The Torch

Issue date: 6/4/09 Section: Sports

The Eugene Emeralds future at Civic Stadium is murky, with only a guarantee of one more season at the Eugene landmark. The team is considering a move to the Oregon Ducks new stadium, PK Park. Photos courtesy of the EUGENE EMERALDS

The Emeralds have had numerous big league players pass Eugene on their way to the majors, including Hall of Famer, Mike Schmidt. Today, players such as Tom Gordon and Mike Sweeney as well as third base coach Larry Bowa, represent the Emeralds in the MLB. Photos courtesy of the EUGENE EMERALDS

Eugene's favorite baseball team is set to begin its 55th season later this month when the Eugene Emeralds take to the Civic Stadium field for the Northwest League's 2009 season.

The Emeralds, or Ems, are a Class A farm team for the San Diego Padres. They are one seven minor league teams that the Padres utilize to groom their young and developing players.

But as important as the Emeralds are to the Padres, they are even more important to the Eugene.

"We're a Eugene tradition. We've been here since 1955 and attracted over 5 million people to Emeralds games," Emeralds Assistant General Manager Bryan Beban said.

Beban, a 1992 graduate of LCC, added, "to most Eugenians, they've never been [in Eugene] without the Emeralds. Our average attendance for short season single A is in the top 10 in the country. It's a testament to the community support we've had."

The Emeralds and their home field, Civic Stadium, have been providing lasting memories for fans since their inception. Beban's favorite memory dates back the final day of the season in 1993 when the Emeralds were battling the Boise Hawks for the division crown.

At the time, the Ems were boasting future major leaguers Mike Sweeney and Sal Fasano. Boise had multiple future big leaguers as well.

"It was just middle of the week, a Tuesday night, and over 7,000 people were in the 6,800-seat capacity stadium. We ended up losing the game, but the buzz and emotion that surrounded the city and the club were unbelievable," Beban said.

The Emeralds were founded in 1955 as a member of the Northwest League. The Emeralds remained in the NWL until 1968. In 1969, the Emeralds became the Philadelphia Phillies AAA farm team, the highest designation of minor league baseball.

The Ems remained the Phillies AAA team until 1973, when they were moved to Class A. Since that time, the Emeralds have been affiliated with six different major league clubs, and with the Padres since 2001.

Although the Emeralds haven't had much success in terms of winning in the past decade, the Ems have been a launching pad for numerous major league players. Mike Schmidt, Tom Gordon, Bob Boone, Larry Bowa and Mike Sweeney are just a few of the players who have made stops in Eugene on their way to the big leagues.

The Emeralds' relationship with Civic Stadium dates to 1969 when the Ems secured a berth in the Class AAA Pacific Coast League and outgrew their former home, Bethel Park on Roosevelt Avenue. It was at that time the Eugene School Board approved a lease negotiated with the Emeralds.

The Emeralds have been at Civic ever since. The club is now seeking renovations to the 70-year-old stadium but funding for the project has been difficult to obtain.

"We're at Civic Stadium for 2009 guaranteed, and a decision has yet to be made for 2010. We're in negations. But until there is an agreement, plans will move forward for us to remain at Civic Stadium," Beban said.

For that reason, Beban said the club has considered moving into the University of Oregon's new baseball stadium, PK Park, on Martin Luther King Boulevard.

"We've always said we'd like to stay at Civic Stadium if it receives the upgrades it needs. It needs $7-10 million to remain viable at this point. That money is not going to be put forth by the School District 4J, which owns the stadium or the city of Eugene, it looks at this point. Moving to the university is a direction in negotiations we've had," Beban stated.

Despite that, the club clearly recognizes what the stadium means to the Emeralds.

"Fans come to the stadium just to see the ballpark. People come from out of town just to see the Emeralds play at this stadium," Beban said.

Not only do the Ems provide an outlet for Eugene families to watch baseball. The team is a family-run business.

"We have four full-time employees. In the summer they balloon to about 100. The president and GM is my father, Bob, and the business operation manager is my mother, Eileen," Bryan, who got his start with the Emeralds as their batboy in 1982, said.

The 2009 Emeralds team will open the season on June 20, when the Ems host the Salem-Keizer Volcanoes. However, the Emeralds' roster is still to be determined.

"The San Diego Padres provide us with all our coaches and players and when the MLB draft takes place, some of the players who were selected by the Padres will be sent to Eugene to play for the Emeralds," Beban said.

The 2009 MLB Draft takes place on June 9-11. The Padres have the third pick overall.

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