Creighton Sports Complex Kitty Gaughan Pavilion
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Creighton Sports Complex Quick Facts Built: 1988 LF: 330 Renovated: 2000 CF: 400 Surface: SafePlay RF: 330 Capacity: 1,000 Gap: 390 The Creighton Sports Complex has served as the home of the CU baseball team since it opened in 1988 and was renovated in 2000. The on-campus facility features SafePlay playing surface on both the baseball and neighboring softball fields. Kitty Gaughan Pavilion Kitty Gaughan Pavilion houses spacious locker rooms and indoor batting cages for Bluejay players. The two-story structure also houses the baseball and softball offices. On game days, concession stands and restrooms are available for fans as well as indoor viewing areas for both the baseball and softball fields. 36 2005 Creighton Bluejays Baseball Rosenblatt Stadium Top Regular Season Attendance Dates in Colleg e Baseball His tory The annual home of college base- Att. Team vs. Team Date Location ball’s pinnacle has served as the 40,106 San Diego St. vs. Houston 3/11/04 PETCO Park “home away from home” for the 28,836 Georgia vs. Georgia Tech 5/11/04 Turner Field Creighton baseball program. T h e 27,673 LSU vs. Tulane 4/10/02 Louisiana Superdome Bluejays annually play Nebraska at 25,175 Long Beach St. vs. San Diego St. 3/13/04 PETCO Park Rosenblatt Stadium, a game that is 21,724 Texas vs. Rice 2/14/04 Minute Maid Park televised statewide. 21,343 LSU vs. Tulane 4/27/04 Louisiana Superdome Creighton has been the host of two 21,043 TCU vs. Texas 5/04/96 The Ballpark in Arlington of the top 14 and three of the top 21 20,737 Nebraska vs. San Diego St. 3/14/04 PETCO Park home attendance dates in regular 19,482 Nebraska vs. San Diego 3/12/04 PETCO Park 18,758 NEBRASKA vs. CREIGHTON 5/15/02 ROSENBLATT STADIUM season college baseball history. All 18.348 Hawaii vs. UNLV 5/19/79 Aloha Stadium three were matchups with Nebraska 18,319 Tulane vs. LSU 4/29/03 Louisiana Superdome at Rosenblatt. 15,649 Texas vs. TCU 4/08/97 The Ballpark in Arlington Creighton annually serves as the 15,436 NEBRASKA vs. CREIGHTON 5/10/00 ROSENBLATT STADIUM host of the College World Series 15,428 Texas vs. Houston 2/09/02 Enron Field because of its proximity to 14,991 Mississippi St. vs. Florida 4/16/88 Duby Noble Stadium Rosenblatt. Creighton baseball play- 14,978 Houston vs. Texas 2/04/01 Enron Field ers are able to experience on a year- 14,378 Mississippi St. vs. LSU 4/16/88 Duby Noble Stadium ly basis the aura and thrill of playing 14,367 Texas vs. TCU 4/20/99 The Ballpark in Arlington 14,079 TCU vs. Texas 4/28/98 The Ballpark in Arlington in a facility that houses so much his- 13,862 NEBRASKA vs. CREIGHTON 5/09/01 ROSENBLATT STADIUM tory and has been the site of many moments of glory. This year, the Bluejays and Cornhuskers will meet twice at Rosenblatt Stadium on Tu e s d a y, April 5 and Tuesday, May 10. The Jays will also play conference foe S M S on April 8 at Rosenblatt Stadium. 2005 Creighton Bluejays Baseball 37 Attendance Dr . Lee C. Bevilacqua was Creighton’s vol- Hall of Fame Creighton has consistently been in the unteer team physician for 32 years (1962-82, In addition to his status as a Major top 50 in home attendance for all Division I 1986-98) until his passing in October of 1998, League Baseball Hall of Famer, Bob Gibson schools. In 2004, the Bluejays were ranked while on a road trip with the Bluejay men’s was the first Bluejay inducted into the 49th in average home attendance, drawing soccer team. Creighton University Athletic Hall of Fame. 1,083 fans per home contest. Creighton is During his years of service, Bevilacqua The Creighton Hall of Fame now boasts 45 also the third-highest ranked school in the never received monetary compensation and members, including former baseball players Missouri Valley Conference and the third always paid his own way when he traveled Gibson, Oneri Fleita, Gil Passarella, Dennis Northern-most school to be in the top 50, with teams. Rasmussen, Randy Schwartz as well as with only Notre Dame (31st) and Oregon 2001 inductee Jim Hendry and 2003 State (45th) being located farther north. Fight Song inductee Scott Servais. The Creighton University Fight Song is College World Series “The White and the Blue,” with words and Jaybackers music by Gordon Richmond. The booster group for Creighton Athletics, the Jaybackers, contributed over “The White and the Blue! $2 million to the athletic department last Colors two, it is you we defend. year, primarily