Wayne State University Athletics

General 10/26/2022 9:00:00 AM Brendan Billbury, WSUAthletics.com Guest Contributor

Feature Story: Harwell Field Sees Another Upgrade

The following feature first appeared in the football game program on Oct. 22, 2022.

Reminiscent of Fenway in Boston, Harwell Baseball Field sits proudly on the campus of Wayne State University. A project started in 2003 with the addition of a new outfield fence including a 37.5 foot "green monster" has left the old, dilapidated field with more functionality and aesthetic appeal.

With help from the Detroit Historical Society, the original scoreboard from Tigers Stadium is working and installed at the base of the "Green Monster." In 2009, MLB size dugouts were installed along with the addition of bullpens.

Along with the big fence in left field, the dugouts, and the bullpens, in 2018 the structure behind home plate saw unbelievable improvement with a two-story press box and chair back seating. There are also two berms along each baseline where fans and parents are encouraged to bring lawn chairs to watch some baseball.

"We've had some kind of seating in the past," Head Coach Ryan Kelley says, "but now having a more professional, collegiate structure and of course the bleachers on the left field side and the berm on the right field side have made a significant difference for our spectators."

Having a comfortable seating arrangement for a baseball game is a major key to bringing fans to the ballpark to watch Warriors baseball.

The latest upgrade is an all-turf infield which was just completed earlier this month.

Renovations have helped make the Harwell Baseball Field one of the premier places to play and watch baseball. The field is home to many youth, high school and inner city programs during the season as well.

While the functionality of the field has been improved immensely, the student-athlete experience as well as the fan experience when coming out to games is leaps and bounds superior to what it once was. The comfort of the new stadium seating and the accessibility of the berms has equipped fans with an excellent atmosphere to watch the Warriors win baseball games.

Winning is something that the baseball program has grown quite accustomed to over the past decade plus with winning seasons in 12 of the last 13 years. This along with the new digs help establish a "championship experience" for student-athletes.

"Part of that championship experience is obviously winning championships on the field, but we want to give a holistic championship experience in terms of academic success, student-athlete welfare, development and just the overall environment the student-athletes experience in their time with us."

The baseball program has reaped the benefits of the willingness of administration to pay and fundraise for facilities upgrades with NCAA Tournament appearances in seven of the last 13 seasons. The 2022 season was especially kind to the Warriors as they finished with a 37-19 record and won two games each in the GLIAC and NCAA Tournaments.

Coach Kelley adds, "the facility upgrades definitely have a hand in our success and the other programing we do to collaborate with facilities and operations is also a critical part to success in not only Wayne State, but any athletic organization."

Along with performance of student-athletes, the atmosphere that surrounds Warriors baseball pays respect to the history of Detroit sports with Harwell Museum, a shrine to honor Ernie Harwell the radio broadcaster for the Detroit Tigers from 1960 to 2002, historic events in baseball and Harwell's marriage to his wife Lulu. There you will hear some of Harwell's best calls over the years and great play calls from some all-time great broadcasters.

They have exhibits on Jackie Robinson and Branch Rickey who are vital to the game that we watch and listen to today. Baseball has evolved since those days but in the society, we live in today, it's even more important to look back on the history of the game to appreciate how things have changed for the better and to recognize that there are still some ideas and situations that can be corrected for the betterment of baseball and our society as a whole.

From day one, the partnership and support of S. Gary Spicer, Sr. has been evident with Kirk Gibson and Alan Trammell guest speaking at the ribbon cutting ceremony for the museum. They were members of the 1984 World Series team and have worked with the organization in different capacities since then. Trammell as the manager of the team from 2003 to 2005 and Gibson as a color commentator for Tigers games on Bally Sports Detroit.

Having this facility on campus at Wayne State helps to tell the history of Detroit baseball and sports in general. The museum commemorates the most prolific of times for the city of Detroit and is set in the present where the beautification and restructuring of the city is underway and starting to show real improvement. While it's true that the history of baseball in the D is on display here, the present and future is the main attraction.

Coach Kelley says, "having the Detroit Tigers as a neighbor adds to that championship experience for us. For us to have the opportunity to showcase the great Ernie Harwell and his 42 years with the Tigers, I think it's a very unique experience for our students, our university and our guests."

Like a lot of facilities on Wayne State's campus, Harwell Baseball Field perfectly encapsulates the growth and upgrades to the city of Detroit. It also pays respect to the game that these student-athletes play.

The success of any organization is dependent on a multitude of factors. The conditions in which it exists is one of the most crucial of these factors. Wayne State athletics continues to show that a premium is set on the development and well-being of their student-athletes. The renovations that have been made to Harwell Baseball Field recently put that focus on full display. The student-athletes, coaches, and fans of Warriors baseball surely appreciate it.

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