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Medlar Field at Lubrano Park is not just another baseball field. Although the diamond itself has not changed, the facility is a “Field of Dreams” for the Penn State baseball program and the citizens of State College.
Located at the intersection of Curtin and Porter roads and adjacent to Beaver Stadium and Bryce Jordan Center, Medlar Field is the new home of Penn State baseball this season.
It replaces the former field located on Park Avenue, and gives Penn State one of the best baseball stadiums in the Big Ten, not to mention one of the best views of Mount Nittany on campus.
The building of the new park was made possible by a sizable donation from Penn State alumnus and former baseball player Anthony Lubrano and the field was named for former Penn State baseball coach Charles “Chuck” Medlar.
Medlar led the Nittany Lions to two College World Series in his 19 years as head coach from 1963 to 1981.
Junior Mike Cramer believes the new facility was needed.
“We have not been good the last few years in baseball, and I think a new field should help in recruiting and our reputation for baseball,” he said.
The state-of-the-art facility features three levels: the field, concourse and luxury suites.
The field level has three clubhouses, a weight room, and indoor batting cage, and the luxury suite level holds 20 suites and the press boxes.
The concourse level has restaurants and attractions for every type of fan.
Although the layout of the park looks more like PNC Park, if you are looking for a taste of Citizen’s Bank Park in Philadelphia, you can buy a Philly Cheesesteak at The Right Field Grill.
Have kids? Take them to the Nittany Embroidery Fun Deck for some carnival-style games, have a picnic in left field, then pick up some State College Spikes gear at Off the Rack Outfitters.
Penn State baseball coach Robbie Wine said the facility will draw more recruits to Penn State and fan support and interest will increase.
The view from Wine’s office along the first base line where he conducts recruiting makes it hard to disagree.
He compared it to the impact of a new field or arena for a professional team on its city, simply on a smaller scale.
Medlar Field, with its spacious outfield and tall right field wall, invokes memories of one of those new parks in professional baseball, PNC Park in Pittsburgh.
“I love the new park. I’m not a huge baseball fan,” said sophomore Joe Kollegian. “But I love to come out and see a game and the park every once in a while.”
“It reminds me of PNC Park,” he said.
The dimensions of the ballpark are actually identical to PNC Park with one exception.
The right field wall, instead of being 21 feet high to commemorate Roberto Clemente as in PNC Park, is 18.55 feet high, the year Penn State was founded.
“The field is a miniature professional ballpark,” said Kollegian. “I doubt many college baseball teams can say they play at a place like this,”
Similar to the impact that PNC Park has had on Pittsburgh and the surrounding area, Medlar Field is very beneficial to the State College community as well as Penn State athletics.
“I travel to State College about twice a month,” said Chris DeForce. “The new ballpark is beautiful and has a great view.”
“Plus you get to see great baseball,” he said. “You can’t beat that.”
Penn State Athletic Director Tim Curley said that the plaza of the stadium can also be used to entertain fans during football games and also for other events.
Penn State will play 26 home games this year, the most in school history.
“We are not really known as a baseball school,” said Mike Cramer.
“I hope this field changes that.”
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