Vince Genna Stadium

Vince Genna Stadium is a baseball park in the northwest United States, located in Bend, Oregon. Opened 57 years ago in 1964, it currently hosts college summer baseball league and area American Legion games.

Vince Genna Stadium
Looking northeast at an Elks game in 2011
Former namesMunicipal Ball Park
(1964–1972)
LocationSE 5th & Roosevelt Ave
Bend, Oregon
Coordinates44.043°N 121.299°W / 44.043; -121.299
OwnerBend Metro Park and
Recreation District
OperatorBend Elks
Capacity3,500
Field sizeLeft Field – 330 ft (101 m)
Center Field – 390 ft (119 m)
Right Field – 330 ft (101 m)
SurfaceNatural grass
Construction
Opened1964, 57 years ago
Expanded2009
Tenants
Bend Rainbows (NWL) (1970–1971)
Bend Timber Hawks (NWL) (1978)
Central Oregon Phillies (NWL) (1979–1980)
Bend Phillies (NWL) (1981–1986)
Bend Bucks (NWL) (1987–1991)
Bend Rockies (NWL) (1992–1994)
Bend Bandits (WBL) (1995–1998)
Bend Elks (WCL) (2000–present)
Bend
Location in the western United States
Bend
Location in Oregon

Originally known as "Municipal Ball Park", it was renamed 49 years ago in June 1972 for Vince Genna (1921–2007),[1][2] the director of the city's parks & recreation department and former American Legion coach.[3] When minor league baseball returned in 1978 with the Timber Hawks, Genna was an honorary first base coach in their debut game.[4]

The stadium was the longtime home of Bend's minor league teams in the Class A-Short Season Northwest League, and later the Bend Bandits of the Western Baseball League. It is currently the home of the Bend Elks in the collegiate summer West Coast League and has a seating capacity of approximately 3,500.

In the south end of the city, the elevation of the natural grass playing field is approximately 3,700 feet (1,130 m) above sea level and is unconventionally oriented northwest; the recommended alignment of a baseball diamond (home plate to center field) is east-northeast.[5] In 1978, the Timber Hawks had intermissions called "sun breaks" near sundown when the glare was excessive.[6] The Angels cited the need for adequate sun screens in left field (west) as one of the reasons for breaking their affiliation with the Bend Bucks after the 1989 season.[7]

The stadium has hosted affiliates of four major-league teams (Angels, A's, Phillies, and Rockies), four players who made the majors (Brian Barden, Julio Franco, Jacoby Ellsbury, and Eric Sogard), and one future movie star (Kurt Russell played for the Bend Rainbows in 1971).[8]

In 1979, the Central Oregon Phillies paid the Bend Metro Park and Recreation District $9,500 for use of the ballpark for the season. In 1980, the team paid $9,700.[9] In 2008, the Bend Elks led the WCL in league and overall attendance, averaging 1,430 fans at Genna Stadium over 21 league home games.[10] In 2010 Genna Stadium continued to lead the WCL in total and league attendance, along with average game attendance; its record-setting season attendance exceeded 50,000.[11]

Northwest League records

Short-season Class A

YearTeamMLB teamRecordFinishManagerPlayoffs
1970Rainbowsnone ^
(2 yrs.)		39–413rd (t)Charlie Silvera
197142–363rdEd Cecil
No teams: 1972–1977 (six seasons)
1978Timber HawksAthletics35–375thEd Nottle
1979Central Oregon
Phillies		Phillies
(8 yrs.)		43–281stTom HarmonLeague Champions
198031–397thP. J. Carey
1981Phillies31–395thP. J. Carey
198230–405thRoly de Armas
198332–376thJay Wild
198438–364thRamón Avilés
198539–353rd (t)P. J. Carey
198621–538thEd Pebley
1987BucksCo-op[12][13]33–425thMel Roberts
1988Angels
(2 yrs.)		38–385th (t)Don Long
198933–426thDon Long
1990Co-op[13][14]
(2 yrs.)		29–478thMike Bubalo
199130–467thBill Stein
1992RockiesRockies
(3 yrs.)		43–331st (t)Gene GlynnLeague finals
199335–416th (t)Howie Bedell
199429–478thRudy Jaramillo

^ The Rainbows were an affiliate of the Hawaii Islanders of the Triple-A Pacific Coast League;[15]
  the Islanders' parent clubs were the California Angels (1970), and the San Diego Padres (1971)

Former players
  • Bend Bandits players   (1995–1998)
  • Bend Rockies players   (1992–1994)
  • Bend Bucks players   (1987–1991)
  • Bend Phillies players   (1981–1986)
  • Central Oregon Phillies players   (1979–1980)
  • Bend Timber Hawks players   (1978)
  • Bend Rainbows players   (1970–1971)

References
  1. Attle, Rick (August 25, 1985). "Vince Genna". The Bulletin. Bend, Oregon. p. 1.
  2. Powers, Cindy (April 10, 2007). "Father of Bend parks dies". The Bulletin. Bend, Oregon. Retrieved July 22, 2014.
  3. "Park name change leaves Genna mum". The Bulletin. Bend, Oregon. June 22, 1972. p. 1.
  4. "Big 8th sends Ems past Bend". The Bulletin. Bend, Oregon. June 21, 1978. p. 16.
  5. "Playing Field Orientation – Rule 1.04". Major League Baseball. Retrieved November 1, 2015.
  6. Withers, Bud (June 23, 1978). "Bend baseball bounces back". Eugene Register-Guard. Oregon. p. 1D.
  7. Powers, Cindy (September 14, 1989). "Angels moving team out of bend". The Bulletin. Bend, Oregon. p. D1.
  8. http://www.bendelks.com/vince-genna-stadium/stadium-history/
  9. "Phillies agree on 1980 pact for Genna use". The Bulletin. Bend, Oregon. April 2, 1980. p. 13.
  10. Eastes, Beau (June 7, 2009). "Top Elk: The Bend Elks are back for their 10th season with a new head coach running the show". The Bend Bulletin. Retrieved 2009-09-18.
  11. http://www.wccbl.com/news.php?p=News&a=100
  12. "Bend club nicknamed the Bucks". The Bulletin. Bend, Oregon. January 15, 1987. p. D1.
  13. Pritchett, John (December 21, 1989). "A '10' rating won't come easy for the co-op Bucks". The Bulletin. Bend, Oregon. p. D1.
  14. "Bye-bye Bend Bucks; hello Bend Rockies". The Bulletin. Bend, Oregon. December 9, 1991. p. D1.
  15. Anstine, Dennis (May 1, 1971). "Rainbows returning to Bend". The Bulletin. Bend, Oregon. p. 1.
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