Edit filter log

'{{Infobox venue | name = Hiram Bithorn Stadium<br />Estadio Hiram Bithorn | nickname = | logo_image = | logo_caption = | image = [[File:Hiram Bithorn Stadium 1.JPG|250px]] | caption = | fullname = | former_names = | location = [[San Juan, Puerto Rico|San Juan]], [[Puerto Rico]] | coordinates = {{coord|18|25|0|N|66|4|23|W|type:landmark|display=it}} | broke_ground = | built = 1962 | opened = 1963 | renovated = | expanded = | closed = | demolished = | owner = Municipality of San Juan | operator = Municipality of San Juan | surface = [[UBU Sports]] 2015-present<br /> [[FieldTurf]] 2004 to 2015<br /> [[Astroturf]] 1995 to 2003<br /> Grass 1962 to 1995 | scoreboard = | cost = | architect = | project_manager = | structural engineer = | services engineer = | general_contractor = | main_contractors = | capacity = 18,264 | suites = | record_attendance = | dimensions = '''Left Field''' – 325 ft (99&nbsp;m)<br />'''Left-Center''' – 375 ft (114&nbsp;m)<br />'''Center Field''' – 404 ft (123&nbsp;m)<br />'''Right-Center''' – 375 ft (114&nbsp;m)<br />'''Right Field''' – 325 ft (99&nbsp;m)<br />'''Backstop''' – 60 ft (18&nbsp;m) | acreage = | tenants = [[San Juan Senators]] ([[Puerto Rico Baseball League|LBPPR]]) (1962-1974, 1984-2000, 2003–2004, 2010–2011, 2014-2015)<br />[[Cangrejeros de Santurce (baseball)|Santurce Crabbers]] (LBPPR) (1962-1982, 1989–2004, 2008–2009, 2012–present)<br />[[Atléticos de San Juan]] ([[Puerto Rico Soccer League|PRSL]]) (2008-2011)<br />[[Academia Quintana]] (PRSL) (2008–2011)<br />[[Montreal Expos]] ([[Major League Baseball|MLB]]) (2003–2004) }} '''Hiram Bithorn Stadium''' (''Estadio Hiram Bithorn'' in Spanish) is a [[baseball park]] in [[San Juan, Puerto Rico]], operated by the municipal government of the city of San Juan. Its name honors the first Puerto Rican to play in the major leagues, [[Hiram Bithorn]], who first played with the [[Chicago Cubs]] in 1942. Built in 1962, under the mayoral administration of [[Felisa Rincón de Gautier]], replacing [[Estadio Sixto Escobar]], the stadium is home to the [[Cangrejeros de Santurce (baseball)|Santurce Crabbers]], of the [[Puerto Rico Baseball League]]. It was added to the [[National Register of Historic Places]] in 2014.<ref>{{cite web|title=http://www.nps.gov/|url=http://www.nps.gov/history/nr/feature/places/13001118.htm}}</ref> == Stadium information == The stadium has approximately 18,000 seats. The stadium is 325 feet (99&nbsp;m) down the left field line, 325 feet (99&nbsp;m) down the right field line and 404 feet (123&nbsp;m) to center field. The fences are 8 feet (2.5 m) high. When the Expos played home games at Hiram Bithorn, the field dimensions were set to match Olympic Stadium in Montreal.{{Citation needed|date=July 2012}} == History == The first [[NBA outdoor games|outdoor]] [[National Basketball Association]] game was played between the [[Phoenix Suns]] and the [[Milwaukee Bucks]] on September 24, 1972 during that year's preseason. The Suns defeated the Bucks, 116–103. The stadium hosted [[Major League Baseball]]'s Opening Day Game in 2001, in which the [[Toronto Blue Jays]] faced the [[Texas Rangers (baseball)|Texas Rangers]] in an [[American League]] match-up.<ref>{{cite news|last=|first=|title=Blue Jays beat up Rangers in baseball's season opener|publisher=[[CBC Sports]]|date=2001-04-01|url=http://www.cbc.ca/sports/story/2001/04/01/bluejaysdebut010401.html|accessdate=2009-03-27}}</ref> However, 4,000 who bought tickets were turned away when the police determined the safe capacity of the park had been vastly exceeded. It was the object of a major overhaul under the mayoral administration of [[Jorge Santini]], before becoming the part-time home of the [[Montreal Expos]] of the [[National League]] in [[2003 Montreal Expos season|2003]] and [[2004 Montreal Expos season|2004]] prior to their move to [[Washington, D.C.]] as the [[Washington Nationals]]. The Expos played 22 "home" games in each season as a result of poor attendance at their home [[Olympic Stadium (Montreal)|Olympic Stadium]] in Montreal. Prior to Major League Baseball's announcement of the Montreal Expos move to Washington, Puerto Rico and San Juan made an effort to lure the Expos franchise to the island territory permanently. Hiram Bithorn Stadium hosted parts of the first two rounds of the [[2006 World Baseball Classic]]. [[2006 World Baseball Classic – Pool C|Pool C]], which included the teams of [[Puerto Rico national baseball team|Puerto Rico]], [[Cuba national baseball team|Cuba]], [[Panama national baseball team|Panama]], and [[Netherlands national baseball team|the Netherlands]], was played there. It also hosted [[2006 World Baseball Classic – Pool 2|Pool 2]] of the second round of the Classic which featured Cuba, Puerto Rico, [[Dominican Republic national baseball team|the Dominican Republic]], and [[Venezuela national baseball team|Venezuela]], the top two finishers from [[2006 World Baseball Classic – Pool C|Pool C]] and [[2006 