and warning track.
Regular Seating
The official seating capacitySeating capacity
Seating capacity refers to the number of people who can be seated in a specific space, both in terms of the physical space available, and in terms of limitations set by law. Seating capacity can be used in the description of anything ranging from an automobile that seats two to a stadium that seats...
of Eck Stadium is 7,851. This number counts the chairback seats behind home plate, as well as the chairback seats that line the right field line, and the metal grandstands that reside down the right field line as well. Blue "box seats" are closest to the action behind home plate. Followed by green and yellow seats higher up behind them, they are separated by stairs and a walkway.
Playing surface
AstroTurfAstroTurf
AstroTurf is a brand of artificial turf. Although the term is a registered trademark, it is sometimes used as a generic description of any kind of artificial turf. The original AstroTurf product was a short pile synthetic turf while the current products incorporate modern features such as...
GameDay Grass, a modern artificial surface which closely resmebles real grass, was laid down during the summer of 2009. The Shockers held fall practice on the new turf in preparation for the 2010 season.
Through the 2009 season, the infield consisted of field turf with dirt pockets surrounding each base, the pitchers mound, and home plate. The grass was real and stayed constantly green and long. Eck was known for its long outfield grass as batters struggled to get doubles, with the grass slowing down balls hit in the right or left field gaps.
The dimensions are 335 feet down both left and right field lines and 390 to center. Winds often blow from right field to left aiding right-handed batters trying to hit home runs.
Both bullpens are located down the foul lines on the respective 1st and 3rd baselines. Wichita State uses the first base dugout as their own for home games, unless hosting a NCAA regional or the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament, where rules would regulate otherwise. The third base lines bullpen also contains batting cages WSU uses for practice.
Attendance
In 2010, the Shockers ranked 10th in Division I college baseballCollege baseball
College baseball is baseball that is played on the intercollegiate level at institutions of higher education. Compared to football and basketball, college competition in the United States plays a less significant contribution to cultivating professional players, as the minor leagues primarily...
in attendance, averaging 3,643 per home game.