Just before the first official pitch was thrown at PK Park, the skies parted and the rain trickled to a stop.
The fans began to chant, “GO … DUCKS … GO … DUCKS.”
At long last, baseball had officially returned to Eugene.
Though the team’s inaugural season took place last year, this season marks the beginning of a new era at the newly installed PK Park. As opening day approached, anticipation throughout the community soared. Fans were excited to see what exactly the state of the art complex had to offer.
They were not disappointed.
Standing in the concourse to shield himself from the rain, spectator Bill Manewal marveled at what he saw.
“Great ballpark,” Manewal said. “You can’t ask for anything nicer than this. I had a chance to watch it while it was being constructed, and just from day one to the finished product, it’s
just great.”
The concourse has quickly become one of PK Park’s most popular features. With an abundance of concession stands and a large roof to congregate under, it gives fans a chance to stretch their legs or protect themselves from Oregon’s unpredictable weather.
“The concourse here up here is great,” Manewal said. “So you can get out of the weather if you want to.”
The concourse is not the only part of the park that was designed with weather in mind. The field itself was made with artificial turf to help prevent rain delays.
“Having all field turf and not having to cancel games, that’ll be great,” freshman Devin
Joblove said.
The field, however, has become a slight point of contention among fans. Kate Young, an Oregon alumna from the class of 1972, has chosen to reserve her judgment.
“I’m an old-fashioned baseball chick with dirt,” Young said. “So I’m not sure. I’ll have to watch a few games. My first reaction is that I don’t like it, because I grew up with grass and dirt.”
Young’s husband, Ron, played baseball for the Ducks during the late 1960s. To him, the field represents an exciting new development.
“The field is very interesting,” Ron Young said. “We got to walk around on it before, and actually hit some balls and catch some stuff. It’s very real, there’s going to be fair hops and I think it will help with the weather situation.”
Indeed, such luxuries were not available when Ron Young played.
“When we were playing in the rain on dirt and grass, oftentimes it led to injuries,” he said. “The ball was getting wet, and you would throw it away … I think this will help.”
There are, however, parts of the park that have no protection from the elements. The student section is one of those places. Still, Joblove was unperturbed as he stood on the railing watching the players warm up.
“It’s the first day at PK,” Joblove said. “(The rain is) not going to hurt anything. I’ve been looking forward to baseball season all year. It’s my favorite sport, always will be.”
Joblove’s excitement could be seen on the faces of all 2,609 fans who showed up to christen the park, particularly when the Ducks scored four runs in an eventful first inning.
A few hours later, a successful opening day was capped by a 6-2 Oregon win. Head coach George Horton, for one, was left impressed with what he saw.
“Sooner or later, if we continue to play well, this thing’s going to be packed to the rafters,” Horton said. “It’ll really be something when the thing’s packed and we have a bunch of Duck fans.”
After a game filled with diving catches, double plays and even mascot races, one thing was clear: Come rain or shine, PK Park is here to stay.
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