Bart Kaufman Field is a baseball field in Bloomington, Indiana. It is home of the Indiana Hoosiers baseball team.[4] The capacity of the facility is 2,500 spectators. It is named after Bart Kaufman, an alumnus who played in 1960-61-62. In 1961 he was the second-leading hitter (.452) in the Big Ten to longtime Detroit Tigers player Bill Freehan of the University of Michigan. Kaufman pledged $2.5 million to get the project going. Many teammates contributed to name the Indiana dugout after longtime baseball coach Ernie Andres. Much of the cost, reported to be in excess of $19 million including Andy Mohr Field for softball, was funded by proceeds from the Big Ten Network.

Bart Kaufman Field
Bart Kaufman Field in Bloomington, Indiana
Bart Kaufman Field is located in Indiana
Bart Kaufman Field
Bart Kaufman Field
Location within Indiana
Bart Kaufman Field is located in the United States
Bart Kaufman Field
Bart Kaufman Field
Bart Kaufman Field (the United States)
Address1873 N. Fee Lane
LocationBloomington, Indiana
Coordinates39°11′05″N 86°31′21″W / 39.184809°N 86.522539°W / 39.184809; -86.522539
OwnerIndiana University
OperatorIndiana University
TypeStadium
Genre(s)Baseball
Capacity2,500
Record attendance4,312
Field sizeLF: 330 ft (100.6 m)
LC: 370 ft (112.8 m)
CF: 400 ft (121.9 m)
RC: 380 ft (115.8 m)
RF: 340 ft (103.6 m)[1]
SurfaceAstroTurf GameDay Grass 3D Xtreme[2]
Construction
Broke groundMay, 2012
Built2012–2013
Opened20 March 2013 (2013-03-20)
Construction costUS$19.8 million
ArchitectBrowning Day Mullins Dierdorf[3]
Tenants
Indiana Hoosiers baseball (2013–present)
Big Ten Conference Tournament (2017)
Website
iuhoosiers.com/facilities/bart-kaufman-field-baseball/1

The stadium hosted an NCAA Regional in its first two years of existence; it marked the first two times the IU baseball program has played tournament games on campus. Bart Kaufman Field hosted its first Big Ten baseball tournament from May 24 to 28, 2017.[5]

History edit

 
Grandstands

On August 19, 2011, the Indiana University Board of Trustees approved plans for a new baseball–softball complex. These new fields would be located just north of Assembly Hall, near the intersection of the 45/46 bypass and Fee Lane. The new baseball field would replace Sembower Field, which had been the Hoosiers' home field since 1951.[6] On February 15, 2012, Indiana University announced that the new baseball field would be named after Bart Kaufman, CEO of the Indianapolis-based Kaufman Financial Corporation, and an Indiana baseball alumnus.[7] This announcement came after Kaufman pledged $2.5 million to the construction of a new stadium.[8]

Construction began on Bart Kaufman Field in May 2012, and was finished in March 2013; the stadium was formally dedicated on April 26 of that year.[9] The Hoosiers' first game in the stadium was March 20, 2013, with a 15–1 win over Miami University.[10]

On December 19, 2017, Indiana University Athletics announced plans to install an LED video scoreboard, beyond the outfield wall. The size of the new scoreboard is estimated to be 26.8 feet (8.16 m) high by 48.7 (14.84 m) feet wide. Installation of the new scoreboard was completed prior to the start of the 2018 season, with it being utilized for the Hoosiers' home opener on March 6, 2018, against Cincinnati.[11][12]

Features edit

The facility has a clubhouse and locker room, training area and team rooms, indoor and outdoor hitting cages, turf field, press box, lights for night play, bench and stadium chair seating, entry plaza, picnic area, concessions and restrooms.[13]

Attendance edit

Year Total Yearly Attendance Average Attendance
2013 35,800 1,704[14]
2014 68,715 2,749[15]
2015 55,185 2,207[16]
2016 49,479 1,979[17]
2017 49,399 2,058[18]
2018 49,446 1,902[19]
2019 48,027 2,001[20]
2022 35,068 1,670[21]
Top 10 Largest Crowds
Attendance Opponent Date
1 4,312[22] Stanford May 31, 2014
2 4,125[23] Youngstown St May 30, 2014
3 3,862[24] Purdue May 4, 2014
4 3,661[25] Purdue May 3, 2014
5 3,524[26] Stanford June 1, 2014
6 3,248[27] Minnesota May 17, 2014
7 3,214[28] Austin Peay June 2, 2013
8 3,193[29] Ohio State May 15, 2015
9 3,077[30] Louisville May 16, 2017
10 3,045[31] Valparaiso May 31, 2013

