Alex Box Stadium

Alex Box Stadium, pronounced Alec Box Stadium,[1] was a baseball stadium in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, United States. It was the home field of the LSU Tigers baseball team. The stadium was located across the street from Tiger Stadium, which is visible in right field. It was most notable for The Intimidator, a large billboard behind the right-field fence featuring the five years in which LSU won the College World Series.

Alex Box Stadium

Former names	LSU Diamond or LSU Varsity Baseball Field (1938–1943)
Location	Skip Bertman Drive Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70803  United States
Coordinates	30.4121°N 91.1877°W
Owner	Louisiana State University
Operator	LSU Athletics Department
Capacity	7,760
Field size	Foul Lines: 330 ft. Power Alleys: 365 ft. Center Field: 405 ft. Outfield Fence Height: 10 ft. Center Field Fence Height: 15 ft.
Surface	natural grass
Construction
Opened	March 12, 1938
Closed	2008
Demolished	2010
Tenants
LSU Tigers baseball (NCAA) (1938–2008) New York Giants (NL) (spring training) (1938–1939) Baton Rouge Red Sticks (EL) (1946–1955)

History

The stadium opened in 1938 and closed in 2008. It was replaced with a new stadium 200 yards to the south named Alex Box Stadium, Skip Bertman Field. Both structures were named for Simeon Alex Box, an LSU letterman (1942) who was killed in North Africa during World War II. The stadium was called LSU Diamond or LSU Varsity Baseball Field when it first opened.

The New York Giants held spring training at the ballpark in 1938 and 1939. The Giants played the first baseball game at the park, defeating the Philadelphia Phillies 6-5. The first LSU game was March 21, 1938. LSU led Minnesota, 4–2, after three innings when the game was halted due to rain. The first official LSU Game at the stadium was March 24, 1938, when Minnesota defeated LSU, 6–5.[2]

Alex Box was home to the Baton Rouge Red Sticks in the Evangeline Baseball League from 1946 to 1955.[3]

The final regular season series at Alex Box Stadium was played between LSU and Mississippi State University in 2008.[4] At the time, it appeared this would be the last series ever at Alex Box Stadium; however, LSU was selected to host a regional in the NCAA Tournament (which it won), and subsequently hosted a Super Regional as the #7 national seed.[5]

It appeared that Alex Box stadium would close on a sour note for the Tigers, as LSU dropped Game 1 to UC Irvine 11–5, and in Game 2, LSU was three outs away from elimination, trailing 7–4 in the ninth inning. However, UC Irvine was unable to close out the LSU Tigers and LSU came from behind to win the game 9–7.[6]

The stadium was thus given one final chance to close on a high note, which it did in Game 3 of the Super Regional played on June 9, 2008, as LSU defeated UC Irvine 21–7. As a result of the victory, LSU won the Baton Rouge Super Regional two games to one and advanced to the College World Series in Omaha, Nebraska. In the final play at the stadium, Tyler Hoechlin hit a grounder to pitcher Anthony Ranaudo, who threw to first baseman Buzzy Haydel for the final out.[7]

The stadium has been dismantled and sold to fans.

Tournaments Hosted

LSU fans enjoyed one final regional in Alex Box Stadium during the 2008 NCAA tournament.

NCAA Regional Tournaments (18): 1986, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2008
NCAA Super Regional Series (4): 2000, 2003, 2004, 2008
SEC Tournaments (4): 1985, 1986, 1991, 1993

ABCA Hall of Fame Tournament (1): 1991

LSU record in Alex Box Stadium (1984–2008)

Year Games W-L-T Win Percentage 1984 31 23-8 .742 1985 34 31-3 .912 1986 43 38-5 .884 1987 35 30-5 .857 1988 33 27-6 .818 1989 36 31-5 .861 1990 37 32-5 .865 1991 43 33-10 .767 1992 38 30-8 .789 1993 43 34-8-1 .802 1994 35 28-7 .800 1995 36 28-8 .777 1996 39 32-7 .821 1997 40 36-4 .900 1998 35 32-3 .914 1999 38 27-11 .711 2000 39 28-11 .718 2001 37 27-10 .730 2002 36 28-8 .778 2003 39 30-8-1 .782 2004 36 27-9 .750 2005 36 23-13 .639 2006 38 26-12 .684 2007 35 20-14-1 .586 2008 36 27-8-1 .764 Totals 928 728-196-4 .787

References

1. "Alex? Alec? or Elec?". theadvocate.com. Archived from the original on 2008-07-19.
2. "LSU Baseball Facilities". lsusports.net.
3. "Alex Box Stadium Baton Rouge, Louisiana". ballparkreviews.com.
4. "Storylines Aplenty as Baseball Plays Final Series at Alex Box". lsusports.net.
5. "Baseball Earns No. 7 National Seed, Faces TSU". lsusports.net.
6. "LSU beats UC Irvine 9–7 to stay alive". usatoday.com.
7. "Some "lasts" at Alex Box Stadium". the advocate.com.

External links

• Alex Box Stadium at lsusports.net
• Digital ballparks: Alex Box Stadium