Explore PK Park home of the Eugene Emeralds

Welcome to Eugene’s PK Park, the place Giants play earlier than they’re totally grown. The hometown Emeralds share their stadium with the Geese, an amiable bear and a maybe not-so-amiable sasquatch.

Eugene Emeralds (Excessive-A affiliate of the San Francisco Giants since 2021)
Established: 1955
League: Northwest League
Ballpark: PK Park (since 2009)
Championships: 1955, 1974-’75, 1980, 2016, 2018, 2021-’22
Notable alumni: Mike Schmidt, Kevin Appier, Bob Boone, Eric Davis, Tom Gordon, Corey Kluber, Trea Turner

The Emeralds had been established in 1955 as a constitution member of the Northwest League, the identical circuit that they compete inside right this moment. The Emeralds – or Ems, for brief – have not performed within the NWL for the whole thing of their existence, nevertheless, as from 1969-’73 they had been members of the Triple-A Pacific Coast League. Eugene was a Phillies affiliate throughout this time, with Mike Schmidt suiting up for the Emeralds in 1972 prior to creating his Main League debut late that season.

The Emeralds returned to the Northwest League in 1975, affiliating with Cincinnati (1975-’83), Kansas Metropolis (1984-’94), Atlanta (1995-’98), the Chicago Cubs (1999-2000; 2015-’20), San Diego (2001-’14) and, lastly, San Francisco. The Northwest League was a Class A Brief-Season circuit from 1974-2020, taking part in a 76-game schedule. In 2021, the identical yr by which the Emeralds’ affiliation with the Giants started, the NWL was reclassified as a Excessive-A (full-season) league.

Ballpark Location (through Google Maps)
Eugene Emeralds Schedule
Eugene Emeralds Roster

2800 Martin Luther King Blvd.
Eugene, OR 97401
541-342-5367

Capability: 4,000
Dimensions: left area, 335 ft; heart area, 400 ft; proper area, 325 ft

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PK Park is the third stadium that the Emeralds have referred to as house, following Bethel Park (1955-’68) and Civic Stadium (1969-2009). The Emeralds share the power with the College of Oregon, who constructed it along with the revivification of their moribund baseball program. The Oregon Geese performed their first season there in 2009, with the Emeralds shifting within the following yr. The ballpark’s “PK” moniker is an homage to former College of Oregon athletic director Pat Kilkenny, whose donations helped fund its building.

PK Park is positioned north (and throughout the Willamette River) from the College of Oregon’s campus, within the shadow of gargantuan Autzen Stadium. This facility, which holds 60,000 green-and-yellow-clad Geese followers, opened in 1967 and was extensively renovated in 2002. PK Park is due to this fact an exceedingly simple venue by which to park one’s automobile, as the encompassing space frequently accommodates far bigger crowds. The services are located to the northeast of downtown Eugene, bounded by I-105 to the north and I-5 to the east. Day Island, positioned to the south and residential to sprawling Alton Baker Park, is located between Autzen Stadium and the Willamette River.

When the Emeralds switched classifications and have become a full-season crew in 2021, they joined the Geese baseball crew in taking part in video games in April and Could. PK Park is due to this fact fairly a busy facility, and the Ems’ longer-term aim is to maneuver right into a ballpark constructed specifically for them. Regardless, the Ems have discovered nice success whereas taking part in at PK Park. They’ve received 4 championships since 2016, equaling the quantity they received within the 51 seasons prior.

PK Park has a man-made floor, and the one grime to be discovered is on the pitcher’s mound and surrounding house plate. It holds roughly 4,000 followers, roughly half of which may be accommodated inside a seating bowl that stretches from third base to first base. The open concourse, in the meantime, stretches from foul pole to foul pole. A piece of bleacher seating is positioned down the left-field line, with a children play space located instantly behind it.

Regardless of the place you sit (or stand, or wander), count on a full of life and oft-irreverent gameday surroundings indicative of Eugene’s iconoclastic, off-center sensibilities. The Emeralds’ sasquatch-themed major brand has led to sightings of an precise (?) sasquatch across the ballpark, whereas notable promotions have paid tribute to the Grateful Lifeless, “Twin Peaks,” “The Simpsons” and “Portlandia.”

In latest seasons the Ems have discovered success with their “Las Monarcas de Eugene” Copa de la Diversión id, that includes a butterfly brand with 33 dots representing each the variety of Latin American international locations and Oregon’s standing because the thirty third state. The crew has additionally made an affect with their Satisfaction Night time celebrations; in 2019 they grew to become the primary Minor League crew to take the sector carrying Satisfaction-themed uniforms.

