Firestone Stadium

Firestone Stadium is a baseball and softball stadium located in Akron, Ohio, United States. The stadium was dedicated on July 25, 1925 by Harvey Firestone, the founder of the Firestone Tire and Rubber Company. It was owned and operated by the Firestone company until it was donated to the City of Akron in 1988. It has a seating capacity of 4,576.

Firestone Stadium
Main grandstand, 2017
Firestone Stadium
Location in the United States
Location1575 Firestone Parkway
Akron, Ohio 44301
United States
Coordinates41°02′31″N 81°31′43″W
OwnerCity of Akron
OperatorAkron Racers
Capacity4,576
Record attendance6,256 (2008)
SurfaceNatural grass
ScoreboardElectronic
Opened1925
Tenants
Akron Racers (NPF) 1999–2017

From 1999 to 2017, it served as the home of the Akron Racers of the National Pro Fastpitch softball league. The stadium was also the site of the annual Mid-American Conference Softball Tournament from 2002 to 2005 and again from 2008 through 2019. It was scheduled to host the 2020 tournament, but the tournament was cancelled in March 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic. Subsequently, in May 2020 the Mid-American Conference announced that the softball tournament was one of eight conference tournaments that were eliminated for at least the next four seasons beginning in 2020–21.[1][2]

Since 2009, Firestone Stadium has hosted the semifinals and finals of the Ohio High School Athletic Association (OHSAA) state softball tournament.[3] The championship rounds include all four divisions of OHSAA softball, with 12 games played in three days in late May or early June. It was scheduled to again host the championship rounds June 4–6, 2020, but the tournament was cancelled in late April along with all other spring sports seasons and tournaments due to the coronavirus pandemic.[4][5]

References

  1. MAC Softball Record Book (PDF). Mid-American Conference. March 24, 2016. pp. 27–28. Retrieved May 11, 2016.
  2. Strack, Jordan (May 12, 2020). "Major changes coming to Mid-American Conference". WTOL.com. Retrieved May 12, 2020.
  3. "Fun Facts". Akron Racers Foundation. Retrieved May 13, 2020.
  4. "2020 OHSAA Softball State Tournament Coverage". Ohio High School Athletic Association. Retrieved May 13, 2020.
  5. Snodgrass, Jerry (April 20, 2020). "Today's Announcement to Cancel Schools" (PDF) (Press release). Ohio High School Athletic Association. Retrieved May 13, 2020.


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