San Jose Municipal Stadium
Encyclopedia
The San Jose Municipal Stadium, or Muni Stadium in common usage, is the home of the minor league baseball
San Jose Giants
, the Advanced A league affiliate of the San Francisco Giants
located in San Jose, California
. The Giants play in the northern division of the California League
. The stadium
is also home to the San Jose State University
Spartans college baseball
team for some regular season games (other regular season games are played across Alma Avenue at Blethen Field). The local high school baseball divisions also use Municipal Stadium as their championship field. The stadium also hosts concerts, weddings, dog shows, and many other local events. In the past Muni Stadium has been the home field for the San Jose Missions
, the San Jose Bees
, and the San Jose Expos.
project at a cost of $80,000. It was one of the first stadiums to be built entirely of reinforced concrete
and opened in 1942. The first game featured the San Francisco Seals
as the home team.
Fans sit very close to the field in four distinct seating areas. The first 7 rows of the main grandstand are numbered box seats. General admission seating is available in the upper rows of the main grandstand on straight backed benches. Down the left and right field lines are several bleachers that are accessible for general admission use. And finally there is table seating down the third base line as part of the famous "Turkey Mike's BBQ Area". The stadium has remained largely unchanged from its original configuration. However, renovations to the bathroom facilities and clubhouse were done in 1994 along with 3 extra rows of box seating were added in 1996. In 1999, the dugouts were expanded toward the field.
Players sign autographs before and after every game as California League rules prohibit them from doing so during the game. The outfield walls are lined with advertisements much like the stadiums of the 1920s and 30s were. Over the scoreboard in right field is a Diamond Vision video screen. The out of town scoreboard for other California League games are also hand hung. Fans are treated to all manner of games and entertainment between innings hosted by improvisation performers from ComedySportz San Jose. In-between inning activities include a tire toss, a child footrace around the bases and a fan favorite, "smash 4 cash", a competition where players attempt to smash the headlights of an old delivery truck to split $50 prize with a fan. Around July 4 every year, San Jose Municipal Stadium's fireworks show draws its largest attendance of the year, turning the foul line seating into standing room only.
In 1997, the bullpens moved from along the foul lines to the outfield. The visitor and home bullpens create artificial home run porches in left and right field respectively. In 2007, the outfield fence was replaced and moved in 10-20 feet in some areas and bullpens moved once again.
Many major league players over the years have called San Jose Municipal Stadium home including, George Brett
, Rod Beck
, Joe Nathan
, Chad Zerbe, Ron Hassey
, Shawn Estes
, Tim Lincecum
and Buster Posey
.
Municipal Stadium is located one block from Spartan Stadium, home to the SJSU football team. The area across Alma from Muni is also home to the San Jose State practice fields for soccer, baseball, and softball. Additionally part of Municipal Stadium's parking lot was converted into an indoor ice area named Sharks Ice at San Jose which is the practice venue for the San Jose Sharks
NHL hockey
team.
During the 2005 - 2006 offseason, a video board was added to the stadium along with a full-sized souvenir shed on the third base side of the stadium. The San Jose Giants introduced their first mascot, Gigante, during this offseason.
Minor league baseball
Minor league baseball is a hierarchy of professional baseball leagues in the Americas that compete at levels below Major League Baseball and provide opportunities for player development. All of the minor leagues are operated as independent businesses...
San Jose Giants
San Jose Giants
The San Jose Giants are a minor league baseball team in San Jose, California, USA. They are a Class A - Advanced team in the Northern Division of the California League, and have been a farm team of the San Francisco Giants since 1988. Home games are played at San Jose Municipal Stadium...
, the Advanced A league affiliate of the San Francisco Giants
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....
located in San Jose, California
San Jose, California
San Jose is the third-largest city in California, the tenth-largest in the U.S., and the county seat of Santa Clara County which is located at the southern end of San Francisco Bay...
. The Giants play in the northern division of the California League
California League
The California League is a Class A Advanced minor league baseball league which operates throughout the state of California. Before 2002, it was classified as a "High-A" league, indicating its status as a Class A league with the highest level of competition within that classification, and the fifth...
. The stadium
Stadium
A modern stadium is a place or venue for outdoor sports, concerts, or other events and consists of a field or stage either partly or completely surrounded by a structure designed to allow spectators to stand or sit and view the event.)Pausanias noted that for about half a century the only event...
is also home to the San Jose State University
San José State University
San Jose State University is a public university located in San Jose, California, United States...
Spartans college 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 for some regular season games (other regular season games are played across Alma Avenue at Blethen Field). The local high school baseball divisions also use Municipal Stadium as their championship field. The stadium also hosts concerts, weddings, dog shows, and many other local events. In the past Muni Stadium has been the home field for the San Jose Missions
San Jose Missions
The San Jose Missions were a minor league baseball team which played in the Pacific Coast League in 1977 and 1978. The team had been known as the Sacramento Solons prior to 1977, and played its home games in a football stadium there...