World Baseball Classic – Pool D|Pool D]]. [[2009 World Baseball Classic – Pool D|Pool D games]] of the [[2009 World Baseball Classic|2009]] were played there between March 7 and March 11, 2009. The Hiram Bithorn Stadium hosted the [[2013 World Baseball Classic]] with [[Puerto Rico national baseball team|Puerto Rico]], [[Venezuela national baseball team|Venezuela]], the [[Dominican Republic national baseball team|Dominican Republic]] and newcomers [[Spain national baseball team|Spain]] in Pool C. In 2008, it served as the stadium for [[Atléticos de San Juan]] and [[Academia Quintana]], two soccer teams in the [[Puerto Rico Soccer League]], [[Puerto Rico]]'s first ever professional soccer league. In 2010, Major League Baseball returned to the stadium, as the [[Florida Marlins]] faced the [[New York Mets]] in a three-game series during the regular season. <ref>http://newyork.mets.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20100627&content_id=11651186&vkey=news_nym&fext=.jsp&c_id=nym</ref> The Marlins were to return to play the [[Pittsburgh Pirates]] on May 30 and 31, 2016 in honor of Roberto Clemente Day. However, on May 6, 2016, it was announced that the Puerto Rico games would be postponed due to the ongoing [[Zika virus outbreak (2015–present)|Zika virus outbreak]], and moved to [[Marlins Stadium]].<ref name="espn-puertorico">{{cite web|title=MLB moves Puerto Rico series amid concerns about Zika virus|url=http://espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/id/15477003/mlb-moves-puerto-rico-series-amid-concerns-zika-virus|website=ESPN.com|accessdate=6 May 2016}}</ref> [[File:Hiram Bithorn Stadium.jpg|400px|thumbnail|center|View of the stadium during a baseball game]] == Other uses == Along with sporting events, the stadium has hosted concerts by many famous artists. [[Metallica]] were scheduled to perform during their [[Nowhere Else to Roam]] Tour on April 28, 1993, but it was rained out and never rescheduled. [[Shakira]] has performed twice, during her [[Tour Anfibio]], on April 9, 2000 and during the [[Tour of the Mongoose]], on March 22, 2003. Some of the concerts that have been held at the venue: * [[The Byrds]] – April 30, 1967 * [[Santana (band)|Santana]] – October 31, 1971 * [[The Jackson Five]] – July 17, 1973 * [[Blue Angel (band)|Blue Angel]]/[[Peter Frampton]] – August 22, 1981 * [[Blue Öyster Cult]] – October 28, 1983 * [[Bon Jovi]]/Scorpions: Love At First Sting Tour – July 13, 1984 * Black Jack/[[Ozzy Osbourne]]: Bark At The Moon Tour – August 4, 1984 * The Motels/[[Men At Work]] – August 2, 1985 * [[Sting (musician)|Sting]] – November 9, 1985 * Cinderella/[[Bon Jovi]]: Slippery When Wet Tour – February 21, 1987 * [[The Beach Boys]] – April 4, 1987 * Poison/[[Ratt]]: Dancing Undercover Tour – June 12, 1987 * [[Toto (band)|Toto]]/[[Rod Stewart]]:[[Out of Order Tour]] – July 1, 1988 * [[Stryper]]: In God We Trust Tour – January 14, 1989 * [[Whitney Houston]]: [[The Bodyguard World Tour]] – April 24, 1994 * [[Laura Pausini]]: World Wide Tour – May 10, 1997 * [[Billy Joel]] – February 11, 1999 * Mana: Unplugged – May 6, 2000 * [[Backstreet Boys]] – May 19 & 20, 2001 [[Black & Blue Tour]] * MEF: March 19, 2011- March 17, 2012 and March 16, 2013 * [[Rihanna]] – October 29, 2013 – [[Diamonds World Tour]] * [[Coldplay]] — April 20, 2016 —[[A Head Full of Dreams Tour]] Professional Wrestling: * [[WWC Anniversary]] Show 1984: September 14, 1984. Attendance 34,383. * [[WWE]] – October 19, 1985 == References == {{Reflist}} {{Portal|Puerto Rico|Baseball}} == External links == * [http://www.ballparks.com/baseball/national/hibith.htm Ballparks.com: Hiram Bithorn Stadium] * [http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/international/index.jsp?feature=games MLB.com: List of MLB games at Hiram Bithorn Stadium] * [http://www.andrewclem.com/Baseball/HiramBithornStadium.html#diag: Clem's Baseball Hiram Bithorn Stadium] * [http://media.npr.org/assets/img/2016/05/07/ap_823803879626-552538587a340ecd52af3f6765a5504301907579-s900-c85.jpg: Hiram Bithorn Stadium Aerial View] {{Montreal Expos}} {{Pan American Games stadiums}} {{2006 World Baseball Classic Stadiums}} {{2009 World Baseball Classic Stadiums}} {{2013 World Baseball Classic Stadiums}} [[Category:Sports venues in San Juan, Puerto Rico]] [[Category:National stadiums|Puerto Rico]] [[Category:Baseball venues in Puerto Rico]] [[Category:Soccer venues in the United States]] [[Category:Multi-purpose stadiums in the United States]] [[Category:Buildings and structures on the National Register of Historic Places in Puerto Rico]] [[Category:National Register of Historic Places in San Juan, Puerto Rico]] [[Category:Defunct Major League Baseball venues]] [[Category:Football venues in Puerto Rico]] [[Category:Montreal Expos stadiums]] [[Category:Pan American Games opening ceremony stadiums]] [[Category:World Baseball Classic venues]] [[Category:Sports venues completed in 1962]] [[Category:1962 establishments in Puerto Rico]]'