Hiram Bithorn Stadium

Infobox Stadium
stadium_name = Hiram Bithorn Stadium
nickname =


caption =
fullname =
location = Hato Rey, Puerto Rico
built = 1962
opened =
owner = Municipality of San Juan
operator = Municipality of San Juan
construction_cost =
architect =
project_manager =
tenants = Santurce Crabbers (1933-2004, 2008-"current"), LBPPR
Atléticos de San Juan (2008-"current"), PRSL (Soccer)
Academia Quintana (2008-"current"), PRSL (Soccer)

Former Tenants:
Montreal Expos (NL) (2003-2004)
San Juan Senators, LBPPR
San Juan Metros, LBPPR
seating_capacity = 18,000
dimensions = Left Field - 325 ft / 99 m
Left-Center - 375 ft / 114 m
Center Field - 404 ft / 123 m
Right-Center - 375 ft / 114 m
Right Field - 325 ft / 99 m
Backstop - 60 ft / 18 m

The Hiram Bithorn Stadium ("Estadio Hiram Bithorn" in Spanish) is a baseball stadium in San Juan, Puerto Rico, operated by the municipal government of the city of San Juan. Its name honors the first Puerto Rican to play in the major leagues, Hiram Bithorn, who first played with the Chicago Cubs in 1942. Built in 1962 under the mayoral administration of Felisa Rincón de Gautier, replacing Sixto Escobar Stadium the stadium was home to the Santurce Crabbers and the San Juan Senators of the LBPPR.

The stadium hosted Major League Baseball's Opening Day Game in 2001, in which the Toronto Blue Jays faced the Texas Rangers in an American League match-up. However, 4,000 who bought tickets were turned away when the police determined the safe capacity of the park had been vastly exceeded.

It was the object of a major overhaul under the mayoral administration of Jorge Santini, before becoming the part-time home of the Montreal Expos of the National League in 2003 and 2004 prior to their move to Washington, D.C. as the Washington Nationals. The Expos played 22 "home" games in each season as a result of poor attendance at their home Olympic Stadium in Montreal. Prior to Major League Baseball's announcement of the Montreal Expos move to Washington, Puerto Rico and San Juan made an effort to lure the Expos franchise to the island territory permanently.

event will be played here.

In 2008 it will serve as the stadium for Atléticos de San Juan and Academia Quintana. Two soccer teams that will take part in the Puerto Rico Soccer League, Puerto Rico's first ever professional soccer league

The stadium has approximately 18,000 seats, with field dimensions of 325 feet (99 m) down the left field line, 325 feet (99 m) down the right field line and 404 feet (123 m) to center field. The fences are 8 feet (2.5 m) high.

External links

* [http://www.hirambithorn.net/photos/index.php?level=album&id=3 Hiram Bithorn Stadium Photos]
* [http://www.hirambithorn.net/ Hiram Bithorn]