Construction is complete at the new Alex Box Stadium
Photo by:www.LSUsports.net, LSU
LSU Baseball Facilities
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Updated: February 20, 2009, 03:19 a.m. (CT)
by www.LSUsports.net, LSU Sports Interactive

The New Alex Box Stadium (9,200)

The Alex Box Stadium experience is a unique one, created by the greatest and most loyal fans in all of college baseball, combined with an enduring legacy of championships.

In February 2009, the LSU Baseball program moves into a new home, and all of the traditions, memories and excitement that make Tiger baseball truly special will live on in the New Alex Box Stadium.

From LSU’s first SEC title team in ‘39, to Bruce Baudier’s perfect game, to Rich Cordani’s game-winning home run against Southern Cal, to the regional championship victory laps of the 1990s, Alex Box Stadium has been home to some of the greatest moments in all of college baseball history.

Now the LSU baseball legacy moves 200 yards to the south into a state-of-the-art facility, designed to provide the resources necessary to sustain LSU’s tradition of excellence while also accommodating in comfort the record-setting crowds that set Tiger Baseball apart from the rest of America.

In the New Box, the Tiger baseball team enjoys 6,000 additional square-feet of locker and meeting room space, new batting cages and all the amenities necessary to field a consistent winner.

A brand new home has opened for a grand old tradition ... LSU Baseball at Alex Box Stadium.

Stadium Information

Seating Capacity: 9,200
Playing Field Distances
- Foul Lines: 330 ft.
- Power Alleys: 365 ft.
- Center: 405 ft.
Height of Fence: 10 ft.
Playing Surface: natural grass

First Level

  • National Championship Plaza
  • Ticket Booth
  • Arcade / Novelty Shop
  • Hall of Fame
  • LSU Locker Room and Squad Room
  • Concession Stands
  • Restrooms
  • Umpires Locker Room
  • Batting Cages
  • Two (2) Picnic / Play Areas

Second Level

  • Concourse
  • Concession Stands
  • Restrooms

Third Level

  • Press Box
  • Suites

MakeYourPitch.net
For more on the New Alex Box Stadium, the latest renderings, construction updates and donation opportunities.

Ballpark Comparisons

Original Alex Box
New Alex Box
7,760
Seating
9,200
2,800
Grandstand (under roof)
3,896

0

Suite

288

4,522
Bleachers
5,016
2,000 sq. ft.
Restrooms
9,274 sq. ft.
2,200 sq ft.
Concessions
5,000 sq. ft.
N/A
Arcade
500 sq. ft.
N/A
Suites
8,588 sq. ft.
N/A
Club Lounge
1,800 sq. ft.
3,000 sq. ft.
Team Area
9,380 sq. ft.
250 sq. ft.
Press Area
2,000 sq. ft.
N/A
Hall of Fame
1,900 sq. ft.


Alex Box Stadium (7,760)

The original Alex Box Stadium, home of the LSU Fighting Tigers from 1938-2008, has a storied history which spans several decades. Efforts to upgrade the stadium over the years made it comparable to that of many professional minor-league clubs. The 2008 season was the last for the Tigers in the 70-year-old facility, as LSU moved into the New Alex Box Stadium in 2009.

In 2008, the Tigers drew 318,798 fans to the original Alex Box Stadium as LSU finished first in the nation in total attendance for the 13th straight year.

Over the final 25 seasons in Alex Box Stadium, the Tigers attracted over four million fans to the historic facility. A  total of 4,550,628 patrons watched the Tigers play at "The Box" from 1984 to 2008.

The stadium was recognized both for its old-fashioned charm and for its modern renovations. Beginning in 1985, it was the site of four SEC tournaments, 18 NCAA regional tournaments, four NCAA super regional series and one ABCA Hall of Fame tournament.                                   

Originally a 2,500-seat facility, the concrete and steel grandstand of Alex Box Stadium was completed in 1938. Funding came from the Works Progress Administration, a federally sponsored agency which constructed public athletic facilities, among other such projects.

In its first two years, Alex Box Stadium was the site of spring training for the New York Giants. Such legendary baseball figures as Mel Ott, Carl Hubbell, Bill Terry and Dick Bartell trained at “The Box.”

LSU's baseball stadium was named in 1943 for Alex Box, an outfielder for the 1942 Tiger squad. Box was killed in 1943 while fighting in North Africa during World War II.

Original Alex Box Stadium Facts (known as "LSU Diamond" from 1938-43)

All-Time LSU Record in the original Alex Box Stadium (1,723 games): 1,217-509-7 (.708)
First Game: March 12, 1938, New York Giants 6, Philadelphia Phillies 5 (Major League Baseball Spring Training game)
First LSU Game: March 21, 1938, LSU led Minnesota, 4-2, after three innings when game is halted due to rain.
First Complete LSU Game: March 24, 1938, Minnesota 6, LSU 5
First LSU Win: April 11, 1938, LSU 7, Northwestern 6
Final LSU Game: June 9, 2008 (NCAA Super Regional), LSU 21, UC Irvine 7

2008 National Attendance Leaders

Team
Attendance
Avg.
1. LSU
318,798
7,580
2. Arkansas
222,985
6,968
3. Florida St.
186,879
4,918
4. Texas
179,282
5,976
5. Texas A&M
176,723
4,208
6. Mississippi St. 
174,223
6,008
7. South Carolina
161,761
4,758
8. Ole Miss
155,489
4,712
9. Wichita St.
141,715
4,168
10. Tulane
140,402
3,600

 

Original Alex Box Stadium Information

Seating Capacity 7,760
Playing Field Distances
Foul Lines 330 ft.
Power Alleys 365 ft.
Center 405 ft.
Height of Fence 10 ft.
In center field 15 ft.

Playing Surface
natural grass

Tournaments Hosted
NCAA Regional Tournaments (16): 1986, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2008
NCAA Super Regional Series (3): 2000, 2003, 2004, 2008
SEC Tournaments (4): 1985, 1986, 1991, 1993
ABCA Hall of Fame Tournament (1): 1991

Top 10 Paid Attendance Figures at the Original Alex Box Stadium *

Attendance
Opponent
Date
Score
1. 8,701 Mississippi St.
5/11/08
LSU, 9-6
2. 8,675 Indiana
2/22/08
LSU, 7-1
3. 8,683
Houston
3/6/04
UH, 10-5
4. 8,622
UL-Lafayette
4/11/00
LSU, 8-2
5. 8,577
Tulane
2/27/07
UT, 8-3
6. 8,548 Mississippi St.
5/9/08
LSU, 15-6
7. 8,521
Mississippi St.
3/26/04
MSU, 7-3
8. 8,512
Auburn
5/9/03
LSU, 6-5
9. 8,440
Alabama
5/19/02
LSU, 5-1
10. 8,437
Auburn
5/10/03
LSU, 20-3

* The largest actual attendance figure in the original Alex Box Stadium history was 8,173 for the NCAA Super Regional championship game versus UC Irvine on June 29, 2008.

LSU's Record in the Original Alex Box Stadium (1984-2008)

Year
Games
W-L-T
Pct.
1984
31
23-8
.742
1985
34
31-3
.912
1986
43
38-5
.884
1987
35
30-5
.857
1988
33
27-6
.818
1989
36
31-5
.861
1990
37
32-5
.865
1991
43
33-10
.767
1992
38
30-8
.789
1993
43
34-8-1
.802
1994
35
28-7
.800
1995
36
28-8
.777
1996
39
32-7
.821
1997
40
36-4
.900
1998
35
32-3
.914
1999
38
27-11
.711
2000
39
28-11
.718
2001
37
27-10
.730
2002
36
28-8
.778
2003
39
30-8-1
.782
2004
36
27-9
.750
2005
36
23-13
.639
2006
37
25-12
.676
2007
35
20-14-1
.586
2008
42
32-9-1
.774
Totals
933
732-197-4
.787

Total Attendance in the Original Alex Box Stadium (1984-2008)

Year Dates Attendance Average
1984
24
22,021
918
1985
25
40,746
1,630
1986
34
81,075
2,385
1987
27
46,084
1,707
1988
27
46,831
1,734
1989
33
65,781
1,993
1990
30
78,616
2,621
1991
37
113,832
3,077
1992
34
114,937
3,381
1993
39
137,306
3,521
1994
33
143,595
4,351
1995
36
148,995
4,139
1996
39
226,805
5,816
1997
39
252,864
6,484
1998
35
232,597
6,645
1999
38
271,888
7,154
2000
39
286,874
7,355
2001
37
276,622
7,476
2002
36
271,179
7,532
2003
39
291,676
7,478
2004
36
284,328
7,898
2005
36
270,300
7,508
2006
37
270,341
7,306
2007
35
256,537
7,329
2008
42
318,798
7,590
Totals
867
4,550,628
5,249

Alex Box (1920-1943)

LSU's baseball stadium was named in 1943 for Alex Box, an outfielder for the 1942 Tiger squad. Box was killed in 1943 while fighting in North Africa during World War II.

Simeon Alexander Box was born August 5, 1920, in Quitman, Miss., and attended George S. Gardiner High School in Laurel, Miss. Box came to LSU in 1938 and majored in petroleum engineering. He played football and baseball, served as vice president of the junior class in engineering and was a member of several professional societies. He earned his petroleum engineering degree in 1942.

Box pursued his advanced ROTC studies in the engineering regiment. A handsome, popular figure on campus, he met and developed a close relationship with Earle Hubert, an attractive member of Delta Zeta sorority from Plaquemine, La. They had an understanding that she would complete her elementary education degree while he was serving in the military; then, they would later marry.

Tragically, the terrors of warfare changed those plans. After being commissioned in the U.S. Army, Box made short stops at camps in Florida and Pennsylvania and went on to England in August, 1942. He was posted to the First Infantry Division, called the "Big Red One" in North Africa. Lieutenant Box, a tank commander, displayed his heroism on November 9, 1942, when he risked his life in helping destroy six enemy machine gun nests and an artillery emplacement near Arcole, Algeria. His brave acts earned him the Distinguished Service Cross, the Army's second-highest decoration.

Only two months later, there was a fierce battle in Tunisia, and Box's tank was shredded by a German mine. He was killed instantly on February 19, 1943, at the age of 22. Brigadier General Theodore Roosevelt, wrote a letter of condolence to Box's mother, Mattie, saying "the deeds and death of your son have gone to make up the spiritual background that is this country."

Laurel, Miss., superintendent of schools R.H. Watkins eulogized Box as a “perfect example of an athlete, a Christian gentleman, a scholar and a soldier ... His beautiful life may be compared to a great piece of music which ends on a high note.”

On the LSU campus, there was a spontaneous movement that spring to commemorate his sacrifice in some tangible way. At its May 28, 1943 meeting, the LSU Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to name the baseball stadium for Box. That was considered such an unusual decision that the student newspaper, The Reveille, observed, "For the first time in the school's history, the service and memory of the military hero came to be esteemed so highly that a structure on the campus was named in his honor."

The Box family made a special presentation of Alex's personal memorabilia to LSU during the 1991 baseball season. The memorabilia, enclosed in a specially constructed glass case, is permanently housed in the LSU Athletics Hall of Fame and Museum.

 

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