McNair Field
McNair Field is the newest ballpark in the Coastal Plain League. The town of Forest City approved the construction of the stadium at the site of Legion Field behind the Cool Springs Administrative Office in May of 2007. McNair Field was designed by McGill Associates of Asheville, NC. The park is named after the owner of the NFL's Houston Texans, Robert McNair, whose contribution made construction of the stadium possible. McNair is a native of Forest City, North Carolina and played baseball on Legion Field as a child.
McNair Field has 556 reserved seats in the grandstand that will also hold over 1,000 fans in general admission seating. The entire grandstand is covered and features a state of the art press box housing game day operations, media personnel, and a home and road radio broadcast. Fans are encouraged to bring a blanket and take advantage of the grassy area behind third base for lounging on lazy summer nights.
McNair Field features a beer garden down the right field line, and concession stands and restrooms on the right field and left field sides of the ballpark. A full line of concessions are offered during events at McNair Field, including hot dogs, hamburgers, french fries, Papa John's pizza, Coca-Cola products, beer, and several other items unique to McNair Field.
McNair Field is one of the nicest parks in which to play in all of collegiate summer baseball. A new irrigation system has been installed as well as a state of the art playing surface. Minor league style dugouts welcome the players and new bullpens are located out of play at the far end of right and left field. McNair field also features a new, minor league caliber lighting system.
An exciting feature of McNair Field is the state of the art scoreboard. The scoreboard features a 15' x 8'10" color screen that is capable of displaying team logos, player headshots and up to date statistics, and advertisements. The scoreboard was provided to McNair Field by Lipscomb Signs of Forest City and is valued at $300,000.
In 2009, McNair Field was named the best baseball field in the country in the category of Schools and Parks by the Sports Turf Management Association. The STMA is a no-profit professional organization of groundskeepers. McNair Field was one of 14 category winners.
McNair Field Records:
First game: May 29, 2008: the Forest City Owls defeated the Gastonia Grizzlies 4-2 in front of 2,675 fans.
First hit: Daniel Ford of the Gastonia Grizzlies singled with 2 outs in the top of the 1st inning on McNair Field's opening day, May 29, 2008.
First home run: Blake Forsythe of the Thomasville Hi-Toms hit a grand slam for the first home run at McNair Field on May 31, 2008.
Largest single game attendance: August 4, 2008: 3,567 fans watched the Forest City Owls defeat the Asheboro Copperheads 7-1 in the final game of the 2008 season.
Largest season attendance: 2008: The Owls set a Coastal Plain League record by drawing 63,931 fans in 2008. (The Owls hosted two exhibition games that were not included in the official attendance. Including those two game the Owls drew 67,117 fans in 2008.)
Forest City Owls record at McNair Field:
2008: 19-10 (the Owls won two exhibition games not included in the season record)
2009: 25-3; 4-0 in the Petitt Cup Playoffs (the Owls were 1-1 in two exhibition games not included in the season record)
Directions
McNair Field is easily accessible from Highway 74.
From the West:
From Highway 74 take exit 182 (US 221 Alternate) towards Forest City / Alexander Mills
Turn left on US 221 Alt./S. Broadway St.
Turn left on US 221 Alt. N. / E. Main St.
Turn right on McNair Dr.
From the East:
From Highway 74 take exit 182 (US 221 Alternate) towards Forest City / Alexander Mills
Turn left on US 221 Alt./S. Broadway St.
Turn left on US 221 Alt. N. / E. Main St.
Turn right on McNair Dr.
McNair Field has 556 reserved seats in the grandstand that will also hold over 1,000 fans in general admission seating. The entire grandstand is covered and features a state of the art press box housing game day operations, media personnel, and a home and road radio broadcast. Fans are encouraged to bring a blanket and take advantage of the grassy area behind third base for lounging on lazy summer nights.
McNair Field features a beer garden down the right field line, and concession stands and restrooms on the right field and left field sides of the ballpark. A full line of concessions are offered during events at McNair Field, including hot dogs, hamburgers, french fries, Papa John's pizza, Coca-Cola products, beer, and several other items unique to McNair Field.
McNair Field is one of the nicest parks in which to play in all of collegiate summer baseball. A new irrigation system has been installed as well as a state of the art playing surface. Minor league style dugouts welcome the players and new bullpens are located out of play at the far end of right and left field. McNair field also features a new, minor league caliber lighting system.
An exciting feature of McNair Field is the state of the art scoreboard. The scoreboard features a 15' x 8'10" color screen that is capable of displaying team logos, player headshots and up to date statistics, and advertisements. The scoreboard was provided to McNair Field by Lipscomb Signs of Forest City and is valued at $300,000.
In 2009, McNair Field was named the best baseball field in the country in the category of Schools and Parks by the Sports Turf Management Association. The STMA is a no-profit professional organization of groundskeepers. McNair Field was one of 14 category winners.
McNair Field Records:
First game: May 29, 2008: the Forest City Owls defeated the Gastonia Grizzlies 4-2 in front of 2,675 fans.
First hit: Daniel Ford of the Gastonia Grizzlies singled with 2 outs in the top of the 1st inning on McNair Field's opening day, May 29, 2008.
First home run: Blake Forsythe of the Thomasville Hi-Toms hit a grand slam for the first home run at McNair Field on May 31, 2008.
Largest single game attendance: August 4, 2008: 3,567 fans watched the Forest City Owls defeat the Asheboro Copperheads 7-1 in the final game of the 2008 season.
Largest season attendance: 2008: The Owls set a Coastal Plain League record by drawing 63,931 fans in 2008. (The Owls hosted two exhibition games that were not included in the official attendance. Including those two game the Owls drew 67,117 fans in 2008.)
Forest City Owls record at McNair Field:
2008: 19-10 (the Owls won two exhibition games not included in the season record)
2009: 25-3; 4-0 in the Petitt Cup Playoffs (the Owls were 1-1 in two exhibition games not included in the season record)
Directions
McNair Field is easily accessible from Highway 74.
From the West:
From Highway 74 take exit 182 (US 221 Alternate) towards Forest City / Alexander Mills
Turn left on US 221 Alt./S. Broadway St.
Turn left on US 221 Alt. N. / E. Main St.
Turn right on McNair Dr.
From the East:
From Highway 74 take exit 182 (US 221 Alternate) towards Forest City / Alexander Mills
Turn left on US 221 Alt./S. Broadway St.
Turn left on US 221 Alt. N. / E. Main St.
Turn right on McNair Dr.