Joseph P. Riley Jr. Park is a baseball stadium located in Charleston, South Carolina.[6][7] The stadium is named after Charleston's longest-serving mayor, Joseph P. Riley Jr., who was instrumental in its construction.[1] The stadium replaced College Park. It was built in 1997 and seats 6,000 people.
The Joe | |
 | |
 | |
| Location | 360 Fishburne Street Charleston, SC 29403 |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 32°47′25″N 79°57′40″W / 32.79028°N 79.96111°W |
| Owner | City of Charleston |
| Operator | City of Charleston/ Charleston Baseball, Inc. |
| Capacity | 6,000 |
| Field size | Left Field: 305 feet (93 m) Left Center: 356 feet (109 m) Center Field: 398 feet (121 m) Right Center: 366 feet (112 m) Right Field: 337 feet (103 m) |
| Surface | Bermuda Grass |
| Construction | |
| Broke ground | June 7, 1996[1] |
| Opened | April 6, 1997[2] |
| Construction cost | US$19.5 million ($37 million in 2023 dollars[3]) |
| Architect | Populous Goff D'Antonio Associates |
| Structural engineer | Kerr, Conrad & Graham[2] |
| Services engineer | Bredson & Associates, Inc.[4] |
| General contractor | McDevitt Street Bovis[5] |
| Tenants | |
| Charleston RiverDogs (SAL/Low-A East/Carolina League) (1997–present) The Citadel Bulldogs baseball | |
Nicknamed "The Joe" by locals, Joseph P. Riley Jr. Park is primarily used for baseball and is the home field of the Charleston RiverDogs baseball team of the Carolina League and The Citadel Bulldogs baseball team, whose campus is located nearby.
History
editThe park has hosted 15 Southern Conference baseball tournaments through the 2014 season. On March 2, 2012, the venue hosted the neutral-site game of the Clemson–South Carolina baseball series. The game, which South Carolina won 3–2 in 11 innings, was attended by 5,851 spectators.[8] The Citadel defeated the Gamecocks 10–8 on April 16, 2014 before 6,500 fans, setting a new record for a college baseball crowd in Charleston.[9]
The Citadel holds lifetime playing rights at the ballpark and has its own clubhouse in the stadium. The land that the stadium is built on once belonged to the school, and was a part of the land-swap negotiations that resulted in the City of Charleston taking over the land and giving The Citadel title to College Park.
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b Burger, Ken (June 8, 1996). "Riley's Vision of a Ballpark Slowly Rises". The Post and Courier. Charleston, South Carolina. Archived from the original on July 10, 2012. Retrieved March 3, 2012.
- ^ a b Miller, Andrew (April 6, 1997). "New Baseball Park a Recruiting Magnet". The Post and Courier. Charleston, South Carolina. Retrieved August 19, 2011.
- ^ 1634–1699: McCusker, J. J. (1997). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States: Addenda et Corrigenda (PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1700–1799: McCusker, J. J. (1992). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States (PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1800–present: Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. "Consumer Price Index (estimate) 1800–". Retrieved February 29, 2024.
- ^ "Pro Baseball Sports Facilities". Bredson & Associates, Inc. Archived from the original on April 10, 2002. Retrieved August 8, 2013.
- ^ "Ballpark Figures Rise in Minors". The State. Columbia, South Carolina. July 7, 1997. Retrieved November 8, 2011.
- ^ "Joseph P. Riley, Jr. Park". rileyparkevents.com.
- ^ "Joe Riley Ball Park | Charleston, SC - Official Website". www.charleston-sc.gov. Charleston, SC. Retrieved 8 November 2022.
- ^ "#2 Gamecocks Edge #15 Clemson 3-2 in 11 Innings Friday". Clemson Athletics. March 2, 2012. Archived from the original on 2012-03-04. Retrieved March 4, 2012.
... in front of 5,851 fans at Joseph P. Riley Jr. Park on Friday night.
- ^ Jeff Hartsell (April 16, 2014). "Citadel baseball hands No. 11 South Carolina fourth straight loss before record crowd". Post and Courier. Charleston, South Carolina. Retrieved June 30, 2014.
External links
edit- Official Website
- Joseph P. Riley Jr. Park | Charleston RiverDogs The Joe
- Joseph P. Riley Jr. Park Views – Ball Parks of the Minor Leagues