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AT&T Park

By Jennifer Alpeche, About.com

Bob Ecker; Photo reprinted with permission of SFVCB.
Definition: Located at 24 Willie Mays Plaza, AT&T Park is one of the sights of S.F.'s Embarcadero. Its classic design has made it a favorite with locals and visitors alike.

Home to the San Francisco Giants, AT&T Park was the first privately-financed stadium in baseball since Dodger Stadium. It opened in 2000.

First named Pacific Bell Park ("Pac Bell" for short), the ballpark changed to "SBC Park" in 2004 when SBC Communications acquired Pacific Bell. The original $50 million naming rights deal (24 years) was transferred to the new parent company and in 2006, the name changed once more -- to the current "AT&T Park." That's three changes in six years, and with 18 more years left to go on the rights deal, who knows how many incarnations await?

Fortunately, "AT&T Park" looks like it's going to stay for a while. And despite all the name changes, a constant has remained: the stadium’s beauty, situated picturesquely against the backdrop of the Bay. McCovey Cove is where the splash home runs go.

The stadium's approx. dimensions measure:

Left Foul Line, 339 feet
Right Foul Line, 309 feet
Center Field, 339 feet
Left-Center Field Alley, 364 feet
Right-Center Field Alley, 421 feet.

Its capacity is 41,503 and its surface is a Kentucky Bluegrass Blend.

The Giants record the last five years:

  • 2006: 76-85 (3rd)
  • 2005: 75-87 (3rd)
  • 2004: 91-71 (2nd)
  • 2003: 100-61 (Winner, N.L. West)
  • 2002: 95-66 (Wild Card, NLCS)
AT&T Park will host the 2007 All-Star Game on July 10. This will be the third midsummer classic for the San Francisco Giants (1984, 1961).

Terminology: If at the ballpark, be hip to S.F. Giants terms, from "The Willie" to "Say Hey Kid" to "Bye Bye, Baby" to the latest in "Bochy Ball."

Also Known As: Pacific Bell Park (2000-2003); SBC Park (2004-February 2006); "The Miracle on Third Street," for being the first privately-funded ballpark to open in the United States in 40 years.
Examples: Home to the San Francisco Giants, AT&T Park made a few improvements at the start of the 2007 season. Namely, a 103-foot wide high-definition scoreboard, plus 590 solar panels on the port walk, making it the first stadium in baseball to incorporate solar technology.

* Information provided by Major League Baseball.

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