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Clark-LeClair Stadium / East Carolina Pirates
The Greenville community and
supporters of East Carolina University athletics went all out
to make sure they would have a gem of a collegiate ballpark.
In fact, no fewer than 150 individuals and organizations
contributed at least $10,000 to make the project possible.
Clark-LeClair was built at a cost of $11 million -- all from private donations raised by the ECU Educational Foundation. The magnitude of the place is immediately apparent as you approach the main gate, and once inside no aspect of the facility disappoints. The ballpark is named after homebuilder Bill Clark who donated $1.5 million toward construction, and former Pirate head coach Keith LeClair who died July 17, 2006 after a five-year battle with ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease). As head coach from 1997 to 2002, LeClair was instrumental in promoting the new facility off the field and he initiated a seven-year string of NCAA tournament appearances that ended in 2006. Fittingly, the new ballpark was inaugurated March 4, 2005 with the opening game of the second annual Keith LeClair Classic where ECU defeated Michigan, 2-1.
The view of the game from every angle is excellent, although lighting at certain times of the day early in the year does raise some caveats. Our mid-winter visit came the opening weekend. Late-day bright sun down the left-field line presented challenges not only for spectators on the first-base side, but for the home team trying to signal the distant bullpen down the left-field line. Even players’ fielding was adversely affected. A superb, elevated terrace area allows fans to watch pitchers warm up while keeping track of the game; however, this set-up appears to isolate the home bullpen from the game action. This is a ballpark for the fans first, and they respond with enthusiasm. You can come to this ballpark with a big appetite. The main concession stand is nearly as impressive as the rest of the facility featuring more than a dozen items that are reasonably priced. At the low end, you can choose between sunflower seeds and blow pops for only 50 cents, or go top-line with the newly added Philly cheese steak at $6. Fry bread at $4 was a popular item, and we found the generous portion of tasty thick-cut fries at $2 a very good bargain.
It was no secret that part of the rationale for constructing a first-class ballpark at ECU was to help fulfill the Pirates’ goal of reaching the College World Series in Omaha. ECU claimed the NAIA national championship in 1961, and has achieved a winning record in 54 of its 56 seasons. Even without the new ballpark, ECU put in to host past regionals to be played at Fleming Stadium in Wilson and Grainger Stadium in Kinston knowing that considerable fan support would come from Greenville. In fact, the Pirates hosted a C-USA Tournament at Grainger Stadium in 2002.
Beyond much doubt East Carolina will be hosting a few NCAA regional tournaments at Clark-LeClair in the years to come. Despite a slow start and a treacherous schedule in 2007, a trip to Omaha does not seem at all out of reach for the partisans from Greenville. With the potential some day for hosting a regional, the home field at Clark-LeClair Stadium could be a major factor in achieving that lofty goal. If you enjoyed this article, consider signing up for the College Baseball Digest newsletter. Each week you'll receive headlines and stories from College Baseball Digest delivered directly in your inbox. Best of all, it's free! Sign up here.
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