Duffy Bass Field

Duffy Bass Field is a baseball venue in Normal, Illinois, USA. It is home to the Illinois State Redbirds baseball team of the Division I Missouri Valley Conference. It was built in 1988 and has a capacity of 1,200 spectators, 1,000 of which is seated. The field is also home to the University High School Pioneers baseball team.HistoryIn both 1992 and 2003, the field was awarded the Professional Grounds Management Society's Honor Award for the excellent condition of its playing surface.Prior to 2008, the facility featured little seating and other amenities around the playing field. In 2006, however, a $3.4 million renovation project was announced, and construction began on July 15, 2008. Part of then-athletic director Sheahon Zenger's initiative to improve Redbird athletic facilities, the project added 1,000 stadium seats, restrooms, concession stands, and ticket windows. It also upgraded the venue's press box and dugouts. An electronic scoreboard was added later. Browning Day Mullins Dierdorff Architects designed the stadium structure, while McCoy Construction built the new facilities.In fall 2012, a FieldTurf infield was installed at the facility, while the outfield surface remained natural grass. Prior to the renovation, the field's surface had been entirely natural grass.