When Baum Stadium opened in 1996 it was the class of college baseball venues. Now, more than a decade later, Baum Stadium remains the gold standard for college baseball facilities.

The 2007 season saw the completion of the third renovation of Baum Stadium since Van Horn’s arrival in 2003. Another 20 luxury boxes and more than 1,200 chairback seats were added along with additional restrooms and an expanded Hog Pen and picnic area.

The additions brought the total Baum Stadium capacity to roughly 10,500 seats with 9,200 chairbacks and 34 luxury boxes.

A new ticket office and Razorback Foundation building also now sits down the left-field line on Razorback Road. The Baum Stadium lights were also upgraded with the installation of state-of-the-art Musco Field Lights. New field wall pads also adorn the outfield walls.

The combination of the upgrades and a top 10 baseball team produced record numbers through the turnstiles in 2007 as UA smashed the school record for the fourth straight year.

Arkansas became the first team in NCAA history to average more than 8,000 tickets sold per game (8,069) with a total of 266,270 tickets sold for the 33 home games in 2007. UA also turned in an impressive average actual attendance of 6,007 per game with 198,218 fans passing through the gates for the season.

In 2004, Baum Stadium served as host to an NCAA Regional and Super Regional, drawing the largest total attendance in the nation for both events. The largest on-campus crowd to ever witness an NCAA Super Regional game turned out for the Razorbacks' series-clinching win over the Florida State Seminoles.

An amazing 10,027 fans turned out for the second game against Florida State, breaking the previous record set just the night before when 9,338 fans showed up for game one of the series.

In all, a combined 58,138 fans attended the NCAA Regional and Super Regional at Baum Stadium.

The Razorbacks’ amazing attendance number climbed even higher in 2005 when the Hogs finished second in average paid attendance at 7,156 (200,378). The NCAA and Southeastern Conference recognize paid attendance as their method of ranking attendance, but Arkansas keeps both an actual attendance and paid attendance.

In 2005, the Razorbacks also set a school record in actual attendance with 146,902 fans showing up at Baum Stadium. That averages out to 5,247 fans per game and is believed to have led the country.

All of the records set in 2005 were once again demolished in 2006 as Arkansas finished second nationally in attendance. The Hogs sold 206,325 tickets to 29 home dates in 2006, behind only LSU. That average of 7,116 also finished just behind the Tigers, who averaged just 7,320 per game.

The actual attendance number rose as well as Arkansas set school records for total actual attendance 164,608 (29 dates) and average actual attendance (5,676).

The Razorbacks also hosted their third NCAA Regional in 2006 and the second under Van Horn.

Additional chairback seats were added for the 2003 season and the 2004 season saw 12 new luxury boxes and permanent coaches' offices added to the upper level. Two of the new luxury boxes and coaches' offices were made possible by contributions from the Willard and Pat Walker Charitable Foundation, Bob and Marilyn Bogle, the Pagnozzi Charities, John Tyson and Stan Ley.

Adding to the character of the park, a new state-of-the-art scoreboard complete with video board, message center and a traditional hand clock was built in right field. The scoreboard stands 39 feet high and is 76 feet wide and features four classic brick pillars.

Perhaps the most treasured addition to the 2004 renovations was the addition of a natural grass field. A rye grass was initially used for the 2004 season, but was replaced by a hybrid bermuda grass in 2005.

The 2004 season marked the second round of renovations since Dave Van Horn became head coach of his alma mater.

Baum Stadium underwent renovations prior to the 2003 season as 2,600 chairback seats were added with 1,300 going down each foul line. In addition, the hitting and pitching cages were enclosed so Razorback players would have access to the facility year-round.

In 2003, Baseball America ranked Baum Stadium as the second-best collegiate baseball stadium in the country. The survey was conducted prior to the additions of natural grass, luxury boxes and the new scoreboard.

Named the country's No. 1 college baseball facility in Baseball America’s 1998 survey, the stadium - which can accommodate more than 10,000 patrons with auxiliary seating - stands as a tribute to the UA baseball program and to longtime coach Norm DeBriyn, who has seen Razorback baseball rise from the dust of Fairgrounds Field and take up residence in a structure with amenities that put it "in a class of its own," according to Baseball America.

Baum Stadium is the culmination of a vision that was possible only through the dedication of DeBriyn, UA Athletics Director Frank Broyles, and the contributions of the Willard and Pat Walker and Charlie Baum families.

While the efforts of DeBriyn and Broyles have been instrumental in maintaining a state-of-the-art home for UA baseball since the original George Cole Field opened in 1975, it was the generosity of the Baums and Walkers that allowed Arkansas to abandon plans to renovate its former facility and replace it with a new standard in college baseball venues.

The support of the George Cole family has been an integral part of the program's growth since the former Razorback athlete, coach and athletics director donned the cardinal and white many years ago.

"Without the support of the Charlie Baum, Willard Walker and George Cole families, this wouldn't have been possible," DeBriyn said. "It's an incredible facility and there is not one like it anywhere in the country. There is no way to describe the excitement our players and coaches have when they take the field."

