L. P. Frans Stadium

L.P. Frans Stadium
Location	2500 Clement Boulevard; Hickory, North Carolina, US
Coordinates	35°44′57″N 81°22′43″W / 35.74917°N 81.37861°W
Owner	Hickory Baseball, Inc.
Operator	Hickory Baseball, Inc.
Capacity	5,062 (4,000 fixed seats)
Record attendance	5,283
Field size	Left Field: 330 feet (100 m); Center Field: 401 feet (122 m); Right Field: 330 feet (100 m)
Surface	Grass
Construction
Broke ground	September 21, 1992
Opened	April 16, 1993
Construction cost	$4.5 million; ($9.49 million in 2023 dollars)
Architect	Lescher and Mahoney; CBSA Architects, Inc.
Services engineer	Brittain Engineering, Inc.
General contractor	Wayne Brothers, Inc.
Tenants
	Hickory Crawdads (SAL/CL) 1993–present; Catawba Valley Stars (GSL/CVCL) 2009–present

L.P. Frans Stadium is a stadium in Hickory, North Carolina. It was built in 1993 and has a fixed seating capacity of roughly 4,000. It is primarily used for baseball, and is the home field of the Hickory Crawdads Minor League Baseball team previously of the South Atlantic League. In July 2024, MiLB announced that the Crawdads will join the Carolina League in 2025.^[6]

Location

L.P. Frans Stadium is located across from Hickory Regional Airport approximately three miles (4.8 km) from I-40 in Winkler Park. It was built on land donated by Elmer Winkler in 1993 and named after the local Pepsi-Cola bottler who partially funded the stadium's construction.^[7]

Improvements

Improvements made to the stadium after the 2013 season brought a brand new VIP section, a picnic pavilion, and three outdoor party patios. A completely renovated Crawdads Cafe, suites, and concourse were also a part of the improvements.^[8] Following the 2017 season, another round of renovations was announced. The renovations included a new HD video board, a new playing surface, renovated dugouts, replacing the outfield walls, and removing the support poles holding up the protective netting to improve sightlines.

References

^ "Sox Shift to Hickory". Chicago Sun-Times. September 22, 1992. Retrieved September 20, 2011.
^ "Want to See Crawdads' Opener? Cross Your Claws and Get in Line". The Charlotte Observer. April 16, 1993. Retrieved September 20, 2011.
^ 1634–1699: McCusker, J. J. (1997). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States: Addenda et Corrigenda (PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1700–1799: McCusker, J. J. (1992). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States (PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1800–present: Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. "Consumer Price Index (estimate) 1800–". Retrieved February 29, 2024.
^ "Clients & Projects". Brittain Engineering, Inc. Retrieved August 11, 2013.
^ "Kudos!" (PDF). Wayne Brothers, Inc. 2012. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 4, 2016. Retrieved August 11, 2013.
^ "South Atlantic, Carolina Leagues to realign in 2025". Minor League Baseball (Press release). July 23, 2024. Retrieved July 23, 2024.
^ Knight, Graham (July 21, 2002). "L.P. Frans Stadium". Baseball Pilgrimages. Retrieved August 11, 2013.
^ Tinkelenberg, John (December 2, 2013). "Home-Field Advantage". Hickory Daily Record. Retrieved May 30, 2014.

External links

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[1] "Sox Shift to Hickory". Chicago Sun-Times. September 22, 1992. Retrieved September 20, 2011.

[2] "Want to See Crawdads' Opener? Cross Your Claws and Get in Line". The Charlotte Observer. April 16, 1993. Retrieved September 20, 2011.

[inflation-US-3] 1634–1699: McCusker, J. J. (1997). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States: Addenda et Corrigenda (PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1700–1799: McCusker, J. J. (1992). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States (PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1800–present: Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. "Consumer Price Index (estimate) 1800–". Retrieved February 29, 2024.

[4] "Clients & Projects". Brittain Engineering, Inc. Retrieved August 11, 2013.

[5] "Kudos!" (PDF). Wayne Brothers, Inc. 2012. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 4, 2016. Retrieved August 11, 2013.

[6] "South Atlantic, Carolina Leagues to realign in 2025". Minor League Baseball (Press release). July 23, 2024. Retrieved July 23, 2024.

[7] Knight, Graham (July 21, 2002). "L.P. Frans Stadium". Baseball Pilgrimages. Retrieved August 11, 2013.

[8] Tinkelenberg, John (December 2, 2013). "Home-Field Advantage". Hickory Daily Record. Retrieved May 30, 2014.

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v t e Ballparks in the Carolina League
North Division	Arthur W. Perdue Stadium Bank of the James Stadium Five County Stadium L. P. Frans Stadium Salem Memorial Ballpark Virginia Credit Union Stadium
South Division	Atrium Health Ballpark Joseph P. Riley Jr. Park Pelicans Ballpark Segra Park Segra Stadium SRP Park

v t e Sports venues in Western North Carolina
Current	ASU Soccer Stadium (Boone) Beaver Field at Smith Stadium (Boone) Brevard Memorial Stadium (Brevard) E. J. Whitmire Stadium (Cullowhee) Holmes Center (Boone) Greenwood Baseball Field (Asheville) Harrah's Cherokee Center (Asheville) Hennon Stadium (Cullowhee) Hickory Motor Speedway (Hickory) Justice Center (Asheville) Kidd Brewer Stadium (Boone) Kimmel Arena (Asheville) L. P. Frans Stadium (Hickory) McCormick Field (Asheville) McNair Field (Forest City) Meares Stadium (Mars Hill) Memorial Stadium (Asheville) Moretz Stadium (Hickory) North Wilkesboro Speedway (North Wilkesboro) Ramsey Center (Cullowhee) Varsity Gymnasium (Boone)
Future	--
Defunct	Asheville-Weaverville Speedway (Asheville) College Field (Boone)