Oregon dedicates field at PK Park to Bob Kilkenny

EUGENE — Pat Kilkenny is synonymous with Oregon baseball. The former UO athletic director’s name is literally on the stadium.

Kilkenny was instrumental in restoring the baseball program after a 27-year hiatus and credits his father, Bob, with instilling a work ethic and love of sports.

Bob Kilkenny was a wheat farmer from Heppner and though he briefly attended UO, his five children — Russell, Patrick, Kelly, John, and Kevin — each became Ducks.

In August 2008, Bob Kilkenny was aboard a John Deere excavator for the ground breaking of PK Park. Bob passed in May 2016, but now he too will forever be tied to the program, which officially dedicated Bob Kilkenny Field at PK Park before Friday’s series opener against Washington.

“My dad was there every of the way,” Pat Kilkenny said. “Look where we are now; we have college baseball fans in Eugene. Those didn’t really exist before. … It never gets old making your dad proud.”

A logo featuring five blades of wheat — symbolizing each of Bob’s children — is on the outfield fence and behind home plate. The Ducks are wearing the logo on their helmets for the weekend series and each base at PK Park features the logo as well.

No. 5 Oregon won Friday’s game 5-0 in front of 3,866, including the entire Kilkenny family, who took part in a pregame ceremony.

“To have the whole family here, we gave the game ball to Pat obviously, in honor of Bob and what the family wanted to do for that great legacy,” Oregon coach Mark Wasikowski said.

The field dedication was the latest fundraising effort headed by Diamond Ducks, the business backed by UO donors supporting the baseball program fund additional scholarships and name, image and likeness (NIL) opportunities for players.

“To do something to honor somebody that cared a lot, that mattered a lot and raise some money doing it too,” Pat Kilkenny said. “We had an opportunity to offer more scholarships, which I think gives our baseball program a real opportunity to be on the national stage for a long time. I think we’re giving our coaches a chance and our fans, people that are showing up and showing support.

“It’s not about one or two or three people providing resources, it becomes about big community involvement. I think some of us get too much credit. It’s a lot more fun when everybody takes ownership and everybody takes pride in it. It’s not always just about money. How about just coming out to the ballpark and having a good night and supporting the team because winning at home with a full crowd is a lot easier.”