Northwest Federal Field at Pfitzner Stadium

G. Richard Pfitzner Stadium
Former names Davis Ford Park (1984-1985)
Prince William County Stadium (1986-1995)
Location 7 County Complex Court
Woodbridge, Virginia 22192
Coordinates 38°41′3″N 77°21′9″W / 38.68417°N 77.35250°W / 38.68417; -77.35250Coordinates: 38°41′3″N 77°21′9″W / 38.68417°N 77.35250°W / 38.68417; -77.35250
Owner Prince William County Park Authority
Operator Potomac Baseball LLC.
Capacity 6,000
Record attendance 10,789 (July 4, 2009)[1]
Field size Left Field: 315
Center Field: 400
Right Field: 315
Surface Patriot Bermuda Grass
Scoreboard Daktronics BA-2026
Construction
Broke ground 1983
Opened April 19, 1984
Construction cost $2 million[2]
($4.71 million in 2017 dollars[3])
Architect Hughes Group Architects[4]
Tenants
Potomac Nationals (CL) (1984–present)

Northwest Federal Field at Pfitzner Stadium, nicknamed "The Pfitz", is a stadium in the Coles Magisterial District of Prince William County, Virginia.[5] It is primarily used for baseball, and is the home field of the Potomac Nationals minor league baseball team. It was built in 1984. The stadium is located near the McCoart Government Center, the offices of the Prince William County Service Authority and the Sean Connaughton Community Plaza. It holds 6,000 people.

Improvements

After the 2011 season, the field was redone to upgrade it to MLB specifications, as the previous field failed to meet those standards. This was done due to moving a series because of unsafe conditions.[6]

In December 2016 reports emerged of a possible new Potomac Nationals stadium. Two County Supervisors said that team owner Art Silber told them Minor League Baseball is requiring the team to be out of Pfitzner Stadium by the end of the 2018 season.[7]

2012 Fire

A one-alarm fire caused by an inside gas leak destroyed the facility's business offices on June 29, 2012. There were no fatalities or injuries. Other parts of the stadium, including the concession stands one level below the offices, were not damaged.[8] The fire put the Nationals' mascot Uncle Slam out of action for the remainder of the Carolina League season.[9]

Layout

The unique dugouts at Pfitzner Stadium prior to the addition of protective netting in 2018.

The fences at Pfitzner Stadium are 315 feet down the lines and 400 feet to straight-away center field. There is an electronic scoreboard in left-center field capable of displaying images as well as some video. The dugouts at the stadium are unusual in that they are located at field level, and prior to 2018 there was no fence or rail separating them from the field. However, as part of renovations completed following the 2017 season, netting was added in front of both the home and visiting dugouts.[10]

Name

The stadium was originally known as G. Richard Pfitzner Stadium. On May 3, 2018, the Potomac Nationals announced that as part of a sponsorship deal with Northwest Federal Credit Union, the stadium would be renamed Northwest Federal Field at Pfitzner Stadium. The naming rights deal also includes the stadium's field tarp and bullpen picnic area.[11]

References

  1. ↑ Ballpark History Potomac Nationals
  2. ↑ Bullis, Tim (July 1, 1998). "Owner Moving Cannons North". The Free Lance–Star. Fredericksburg, VA. Retrieved March 3, 2012.
  3. ↑ Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis Community Development Project. "Consumer Price Index (estimate) 1800–". Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. Retrieved January 2, 2018.
  4. ↑ "Addition Community Projects". Hughes Group Architects. Archived from the original on December 1, 2008. Retrieved July 2, 2012.
  5. ↑ "Pfitzner Stadium Ballpark History". MiLB.com. Minor League Baseball. Retrieved 19 December 2016.
  6. ↑ Kerr, Byron (January 4, 2012). "Potomac Nationals Install New Grass Field at Pfitzner Stadium". Mid-Atlantic Sports Network. Retrieved February 24, 2014.
  7. ↑ Koma, Alex (December 30, 2016). "New Potomac Nationals stadium construction may face hurdles". InsideNoVa.com. Leesburg, Virginia: Northern Virginia Media Services. Retrieved January 3, 2017.
  8. ↑ Kerr, Byron (June 29, 2012). "Potomac's Pfitzner Stadium Sustains Damage from Fire, All Employees Accounted For". Mid-Atlantic Sports Network. Retrieved February 24, 2014.
  9. ↑ "Mascot Uncle Slam Placed on 60-Day DL". Minor League Baseball. July 6, 2012. Retrieved February 24, 2014.
  10. ↑ "Potomac Nationals Announce Upgrades to Pfitzner Stadium for the 2018 Season". MiLB.com. March 28, 2018. Retrieved April 6, 2018.
  11. ↑ "P-Nats Announce Field Naming Rights Partnership with Northwest Federal Credit Union". milb.com. Potomac Nationals. May 3, 2018. Retrieved May 4, 2018.


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