English Field
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Scenic English Field continues to provide Virginia Tech with a first-class campus setting for college baseball, day or night. The field, which was officially dedicated during a special ceremony on April 8, 1989, is named for the late E.R. ‘Red’ English and his wife, Ruth, who provided financial support for construction of the field. Located at the intersection of Rt. 314 and Duckpond Drive, English Field features 1,033 permanent chair-back seats in its concrete stands. The seats were made possible through a contribution by an anonymous donor. The stands also include easy-access handicapped sections, which are located at the top of the stands on each side of the center section. In the summer of 2008, the terracing of the hill along the third base/left field line was completed to provide fans with a new, unique and comfortable way to take in the action. When added to the permanent seats in the grandstand, the new terracing allows for well over 3,000 fans to be accommodated at any given time. The terracing includes a sloping, paved walkway to allow for wheelchair access and easy navigation. The terracing had other effects as well, as it required the fencing down the left field foul line to be realigned and the bullpens to be re-done. The right field line was done as well to keep things symmetrical, and as a result, all of English Field’s fencing, including the outfield wall and
the backstop wall, is padded in a forest green color much like one would see at many major league parks. A completely new drainage system was installed during fall 2005, along with a new eight-foot wooden outfield fence and a new net backstop behind the plate. The previous spring, a new scoreboard and message center were added along with additional landscaping and a concrete patio behind the stands. Prior to the 2004 season, a new lighting system was installed. The Hokies played their first baseball game under the lights in Blacksburg on April 28 of that year, defeating VMI, 8-0. A permanent press box was completed in January 1997. The two-story building located at the top of the stands behind home plate provides a working area for game operations workers and media, as well as two broadcast booths. It also houses a concession stand and restrooms, and a brand-new sound system that was installed in 2008. The field, which was constructed by the S. Lewis Lionberger Company, has dimensions of 330 feet down the lines, 375 feet in the power alleys and 400 feet to center field. The natural grass surface is composed of a mixture of rye and bluegrass. Other features include spacious dugouts faced with Hokie Stone, bullpens that are located near each dugout and a practice hitting cage along
the right field line. Security fencing was added in January 2003. The landscaping also allows for further expansion of the facilities as needed, as evidenced by the renovations that got underway in 2008 and that continue with the new indoor hitting facility. E.R. English, a native of Altavista, Va., played as an offensive and defensive guard on Virginia Tech football teams from 1930-33 and graduated from Virginia Tech in 1934. English contributed to Tech athletics for over 50 years and was one of the founders of The Student Aid Association in 1949. He served as president of that organization two of its first three years. English received the most outstanding alumni award at Tech in 1984. Through a generous gift from alumnus George Sampson, the home team dugout was named for long-time Tech baseball coach G.F. ‘Red’ Laird during a ceremony on April 12, 1991. Laird recruited and coached Sampson at Tech. The Hokies opened play at their new home with a 7-2 victory against George Mason University on March 22, 1989, and went on to post a 17-7 home record during their first season in the facility. Heading into the 2009 season, Tech’s 20-year mark at English Field is 325 wins, 167 losses and three ties. Prior to the opening of English Field, Tech played its home baseball games at Tech Park, where it compiled a 431-122-1 record over 34 seasons.