Nat Bailey Stadium

Infobox_Baseball_Stadium
stadium_name=Nat Bailey Stadium
nickname=The Nat


location=4601 Ontario St., Vancouver, British Columbia
broke_ground=1951
opened=July 15, 1951
owner=City of Vancouver
operator=City of Vancouver
surface=Grass
construction_cost=$550,000 CAD
architect=unknown
former_names=Capilano Stadium
tenants=Vancouver Mounties (PCL) (1956-1969)
Vancouver Canadians (PCL) (1978-1999)
Vancouver Canadians (NWL) (2000-present)
UBC Thunderbirds (NAIA) (2000-present)
seating_capacity=6,500
dimensions=Left Field - 335 ft
Center Field - 395 ft
Right Field - 335 ft
Backstop - 30 ft

Nat Bailey Stadium (known affectionately as "The Nat") is home to the Vancouver Canadians of the Northwest League and also plays host to the University of British Columbia baseball team.

tadium history

Originally built in 1951 as Capilano Stadium, it was renamed Nat Bailey Stadium in 1978 to honour the work of Vancouver restaurateur Nat Bailey and his tireless effort to promote baseball in Vancouver.

Nat Bailey Stadium is located on the eastern side of scenic Queen Elizabeth Park in the Riley Park-Little Mountain neighbourhood of Vancouver.

The stadium was home to the Vancouver Capilanos and later the Vancouver Mounties of the Class AAA Pacific Coast League until 1969. The PCL returned to Vancouver in 1978 with the Vancouver Canadians, who competed in the league until 2000 season, after which the team relocated to Sacramento, California. The following season, a second incarnation of the Canadians began playing in the short-season Class A Northwest League.

The stadium's capacity is 6500; however there have been over 7000 fans in attendance at games held on Canada Day. Over 7800 fans squeezed into the park for Game 4 of the 1994 Pacific Coast League Championship Series between the Canadians and the Albuquerque Dukes.

The Canadians ownership signed a long term lease at Nat Bailey Stadium in February 2007. They also intend to improve and modernize the stadium while also restoring parts of the park to their original 1951 condition.

ervices

Nat Bailey sells a wide of variety of snacks sold by food hawkers to stadium regulars like peanuts and licorice ropes to bite-size cookies. Free wireless Internet access is also available in the stands.

External links

* [http://www.canadiansbaseball.com/ Vancouver Canadians]
* [http://www.friendsofnatbaileystadium.com/ Friends of Nat Bailey Stadium, a group dedicated to preserving The Nat]
* [http://www.gothunderbirds.ca/sports_team.asp?id=2 UBC Thunderbirds baseball]
* [http://news.com.com/2061-10801_3-6086540.html News.com article about Nat Bailey's free Wi-Fi]