The Emeralds’ wide-ranging and ever-changing array of concessions are served at quite a lot of concourse places. The Dugout Diner, on the first-base facet, is the go-to spot for ballpark favorites in addition to specialty scorching canine and burgers. Different highlights embrace Loaded Nachos from the El Tremendous Taco cart and ice cream from the Prince Puckler’s Ice Cream Tent. The latter is an offshoot of Eugene’s well-known ice cream store, which has been serving up connoisseur treats since 1975. Craft beer aficionados ought to preserve an eye fixed out for native choices, because the Eugene space is house to a wide selection of breweries.

Sluggo, a inexperienced bear, as soon as discovered a pair of deserted binoculars within the woods and used them to spy on an Emeralds sport at Civic Stadium. He quickly labored up the braveness to go to the ballpark, and the remaining is historical past. He is been an Emeralds fan favourite for many years, and straightforward to identify because of his anomalous luminescent hue. Sluggo’s identify is a baseball reference, positive, but it surely’s greater than that: Slugs are prevalent within the Eugene area, to the extent {that a} SLUG Queen serves as an unofficial metropolis ambassador. (SLUG, on this case, stands for “Society for the Legitimization of the Ubiquitous Gastropod).

When Sluggo discovered his aforementioned pair of deserted binoculars, he was residing inside the thick vegetation of Spencer Butte. Possibly you will spot a inexperienced bear whereas climbing the Spencer Butte Path, a 1.7 mile loop highlighted by panoramic views at its 2,000-foot summit. This is only one of many out of doors actions accessible to pursue. Eugene is an eminently bike-able metropolis, for instance, whereas runners can (actually) comply with within the footsteps of native observe legend Steve Prefontaine by doing a loop or three on Pre’s Path. The path is positioned inside Alton Brown Park, as is the Eugene Science Middle.

There may be a lot to discover on the College of Oregon campus, together with a self-guided tour of all of the places the place “Animal Home” was filmed. In the event you’ve ever wished to go to Dean Vernon Wormer’s workplace, now’s your probability. One other popular culture location of word is the close by city of Springfield, which claims to have impressed the city of the identical identify the place “The Simpsons” takes place. There is a Simpsons mural within the city’s most important avenue, in addition to a plaque signed by present creator (and Oregon native) Matt Groening.

Talking of “The Simpsons,” Max’s Tavern is rumored to have impressed that present’s Moe’s Tavern. This venerable institution has been round since 1932, when bars weren’t allowed inside 1,000 ft of the College of Oregon campus. Max positioned his 1,005 ft away. One other iconic institution of newer classic is the Eugene outpost of Voodoo Doughnut. Sure, they’ve a donut named The Homer in honor of “The Simpsons” patriarch (strawberry frosting with spherical sprinkles). Voodoo Doughnut is inside Eugene’s Kesey Sq., named after psychedelic explorer Ken Kesey (who spent a part of his childhood in Springfield and went on to attend the College of Oregon).

Eugene’s eating scene, on the entire, gives one thing for everybody. Discover all kinds of ethnic cuisines or hit up an iconic campus pizza joint. You possibly can’t go flawed. There may be additionally a vibrant craft beer scene, with Ninkasi, Oakshire, and Hop Valley all positioned within the metropolis’s Whiteaker neighborhood.

Eugene is house to an abundance of resorts, notably inside the downtown space near the College of Oregon campus. Distinctive choices embrace The Graduate (take a look at their assortment of uncommon Nikes) and The Gordon (native artwork within the rooms and all through the frequent areas).

Eugene is the southernmost vacation spot within the six-team Northwest League, the smallest circuit in Minor League Baseball. Go to all of them by touring north to see the Hillsboro Hops, Tri-Metropolis Mud Devils, Everett AquaSox and Vancouver Canadians (the one Minor League crew not in the US). The Triple-A Tacoma Rainiers are positioned roughly in the course of these Northwest League locales, with their father or mother membership, the Seattle Mariners, positioned close by as effectively.

Giants prospects, and people who love them, log loads of miles alongside the best way to San Francisco. The journey begins in California earlier than heading to Oregon, Virginia after which again to California.

Single-A: San Jose Giants
Excessive-A: Eugene Emeralds
Double-A: Richmond Flying Squirrels
Triple-A: Sacramento River Cats