Representatives of all three families attended groundbreaking ceremonies on Oct. 12, 1994.

Eighteen months later, Arkansas' Matt Carnes delivered Baum Stadium's first pitch to Russell Whittenburg, completing the dream. The Razorbacks defeated the Auburn Tigers 9-2 in the stadium's inaugural contest.

Official dedication ceremonies were held three weeks later as Arkansas downed Alabama 9-3 on May 3, 1996.

Baum Stadium is an intimidating venue for Razorback opponents, and never was that more evident than during the Hogs' 1999, 2004 and 2006 Southeastern Conference schedules.

The Razorbacks posted a 14-1 mark against SEC teams in 1999 and an 11-4 marks in 2004 and 2006. The Hogs claimed league titles in 1999 and 2004 and finished second in the SEC West and third overall in 2006.

Baum Stadium served as the site of NCAA Regionals in 1999, 2004 and 2006, setting attendance records in 2004.

The largest regular-season crowd to witness a game at Baum was on May 22, 2004, when the Razorbacks retired DeBriyn's uniform number. A crowd of 8,653 was on hand to honor DeBriyn for his 33 years of service as head coach. That record was broken in 2005 as 9,511 fans witnessed the clash with Ole Miss on May 20.

Arkansas also drew an SEC-record 25,091 fans to the LSU series in 2005. The Razorbacks averaged an astonishing 8,364 fans that weekend. Later in the 2005 campaign, 24,993 fans came out to the Ole Miss series.

Perhaps the only thing that makes as big an impression on first-time visitors as the facility itself is the game day atmosphere within it. Between innings, fans are treated to the RBI Girls' performances atop the dugouts, interactive contests and prizes from UA baseball sponsors.

Fans can also enjoy a cookout at one of the many permanent barbeque grills provided in the picnic area beyond the left field fence in the Hog Pen.

If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, then the Razorbacks have even more reason to point to Baum Stadium as a source of pride. Each year, UA officials are approached by coaches and administrators requesting access to the Baum Stadium blueprints as they plan to renovate an existing facility or build a new one in hopes of replicating the comfort and grandeur of the Razorbacks' home.

College Baseball's Best Facilities
2003 Baseball America Poll
Facility School
1. Plainsman Park Auburn
2. Baum Stadium at George Cole Field Arkansas
3. Baylor Ballpark Baylor
4. Hawks Field Nebraska
5. Alex Box Stadium LSU

1998 Baseball America Poll
Facility School
1. Baum Stadium at George Cole Field Arkansas
2. Rainbow Stadium Hawaii
3. Plainsman Park Auburn
4. Dudy Noble Field Mississippi St.
5. Tony Gwynn Stadium San Diego St.

Top 20 All-Time Crowds (tickets sold)
1. LSU 10,727 May 5, 2007
2. LSU 10,399 May 4, 2007
3. Ole Miss 10,031 May 18, 2007
4. *Florida State 10,027 June 12, 2004
5. Ole Miss 9,733 May 19, 2007
6. $Oklahoma State 9,572 June 2, 2007
7. Ole Miss 9,511 May 20, 2005
8. LSU 9,438 May 6, 2007
9. *Florida State 9,338 June 11, 2004
10. Vanderbilt 9,326 March 24, 2007
11. Vanderbilt 9,216 March 23, 2007
12. LSU 9,133 April 23, 3006
13. Auburn 9,119 May 19, 2006
14. LSU 8,806 April 22, 2005
15. Tennessee 8,782 April 1, 2006
16. Ole Miss 8,657 May 17, 2007
17. Auburn 8,653 May 21, 2004
18. Wichita State 8,622 April 25, 2007
19. Vanderbilt 8,541 March 25, 2007
20. Kentucky 8,486 April 15, 2006
* NCAA Super Regional
$ NCAA Regional

Top 20 All-Time Crowds (actual)
1. LSU 10,581 May 5, 2007
2. LSU 10,147 May 4, 2007
3. *Florida State 10,027 June 12, 2004
4. Ole Miss 9,812 May 18, 2007
5. $Oklahoma State 9,572 June 2, 2007
6. Ole Miss 9,508 May 19, 2007
7. *Florida State 9,338 June 11, 2004
8. Ole Miss 9,227 May 20, 2005
9. LSU 9,203 May 6, 2007
Vanderbilt 9,203 March 24, 2007
11. Vanderbilt 9,078 March 23, 2007
12. LSU 9,012 April 23, 2005
13. Auburn 8,841 May 19, 2006
14. LSU 8,593 April 22, 2005
15. Auburn 8,526 May 21, 2004
16. Tennessee 8,431 April 1, 2006
17. $Albany 8,372 June 1, 2007
18. $Wichita State 8,178 June 7, 2004
19. Kentucky 8,166 April 15, 2006
20. $Oklahoma State 8,128 June 3, 2006
* NCAA Super Regional
$ NCAA Regional