, the San Jose Bees
San Jose Bees
The San Jose Bees refers to two California League teams, one that existed from 1962 to 1976 and one that existed from 1983 to 1987. Based in San Jose, California, they were affiliated with the Los Angeles Angels from 1962 to 1964, the California Angels from 1965 to 1969, the Kansas City Royals from...
, and the San Jose Expos.
History
San Jose Municipal Stadium was built in 1941-42 as a WPAWorks Progress Administration
The Works Progress Administration was the largest and most ambitious New Deal agency, employing millions of unskilled workers to carry out public works projects, including the construction of public buildings and roads, and operated large arts, drama, media, and literacy projects...
project at a cost of $80,000. It was one of the first stadiums to be built entirely of reinforced concrete
Concrete
Concrete is a composite construction material, composed of cement and other cementitious materials such as fly ash and slag cement, aggregate , water and chemical admixtures.The word concrete comes from the Latin word...
and opened in 1942. The first game featured the San Francisco Seals
San Francisco Seals (PCL)
The San Francisco Seals were a minor league baseball team in San Francisco, California, that played in the Pacific Coast League from 1903 until 1957 before transferring to Phoenix, Arizona...
as the home team.
Fans sit very close to the field in four distinct seating areas. The first 7 rows of the main grandstand are numbered box seats. General admission seating is available in the upper rows of the main grandstand on straight backed benches. Down the left and right field lines are several bleachers that are accessible for general admission use. And finally there is table seating down the third base line as part of the famous "Turkey Mike's BBQ Area". The stadium has remained largely unchanged from its original configuration. However, renovations to the bathroom facilities and clubhouse were done in 1994 along with 3 extra rows of box seating were added in 1996. In 1999, the dugouts were expanded toward the field.
Players sign autographs before and after every game as California League rules prohibit them from doing so during the game. The outfield walls are lined with advertisements much like the stadiums of the 1920s and 30s were. Over the scoreboard in right field is a Diamond Vision video screen. The out of town scoreboard for other California League games are also hand hung. Fans are treated to all manner of games and entertainment between innings hosted by improvisation performers from ComedySportz San Jose. In-between inning activities include a tire toss, a child footrace around the bases and a fan favorite, "smash 4 cash", a competition where players attempt to smash the headlights of an old delivery truck to split $50 prize with a fan. Around July 4 every year, San Jose Municipal Stadium's fireworks show draws its largest attendance of the year, turning the foul line seating into standing room only.
In 1997, the bullpens moved from along the foul lines to the outfield. The visitor and home bullpens create artificial home run porches in left and right field respectively. In 2007, the outfield fence was replaced and moved in 10-20 feet in some areas and bullpens moved once again.
Many major league players over the years have called San Jose Municipal Stadium home including, George Brett
George Brett (baseball)
George Howard Brett , nicknamed "Mullet", is a former Major League Baseball third baseman, designated hitter, and first baseman. He played his entire 21-year baseball career for the Kansas City Royals. Brett's 3,154 career hits are the most by any third baseman in major league history, and 15th...
, Rod Beck
Rod Beck
Rodney Roy "Rod" Beck nicknamed "Shooter", was a relief pitcher in Major League Baseball who played for the San Francisco Giants , Chicago Cubs , Boston Red Sox and San Diego Padres...
, Joe Nathan
Joe Nathan
Joseph Michael Nathan is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Texas Rangers of Major League Baseball . Nathan started out his baseball career as a shortstop in high school but converted to a pitcher after being drafted by the San Francisco Giants...
, Chad Zerbe, Ron Hassey
Ron Hassey
Ronald William Hassey is a retired Major League Baseball catcher. Hassey began his career with the Cleveland Indians after the Indians drafted him in the 18th round of the 1976 MLB amateur draft...
, Shawn Estes
Shawn Estes
Aaron Shawn Estes is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. After he attended Douglas High School in Minden, Nevada, he was offered a scholarship by Stanford University...
, Tim Lincecum
Tim Lincecum
Timothy Leroy Lincecum is an American professional baseball starting pitcher for the San Francisco Giants of Major League Baseball. He was nicknamed "The Freak" and "Big Time Timmy Jim" and "The Franchise." He throws right-handed and bats left-handed....
and Buster Posey
Buster Posey
Gerald Dempsey "Buster" Posey III is a catcher for the San Francisco Giants. He was drafted by the Giants fifth overall in the 2008 Major League Baseball Draft....
.
Municipal Stadium is located one block from Spartan Stadium, home to the SJSU football team. The area across Alma from Muni is also home to the San Jose State practice fields for soccer, baseball, and softball. Additionally part of Municipal Stadium's parking lot was converted into an indoor ice area named Sharks Ice at San Jose which is the practice venue for the San Jose Sharks
San Jose Sharks
The San Jose Sharks are a professional ice hockey team based in San Jose, California, United States. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League...
NHL hockey
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
team.
During the 2005 - 2006 offseason, a video board was added to the stadium along with a full-sized souvenir shed on the third base side of the stadium. The San Jose Giants introduced their first mascot, Gigante, during this offseason.