Jacobs Field (“The Jake”)   Cleveland, Ohio

Home of the Cleveland Indians 1994-Present. Municipal Park was the Indians home field prior to Jacobs from 1932-1993, and League Park before that.

Since the 30s, the Indians were playing at the "Mistake on the Lake", Cleveland Stadium on Lake Erie, a giant football and baseball arena. When the Jacobs brothers bought the Indians in 1984, they envisioned a lake front domed structure, but the citizens of Cleveland voted against it. Fans deserved something beautiful after years of attending games at the huge Cleveland Municipal Stadium.

With a lousy team and poor attendance, Richard and David Jacobs bought the Cleveland Indians, and hoped to improve the team and to try to get a new ballpark built. The attempt to build a new ballpark began in 1984, but eight years passed before construction began. In May 1990, voters approved a bond to build a sports complex including Jacobs Field. Located in downtown Cleveland, construction of the ballpark began in January 1992.

Jacobs Field was created as part of the Gateway project, a project that was designed to revitalize downtown Cleveland. The exterior is made of Atlantic green granite, Kasota stone, and exposed structural steel, so it blends with Cleveland's skyline.

The Gateway sports area has walkways, parks with sculptures that look like huge cheese graters, and a parking garages that connects Jacobs Field with Gund Arena, home of the NBA team the Cleveland Cavaliers. The park has the largest bullpen in the majors located in the outfield with three mounds each and is home to the first virtual reality batting cage. This stadium was also the first place to have vertical lights in the outfield. There is a great view of the city from the upper third base side.

Jacobs Field opened on April 4, 1994 when 43,863 fans filled the ballpark to watch the Indians battle the Seattle Mariners. Three tiers of stands extend from the left field foul pole to homeplate and around into right/center field. Excellent views of downtown Cleveland can be seen from many of these seats. A small section of lower level seats stretch to right-center field.  

In left field, a section of bleachers seats are located above a 19 foot high wall, nicknamed the mini Green Monster. Above these seats is a 120 foot by 200 foot scoreboard. Jacobs Field has many amenities including the Davey Tree Backyard Picnic Area beyond centerfield, an Indians Team Store, Wahoo World where fans can challenge there Major League arm at the Speed Pitch Machine, swing for the fences at the virtual Home Run Derby or use the bats at the Bat Attack cage.

Throughout Jacobs Field are several electronic entertainment area.  Jacobs Field has provided the city with many great memories, including hosting the 1997 All-Star Game and three games of the 1997 World Series.

Because of great teams, from 1995 until April 4, 2001, the Indians set a major league record of 455 sellouts of Jacobs Field.  "The Jake", as it is known continues to be one of baseballs pristine ballparks.

The Indians retired numbers are (in numerical order and the years they were retired):

Memorable Moments:

 

 

Fun Facts: