The Ballpark at St. John’s: New York
The Ballpark at St. John’s
The Ballpark at St. John’s University was constructed in the Spring of 2000 on the site of the former McCallen Field. Its construction gives the Red Storm one of the premier facilities for collegiate baseball in the BIG EAST, as well as one of the top in the Northeast.The new facility boasts seating for 3,500 spectators, an electronic scoreboard in centerfield, a press box, lighting and public address system.
The field was the home of the Queens Kings, a Class A team in the New York-Penn League affiliated with the Toronto Blue Jays, for their summer 2000 season. The Kings moved to their new home in Coney Island prior to the start of the 2001 season and are now known as the Brooklyn Cyclones.“We really enjoy playing in our home field,” St. John’s Head Coach Ed Blankmeyer said. “It helps because it makes our guys want to go to the ballpark. The playing surface puts us in the top three in the league and the facility is one of the best in this region.
The Red Storm enjoyed a solid first season in their new field, posting a 21-7 record, playing a school record 28 games at home. Last year, the team played 22 games at home, posting a 15-7 record.This season’s schedule includes non-league contests against several New York Metropolitan opponents - Fordham, Iona, Wagner, Columbia, Stony Brook, New York Tech and Pace. The BIG EAST schedule will see national power Virginia Tech visit, as well as series’ with Georgetown, Villanova and local rivals Rutgers and Seton Hall.
In addition, the Ballpark, as with all other St. John’s University Athletic Facilities, is available for use by organized community groups. In the last three years, many local high schools and organizations played games on the field.”Our plan is to promote St. John’s baseball to the community,” Blankmeyer said. “Once the weather breaks, we hope that our local fans will come to the Ballpark and enjoy a fun family atmosphere.”