through membership dona- Fearless for you, tions and the annual Jaybacker Jamboree. our might to the fight we will lend. So: wave, colors, wave Missouri Valley Conference We will fight on for your glory. White and Blue! We will fight till the fight is won.” First-Team All-Americans The Creighton baseball program pro- The NCAA Division I College Wo r l d duced four first-team All-Americans in the Series has called Omaha home every year 1990s: Dan Smith, Scott Stahoviak, Chad since 1950 and Creighton University serves McConnell and Ryan Gripp. as the host institution for the event. One of the most decorated starting pitch- The Creighton baseball team has been a Annually drawing more than 225,000 fans to ers in Bluejay baseball history, Smith was member of the Missouri Valley Conference the 11-day event, the College World Series honored as a first-team All-American by the since the 1977 season. Prior to joining the is one of the nation’s premier sporting American Baseball Coaches A s s o c i a t i o n Valley, the Bluejays played as an indepen- events, matching college baseball’s top and Baseball America magazine in 1990 dent. eight teams in a double-elimination tourna- after leading Creighton to the 1990 NCAA The oldest conference headquartered ment for the national championship. Central Regional with a 14-3 record and a west of the Mississippi River, the Valley is in The 2005 CWS will be the 56th in school-best 1.96 ERA. its 98th year of existence and began spon- Omaha and is scheduled for June 17-27 at Third baseman Stahoviak was named soring baseball in 1947. Johnny Rosenblatt Stadium. the National Player of the Year by the A B C A and also earned first-team A l l - Major Leaguers Dr. Lee C. Bevilacqua America honors from both the ABCA and The Creighton program has seen its Inducted into the Creighton University Baseball America after leading the Bluejays share of athletes move on to the profes- Athletic Hall of Fame in 1988, Bevilacqua to the 1991 College World Series by batting sional ranks. The Jays have had 64 players became the first .449 (120-267) with 74 RBI. drafted by Major League Baseball teams person associat- Outfielder McConnell was a consensus since 1955 with 15 of them making it to a ed with Creighton first-team All-American in 1992 after leading 40-man roster. This includes 28 draftees in Athletics to be Creighton to the 1992 NCAA C e n t r a l the 1990s and seven since 2000. honored by the Regional. He hit .400 (88-220) during the Some of the more notable names from Missouri Va l l e y 1992 season with 14 home runs and 73 Creighton’s history are Bob Gibson, Dave Conference Hall RBI. McKay, Dennis Rasmussen, Scott Servais, of Fame when he Third baseman Gripp was named a first- Kimera Bartee, Scott Stahoviak and Alan was presented team ABCA All-American in 1999. He led Benes. the MVC Aw a r d the Bluejays to the South Bend (Ind.) Most recently the names of Mike of Merit at the Regional, CU’s first NCAA To u r n a m e n t M a h o n e y, Kevin Frederick and Chad Hall of Fame berth since 1992. Gripp hit .395 with a Meyers have been added to the list. induction ceremonies Sept. 1, 1998, in St. school-record 24 home runs and 84 RBI. Louis. 38 2005 Creighton Bluejays Baseball CU’s Major League Connections Northwoods League Creighton University Player Year Organization Gerald J. Shea 1905 St. Louis Cardinals Athletic Hall of Fame Joseph Lotz 1916 St. Louis Cardinals Rick Apke 1989 Hugh (Hal) Luby 1931 Philadelphia At h l e t i c s Gene Sullivan 1955 St. Louis Cardinals Tom Apke 1995 Frank Slezak 1955 St. Louis Cardinals Edward Beisser 1977 Fritz Stanek 1955 Brooklyn Dodgers Known as one of the premier summer Lee C. Bevilacqua, M.D. 1988 Bob Gibson 1957 St. Louis Cardinals Ralph Bobik 1988 Don Brummer 1957 New York Yankees collegiate baseball wooden bat leagues in Gil Passarella 1970 New York Yankees the country, many Northwoods League ros- Conrad “Cornie” Collin 1991 Dave McKay 1971 Minnesota Twins ters have included Creighton players in the Randy Eccker 1999 John Sturgeon 1972 San Diego Padres recent past. Eight Bluejays on the 2005 ros- Oneri Fleita 2000 Cliff Cuadreuil 1972 Baltimore Orioles Donald Fleming 1976 Jim Otto 1972 New York Yankees ter have suited up in the Northwoods Jim Lemon 1973 Kansas City Royals League for at least one summer. Bob Gibson 1968 Dennis Froehlich 1974 San Francisco Giants Creighton players have been among the Kathy Halligan 2002 Abner Johnson 1977 Minnesota Twins best to suit up in the NWL.