PRAIRIE VIEW, Texas -- Prairie View A&M University will hold a ribbon cutting for its recently renovated baseball stadium prior to its doubleheader showdown against Texas Southern on Saturday at 12:30 p.m.. In addition to the ribbon cutting, the university will also formally dedicate the field in honor of former baseball coach John W. Tankersley.
The Wi-Fi enabled facility features 512 total seats (192 chair backed seats) along with a brand new concession stand which contains additional storage space and restrooms. A press box was erected along with a net/pole backstop and extended team dugouts which are bricked. Tankersley Field was designed by Brown Reynolds Watford Architects with SSC Service Solutions serving as the project manager and CME Builders & Engineers, Inc. the general contractor.
John W. Tankersley, known as "Coach Tank" to the Prairie View A&M family, was synonymous with Prairie View for over 33 years. He was the chief architect of Panther baseball for 30 years, serving his first stint from 1969-72. During a two-year hiatus from Prairie View, Tankersley served as athletics director at his alma mater, Wiley College, before returning in 1974 and retiring in 2002.
As head coach at Prairie View, Tankersley led his teams to an NAIA district title and five NAIA zone titles. His success on the diamond earned him two Adirondack Big Stick awards, three Bill Ennis Athlete of the Year awards and several NAIA and Southwestern Athletic Conference coach of the year honors. Tankersley passed away on Oct. 27, 2003 but his legacy will live on forever as the Texas A&M Board of Regents unanimously approved the baseball field to be named in his honor.
Admission to Saturday's showdown against Texas Southern is $5 with area youth admitted free of charge. The ceremony will begin at 12:30 p.m. followed by the first pitch at 1 p.m.
COURTESY PRAIRIE VIEW A&M UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION
COURTESY PRAIRIE VIEW A&M UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION
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