CarShield Field

CarShield Field, formerly T.R. Hughes Ballpark, is a stadium in O'Fallon, Missouri. It is primarily used for baseball, and was the home field of the River City Rascals Frontier League baseball team, until the team ceased operations at the end of the 2019 season. Beginning in 2020 season, it became the home field for the O'Fallon Hoots of the Prospect League. CarShield Field became the host of the entire six–team 2020 CarShield Collegiate League upon the cancellation of the 2020 Prospect League season due to COVID-19. CarShield Field is home to a local high school baseball team, The Christian O'Fallon Eagles. It opened in 1999 with seating for 3,500 people, plus areas for 1,650 additional fans on lawn and outfield bleacher areas.[1]

CarShield Field
Entrance to T.R. Hughes Ballpark (now named CarShield Field), July 2008
Former namesT.R. Hughes Ballpark (1999)
Location900 T.R. Hughes Blvd
O'Fallon, Missouri 63366
OwnerCity of O'Fallon
Capacity5,150
Field sizeLeft Field – 320 ft (98 m)
Center Field – 382 ft (116 m)
Right Center Field – 325 ft (99 m)
Right Field – 299 ft (91 m)
SurfaceSynthetic Turf
Construction
OpenedJune, 1999
ArchitectPopulous
Tenants
River City Rascals (FL) 1999–2019
O'Fallon Hoots (PL) 2020–present
CarShield Collegiate League - 2020

History

The ballpark hosted a number of special events in addition to Rascals home games. On October 13–14, 2007 the ballpark was the site of the longest baseball game in recorded history. A group of 40 players from the Men's Senior Baseball League of St. Louis played for 39 hours 29 minutes and 25 seconds. They played 92 innings and the score was 119–81 as the team representing the St. Louis Browns beat the team representing the St. Louis Stars. The record was reset in October 9–11, 2009 when the two teams played a 48-hour game,[2] with the Browns defeating the Cardinals 180–140.[3] Again, a new record was set when two teams played over 48½ hours, headed towards 60 hours from July 3–5, 2012.[4][5] On August 13, 2009, the stadium was the site of a home run derby between first baseman Albert Pujols of the St. Louis Cardinals and basketball star Shaquille O'Neal for Shaq's reality television series, "Shaq Vs." in front of a capacity crowd.[6] CarShield Field has hosted the Missouri State High School Activities Association baseball championships since 2013 and will remain the home of the event through 2019.[1] Also, the stadium hosted the 2015 Rams Coach Jeff FIsher Celebrity Softball Game in front of a crowd of over 3,000.[7]

For the 2020 baseball season, the Prospect League ceased play due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the O'Fallon Hoots played host to a six-team league at CarShield Field, with each team playing 30 game seasons and 7 inning games. The CarShield Collegiate League began play on July 1, 2020 with limited tickets.[8][9][10][11]

References

  1. "Missouri state baseball championship on the move". Prep Baseball Report. April 4, 2011. Retrieved March 11, 2019.
  2. "Longest marathon playing baseball". Guinness World Records. October 11, 2009. Retrieved May 26, 2011.
  3. Quagliata, Jamie (October 17, 2009). "A NEW RECORD: Longest baseball game played at T.R. Hughes". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Retrieved May 26, 2011.
  4. "Longest baseball game ever played record broken". KSDK. July 5, 2012. Archived from the original on January 27, 2013.
  5. "Rosters". worldrecordcharityevents.com. July 5, 2012. Archived from the original on 2013-12-08.
  6. "Shaq vs. Pujols: Fans Show Up To Watch Shaq and Albert Battle". Fox 2. August 13, 2009. Archived from the original on October 6, 2011. Retrieved May 26, 2011.
  7. Lyons, Joe (June 6, 2015). "Rams notes: Fisher expects win in charity softball game". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Retrieved March 11, 2019.
  8. Reichard, Kevin (June 5, 2020). "How baseball is returning, from summer collegiate and indy to MLB". Ballpark Digest. August Publications.
  9. Durando, Stu (June 9, 2020). "College baseball players find a summer home in O'Fallon, Mo". St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
  10. Miller, Corey (June 6, 2020). "CarShield Collegiate League to play in O'Fallon this summer". KSDK.
  11. "Hoots Launch CarShield Collegiate League". O'Fallon Hoots. June 5, 2020.

Events and tenants
Preceded by

League Stadium
GMC Stadium
Host of the FL All-Star Game
T.R. Hughes Ballpark

2000
2004
Succeeded by

Hawkinson Ford Field
Falconi Field
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