Harold Kraft Memorial Field is a baseball venue in Grand Forks, North Dakota, United States. It was home to the North Dakota Fighting Hawks baseball team of the NCAA Division I Western Athletic Conference.[1] It is named for Harold Kraft, former coach of the North Dakota baseball program who revived the program in 1956 after it had been discontinued in 1921. Kraft coached the program from 1956 to 1981.[2] It has a capacity of 2,000 spectators.[1] On April 12, 2016, the University of North Dakota announced it will be dropping its baseball program after the 2016 season due to budget cuts.[3]
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| Location | 2511 17th Avenue South, Grand Forks, North Dakota, USA |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 47°54′05″N 97°03′49″W / 47.901401°N 97.063646°W |
| Owner | Grand Forks Park District |
| Operator | Grand Forks Park District |
| Capacity | 2,000 |
| Surface | FieldTurf (2011-present) |
| Scoreboard | Electronic |
| Construction | |
| Renovated | 2011 |
| Tenants | |
| North Dakota Fighting Hawks baseball (NCAA DI WAC) Red River High School Red River Pilots (Expedition League 2022-2022 | |
Features edit
A FieldTurf surface was installed in 2011, allowing for play in a wider range of weather conditions. The venue also features dugouts, bullpens, batting cages, and evergreen trees lining the outfield fence. Its seating areas include a main grandstand behind home plate, bleachers down the first base line, and a viewing deck down the third base line. It also has a press box, restrooms, and concessions.[1]
Other Uses edit
2021 will see the debut of the Expedition League at Kraft Field, as the Wheat City Whiskey Jacks from Brandon, Manitoba will be relocated due to the border closure.
In addition to North Dakota baseball, the field has hosted the 2011 Great West Conference baseball tournament[4] and the 1992 and 2004 North Central Conference Baseball Tournament.[1] The baseball teams of Red River High School, next to whose campus the field is located, and Grand Forks Central High School also uses the field.[5]
See also edit
References edit
- ^ a b c d "Kraft Memorial Field". FightingSioux.com. Archived from the original on 2011-10-11. Retrieved 26 May 2012.
- ^ "2012 North Dakota Baseball Media Guide". Issuu.com. Archived from the original on 2012-05-26. Retrieved 26 May 2012.
- ^ "North Dakota cuts baseball, men's golf in budget cuts". KVLY-TV. April 12, 2016. Retrieved 13 May 2016.
- ^ "2010-11 Great West Championships". GreatWestConference.com. Archived from the original on 2013-01-29. Retrieved 26 May 2012.
- ^ "Fargo North v. Red River Box Score". GFSchools.org. Archived from the original on 2012-05-26. Retrieved 26 May 2012.