Special Announcement

[bghkyfan74]

My longtime friend from the athletic department is at my house saying there is a big announcement coming for the baseball program tomorrow... scholarship increase, big donation, turf????

[mbenecke]

Just announced this morning, a new fundraising campaign with the goal of raising $2.3M for synthetic turf and new perimeter fencing.

Paul J. Hooker ‘75 is matching donations from now til January 31, 2025 up to $500,000.

Pretty big step forward for the program. Good to see the commitment being made to Bowling Green baseball.

[hammb]

I saw the announcement, and ugh. Who the EFF wants synthetic turf for baseball? It sucks out loud. Only thing worse would be putting synthetic turf in at Cochrane.

[factman]

Hamm, if you would come out and get the field ready EVERY day for practice and games , no to mention being able to practice outside on many days in Januaryand February.
On the side, OSU told us they would come to BB as soon as we get turf. Just a couple of examples of why we need turf.

[mbenecke]

I can understand feeling like baseball is *supposed to* be played on grass, because I'm a traditionalist like that too.

However, because of when college baseball season starts, it would open us up to have a much better home schedule if our facility was usable earlier. Last season, we played 17 straight road games to open the season. It took over a month from when the season started til when we had our first home game. That's kind of insane!

Upgrading our facility in this way is necessary to improve the logistical side of the program.

[hammb]

I guess I can see the argument regarding the schedules and whatnot. College baseball has always been weird to me in that way that baseball is a summertime sport and that doesn't jive with a traditional college calendar.

Doesn't change the fact that it's not merely being a traditionalist. Baseball on artificial surface sucks. I guess I don't watch enough collegiate baseball, to realize it'd be a widespread thing. Is it commonplace that college teams play baseball on turf in the North? It never crossed my mind that it'd be a thing given how awful it is for the sport. But they use aluminum bats too, so I guess all bets are off

Soccer on turf in this country is widespread too, so clearly we don't care about bastardizing sports for the ease of turf, but if they ever consider that at Cochrane I'll have attended my last BG game.

[BillyLP]

I guess I can see the argument regarding the schedules and whatnot. College baseball has always been weird to me in that way that baseball is a summertime sport and that doesn't jive with a traditional college calendar.

Doesn't change the fact that it's not merely being a traditionalist. Baseball on artificial surface sucks. I guess I don't watch enough collegiate baseball, to realize it'd be a widespread thing. Is it commonplace that college teams play baseball on turf in the North? It never crossed my mind that it'd be a thing given how awful it is for the sport. But they use aluminum bats too, so I guess all bets are off

Soccer on turf in this country is widespread too, so clearly we don't care about bastardizing sports for the ease of turf, but if they ever consider that at Cochrane I'll have attended my last BG game.

It's very widespread in all parts of the country. Keeping up a grass field along with a mound and infield isn't so much expensive as it is time consuming, and with the limited season, inevitable rain/snowouts, etc. it just makes more sense to do turf for college fields. As a diehard baseball purist, I'm right there with you, but as a person who worked in college athletics until very recently, it's the right call.

Soccer is a different story. Much more feasible to keep it on grass, plus it's safer than turf for the players.

[unfalconbelievable]

Photo of the project has lights, are lights in this project or is it something that's talked about for another two decades.........Lights were brought up in the 90s and budget issues and Title IX kept it at bay for a while. Though interesting to see softball now has lights.

[Falconwriter]

I guess I can see the argument regarding the schedules and whatnot. College baseball has always been weird to me in that way that baseball is a summertime sport and that doesn't jive with a traditional college calendar.

Doesn't change the fact that it's not merely being a traditionalist. Baseball on artificial surface sucks. I guess I don't watch enough collegiate baseball, to realize it'd be a widespread thing. Is it commonplace that college teams play baseball on turf in the North? It never crossed my mind that it'd be a thing given how awful it is for the sport. But they use aluminum bats too, so I guess all bets are off

Soccer on turf in this country is widespread too, so clearly we don't care about bastardizing sports for the ease of turf, but if they ever consider that at Cochrane I'll have attended my last BG game.

It's very widespread in all parts of the country. Keeping up a grass field along with a mound and infield isn't so much expensive as it is time consuming, and with the limited season, inevitable rain/snowouts, etc. it just makes more sense to do turf for college fields. As a diehard baseball purist, I'm right there with you, but as a person who worked in college athletics until very recently, it's the right call.

Soccer is a different story. Much more feasible to keep it on grass, plus it's safer than turf for the players.

If you are a northern team, you basically have to have turf. I don't know what most of the SEC teams do (that's probably the best baseball conference) but I'd guess even down South, turf is pretty common.

[Flipper]

SEC is beyond loaded...used to be the PAC 10 was it..but...well. For me, the CWS is way more interesting than the football playoff

[Falconfreak90]

I guess I can see the argument regarding the schedules and whatnot. College baseball has always been weird to me in that way that baseball is a summertime sport and that doesn't jive with a traditional college calendar.

Doesn't change the fact that it's not merely being a traditionalist. Baseball on artificial surface sucks. I guess I don't watch enough collegiate baseball, to realize it'd be a widespread thing. Is it commonplace that college teams play baseball on turf in the North? It never crossed my mind that it'd be a thing given how awful it is for the sport. But they use aluminum bats too, so I guess all bets are off

Soccer on turf in this country is widespread too, so clearly we don't care about bastardizing sports for the ease of turf, but if they ever consider that at Cochrane I'll have attended my last BG game.

I'm with ya Hammb when it comes to Fussball (Soccer). It sucks on turf cuz the ball bounces like a super ball. I love that Cochrane is grass...

But I get it with baseball. As everyone else has noted, for northern schools it is almost a must.

[Falconfreak90]

Hamm, if you would come out and get the field ready EVERY day for practice and games , no to mention being able to practice outside on many days in Januaryand February.
On the side, OSU told us they would come to BB as soon as we get turf. Just a couple of examples of why we need turf.

Seeing as the last time OSU came to BG was the late 80's, all I can say is "It's about Falcon time". We always play in Cbus now and it sucks. Notre Dame is coming to the Stell for the last of a 3 game series this season!

[bghkyfan74]

I guess it was announced at the First Pitch Dinner that the project has received the amount of funding needed for upgrades and will begin at the conclusion of the season.