Shea Stadium (Peoria, Illinois)
| Shea Stadium | |
|---|---|
| Former names | Meinen Field Vonachen Stadium |
| Location | 1523 W. Nebraska Ave., Peoria, Illinois |
| Coordinates | 40°42′35″N 89°37′6″W / 40.70972°N 89.61833°WCoordinates: 40°42′35″N 89°37′6″W / 40.70972°N 89.61833°W |
| Broke ground | c. 1968 |
| Opened | 1970 |
| Renovated | 1982, 1992, 2002 |
| Owner | Bradley University |
| Operator | Bradley University |
| Surface | Grass |
| Tenants | |
| Bradley University Braves soccer (NCAA) (2003–) Bradley University Braves baseball (NCAA) (1970–2002) Peoria Chiefs baseball (Midwest League) (1983—2002) |
|
Shea Stadium is a privately owned and managed[citation needed] facility located in Peoria, Illinois, less than a mile north of Bradley University and just to the west of the USDA National Center for Agricultural Utilization Research. It is the home of Bradley University soccer.
[edit] History
The property was opened as Meinen Field around 1968[1] and opened as a baseball facility in 1970 for Bradley University Braves baseball. Its name was chosen to honor Bradley athletic director and baseball coach John "Dutch" Meinen.[2] It served as the home field for Bradley baseball for 32 years, from 1970 to 2002,[3], and the home field for the Peoria Chiefs from their first game on April 19, 1983 to 2002.
The baseball field was renovated twice: once in 1982,[2] and once in 1992[1] when it was given a $2,200,000 overhaul.[4] The facility was renamed Pete Vonachen Stadium at Meinen Field on June 6, 1992.[1]
After the teams moved to O'Brien Field early in the 2002 season, the university began to look for other uses for Meinen Field, eventually settling on its current setup as a soccer-only facility. It was substantially reconfigured, with a few remnants of its baseball days remaining: the old press box; most of the first-base seating area, which now forms the main seating area for the soccer field; some of the light standards; and the concession stands and some other outbuildings on the property.
On October 25, 2002, Meinen Field was renamed Shea Stadium after Tim Shea, a Bradley University alumnus. The first Bradley soccer game at the newly renovated Shea Stadium was in August 2003.[3]
On June 10, 2008, Shea Stadium played host to two Major League Soccer teams in a U.S. Open Cup qualifier when the Chicago Fire played against the Columbus Crew in front 3,829 people, the largest crowd ever to see a soccer game at Shea Stadium. [5]
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ a b c ""Story of Baseball in Peoria"". 2007-01-22. http://peoriachiefs.com.ismmedia.com/ISM3/std-content/repos/Top/ISM2%20Imports/Text%20Blocks/Baseball%20in%20Peoria.html. Retrieved 2008-02-28.
- ^ a b Dinda, Joel (2008-01-20). "Peoria's Vonachen Stadium and O'Brien Stadium". http://mwlguide.com/cities/peoria/park.html. Retrieved 2008-02-28.
- ^ a b "Shea Stadium". 2007-08-11. http://www.bubraves.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=3400&KEY=&ATCLID=130294. Retrieved 2008-02-22.
- ^ ""Peoria Baseball"". Historic Peoria. http://www.historicpeoria.com/entry.php?eid=275&catid=4&cid=1. Retrieved 2008-02-28.[dead link]
- ^ ""Crew can't put out Fire"". 2008-06-11. http://www.pjstar.com/sports/x192204886/Crew-cant-put-out-Fire. Retrieved 2008-06-11.[dead link]
- College soccer venues in the United States
- Defunct college baseball venues in the United States
- Minor league baseball venues
- Bradley Braves baseball
- Buildings and structures in Peoria, Illinois
- Soccer venues in Illinois
- Baseball venues in Illinois
- Sports in Peoria, Illinois
- Buildings and structures completed in 1970
- Event venues established in 1992
- Buildings and structures completed in 2002
