Bosse Field
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2008-07-07T17:31:42Z
67.39.242.130
/* Facts */
{{nofootnotes|date=March 2008}}
{{Infobox Stadium
| stadium_name = Bosse Field
| nickname =
| image = [[Image:Bosse_Field_Lights.jpg|300px|center]]
| caption =
| location = 1701 N. Main St. <br> [[Evansville, Indiana]] 47711
| coordinates =
| broke_ground =
| opened = [[June 17]], [[1915]]
| renovated =
| expanded =
| closed =
| demolished =
| owner = [[Evansville-Vanderburgh School Corporation]]
| operator = [[Evansville Otters]]
| surface = Grass
| construction_cost = [[United States dollar|$]]65,000
| architect =
| project_manager =
| main_contractors =
| former_names =
| tenants = [[Evansville Otters]] ([[1995]]- )
| seating_capacity = 5,181
| dimensions = Left field - 315 ft <br> Center field - 415 ft <br> Right field - 315 ft
}}
'''Bosse Field''', built in 1915, is the third oldest baseball stadium in regular use in the United States. It is the current home of the [[Frontier League]] [[Evansville Otters]], a [[minor league baseball|minor league]] [[baseball]] team. The stadium is located in [[Garvin Park]] just north of downtown [[Evansville, Indiana]].
==History==
Bosse Field opened on [[July 17]],[[1915]]. It was named in honor of [[Benjamin Bosse]], mayor of Evansville from [[1914]] to [[1922]], who bought Garvin Park and helped to build the stadium. A holiday was declared in honor of the opening of the stadium. A band marched from Sunset Park to the new stadium.
The Otters franchise came to Evansville in [[1995]]. In [[1999]], they attracted a franchise record number of fans, over 3000 fans per game. Averaging the four years the Otters have been in Evansville, they have attracted roughly 2500 fans per game.
Bosse Field hosts many local high school baseball games. Recently $200,000 was raised by Friends of Bosse Field to renovate Bosse Field.
Nine teams other than the Otters have played at Bosse Field. Some of the most famous are the Triplets (1970-84), Black Braves (1946-57), Evas/Pocketeers/Hubs (1919-1931) and the River Rats (1914-15), the River Rats had played in Evansville previously from (1903-10). The [[Evansville Triplets|Triplets]] won the [[American Association (20th century)|American Association]] titles in 1972, 1975, and 1979. The River Rats won the Central League title in 1915.
From 1921 to 1922, Bosse Field was used as a football stadium and was home to the [[Evansville Crimson Giants]] of the [[National Football League|NFL]].
[[Baseball Hall of Fame]] members [[Hank Greenberg]], [[Chuck Klein]], [[Edd Roush]], [[Warren Spahn]], and [[Sam Thompson]] played at Bosse Field during their careers. There have been many other Major League Baseball players from Evansville.
==Facts==
Bosse Field is the third oldest ballpark used for professional baseball on a regular basis in the country, surpassed only by [[Fenway Park]] (1912) in Boston and [[Wrigley Field]] (1914) in Chicago.
In 1991 the stadium was used by Columbia pictures for game scenes in the movie ''[[A League of Their Own]].''
Bosse Field has also been used as a football stadium. It was the temporary football stadium of the local [[North High School (Evansville)]], and from 1921 to 1922 it was home to the [[Evansville Crimson Giants]] of the [[National Football League|NFL]].
==External links==
*[http://www.evansvilleotters.com/bosse_field.html Bosse Field at Evansville Otters Website]
*[http://www.minorleagueballparks.com/boss_in.html A stadium photo and review from minorleagueballparks.com]
*[http://otters.evansville.net/otters7.htm History and Facts about Bosse Field] - provides a source for many of the facts listed here.
{{Frontier League Ballparks}}
[[Category:Evansville, Indiana]]
[[Category:Minor league baseball venues]]
[[Category:High school baseball venues]]
[[Category:Sports venues in Indiana]]