Spratt Sports Complex Renovation

1883 Baseball Team

William Jewell’s rich athletic heritage officially began in 1883 with baseball as the first College-organized sport participating in intercollegiate athletic competition on the Hill. The 1883 baseball team, pictured to the right, was organized and financed entirely by students. 

In February 2009, the College announced plans to change athletic affiliation to NCAA Division II. The 2009-10 season marks the first year of a three-year transition period to becoming a full NCAA member. As Jewell moves closer to NCAA membership, the College has developed a vision for the future of the Spratt Sports Complex, the southeastern portion of the campus where the baseball and softball facilities reside. This multi-phased plan, which initially focuses on the baseball stadium and field, will transform the overall game-day experience for our student-athletes and fans.

Phase 1: Enhanced Baseball Stadium Press Box with Restrooms and Concessions
As we began preparing for the transition to NCAA Division II and a highly competitive conference, we were encouraged when alumni and friends stepped forward to partner with us. Lynn Schlemeyer Cookson, the mother of a recent player, provided a significant gift to help complete Phase 1 of the renovation project in time for the 2010 home opener. The new press box is triple the size of the former and now houses restrooms and concessions.

Phase 2: Baseball Stadium Grandstand Seating
With Phase I of the Spratt Sports Complex renovation complete, we are pleased to announce that baseball alumnus Jack Talley ’80 has recently made a significant gift to install grandstand seating for Phase 2. The new seating will stretch from dugout-to-dugout over three sections (home, visitor, and middle sections) and will be elevated to offer improved view of the games. Work will commence in the off-season to install the grandstand seating for the 2011 season.

Future Renovation
As the current round of improvements are completed, we will be assessing donor interest in additional improvements for future phases of the Spratt Sports Complex renovation. These improvements might include an artificial turf playing surface, lighting the field, building an indoor hitting/ pitching/storage facility, and creating additional fan parking. 

Feel free to contact Kent Huyser, Executive Director of Alumni Relations and Annual Giving, at (816) 415-7562 or kent@jewellalumni.com, if you have questions about this renovation project.

The newly-completed baseball press box
(photo by Kyle Rivas, Campus Photographer and Photo Archivist - March 23, 2010)