On 20th and Willamette, across the street from South Eugene High School, sits history.
This is the site of a 63-year old stadium that has hosted such events as rodeo, soccer, football and, of course, baseball.
And, just recently, it was voted by Baseball America as one of the top-10 minor league ballparks in the nation.
“Of those 10, we were the only one that wasn’t built in the ’80s or ’90s,” said Bob Beban, general manager of the Eugene Emeralds.
Eugene’s Civic Stadium, not be confused with Portland’s former Civic Stadium (now known as PGE Park), is 18 days away from once again being filled with the unmistakable sounds of the America’s favorite pastime.
The Emeralds are the single-A minor league team of the San Diego Padres and have been calling Civic Stadium home since 1969. The home-opener is June 24, when Eugene hosts the Vancouver Canadians for a three-game series.
One of the reasons that the stadium continues to be an attraction is its historical feel and its easy-going aura that helps fill the summer nights.
“I think the key is consistency,” Beban said. “Year after year, we try to produce a solid product with only minor changes.”
Beban said that Civic Stadium, which has seen more than $250,000 in improvements over the years, is once again going through some minor stadium upgrading expected to be completed by the home opener.
The stadium generally draws enthusiastic crowds between 3,000 and 5,000 people, keeping sports fans in the community occupied until Oregon Ducks football begins in September.
Matt Cook, a junior University student, was one of the many Emeralds fans last summer during their South Division championship year when they went 40-36. Cook admitted to not knowing much about the team until he was forced to stay in Eugene over the summer.
“It was my first time seeing single-A baseball and I admit, I was pretty skeptical at first,” Cook said. “But then I saw the Ems and I was very surprised by the fun-loving atmosphere of it all. After seeing them over and over, you can’t help but to fall in love with them.”
The 2001 season marks a change for the Emeralds as for the third time in four years, they are now an affiliate for a different major league baseball team. Prior to the 1999 season, the Emeralds moved to the Chicago Cubs from Atlanta, and now they are a part of the San Diego Padres organization.
The Padres also made their presence felt in Portland, as they picked up the resurrected Portland Beavers as their Triple-A affiliate.
“San Diego has been terrific,” Beban said. “I’ve know Kevin Towers (Padres general manager and native of Medford) a long time and they were my number one choice. They draft a lot of high level college players, so that will be good for us.”
Tuesday marked the first day of the Major League Baseball Draft and the Padres selected 12 college players in the first 14 rounds, including Oregon State outfielder Josh Carter.
Carter may be one of the 25 or so players wearing an Emeralds uniform on June 19 when they open up their campaign on the road against Yakima.
“We’re all very excited to start the season,” Beban said. “The success of the Seattle Mariners has whet the appetite for the fans in this community to come out to the park. I can’t wait.
“June’s my favorite month.”