Packard Stadium

Packard Stadium, the home of Arizona State baseball since 1974, is one of the nation's most beautiful ballparks.

The outfield wall is lined with palm trees and just beyond the left field fence the Salt River winds its way through the Valley of the Sun. In the distance, the Superstition Mountains offer a picturesque backdrop.

But for every bit of beauty that envelops Packard, there is an equal dose of tradition. The Stadium is the home of two national championship teams and 12 NCAA Regional Tournaments.

Dimensions at Packard are 340 feet down the lines, 370 feet in the power alleys and 395 feet to straightaway center. The fence is 10 feet high. Located five feet beyond the centerfield wall is "The Green Monster," a 30-foot high batting eye. Only 13 players have ever homered over the Monster.

With a capacity of 7,875, Packard has more than 3,000 permanent seats in the main grandstand which are backed for spectator comfort. Field-level box seats are also available behind home plate. The remaining seats, which run down the first and third base lines, aslo provide outstanding views of the game.

Midway through the 1990 campaign, Packard received a magnificent addition. A new scoreboard, valued at $240,000, was installed in left-center field. A product of the Fairtron Corporation in Des Moines, Iowa, the scoreboard is fully-equipped for graphics, animations and messages on its color matrix board. Current time and temperature are always on display as well.

Packard Stadium also includes a players lounge behind the Sun Devil dugout. Five years ago,a doorway was constructed in that area, allowing direct passage from the lounge to the dugout. During NCAA Regional Tournaments, the players' lounge doubles as an interview room. A sports medicine facility is adjacent to the lounge area.

The ASU clubhouse is located underneath the center of the main grandstand. That area also includes a Pony-Nautilus weightroom and dressing rooms for ASU coaches and game officials. Pat Murphy also has an office at Packard Stadium.

Packard is equipped with outstanding press facilities. The two-tiered press box, situated atop the grandstand directly behind home plate, includes booths for television and radio coverage, as well as ample space for the print media. When Arizona State played host to Arizona in May of 1989, a total of 124 press credentials were issued.

Just about every year, improvements are made to this already magnificent baseball facility and 1994 was no different. In the Arizona State dugout, a new surface called "Softpave" was installed to replace the astroturf that had been there previously. This surface is not only more aesthetically pleasing, it can also be easily cleaned with an air blower or a water hose.

In addition, a new public address system has been added, replacing the sound system which had been in place since Packard Stadium opened in 1974.

Packard has 160 metal Halide lights, which equals Triple A lighting for night games. The playing surface consists of tiff green grass in the infield and Bermuda Grass in the outfield. The dirt portion of the infield is crushed red brick, which can be found at many major league stadiums.

Packard's existence was made possible through a gift to Arizona State from Guthrie and Peter Packard. Both are alumni of ASU, and the stadium is a tribute to their late father, William Guthrie Packard, a prominent member of the publishing industry for many years. Mr. Packard served the Shepard Company for 51 years, rising from sales representative to President to chairman of the board. He was also active in various community and church affairs in Colorado and Arizona.