Pictures edit

 
Bart Kaufman - Left Field (2018) - New video scoreboard
 
Right Field from South stands
 
Home Plate from West stands
 
Bart Kaufman Field - 2017

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ "An Additional Impact of Kaufman Field". Indiana Daily Student. 2013-03-20. Archived from the original on 2014-03-06. Retrieved 2014-03-15.
  2. ^ "Hoosiers Make History on the Diamond". AstroTurf. 2013-07-02. Archived from the original on 2013-10-02. Retrieved 2014-03-15.
  3. ^ "IU Athletics Receives Major Gift From Bart Kaufman, Will Name New Baseball Field In His Honor". 2012-02-15. Archived from the original on 2014-03-16. Retrieved 2014-03-15.
  4. ^ "Arizona State to share new Cubs training complex". 27 September 2011.
  5. ^ "Bart Kaufman Field to host Big Ten Tournament". Indiana University Athletics. 2017. Retrieved March 2, 2017.
  6. ^ "IU Trustees Approve Construction of Baseball/Softball Complex". Indiana University Athletics. 2011-08-19. Retrieved 2014-03-16.
  7. ^ "IU Athletics Receives Major Gift From Bart Kaufman, Will Name New Baseball Field In His Honor". Indiana University Athletics. 2012-02-15. Archived from the original on 2014-03-16. Retrieved 2014-03-16.
  8. ^ "IU Baseball Field To Be Named After Donor Bart Kaufman". Indiana Public Media. 2012-02-15. Retrieved 2014-03-16.
  9. ^ "Indiana University dedicating its new softball and baseball fields". IU News Room. 2013-04-16. Retrieved 2014-03-16.
  10. ^ "Hoosiers Enjoy Spectacular Bart Kaufman Field Debut". Indiana University Athletics. 2013-03-20. Archived from the original on 2014-03-16. Retrieved 2014-03-16.
  11. ^ "Indiana Announces Video Board Installations for Bart Kaufman Field and Andy Mohr Field". Indiana University Athletics. December 19, 2017. Retrieved December 21, 2017.
  12. ^ "Twitter - Thumbs up Emoji". Indiana University Athletics - Twitter page. March 6, 2018. Retrieved March 12, 2018.
  13. ^ "Bart Kaufman Field - Facilities description". Indiana University Athletics. Retrieved 2017-03-13.
  14. ^ Cutler, Tami (June 11, 2013). "2013 Division I Baseball Attendance - Final Report" (PDF). Sportswriters.net. NCBWA. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 28, 2014. Retrieved July 20, 2013.
  15. ^ "D1 College Baseball Attendance Records- 2014" (PDF). Ncaa.org. 2015. Retrieved February 28, 2017.
  16. ^ "D1 College Baseball Attendance Records - 2015" (PDF). Ncaa.org. 2016. Retrieved February 28, 2017.
  17. ^ "D1 College Baseball Attendance Records - 2016" (PDF). Ncaa.org. 2017. Retrieved February 28, 2017.
  18. ^ "D1 College Baseball Attendance Records - 2017". Ncaa.org. 2017. Retrieved June 20, 2017.
  19. ^ "D1 College Baseball Attendance Records - 2018". Ncaa.org. 2017. Retrieved August 6, 2018.
  20. ^ "D1 College Baseball Attendance Records - 2019" (PDF). Ncaa.org. 2020. Retrieved April 20, 2023.
  21. ^ "D1 College Baseball Attendance Records - 2022" (PDF). Ncaa.org. 2022. Retrieved April 28, 2023.
  22. ^ "Baseball vs Stanford on 5/31/2014 - Box Score". Indiana University Athletics. Retrieved 2021-06-06.
  23. ^ "Baseball vs Youngstown State on 5/30/2014 - Box Score". Indiana University Athletics. Retrieved 2021-06-06.
  24. ^ "Baseball vs Purdue on 5/4/2014 - Box Score". Indiana University Athletics. Retrieved 2021-06-06.
  25. ^ "Baseball vs Purdue on 5/3/2014 - Box Score". Indiana University Athletics. Retrieved 2021-06-06.
  26. ^ "Baseball vs Stanford on 6/1/2014 - Box Score". Indiana University Athletics. Retrieved 2021-06-06.
  27. ^ "Baseball vs Minnesota on 5/17/2014 - Box Score". Indiana University Athletics. Retrieved 2021-06-06.
  28. ^ "Baseball vs Austin Peay on 6/2/2013 - Box Score". Indiana University Athletics. Retrieved 2021-06-06.
  29. ^ "Baseball vs Ohio State on 5/15/2015 - Box Score". Indiana University Athletics. Retrieved 2021-06-06.
  30. ^ "Baseball vs Louisville on 5/16/2017 - Box Score". Indiana University Athletics. Retrieved 2021-06-06.
  31. ^ "Baseball vs Valparaiso on 5/31/2013 - Box Score". Indiana University Athletics. Retrieved 2021-06-06.

External links edit